Stone leads Golden Knights past Sharks 4-2 for 3rd straight win

Mark Stone had a goal and an assist as the Vegas Golden Knights beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2. Zach Whitecloud, Victor Olofsson and Tomas Hertl also scored to help Vegas extend its winning streak to three games. Shea Theodore had two assists. William Eklund had a goal and an assist for San Jose. Timothy Liljegren also scored. Olofsson gave the Golden Knights a 3-1 lead on a power play at 1:10 of the third period. His ninth goal came on a slap shot from the circle off a backhand pass from Jack Eichel. Liljegren's power-play goal trimmed it to 3-2 at 10:41, but Hertl sealed it with an empty-netter. Vegas goalie Ilya Samsonov made 20 saves. Sharks netminder Alexandar Georgiev turned back 38 shots.

Trae Young's game-winning heave at the buzzer caps a series of huge plays in Hawks' win over Jazz

After imposing his will on offense for four quarters, Atlanta's Trae Young still had one play left in him with the final seconds ticking off the clock. Young heaved a buzzer-beating 49-foot 3-pointer from just behind the halfcourt line to give the Hawks a 124-121 victory over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night. The dramatic shot capped a game in which Young had 24 points and 20 assists while committing only two turnovers.

Steve Kerr's mother among those evacuated from Pacific Palisades wildfire

Steve Kerr's 90-year-old mother was among the thousands of residents evacuated from the raging wildfire in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The Golden State Warriors coach said his mom, Ann, had left her home in Pacific Palisades given the evacuation orders for tens of thousands of people. Kerr said Everett Dayton in Golden State's player development department grew up there had lost his family home in the picturesque area of Southern California, where extreme winds swept through a Los Angeles hillside and aided the fire's spread.

Huberdeau scores in overtime to give the Flames a 3-2 win over the Ducks

Jonathan Huberdeau scored a power-play goal at 2:05 of overtime in the Calgary Flames' 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. MacKenzie Weegar had a goal and an assist for the Flames, who stopped a two-game skid. Nazem Kadri scored and Dustin Wolf stopped 25 shots. Mason McTavish tied it with 12:24 left in regulation for the Ducks, who have earned a point in five of their last six games. Alex Killorn also scored, and John Gibson made 30 saves.

Degenhart has 21 in Boise State's 81-59 victory over UNLV

Led by Tyson Degenhart's 21 points, the Boise State Broncos defeated the UNLV Rebels 81-59. Alvaro Cardenas Torre added 13 points and nine assists for Boise State (12-4, 4-1 Mountain West Conference). Jailen Bedford led UNLV (9-6, 3-1) with 11 points.

Jayson Tatum scores 29, Porzingis adds 25 as Celtics hold off depleted Nuggets 118-106

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Kristaps Porzingis added 25 and the Boston Celtics held off the depleted Denver Nuggets 118-106 as three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic sat out because of an illness. Porzingis also had 11 rebounds, while Jrue Holiday  finished with 19 points. The Celtics attempted 35 3-pointers, which was well below their season average of 50.17. Instead, they went down low and outscored the Nuggets by a 60-46 margin in the paint. Russell Westbrook had 26 points to lead Denver. Michael Porter Jr. added 15 points and 10 rebounds as the Nuggets dropped to 10-7 at home. They were 33-8 last season.

The Minnesota Wild have made resilience a valuable habit, halfway through a banged-up regular season

with another injury to overcome. This time, it was the departure of defenseman Brock Faber. Jonas Brodin led the way with a career-high 33:02 of ice time. The Wild have the fourth-best record in the NHL after missing the playoffs last season with largely the same roster. One key difference in 2023-24 was a lack of resiliency when injuries and slumps came their way.

Bam Adebayo leads Heat past Warriors 114-98 in back-to-back after double-OT loss at Sacramento

Bam Adebayo had 19 points, nine rebounds and five assists with two timely dunks down the stretch, and the Miami Heat snapped a three-game losing streak by beating the Golden State Warriors 114-98. Stephen Curry scored 31 points, Trayce Jackson-Davis added 19, and Draymond Green contributed seven points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The Warriors were booed by the home crowd, and many frustrated fans headed out of Chase Center early for a second straight game. Miami won in a tough road back-to-back following a double-overtime defeat at Sacramento a night earlier.

No. 24 Michigan shuts down UCLA's second half rally to beat 22nd-ranked Bruins 94-75

Vladislav Goldin scored 21 of his career-high 36 points in the first half to lead No. 24 Michigan over 22nd-ranked UCLA 94-75 in the Wolverines' fourth straight victory. The 7-foot-1 Russian asserted himself in the game's opening minutes with back-to-back one-handed dunks over Tyler Bilodeau, who gave up 4 inches and 20 pounds to Goldin. On the second jam, Bilodeau got knocked to the floor. Tre Donaldson added 20 points for the Wolverines. Michigan improved to 12-3 and 4-0 in the Big Ten. Bilodeau and Sebastian Mack each scored 17 points for UCLA. The Bruins fell to 11-4 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Mason Falslev scores 17 points to help No. 25 Utah State beat San Jose State 85-78

Mason Falslev had 17 points and seven rebounds, Tucker Anderson added 15 points and No. 25 Utah State held off San Jose State 85-78 on Tuesday night, the Aggies' fifth consecutive win. Ian Martinez finished with 14 points and Deyton Albury had 13 for Utah State. The Aggies are 15-1 overall and 5-0 in the Mountain West Conference. Donavan Yap Jr. made a career-high six 3-pointers and finished with 22 points for San Jose State. Robert Vaihola made a layup for the Spartans that tied the game at 69-all with six minutes to play, but San Diego State made 1 of 15 shots the rest of the way.

Trae Young's 49-foot buzzer-beater lifts Hawks to a 124-121 win over the Jazz

Trae Young hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from beyond the halfcourt line to give the Atlanta Hawks a 124-121 victory over the Utah Jazz. Young took an inbounds pass, dribbled to just short of halfcourt and hit the 49-foot winner as time expired while being loosely guarded by Collin Sexton, who had seemingly forced overtime with a tying 3-pointer with four seconds remaining. Young finished with 24 points and 20 assists. Lauri Markkanen made a season-high eight 3-pointers and scored a season-best 35 points for Utah. Sexton added 24 points and Walker Kessler finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Davis scores 26 points to help surging North Carolina thump SMU

RJ Davis scored 26 points and Ian Jackson scored 18 points and North Carolina controlled SMU for an 82-67 win in a contest it never trailed. Reserve Chuck Harris scored 18 points for SMU. Powell made a 3 with 11:08 before halftime to give North Carolina its first double-digit lead at 23-13. Ven-Allen Lubin's tip-in gave the Tar Heels a 30-19 advantage and they led by double digits the rest of the way. North Carolina led 39-24 at halftime.

No. 2 Auburn hangs on 87-82 at Texas to give Bruce Pearl school-record coaching victory

Johni Broome had 20 points and 12 rebounds as No. 2 Auburn withstood a late Texas rally for an 87-82 victory to give coach Bruce Pearl the school record for career wins. Auburn led by 21 in the second half before Texas fought back behind Arthur Kaluma and Jordan Pope to get within three in the final minute. Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford made four free throws over the final 17 seconds to seal it. Kaluma scored 34 points for Texas.

SIU Edwardsville defeats Eastern Illinois 60-57

Led by Ray'Sean Taylor's 19 points, the SIU Edwardsville Cougars defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers 60-57. The Cougars moved to 10-6 with the victory and the Panthers fell to 5-10.

Crocker-Johnson scores 20 in Colorado State's 91-64 victory against Fresno State

Led by Jaylen Crocker-Johnson's 20 points, the Colorado State Rams defeated the Fresno State Bulldogs 91-64. The Rams are now 9-6 on the season, while the Bulldogs fell to 4-12.

J'Vonne Hadley's 32 points, 10 rebounds help Louisville beat Clemson 74-64

J'Vonne Hadley scored a career-high 32 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, James Scott had his second career double-double and Louisville beat Clemson 74-64. Hadley was 10-of-12 shooting, 3 of 3 from 3-point range, and made 9 of 11 from the free-throw line. Scott made 5 of 5 from the field and finished with 11 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Louisville (11-5, 4-1 ACC) has won five games in a row. Chase Hunter led Clemson (12-4, 4-1) with 15 points and Ian Schieffelin added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Hadley made a layup, two free throws and a basket in the paint to give Louisville a 65-54 lead with 7:21 to play. The Tigers trailed by at least nine points the rest of the way.

