Month: December 2021

By JOE REEDY AP Sports Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 43 points and extended his streak of 30-point games to seven in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 139-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. Malik Monk scored 18 points, Carmelo Anthony added 16 points and Russell Westbrook had

SYDNEY (AP) — Greece badly missed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the singles when it was beaten by Poland on the opening day of the 16-team ATP Cup tournament in Sydney. The fourth-ranked Tsitsipas was a late withdrawal from his match with ninth-ranked Hubert Hurkacz, who went on to beat replacement Aristotelis Thanos 6-1, 6-2 to give

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — A year after New Year’s Day passed without a Rose Parade due to the coronavirus pandemic, the floral spectacle celebrating the arrival of 2022 marched on despite a new surge of infections. The 133rd edition of the Pasadena, California, tradition featured actor LeVar Burton as grand marshal, 20 marching bands, 18

By JOHN COON Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 39 points and the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-108. Mitchell added six rebounds and five assists in his return from a two-game absence due to a back strain. Bojan Bogdanovic added 24 points and 12 rebounds. Jordan Clarkson

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Michigan won the coin toss. And that’s the last thing that went right for the Wolverines in 2021. A team that had barely trailed all season got into a hole quickly and only saw it deepen the rest of the way. Michigan’s stay in

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Stetson Bennett threw three touchdown passes, Nakobe Dean led an angry Georgia defense and the third-ranked Bulldogs returned to their dominant ways, beating No. 2 Michigan 34-11 in the Orange Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff championship. Georgia earned a

By BRIAN DULIK Associated Press CLEVELAND (AP) — Trae Young scored 35 points, Clint Capela had 18 points and a season-high 23 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from a 16-point deficit for a 121-118 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night. Young made a pair of free throws with 7.6 seconds left after

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Alabama has a chance to repeat. Georgia has a chance for revenge. The rematch is set, and it’ll decide the College Football Playoff national championship. After a pair of easy wins in the semifinals on Friday night, the Crimson Tide and the Bulldogs will

By CLAY BAILEY Associated Press MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 118-105 victory over the San Antonio Spurs. Tyus Jones scored 18, Desmond Bane and Brandon Clarke each finished with 17 as Memphis pulled away in the second half. Jakob Poeltl

By TONY SELLARS Associated Press OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from a one-game absence to score 23 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat a depleted New York Knicks team 95-80 on Friday night. Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA Western Conference Player of the Week, sat out Wednesday’s loss at Phoenix with ankle soreness,

By DANA GAURUDER Associated Press DETROIT (AP) — Alex Ovechkin had two goals in the third period, including the go-ahead score with 2:51 remaining, and the Washington Capitals topped the Detroit Red Wings 3-1. Evgeny Kuznetsov had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, while Ilya Samsonov made 19 saves.Pius Suter scored for Detroit

TORONTO (AP) — Pascal Siakam had 25 points and matched his career-high with 19 rebounds, Fred VanVleet scored 31 points and the Toronto Raptors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 116-108. OG Anunoby scored 26 points and Gary Trent Jr. 10 as the Raptors won for the first time in three games and snapped a four-game

By MARK DIDTLER Associated Press TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Mika Zibanejad scored the lone goal in a shootout and the New York Rangers stopped Tampa Bay’s seven-game home winning streak by beating the Lightning 4-3 on Friday night. Igor Shesterkin stopped 25 shots, Barclay Goodrow scored twice, and Alexis Lafrenière also had a goal for

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 37 points and the short-handed Miami Heat built a big lead early and held on for a 120-110 win over the Houston Rockets. The Heat extended their winning streak to five games in their return to action after Wednesday’s game at

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis had 24 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help the Dallas Mavericks roll past the Sacramento Kings 112-96 on Friday. Jalen Brunson added 23 points and eight assists for the Mavericks. Dwight Powell scored 13 points and made four consecutive dunks as part

By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Top-ranked Alabama is headed to another national championship game. Brian Robinson ran for a career-high 204 yards, Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw three touchdowns and the defending Crimson Tide beat Cincinnati 27-6 in the CFP semifinal Cotton Bowl. The Bearcats had been undefeated and

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Desmond Ridder and the breakthrough Cincinnati Bearcats have stalled on the big stage against top-ranked Alabama. The Bearcats help up pretty well as the first non-Power Five school to reach the College Football Playoff. They just couldn’t do much in a 27-6 loss to the

LORETTO, Pa. — Brandon Rush had 22 points as Fairleigh Dickinson ended its season-opening 10-game losing streak, beating St. Francis (Pa.) 70-62. Maxwell Land led the Red Flash on Friday with 15 points.