Hawkins hits 6 3s, scores 22, Williams adds 18 points as Texas Tech beats BYU 72-67

to close the first half and give BYU a 34-32 lead. After Williams hit a cutting McMillian for a layup. Mag's putback of a miss by Traore made it 67-64 with 1:03 to go but BYU got no closer.

'This is good for us': No. 1 Tennessee falls by 30 to No. 8 Florida, becoming last unbeaten to lose

Tennessee coach Rick Barnes believes losing at Florida will be good for his team. At least in the long run. The top-ranked Volunteers became the last Division I team to lose this season, getting thumped 73-43 at No. 8 Florida. This one was over shortly after it tipped. Tennessee missed its first nine shots, trailed by double digits a few minutes later and never recovered. The Volunteers got bullied in the paint, outmuscled on the boards and beaten up and down the court. The result was the most lopsided victory against a No. 1 team since UCLA and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, beat Houston 101-69 in the 1968 Final Four.

RJ Melendez scores 19 as No. 14 Mississippi State beats Vandy 76-64 for 8th straight win

RJ Melendez scored 19 points and No. 14 Mississippi State beat Vanderbilt 76-64 for its eighth straight victory. The Bulldogs came in with their highest ranking yet under coach Chris Jans. They leave having won six of eight in this series. Cameron Matthews added 16 points and Claudell Harris Jr. had 13 for Mississippi State. Vanderbilt was trying to start 2-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2016-17. Mississippi State snapped the Commodores' seven-game win streak under first-year coach Mark Byington. AJ Hoggard scored 16 points trying to rally Vandy. Grant Huffman added 14 and Tyler Nickel had 10.

Ready for takeoff: Duke star Cooper Flagg puts highlight-dunk signature on Pittsburgh win

Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg had a highlight-reel moment with a coast-to-coast dunk while being fouled Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Flagg's dunk over 7-footer Guillermo Diaz Graham came early in the second half. The 18-year-old preseason Associated Press All-American had 14 of his 19 points after halftime in the 76-47 win. Flagg said his mind "kind of went blank" as he charged toward the paint. The play had Duke coach Jon Scheyer thinking back to former Duke one-and-done star Zion Williamson. And the play offered another glimpse of Flagg's tantalizing potential as a potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick.

Bates and Robinson help Missouri cruise past LSU 83-67

Tamar Bates scored 20 points, Anthony Robinson II added 16 and Missouri cruised to an 83-67 victory over LSU. Missouri (12-3, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) bounced back from an 84-68 loss to second-ranked Auburn. The Tigers have won 12 straight at home, their longest streak since a 26-game run from 2012 to 2014. Cam Carter scored 16 points and Curtis Givens III added 15 for LSU (11-4, 0-2).

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Lakers coach JJ Redick says his family evacuated and people are 'freaking out' due to LA wildfires

Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick says members of his family were among those in Southern California forced to evacuate their homes due to a wildfire that was being whipped by strong winds around Los Angeles. The fire swept through a Los Angeles hillside where Redick lives alongside other celebrities, burning homes in Pacific Palisades and prompting evacuation orders for tens of thousands. Before the Lakers took on the Mavericks in Dallas, Redick acknowledged the gravity of the situation affecting his family and neighbors. He says "a lot of people are freaking out."

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Connor Hellebuyck nets 300th win as Jets soar past Predators 5-2

Morgan Barron and Josh Morrissey scored 16 seconds apart to help Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck record his 300th NHL career win 5-2 over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night. Kyle Connor, Gabriel Vilardi and Nino Niederreiter also scored for Winnipeg, which halted a three-game losing skid. Mark Scheifele added a pair of assists. Hellebuyck stopped 26 shots. Filip Forsberg ended an 18-game scoring drought with his 10th of the season for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 26 saves for Nashville.

Ousmane scores 27 points to help Oklahoma State beat Kansas State 79-66 and end a two-game skid

Abou Ousmane scored 27 points and Oklahoma State took control late in the second half and went on to beat Kansas State 79-66. Coleman Hawkins scored 18 points for Kansas State. With Oklahoma State up 23-22 with 5:30 before halftime, Bryce Thompson made a jump shot, Ousmane buried a 3-pointer and the Cowboys proceeded to outscore Kansas State 20-2 over the remainder for a 43-24 halftime lead. Oklahoma State led by double figures the entire second half.

Dix and Payton Sandfort combine for 61 points, Iowa rallies late to beat Nebraska 97-87 in overtime

Josh Dix had a career-high 31 points and seven 3-pointers, Payton Sandfort scored all 30 of his points after halftime and Iowa overcame a 15-point, second-half deficit to beat Nebraska 97-87 in overtime. Iowa (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten Conference) scored the first nine points of the extra period to pull away. The Hawkeyes shot 3 of 4 from the field and made 14 of 16 free throws in overtime while the Cornhuskers were 4-of-12 shooting. Dix made a 3-pointer and scored nine points. Brice Williams scored 28 points to lead Nebraska (12-3, 2-2), which had a six-game winning streak halted.

Wild come back to beat Blues 6-4 on big saves by Fleury and key goals from Boldy and Middleton

Matt Boldy's tiebreaking goal early in the third period for the Minnesota Wild completed their comeback from a two-score deficit to beat the St. Louis Blues 6-4 for their fourth straight victory. Boldy snapped in a shot off a pass from Mats Zuccarello on a 2-on-1 rush. Joel Eriksson Ek scored for Minnesota midway through the second period. Jake Middleton tied the game 1:16 into the third. Jordan Kyrou, Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas scored early in the second period for a 4-2 lead for St. Louis that prompted the Wild to pull goalie Filip Gustavsson.

Anthony Edwards scores 32 and the Timberwolves top the Pelicans 104-97 in Zion Williamson's return

Anthony Edwards highlighted a 32-point performance with seven 3-pointers, and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 104-97 to take some luster off of Zion Williamson's return from a 27-game absence. Williamson, who'd been sidelined by a left hamstring strain, scored 22 points to go with six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in 27 minutes in just his seventh game this season. Former Pelican Julius Randle scored 16 points and ex-LSU star Naz Reid added 13 points for Minnesota. Dejounte Murray scored 27 points for New Orleans, but CJ McCollum, who scored 50 points just two games earlier, shot 1 of 14 as the Pelicans lost for the 21st time in 24 games.

Chase Ross scores career-high 27 as No. 7 Marquette rallies past Georgetown 74-66

Chase Ross scored a career-high 27 points as No. 7 Marquette rallied from a 14-point first-half deficit to beat Georgetown 74-66. Stevie Mitchell added 13 points, David Joplin scored 12 and Kam Jones had 11 for Marquette, which won its fifth straight. Malik Mack led Georgetown with 18 points. Micah Peavy added 13 points, Thomas Sorber 11 and Caleb Williams 10. Sorber had 13 rebounds. The Hoyas had won five straight.

No. 3 Iowa State rolls past Utah 82-59 to extend its win streak to 10 games

Curtis Jones had 23 points off the bench to lead No. 3 Iowa State to an 82-59 victory over Utah to extend the Cyclones' win streak to 10 games. Jones tied his season high in points on 10-of-17 shooting. He also had five rebounds, six assists and two steals. The Cyclones improved to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in the Big 12. Gabe Madsen scored 20 points and Miro Little added 13 points off the bench for the Utes. Utah is 8-6 and 0-3.

Matthews, Tavares lift Toronto Maple Leafs to fifth straight win

Auston Matthews and John Tavares each had a goal and an assist to lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to their fifth straight win, 3-2 over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. Matthew Knies tallied the go-ahead goal with 6:39 remaining to help the Maple Leafs sweep a home-and-home set with Philadelphia. Toronto defeated the Flyers 3-2 in overtime on home ice on Sunday. Leafs goalie Joseph Woll made 30 saves. Travis Konecny scored both Philadelphia goals.

Freeman puts up 18 in UIC's 80-63 victory against Missouri State

Led by Tyem Freeman's 18 points, the UIC Flames defeated the Missouri State Bears 80-63 on Tuesday night. The Flames are now 11-5 on the season, while the Bears fell to 7-9.

Lendeborg scores 25, UAB takes down Tulane 81-69

Led by Yaxel Lendeborg's 25 points, the UAB Blazers defeated the Tulane Green Wave 81-69 on Tuesday night. The Blazers improved to 9-7 with the win and the Green Wave fell to 8-8.

Benn scores in OT and Stars erase 3-goal deficit to beat Rangers 5-4

Jamie Benn scored on a power play 2:17 into overtime and the Dallas Stars rallied from an early three-goal deficit to defeat the struggling New York Rangers 5-4. Jake Oettinger made 21 saves and Dallas defenseman Thomas Harley had a goal and two assists. Harley's snap shot tied it 4-all at 17:21 of the third period following a terrible turnover by Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller deep in his own end. Benn's 11th goal came with Artemi Panarin in the penalty box for hooking and gave the Stars their only lead. Dallas' captain tipped in a centering pass from Jason Robertson to win it. Harley also assisted on the play. Dallas denied New York goalie Jonathan Quick his 400th career win.

Brayden Point scores with 52 seconds to play to lift Lightning to 3-2 win over Hurricanes

Brayden Point scored with 52 seconds to play and the Tampa Bay Lightning snapped a four-game skid with a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. Brandon Hagel and Nick Paul also scored for Tampa Bay while Darren Raddysh finished with two assists. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 30 shots in the victory. Andrei Svechnikov and Jordan Staal scored for Carolina. Pytor Kochetkov finished with 31 saves. Hurricanesd defenseman Brent Burns appeared in his 884th consecutive game.

Davis scores 31 as Kent State takes down Northern Illinois 68-50

The Kent State Golden Flashes defeated the Northern Illinois Huskies 68-50 on Tuesday night led by VonCameron Davis' 31 points. The Golden Flashes are now 10-4 on the season, while the Huskies dropped to 4-10.

Norchad Omier, VJ Edgecombe each score 18 and Baylor beats Cincinnati for 10th straight home victory

Norchad Omier and VJ Edgecombe each scored 18 points, and Baylor beat Cincinnati 68-48 for its 10th straight home victory. Omier was recognized for reaching 2,000 career points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds to get within 34 of becoming the 14th player in NCAA history with 2,000 points and 1,500 rebounds. He also reached double-digit scoring for the 70th time in the last three seasons. Baylor only led 22-18 with eight minutes left in the first half before closing on a 13-2 run for a 15-point lead at the break. Cincinnati made just one of its last 10 first-half field goals. The closest Cincinnati got in the second half was 11 points, 39-28, after a 3-pointer by Dan Skillings Jr.

Mavericks end 5-game losing streak with a 118-97 victory over Lakers

Quinten Grimes had 26 points, nine rebounds and six assists as the Dallas Mavericks snapped a five-game skid with a 118-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. The Mavericks ended their losing streak without their top scorers. Luka Doncic has been out with a left calf strain since Dec. 25, and Kyrie Irving has been sidelined the past two games with a bulging disk in his back. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 21 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James added 18 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Los Angeles lost its second straight and for the third time in five games.

Lewis scores 20 as Toledo knocks off Eastern Michigan 90-87

Led by Sam Lewis' 20 points, the Toledo Rockets defeated the Eastern Michigan Eagles 90-87 on Tuesday night. The Rockets are now 8-6 on the season, while the Eagles fell to 7-7.

Indoor golf league created by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy has a loud, swift debut match

Ludvig Aberg will be the answer to a trivia question: He made the first birdie in TGL history. And with that, the indoor golf competition that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy had envisioned for years was finally underway. TGL had its debut match Tuesday night, with Rickie Fowler, Matt Fitzpatrick and Xander Schauffele of New York Golf Club taking on Shane Lowry, Wyndham Clark and Aberg of The Bay Golf Club in the opener. Lowry struck the first shot at 9:15 p.m. Four minutes later, the first hole in TGL history was complete when Aberg rolled in a 9-footer for the first point in league history. The Bay went on to beat New York 9-2.

Patrick Kane's power-play goal in OT lifts Red Wings past Senators for 5th straight victory

Patrick Kane scored on a power play with 2:39 remaining in overtime and the Detroit Red Wings extended their winning streak to five games with a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. Dylan Larkin scored on a power play in the first period and Joe Veleno also scored in regulation for Detroit. Larkin extended his goal streak to four games and his point streak to six games. Brady Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot scored for Ottawa, which has lost five of its last six games. Anton Forsberg made 30 saves.

Thomas puts up 22 as Bowling Green downs Western Michigan 83-79

Led by Trey Thomas' 22 points, the Bowling Green Falcons defeated the Western Michigan Broncos 83-79. Derrick Butler scored 19 points for Bowling Green (6-8, 1-1 Mid-American Conference). Owen Lobsinger led Western Michigan (3-11, 0-2) with 12 points and eight rebounds. The Broncos have lost seven games in a row.

Ohio wins 88-79 over Buffalo

Led by AJ Clayton's 27 points, the Ohio Bobcats defeated the Buffalo Bulls 88-79. Aidan Hadaway scored 17 points and added 16 rebounds for Ohio (8-6, 2-0 Mid-American Conference). Tyson Dunn finished with 21 points, eight assists and four steals for Buffalo (5-9, 0-2).

Marchenko, Johnson help Blue Jackets rally past Penguins in shootout, 4-3

Kirill Marchenko and Kent Johnson scored in the shootout and the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 on Tuesday night. Elvis Merzlikins, who made 20 saves, stopped Bryan Rust and Sidney Crosby in the shootout, as Columbus came back from a 3-1 deficit in the third period. Adam Fantilli scored a third-period power-play goal and Dmitri Voronkov scored twice, giving him nine goals in seven games. Rickard Rakell scored twice and Michael Bunting set a career high with his eighth power-play goal. Crosby had two assists. Tristan Jarry made 26 saves.

Georgia beats No. 6 Kentucky 82-69 for 1st win over a top-10 team in 5 years

Freshman forward Asa Newell scored 12 of his 17 points after halftime and Georgia led the entire second half in beating No. 6 Kentucky 82-69 for its first win over a top-10 team in five years. Blue Cain added 15 points and Silas Demary Jr. had 14 for Georgia. Lamont Butler led Kentucky with 20. A trio of Kentucky players finished with four fouls. Otega Oweh scored 12 points for the Wildcats while shooting only 3 of 13 from the field. Georgia outscored Kentucky 29-15 at the free-throw line.

Nick Kyrgios' return to Grand Slam tennis hits an injury setback ahead of the Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios faces another injury setback in his planned return to Grand Slam tennis at the Australian Open after an abdominal strain forced him to withdraw from an exhibition with Novak Djokovic this week. The 2022 Wimbledon finalist, sidelined with wrist and knee injuries since the 2022 U.S. Open, said in an Instagram post Wednesday that an ultrasound scan revealed an abdominal strain and "unfortunately  (I) won't be able to play my good friend (Djokovic) this Thursday." The 29-year-old Australian has signaled the injury is "not too serious" but told Australia's 7News it would limit his preparations for the Australian Open, which starts Sunday at Melbourne Park.

The 49ers fire defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, AP source says

The San Francisco 49ers have fired defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen after just one disappointing season. That's according to a a person familiar with the decision who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move hadn't been announced. The Niners are making significant changes to their coaching staff after going 6-11 this season and missing playoffs. Special teams coordinator Brian Schneider also was fired on Tuesday. This is the third straight offseason that San Francisco will change defensive coordinators.

Emily Clark, Danielle Serdachny and Shiann Darkangelo each score as Ottawa beats New York 3-2

Emily Clark scored midway through the second period to give Ottawa a two-goal advantage, goalkeeper Emerance Maschmeyer made her 21st save in the final 30 seconds, and the Charge held off the New York Sirens 3-2 on Tuesday night in the second meeting between the teams in 10 days. Ottawa (4-0-1-3) won its third straight game, including a 3-1 victory over the Sirens in their first meeting of the season on Dec. 29. New York (3-1-1-3) dropped to fourth place in the PWHL standings, one point behind Ottawa. Clark's third goal of the season gave Ottawa a 3-1 lead when she lifted a bouncing puck over the glove of Kayle Osborne.