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Pelicans coach Willie Green says center Jonas Valanciunas has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols. Valanciunas’ status effectively rules him out for the Pelicans’ next game at Milwaukee on Saturday night. He has been among New Orleans’ most productive players this season, averaging 18.5 points and 12 rebounds per game. Wing player

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Sports Writer MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Wild are preparing to play in the NHL’s Winter Classic for the first time. They’ve long lobbied to host the league’s marquee outdoor event. They’ll play the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night at Target Field. Defenseman Alex Goligoski is one of three native

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia quarterback Jarret Doege said Friday that he plans to transfer. Doege announced his decision on Twitter. A two-year starter, Doege struggled at times in the pocket with his mobility and decision making. He completed 65% of his passes for 3,048 yards with 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. — Peter Kiss had 33 points as Bryant narrowly defeated Sacred Heart 85-82. Aaron Clarke led the Pioneers on Friday with 21 points.

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football Writer MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Michigan defensive back Dax Hill started Saturday against No. 3 Georgia in the Orange Bowl. Hill’s status was uncertain after he did not join the team in South Florida until Thursday. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Michigan’s second-leading tackler had not been with

NEW YORK — Andre Snoddy had 14 points and nine rebounds as Central Connecticut beat St. Francis (N.Y.) 67-55. Tedrick Wilcox Jr. led the Terriers on Friday with a season-high 27 points.

RICHMOND, Ky. — Devontae Blanton had 29 points plus 13 rebounds as Eastern Kentucky easily defeated Alice Lloyd College 106-52. Noah Young led the Eagles on Friday with 14 points.

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. AP Pro Football Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Sharrod Neasman refused to give in to the doubts that crept into his head, the flashes of negativity that tried to threaten the dreams and goals he knew he would achieve. Not when he was told he wasn’t good enough to play Division

By W.G. RAMIREZ Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Laurent Brossoit stopped 15 shots and the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-1 on Friday to increase their Pacific Division lead. Mattias Janmark, Adam Brooks and Nic Roy scored for the Golden Knights. They improved to 4-0 at home on New Year’s Eve or

By MARK AMBROGI Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — DeMar DeRozan made a 28-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Chicago Bulls a 108-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday. DeRozan led the Bulls with  28 points, hitting 8 of 24 shots and 11 of 12 free throws. Coby White added 24 points, and

LONDON (AP) — U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu has been honored by Queen Elizabeth II in the British monarch’s annual New Year’s list following the teenager’s breakthrough performance at Flushing Meadows. The 19-year-old Raducanu was made an MBE by the queen, or Member of the Order of the British Empire. It caps a remarkable year

By TOM WITHERS AP Sports Writer CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns are getting one last shot at Ben Roethlisberger. They’ve missed most of their previous ones. Although Pittsburgh’s quarterback hasn’t made his retirement official, he said Monday’s home game against Cleveland is likely his last at Heinz Field. Roethlisberger has dominated the Browns throughout his

By DAN SCIFO Associated Press PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward knows what it takes to shut down the Cleveland Browns’ rushing attack. The Steelers have the worst rush defense in the league, but they were able to keep running back Nick Chubb and the Browns in check when the AFC North

By BRETT MARTEL AP Sports Writer NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral says he couldn’t live with abandoning his teammates in their Sugar Bowl showdown against sixth-ranked Baylor. The dual-threat Corral is a potential first-round NFL draft pick after accounting for nearly 4,000 yards and 31 touchdowns during Mississippi’s first 10-win regular season.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Lew Nichols III ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, leading late replacement Central Michigan to a 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Sun Bowl. The Chippewas (9-4) ended a five-game bowl losing streak with their fifth consecutive victory this season. When Boise State opted out of the Arizona

NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — Jordan McKoy had a career-high 21 points as Merrimack narrowly beat Long Island 82-77. Ty Flowers led the Sharks on Friday with 23 points and five assists.

STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Sports Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Michigan defensive back Dax Hill started in the Orange Bowl against third-ranked Georgia after his late arrival in Florida. Hill’s status was uncertain after he didn’t join the second-ranked Wolverines in South Florida until Thursday. Coach Jim Harbaugh had said Michigan’s second-leading tackler hadn’t been with

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Julian Lewis had 14 points to lead five William & Mary players in double figures as the Tribe edged past Northeastern 71-70. Ben Wight added 13 points for the Tribe on Friday. Tyler Rice chipped in 12, Yuri Covington scored 11 and Connor Kochera had 10. Jahmyl Telfort led the Huskies with