Miami (OH) defeats Ball State 80-72

Led by Kam Craft's 28 points, the Miami (OH) RedHawks defeated the Ball State Cardinals 80-72. Eian Elmer and Peter Suder scored 11 points apiece for Miami (10-4, 2-0 Mid-American Conference). Payton Sparks finished with 20 points and 16 rebounds for Ball State (7-7, 1-1).

Adam Henrique scores 2, Connor McDavid has power-play goal as Oilers blank Bruins 4-0

Adam Henrique scored two goals and Connor McDavid scored on a power play midway through the second period as the Edmonton Oilers won their fourth straight game, 4-0 over the Boston Bruins. Stuart Skinner, who left the game late in the first period after a collision with the Bruins' Nikita Zadorov before returning at the start of the second, stopped 26 shots. Viktor Arvidsson added an empty-netter for Edmonton, while center Leon Draisaitl's point streak was halted at 14 games. It was the Bruins' fifth straight loss. Jeremy Swayman made 35 saves but lost his fourth straight start.

LaMelo Ball scores 32 points as Hornets defeat Suns 115-104 to snap 10-game losing streak

LaMelo Ball had 32 points and 10 rebounds, Miles Bridges added 21 points and the Charlotte Hornets snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 115-104 win over the Phoenix Suns. Nick Richards added 15 points and 12 rebounds off the bench for Charlotte (8-27). Devin Booker had 39 points and 10 assists, while Kevin Durant added 26 points for the Suns (16-19), who've lost five of their last six. The Hornets took a 13-point lead at the half after outscoring the Suns 37-17 in the second quarter behind 10 points from Ball, who was scoreless in the first quarter. Ball scored 29 points in the second half on 8-of-15 shooting, including four 3-pointers.

Starling scores 21 points, Lampkin collects double-double to help Syracuse beat Georgia Tech 62-55

J.J. Starling scored 21 points, Eddie Lampkin Jr. added a double-double and Syracuse beat Georgia Tech 62-55 for its first Atlantic Coast Conference victory.   Starling, who returned Saturday after missing seven games with a left-hand injury, shot 9 of 16 from the floor. Lampkin scored 10 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Syracuse (7-8, 1-3), which ended a two-game skid against Georgia Tech. Lance Terry scored 18 points to lead Georgia Tech (8-8, 2-3), which had its three-game win streak snapped. Nathan George added 13 points.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic sidelined for game against Celtics due to illness

Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was sidelined for Denver's clash with Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night because of an illness. The Nuggets center went from probable to questionable to out over the course of the day. He was seen leaving the arena a little more than an hour before tipoff. Jokic is coming off a stretch in which he averaged 36.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 11.3 assists to earn Western Conference player of the week honors. It was the 16th time in his career he picked up the award, the most in franchise history. Boston was without guard Derrick White because of an illness.

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Green scores 22 of his 29 in 3rd quarter as Rockets down Wizards 135-112

the fewest points allowed by last-place Washington in a period this season. Corey Kispert scored 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 18 in the Wizards' third straight defeat.

KJ Lewis scores career-high 21 as Arizona beats No. 21 West Virginia 75-56

KJ Lewis scored a career-high 21 points and Arizona beat No. 21 West Virginia 75-56. Jaden Bradley added 15 points and Anthony Dell'Orso scored 10 for the Wildcats, who have won five straight. Javon Small led West Virginia with 17 points. The Mountaineers, who entered the AP Top 25 this week for the first time in two years, were held to their lowest point total of the season. After West Virginia hit three straight 3-pointers to trim a 14-point deficit to five, Lewis scored seven points during an ensuing 11-0 run midway through the second half to push Arizona's lead to 64-47.

No more unbeatens: No. 8 Florida topples top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 with stifling defense

Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Denzel Aberdeen added 16 and No. 8 Florida thumped top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 to knock off the last unbeaten in Division I basketball. Alex Condon chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double this season as the Gators beat a No. 1 team for the third time in school history and extended their home-winning streak to 16. Florida was a 2 1/2-point favorite according to BetMGM Sportsbook and dominated from the opening tip.

Cooper Flagg and No. 4 Duke push past Pittsburgh 76-47 to stay unbeaten in ACC

Star freshman Cooper Flagg scored 14 of his 19 points after halftime to help No. 4 Duke beat Pittsburgh 76-47. Flagg's big night included a jaw-dropping play on a coast-to-coast dunk over Guillermo Diaz Graham in the second half. Fellow freshman Kon Knueppel added 17 points for the Blue Devils. Duke has now won nine straight games. Cameron Corhen scored 11 points to lead the Panthers. Pitt had won five in a row and was unbeaten in league play coming into Cameron Indoor Stadium. But Pitt shot just 31% and didn't score for the last eight minutes.

No. 1 UCLA uses balanced scoring attack and gives its starters some rest in an 83-49 rout at Purdue

Lauren Betts finished with 17 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes and Timea Gardiner added 16 points off the bench as No. 1 UCLA routed Purdue 83-49. Bruins coach Cori Close gave her starters plenty of rest with Jones logging the most minutes, 25, in the Bruins' second game in four days in Indiana. UCLA pulled off a rare double by beating Purdue and Indiana on their home courts to remain a perfect 16-0. Destini Lombard scored 16 points to lead the Boilermakers (7-8, 0-4). Rashunda Jones and McKenna Layden each had eight points for Purdue.

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Justin Verlander and the Giants agree to a $15 million, 1-year contract, AP source says

Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $15 million, one-year contract, according to a person with direct knowledge of the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical. It's the latest big move by new Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey since he was hired in September. San Francisco also signed free agent shortstop Willy Adames to a $182 million, seven-year contract in December. This will be the 20th major league season for Verlander, a three-time AL Cy Young Award winner who turns 42 next month. The right-hander went 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA in 17 starts for Houston last year.

Oilers' goalie Stuart Skinner leaves game briefly after collision with Bruins' Nikita Zadorov

Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner left Tuesday's game in Boston late in the first period after a hard collision with Bruins defenseman Nikita Zadorov, then was back on the ice for the start of the second. Zadorov was trying to cut in front with the puck and was inside Oilers' defenseman Brett Kulak when he collided with the goalie, sending his mask flying off when he went face first onto the ice. After staying on his knees for a few minutes talking to a team trainer, Skinner got up and skated off. Zadorov got a minor penalty for goaltender interference but apologized to Skinner after the game.

Kameron Hobbs scores 40 as Morgan State takes down North Carolina Central 102-98 in double overtime

Kameron Hobbs scored 40 points as the Morgan State Bears beat the North Carolina Central Eagles 102-98 in overtime on Tuesday night. The Bears improved to 7-11 with the win and the Eagles fell to 7-12.

Evgeni Malkin misses Penguins game against the Blue Jackets with upper-body injury

Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin missed Tuesday's home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets with an upper-body injury. The team announced before the game that Malkin is considered day to day. Malkin participated in Tuesday's morning skate, but not the pregame warmup. It's the first time the 38-year-old Malkin has missed a game since the 2021-22 season, a streak of 209 consecutive games, which was the 12th-longest in team history.

Lawyers collecting $148 million judgment from Rudy Giuliani say World Series rings must be given up

Lawyers for two election workers who are owed $148 million in damages from Rudy Giuliani say the evidence proves their clients are entitled to three World Series rings that the former New York City mayor says he gave to his son. The lawyers filed papers in Manhattan federal court Tuesday saying the workers are entitled to the rings marking New York Yankees' victories in 1996, 1999 and 2000. A trial over the custody of the rings and Giuliani's Palm Beach, Florida, condominium is scheduled for Jan. 16 before a judge who on Monday found Giuliani in contempt of court.

Penn State, Notre Dame arrive at Orange Bowl with a bigger game in mind

In an era that is now long gone, a trip to the Orange Bowl meant a break from the rough weather up north and the capper to a successful season that might even end with a championship trophy in the case. This season, for Penn State and Notre Dame, it's the latest stop in the "One and Done" tour that college football has become. This pair of iconic programs arrived in South Florida on Tuesday to get ready for the College Football Playoff semifinal. At stake in Thursday's game is a trip Atlanta to play for the national title on Jan. 20.

Zion Williamson scores 22 in his return to the Pelicans' lineup after missing 27 games

Zion Williamson symbolically announced his return from a 27-game injury absence with a breakaway slam in which he rotated 360 degrees in the air while throwing down a crowd-pleasing dunk. The Pelicans lost 104-97 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night. But Williamson scored 22 points in a little less than 28 minutes and had several above-the-rim highlights. Williamson says his big dunk felt like just "another day at the office" on the heels of what he called a "more extreme" approach to his rehabilitation from a left hamstring strain. Williamson was playing for just the seventh time this season. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block of Wolves center Rudy Gobert.

South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins tears ACL in her left knee

South Carolina forward Ashlyn Watkins will miss the remainder of the season after tearing the ACL in her left knee, the school announced Tuesday. Watkins suffered the injury in the first half of the No. 2 Gamecocks' 95-68 win over Mississippi State. Surgery will be scheduled in the coming weeks. The 6-foot-3 forward averaged 7.2 points and a team-high 6.4 rebounds per game in 14 games. She also had 1.9 blocks. The junior missed the team's season opener after she was suspended following an arrest on assault and kidnapping charges that were dismissed.

Deschamps to leave as France coach after 2026 World Cup, reports say

France coach Didier Deschamps plans to announce on Wednesday that he won't continue in the role after the next World Cup according to reports in French media. L'Equipe and RMC Sport were among the outlets to report that the 56-year-old Deschamps would leave when his contract expires in the summer of 2026. Deschamps, a World Cup winner as a player, took over as coach of Les Bleus in July 2012 and led France to the World Cup title in 2018, beating Croatia in the final. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, France reached the final and lost and epic title match to Argentina.

Infielder Bobby Dalbec agrees to minor league contract with Chicago White Sox

Infielder Bobby Dalbec has agreed to a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox and will report to major league spring training. A 29-year-old who spent the last five seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Dalbec was assigned outright to Triple-A Worcester on Sept. 10, then on Nov. 4 elected to become a free agent. He made his big league debut with Boston on Aug. 19, 2020, and hit .240 with 25 homers and 78 RBIs and 156 strikeouts in 2021. He slumped over the next three seasons and was demoted to the minors.

Vikings' Flores will take all requested interviews but says head coach vacancy has to be right fit

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores says he will accept each head coach interview request that comes to him. He also said in his regular weekly interview session with reporters that his goal of becoming a head coach again must be accomplished in the right situation. Flores is in his second season with the Vikings. He was fired after three years as coach of the Miami Dolphins. He later filed a lawsuit against the NFL alleging racist hiring practices across the league in leadership positions. The Vikings play the Los Angeles Rams in the wild-card round on Monday night.

With College Football Playoff down to 4 teams, not much looks different with Big Ten and SEC

Things really don't look much different now that expanded 12-team College Football Playoff is down to four teams remaining. The final four includes two teams from the Big Ten, one from the Southeastern Conference and third-time semifinalist Notre Dame. It is the third time in four seasons that the sport's two richest leagues fill three of the final four spots. Ohio State and Penn State give the Big Ten two semifinalists for the second time in three years. The SEC is the only conference to have a final four team every season after league newcomer Texas made it for the second year in a row,

Bills coordinator Joe Brady's trajectory back on the rise after overseeing Josh Allen-led offense

Coordinator Joe Brady's coaching trajectory is back on the rise after year-and-a-half of overseeing the Buffalo Bills' dynamic, Josh Allen-led offense. That wasn't the case three years ago when a then-31-year-old Brady was fired 12 games into his second season with the Carolina Panthers in his first stint as an NFL play-caller. Brady acknowledges hubris played a factor in his dismissal. He's since learned how devising a perfect play means little without establishing personal relationships with players. As Buffalo prepares to host Denver in a wild-card playoff game on Sunday, Brady is drawing interest from various teams seeking a head coach.

Who's playing where? A cheat sheet on college sports realignment

College sports in the U.S. has seen scores of schools change conference affiliation over the past century, but the pace has quickened as programs leave their longtime homes in search of more stability and more revenue. Last summer, USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington left the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. Pac-12 schools Stanford and Cal left for the ACC. Oklahoma and Texas left the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference. The Big 12 added Utah, Arizona State, Arizona and Colorado. The Pac-12 has now raided the Mountain West.

Ezekiel Elliott on the field for the Chargers after being signed to the practice squad

Ezekiel Elliott was on the practice field for the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday, after the veteran running back was signed to the practice squad. Elliott was released by the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 31 so that he could possibly sign with a playoff team seeking an experienced running back. The Chargers are the fifth seed in the AFC and open the playoffs at Houston on Saturday in a wild-card round game. This season in 15 games, Elliott had just 74 carries for 226 yards with a 3.1-yard-per-carry average, all career lows. The two-time NFL rushing champion has 9,130 yards and 74 rushing touchdowns in nine seasons.

LIV Golf fills out its 2025 schedule with final 3 events going head-to-head with PGA Tour

LIV Golf is going head-to-head with the PGA Tour at the end of its season. The Saudi-funded league released the rest of its 14-tournament schedule for 2025. It will end its season a month earlier in August. That means LIV's last three tournaments will be at courses near Chicago, Indianapolis and Detroit. They will be the same weeks as the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoff run in Memphis, Tennessee, Caves Valley outside Baltimore and East Lake in Atlanta. LIV Golf also is changing venues in Mexico. It is moving to Chapultepec in Mexico City, site of a World Golf Championship.

Soccer Hall of Famer Jeff Agoos named GM of the Portland Thorns

Former U.S. national team defender and Hall of Famer Jeff Agoos is the new president of soccer operations and general manager for the Portland Thorns. Agoos replaces Karina LeBlanc, who has moved on to an executive position with the Bhathal family's RAJ Sports, owners of the National Women's Soccer League club and an expansion WNBA team set to start play in 2026. Agoos was a defender for the United States over 15 seasons, which included appearances in the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 World Cup.

Northern Illinois is set to join Mountain West for football only in 2026

Northern Illinois has accepted an invitation to join the Mountain West for football only in 2026.  The Huskies will go from the Midwest-based MAC to a conference in which the easternmost school is in Colorado. They will join Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming in the Mountain West. Northern Illinois has played 39 seasons in the MAC over two stints from 1975 to 1985 and since 1997. The Huskies went 8-5 this season and pulled off a huge stunner at then-No. 5 Notre Dame in September.

Lions get some positive injury news going into their bye week

Detroit Lions rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold, guard Kevin Zeitler and defensive lineman Pat O'Connor left the game against Minnesota and coach Dan Campbell hopes they can take advantage of the team earning a bye in the NFL playoffs. The injury news was positive for Arnold and Zeitler on Tuesday. Arnold left the game in the third quarter with a foot injury and X-rays immediately after the game were negative. He was wearing a walking boot on his right foot in the locker room afterward. Zeitler pulled a hamstring on the final possession of the game. Campbell expects running back David Montgomery to return for the first playoff game. He injured his knee in Week 15.

The long road for Al Golden: He's back in Miami, trying to bring Notre Dame a CFP title shot

will help guide the Fighting Irish (13-1) into the College Football Playoff national semifinals on Thursday night, when they take on the Nittany Lions (13-2). There are distractions, which he won't let become distractions.

Isak strikes again as Newcastle beats Arsenal 2-0 in League Cup semifinal 1st leg

Newcastle moved a step closer to a first major domestic trophy since 1955 with a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the first leg of the English League Cup semifinals. Goals from Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon at the Emirates Stadium put Newcastle within reach of the final at Wembley in March. The second leg is at St James' Park on Feb. 5. It was Newcastle's first win at the Emirates since 2010 and Arsenal's first home defeat since April. Isak struck in the 37th minute to continue his outstanding scoring run with his 14th goal in 15 games.

Grayson Murray's passion remembered during solemn tribute at the tournament he won

The late Grayson Murray was remembered during a solemn celebration of life at the Sony Open in Honolulu. Murray won the Sony Open last year with a 40-foot birdie putt in a playoff. He took his own life four months later. The ceremony was held one day after the launch of the Grayson Murray Foundation to raise awareness and support for those with mental health needs. The head of Hawaii Friends Charities offered a Hawaiian prayer. Murray's family and dozens of players and PGA Tour officials lined up next to the family to toss white orchid petals into the ocean.

Iowa lands star QB Mark Gronowski of South Dakota State; Malik Benson heading to Oregon

South Dakota State star quarterback Mark Gronowski has announced he will play his final year at Iowa. Gronowski led the Jackrabbits to Football Championship Subdivision national titles in 2022 and 2023 and to the semifinals this season. He also led SDSU to the 2021 title game as a true freshman. Gronowski had considered entering the NFL draft before visiting Iowa City last weekend. He immediately becomes the projected 2025 starter even though the Hawkeyes return Brendan Sullivan. Wide receiver Malik Benson announced his transfer from Florida State to Oregon.

Bears vow to learn from their mistakes and get it right this time as they search for a new coach

The Chicago Bears vow to learn from their mistakes and get it right this time in their search for a new coach. General manager Ryan Poles says the Bears have more "wisdom" and "that helps you make better decisions as you go." The Bears' search to replace Matt Eberflus is kicking into a higher gear after finishing the season 5-12. They came into their third year under Poles and Eberflus thinking they had a potential playoff team after a busy offseason, highlighted by drafting quarterback Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick. Instead, they flopped. They dropped 10 straight games, firing Eberflus along the way, before ending the season by beating Green Bay for the first time since 2018.

Drew Rasmussen and Rays agree to $8.5M, 2-year deal that could be worth $28M over 3 seasons

Right-hander Drew Rasmussen and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided salary arbitration, agreeing to an $8.5 million, two-year contract that could be worth up to $28 million over three seasons. Rasmussen receives a $500,000 signing bonus and salaries of $2 million this year and $5.5 million in 2026. Tampa Bay holds an $8 million option for 2027 with a $500,000 buyout, and the option has $6 million in escalators based on health and $6 million based on starts. Rasmussen returned to the Rays on Aug. 7 following his third elbow surgery and had a 2.82 ERA and 0-2 record in four starts and 12 relief appearances.

Raiders fire coach Antonio Pierce after he goes 4-13 in lone full season

The Las Vegas Raiders have fired Antonio Pierce after just one season as their full-time coach. It's the latest in a line of coaching changes for the Raiders over the past several years. Pierce took over as the interim coach midway through the 2023 season and went 5-4 the rest of the way. That earned strong player support for him to get the job on a full-time basis. But the Raiders went on a 10-game losing streak this season to put his job in jeopardy. Minority owner Tom Brady is expected to have a role in the Raiders' coaching search.

The College Football Playoff semifinals are set: Texas vs. Ohio State and Notre Dame vs. Penn State

won their games to advance. The semifinals will pit Texas against Notre Dame and Notre Dame against Penn State. The CFP began with four teams in January 2015. It was expanded this year for the first time. Many believe it may expand again, perhaps as early as 2026.

Dolphins GM Chris Grier: Tyreek Hill 'never asked for a trade with me'

The Miami Dolphins don't appear to have any immediate plans to trade Tyreek Hill. General manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel both had conversations with Hill on Monday, a day after the star receiver indicated he might want out of Miami following a loss to the New York Jets, which punctuated a losing season in which the Dolphins missed the playoffs. Grier said Hill did not retract his postgame statements in which the receiver said he was opening the door to potentially leave Miami, but Hill did not request a trade.

Jets interview Rex Ryan, who led franchise to its last playoff appearance, for head coaching job

Rex Ryan has returned to the New York Jets for an interview. The former Jets coach and current ESPN analyst, who led the franchise to its last playoff appearance in the 2010 season, met with the team Tuesday about its head coaching vacancy. Ryan went 50-52, including 4-2 in the playoffs, in six years with the Jets before being fired after the 2014 season. He openly has lobbied for the job during his recent TV appearances and said Monday on ESPN New York radio that he's the perfect candidate and he expected to be hired.

South African teenager becomes youngest top class driver to win a Dakar Rally stage

Nineteen-year-old Saood Variawa of South Africa became the youngest top-class driver to win a stage in the Dakar Rally. The previous record was 22 set last Saturday by American Seth Quintero. Variawa shrugged off a late puncture to win the 327-kilometer third stage from Bisha north to Al Henakiyah. Another South African, Henk Lategan, was 12th and held on to the overall lead. But five-time champion Nasser Al-Attiyah made up four minutes to sit seven minutes back. Daniel Sanders' overall motorbike lead was also slashed. But the Australian has seven minutes on Skyler Howes of the U.S. Lorenzo Santolini of Spain has taken the stage, the first winner for French brand Sherco in six years.

UConn guard Paige Bueckers has a left knee sprain, could return in a week

UConn guard Paige Bueckers has a left knee sprain, avoiding a serious injury. She will miss Wednesday's game against Xavier. Bueckers injured the knee in the third quarter of UConn's win over Villanova on Sunday. Coach Geno Auriemma said she may miss a few games.

Buckeyes rally around oft-criticized coach Ryan Day and ride momentum to CFP semifinal vs. Texas

When Ohio State lost to archrival Michigan for the fourth straight year, calls came from seemingly everywhere for Buckeyes coach Ryan Day to be fired. Fast forward five weeks and Day has Ohio State on the cusp of a national championship game appearance and is garnering praise from Buckeye fans thanks to dominating wins against Tennessee and Oregon in the College Football Playoff. Up next is a Friday night semifinal showdown against Texas at the Cotton Bowl.

Judge sides with Washington State in lawsuit brought by former football coach Rolovich

A federal judge has ruled that Washington State University was justified in firing Nick Rolovich as head football coach because of his refusal to comply with the state's COVID-19 vaccination requirements.  Rolovich sued the university following his dismissal midway through the 2021 season. He claimed that as a Catholic, he was exempted from the state's vaccine mandate but his exemption request had been denied. U.S. District Judge Thomas Rice ruled on Monday that Washington State could not accommodate Rolovich without undue hardship, including increased travel costs and hindered recruitment and fundraising efforts. Rice also found no basis for Rolovich's objection to the vaccine on religious grounds.

Black coaches have shot at college football title a generation after that milestone was hit in hoops

will have a chance to become the first Black coach to win a national title at college football's highest level.

Paris Olympics organizer Tony Estanguet nominated by IOC to return as a member

Paris Olympics organizer Tony Estanguet has been nominated to return to the IOC as a member. Estanguet led the successful Paris project for more than nine years from bidding through to staging the 2024 Summer Games and Paralympics. The International Olympic Committee says it nominated Estanguet to be elected at its annual meeting in March near the site of Ancient Olympia. Voting is by more than 100 members who include royalty, sports officials, athletes and former politicians. Estanguet is a three-time Olympic champion in canoeing who was an IOC athlete member from 2013-21.

Australia pulls out of hosting ice hockey tournament featuring Israel citing safety concerns

Australia's ice hockey federation has pulled out of hosting a lower-tier men's world championship event featuring Israel's national team citing security concerns. The decision comes after a recent rise in antisemitic attacks in Australia and created backlash from Jewish groups and a debate about whether the country was capable of hosting events that could spark protests. Ice Hockey Australia did not directly name Israel in its announcement. But local media quoted an email sent from IHA to the International Ice Hockey Federation saying it could not host the tournament in Melbourne as planned because of safety concerns due to Israel's participation.

NHLPA mental health training program expands to members of the PHPA playing in the minors

The mental health training program launched by the NHL Players' Association roughly a year ago is expanding to those in the minors in the American Hockey League and ECHL. The NHLPA and Professional Hockey Players' Association announced Tuesday that the First Line initiative with the Mental Health Commission of Canada now will be available to the PHPA's more than 1,000 players without NHL contracts. The NHLPA said more than 85 of its members have taken part in the training since it was first offered in January 2024.

Griffin and Nowitzki will be studio analysts when Prime Video begins NBA coverage. Rooks named host

will also be a first-time analyst. Rooks is a feature reporter on Prime Video's "Thursday Night Football" coverage as well as being a host and reporter on Bleacher Report and TNT.

Florida State's Ta'Niya Latson is AP women's basketball player of the week

Ta'Niya Latson is The Associated Press women's basketball player of the week. The Florida State guard matched the program record with a 40-point effort against Virginia Tech to become the first player in the ACC to have 40 points this season. She's one of eight players in the last 23 years to have 40 points, five assists and five steals in a single game. Georgia Amoore of Kentucky was the runner-up. She averaged 25.5 points and nine assists in wins over Mississippi State and Vanderbilt as she scored more than 20 points for the sixth straight game.

Elon Musk has expressed interest in buying English soccer club Liverpool, his father says

Elon Musk's father says his billionaire son has expressed interest in buying English soccer club Liverpool. The Premier League club is privately owned by Fenway Sports Group, which has not indicated it wants to sell but has accepted external investment in the past. Errol Musk in an interview with Times Radio acknowledged that the Tesla CEO has shown an interest in the six-time European Cup champions. He says "oh yes, but that doesn't mean he's buying it. He would like to, yes, obviously, anybody would want to. So would I." In 2023, FSG sold a minority stake to U.S. investment firm Dynasty Equity. FSG says there are "No truth to these rumors."

Gaudreau suspect pleads not guilty to homicide charges after turning down 35-year prison sentence

The driver charged with killing NHL hockey player Johnny Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, as they cycled on a rural New Jersey road has pleaded not guilty after turning down a proposed plea agreement. A defense lawyer says that 44-year-old Sean Higgins turned down a proposed 35-year prison sentence over the Aug. 29 deaths. Higgins appeared briefly in court Tuesday in Salem County, New Jersey. The case will now move toward trial. Prosecutors say Higgins had a history of road rage and was impaired after drinking five or six beers. Defense lawyers say the deaths did not stem from any "malfeasance."

Jaguars request interviews with 8 coaching candidates, including Detroit's Johnson and Glenn

as well as former New York Jets head coach and current Green Bay assistant Robert Saleh.

No Triple Espresso as USWNT heads into annual January training camp

Sophia Smith, Mallory Swanson and Trinity Rodman, the trio nicknamed Triple Espresso, won't report to the U.S. national team's January training camp as all three continue to rest injuries. United States coach Emma Hayes has announced the 26 players set to attend the squad's annual camp starting on Jan. 14 in Carson, California. The roster includes 11 players from the team that won the gold medal at last year's Paris Olympics. Midfielder Rose Lavelle was left off following ankle surgery, as were the players currently with European teams, including captain Lindsey Horan.

Chaz Lanier of Tennessee is the AP men's college basketball player of the week

Chaz Lanier of Tennessee is the AP men's college basketball player of the week. He is the second straight player from the top-ranked Vols to take home the award after Zakai Zeigler on New Year's Eve. Lanier had 24 points in a win over Norfolk State, then had five 3-pointers and 29 points in a 76-52 rout of then-No. 23 Arkansas in his SEC debut. Malik Thomas of San Francisco is the runner-up after averaging 30.7 points over three games last week, including a pair of 34-point efforts. Koby Brea of Kentucky, Javon Small of West Virginia and Ace Bailey of Rutgers were honorable-mention selections.

NFL playoffs feature veteran running backs producing successful second acts with new teams

Those veteran running backs who changed addresses in the offseason have given themselves a chance to showcase the difference they can make in the postseason. Plenty of contenders capitalized on a crowded market by adding proven ball carriers. The moves paid major dividends. Now players such as Philadelphia's Saquon Barkley, Baltimore's Derrick Henry and Green Bay's Josh Jacobs are welcoming the playoff opportunities they didn't get often enough with their original teams. Other playoff running backs who have performed well for new teams this season include Minnesota's Aaron Jones and Houston's Joe Mixon.

Joc Pederson gets $5.5 million signing bonus as part of $37 million, 2-year deal with Rangers

Joc Pederson gets a $5.5 million signing bonus as part of his $37 million, two-year contract with the Texas Rangers. The designated hitter and outfielder will receive salaries of $13 million this year and $18.5 million in 2026 under the agreement announced Dec. 30. The deal includes an $18.5 million mutual option for 2027. Pederson can opt out of the contract after the 2025 World Series, but if he opts out Texas can exercise options for 2026 and '27 at $18.5 million annually. The options must be exercised simultaneously.

Walker Buehler guaranteed $21.05 million in 1-year contract with Boston Red Sox

Right-hander Walker Buehler is guaranteed $21.05 million in his one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox and can earn an additional $2.5 million in performance bonuses based on starts. Buehler gets a $3.05 million signing bonus under the agreement announced Dec. 28 and a $15 million salary this year. The deal includes a $25 million mutual option for 2026 with a $3 million buyout. A 30-year-old two-time All-Star, Buehler was on the mound when the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the World Series last fall.

Titans fire GM Ran Carthon after two seasons despite big spending spree

Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon lost his job Tuesday for a 9-25 record over his two seasons. Now the Titans face a pivotal offseason after three straight losing seasons cost two general managers and a coach their jobs. They hold the No. 1 pick overall in the NFL draft and are building a $2.2 billion enclosed stadium due to open for the 2027 season. The Titans had six straight winning seasons between 2016 and 2021 to tie for eighth in the NFL for winning percentage. They are 16-35 over the last three seasons. Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk made clear her disappointment over the losing.

Syracuse QB Kyle McCord's 5 TD passes earn him a spot on AP's all-bowl team

The expansion of the College Football Playoff has led to an evolution in how The Associated Press puts together its all-bowl team. It didn't make much sense for us to measure players who competed in one bowl game against guys who were participating in as many as four playoff contests. So we've decided to put together two postseason all-star teams. We have one for those who competed in non-playoff bowl games and one for playoff participants. Syracuse's Kyle McCord quarterbacks the all-bowl team after throwing for 453 yards and five touchdowns in a Holiday Bowl victory over Washington State.

Sports on TV for Wednesday, Jan. 8

(All times Eastern)

French club Marseille signs Italian defender Luiz Felipe as free agent

French league club Marseille has signed Italy international Luiz Felipe as a free agent after the defender terminated his contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. The nine-time French champions said Tuesday that the 27-year-old player who was born in Brazil successfully completed his medical. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Felipe is Marseille's first recruit of the winter's transfer window. The club currently sits second in the French league standings behind leader PSG and hopes to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Argentine teenager Julio Soler joins Bournemouth as club pushes for best-ever Premier League finish

Argentine teenager Julio Soler has signed for Premier League club Bournemouth as the club pushes for a first-ever qualification for European soccer. Bournemouth says Soler signed "a long-term contract." The club did not disclose the transfer fee paid to Argentine top-tier club Lanus, although British media reported that it was 6.6 million pounds ($8.3 million). Soler played in all four of Argentina's games at the 2024 Paris Olympics including the 1-0 loss to France in the quarterfinals. Soler joins Bournemouth with the club seventh in the Premier League standings.

No wind at Kapalua means no stopping record scoring

can't fix. Hideki Matsuyama set a PGA Tour record to par for 72 holes when his worst round of the week was a 65 and he finished at 35-under par. Just three years earlier, Cameron Smith set the par record at 34 at Kapalua. In both cases, there was no wind for the week. The Plantation course was built for the wind. Stuart Appleby won at 8 under in 2006. The wind blew so hard in 2013 the course was unplayable until Monday.

PGA Tour stays in Hawaii and Europe starts preparing for Ryder Cup

The PGA Tour is staying in Hawaii for another week, and so are a majority of the players who were in Maui for the season opener. Hideki Matsuyama is the highest-ranked player at the Sony Open on Oahu. Five other players from the top 20 in the world are playing Waialae. That includes Billy Horschel and Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley. The European tour season officially resumes next week. But first up for 2025 is the Team Cup. Those are matches between Continental Europe versus Britain and Ireland. It's to get players ready for the Ryder Cup later this year.

French FA says Monaco's Singo should have been sent off for causing facial injury to Donnarumma

The body responsible for French soccer refereeing says Monaco defender Wilfried Singo should have been sent off after he gave Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma a bloodied face in their Ligue 1 game last month. Donnarumma's face was cut up by Singo's studs during PSG's 4-2 win at Monaco. Singo's shot was blocked so he tried to jump over the sliding Donnarumma but struck his face. Photos showed a big cut below his right eye. But Singo, who had already been warned, avoided a red card after a VAR check.

Australian Open 2025: How to watch on TV, betting odds and more to know

Play in the year's first Grand Slam tennis tournament is scheduled to begin at the Australian Open on Sunday. The draw to set the brackets for the singles fields will be held on Thursday in Melbourne and the hard-court tournament at Melbourne Park lasts 15 days. The defending champions are Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner. They are both ranked No. 1 and are the betting favorites at Melbourne Park this year. The 2025 women's and men's singles champions each will earn about $2.15 million. This is the first Grand Slam tournament to be held since Rafael Nadal's retirement.

Nearly 50 years after NFL refs got microphones, English soccer trials in-stadium announcements

The NFL has been doing it since the 1970s. On Tuesday, English soccer finally joined the party by having referees explain controversial rulings to fans in the stadium via a wireless microphone. The English League Cup semifinals were chosen to pilot a system in which officials use the public address system to communicate directly with fans after incidents involving Video Assistant Referees (VAR). Arsenal's semifinal first leg against Newcastle at the Emirates Stadium became the first to trial the system. The English Football League, which runs the League Cup, says the announcements would "provide greater clarity and understanding around key decisions."

Tottenham triggers option to extend Son Heung-min's contract until 2026

Tottenham has triggered an option to extend Son Heung-min's contract until 2026, the Premier League club said. Son's deal, which he signed in 2021, was due to expire at the end of the season. Spurs said the South Korea international had become a "global star" and a "modern-day great" in his time at the club. Son joined Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and has made 431 appearances. The 32-year-old Spurs captain is the club's fourth highest scorer of all time with 169 goals and is No. 18 on the Premier League's list of leading marksmen with 125 goals.

Slavia Prague signs Czech Republic forward Vasil Kušej from domestic rival Mlada Boleslav

Slavia Prague has signed Czech Republic forward Vasil Kušej from domestic rival Mlada Boleslav. Slavia says Kušej signed a contract till December 2028. Financial details were not given. Kušej has three goals and eight assists in the Czech league this season. Last season, his six goals and nine assists helped Mlada Boleslav qualify for a European competition for the first time in 17 years. Including qualifying, the 24-year-old forward scored four goals and added three assists in the third-tier Conference League this season. Kušej has played two games for the Czech national team.

Meta's new board includes UFC boss Dana White, a familiar figure in Trump's orbit

Meta has appointed three new members to its board of directors. The new members include Dana White, the president and CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship and a familiar figure in the orbit of incoming President Donald Trump. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post late Monday that the social media company is also adding auto tycoon John Elkann and tech investor Charlie Songhurst. White's ties with Trump date back to 2001, when White hosted a UFC at the Republican's former casino-hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the Trump Taj Mahal. Trump has also appeared with White at UFC matches over the years, especially in his 2024 campaign as part of efforts to appeal to younger male voters.

NFL coaching searches have complicated rules about timing and interviews

The overlap of the NFL playoffs and coaching search season will have many of the league's top assistants pulling double duty this month. While 14 teams are deep into playoff preparations with hopes of winning a Super Bowl, there are five teams that had disappointing campaigns that have led to coaching changes. The search to fill those spots has already begun with the New York Jets, Chicago, New Orleans, Jacksonville and New England already identifying candidates to interview, including several who are on the staffs of the playoff teams. The NFL has strict rules on when those coaches can talk to other teams while their seasons are still alive.

No. 13 Georgia Tech biggest surprise of the 5 unbeaten teams left in Division I women's basketball

Georgia Tech coach Nell Fortner is taking it one game at a time with her No. 13 Yellow Jackets, not looking too far ahead. The team is one of the five unbeatens left in Division I women's basketball, joining No. 1 UCLA, No. 6 LSU, No. 8 Maryland and No. 9 Ohio State. The Yellow Jackets were coming off a 17-16 season and built the non-conference schedule with a lot of home games early on to build up confidence. So far it's worked as they are 15-0.

The SEC proved its dominance during nonconference play. Now, it gets to start beating up on itself

The SEC has been the best conference in men's college basketball this season, led by No. 1 Tennessee and second-ranked Auburn. It has three of the nation's top 5, six of the top 10 and nine in the AP Top 25 this week. But after beating up on nonconference opposition the past couple of months, the SEC is about to begin beating up on itself in earnest. Its teams opened league play last weekend but really get going this week with a bevy of marquee matchups, including the top-ranked Vols visiting No. 8 Florida, No. 10 Texas A&M heading to No. 17 Oklahoma and fifth-ranked Auburn visiting No. 10 Texas A&M.

French Open organizers introduce draw to access ticket sales

French Open organizers are introducing a draw system to access ticket sales for the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. The French tennis federation says the trial of the random draw for the general public should help reduce waiting times, ensure a fairer access to seats and combat fraud. Registration for the draw will run from Jan. 27 to Feb. 9. Being selected in the draw will guarantee access to ticket sales, but not necessarily the right to receive tickets for a specific day or court.

Utah Hockey Club play the Panthers after Maccelli's 2-goal performance

The Utah Hockey Club host the Florida Panthers after Matias Maccelli's two-goal game against the Dallas Stars in the Utah Hockey Club's 3-2 overtime loss.

Utah faces No. 3 Iowa State, seeks to halt 3-game slide

Utah looks to end its three-game skid when the Utes play No. 3 Iowa State. Tuesday's meeting is the first of the season between the two squads. Iowa State is 3-0 against the Big 12, and Utah is 0-2 against conference opponents.

Traore, BYU Cougars host the Texas Tech Red Raiders

The BYU Cougars will play host to conference foe Texas Tech. Tuesday's matchup is the first this season for the squads. BYU is 1-1 against the Big 12, and Texas Tech is 1-1 against conference opponents.

Heaton, Utah State Aggies to host Muse and the Boise State Broncos

Utah State and Boise State will take the floor in a matchup of MWC foes. Wednesday's meeting is the first this season for the squads. Utah State is 0-2 against the MWC, and Boise State is 1-2 against conference opponents.

Love and the Houston Cougars take on conference foe BYU

Houston travels to BYU in Big 12 play Wednesday. Wednesday's meeting is the first of the season for the two squads. BYU is 0-3 against the Big 12, and Houston is 0-3 against conference opponents.

UNLV plays Boise State on 4-game win streak

UNLV seeks to prolong its four-game win streak with a victory against Boise State. The teams match up Tuesday for the first time this season. Boise State is 3-1 against the MWC, and UNLV is 3-0 against conference opponents.

No. 25 Utah State Aggies play the San Jose State Spartans, aim for 5th straight victory

No. 25 Utah State is looking to prolong its four-game win streak with a victory against San Jose State. Tuesday's meeting is the first of the season for the squads. San Jose State is 0-4 against the MWC, and Utah State is 4-0 against conference opponents.

Barnes and Wyoming host New Mexico

Wyoming faces the New Mexico Lobos after Tess Barnes scored 24 points in the Cowgirls' 68-59 victory over the Fresno State Bulldogs. Wednesday's meeting is the first this season between the teams. New Mexico is 3-0 against the MWC, and Wyoming is 2-0 against conference opponents.

No. 22 Utah hosts No. 12 Kansas State after Toure's 24-point game

No. 22 Utah hosts the No. 12 Kansas State Wildcats after Maye Toure scored 24 points in Utah's 75-67 win over the Iowa State Cyclones. The teams match up Wednesday for the first time this season. Utah is 3-0 against the Big 12, and Kansas State is 3-0 against conference opponents.

Dent and New Mexico host Wyoming

New Mexico visits the Wyoming Cowboys after Donovan Dent scored 20 points in the Lobos' 82-81 overtime win over the Nevada Wolf Pack. The teams match up Tuesday for the first time this season. Wyoming is 2-2 against the MWC, and New Mexico is 4-0 against conference opponents.

Athletics agree to $60M, 5-year contract with slugger Brent Rooker, AP source says

The Athletics have agreed to a $60 million, five-year contract with slugger Brent Rooker, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement had not been announced. The deal includes a $22 million vesting option for the 2030 season and escalators that could increase the value to $92 million over six seasons. Rooker was set to swap proposed arbitration salaries with the A's on Thursday. He also would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2025 and 2026 seasons, and could have become a free agent following the 2027 World Series.