AP Sports Summary for December 25th, 2023,

Dolphins nip Cowboys 22-20 on Jason Sanders' last-second field goal, secure playoff spot

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jason Sanders kicked his fifth field goal of the game, a 29-yarder as time expired, and the Miami Dolphins secured a playoff berth with a 22-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and a touchdown for the AFC East-leading Dolphins, who beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season. He connected with Tyreek Hill twice on the decisive drive, which covered 64 yards and took the final 3:27 off the clock. Hill had nine catches for 99 yards. Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns for the Cowboys, who have already clinched a playoff spot.

Chad Ryland's 56-yard field goal sends Patriots past Broncos 26-23 as Denver's playoff hopes dim

DENVER (AP) — Chad Ryland made a career-long 56-yard field goal with 2 seconds left, and the New England Patriots delivered a near-fatal blow to the Denver Broncos' playoff hopes with a 26-23 victory. The Patriots (4-11) scored a pair of touchdowns in a 6-second span of the third quarter, then fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Broncos. Ryland's kick capped a seven-play, 44-yard drive that began with 58 seconds left after the Broncos went three-and-out. Denver had tied it up with a pair of long TD drives and 2-point conversions on its previous two possessions.

Lions hang on to beat Vikings 30-24 and clinch 1st division title since 1993

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Detroit Lions have clinched their first division title in 30 years. They used two rushing touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs and 106 receiving yards and a third-quarter go-ahead score by Amon-Ra St. Brown to overtake the injury-ravaged Minnesota Vikings 30-24. Ifeatu Melifonwu picked off Nick Mullens at the 5-yard line with 49 seconds left for Detroit's fourth interception of the game an off-target pass to an open Justin Jefferson. That came three plays after Jefferson's leaping grab in double coverage on third-and-27 kept the last-minute drive alive. The Lions are 11-4. The Vikings are 7-8.

Amari Cooper has franchise-record 265 yards receiving to lead Browns to 36-22 win over Texans

HOUSTON (AP) — Amari Cooper set a franchise record with 265 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion to move the Cleveland Browns closer to a playoff berth with a 36-22 win over the Houston Texans. Cooper's performance moved him atop the Browns' record book ahead of Josh Gordon, who had 261 yards receiving against Jacksonville in December 2013. He has 1,250 yards receiving this season, making him the first receiver in team history with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The Browns can't clinch a playoff spot this week, but at 10-5 they're all but guaranteed to secure just their second postseason appearance since 2002.

Shoulder injury is the latest issue in a painful month for Trevor Lawrence and the Jags

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury and left Sunday's game against Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter. Lawrence had just cleared the NFL's concussion protocol a day earlier, allowing him to start against the Buccaneers. C.J. Beathard replaced Lawrence with 13 1/3 minutes to play and Jacksonville trailing 30-6. Lawrence went 17 for 29 for 211 yards and a third-quarter touchdown pass. He had two first-half interceptions and a fumble in the third quarter. All three turnovers led to Tampa Bay touchdowns. The Jaguars have lost four straight while Lawrence has dealt with a multitude of injuries.

Shohei Ohtani gives a Porsche to Joe Kelly's wife for his No. 17 with the Dodgers

After the wife of reliever Joe Kelly offered up her husband's uniform number to help lure Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-way star responded by giving her a Porsche. The Dodgers shared a video showing Kelly's wife, Ashley, who had launched what she dubbed her #Ohtake17 campaign in hopes that the free agent from Japan would sign with the team. In the video, Ashley Kelly opens the front door to reveal a sports car parked in front of the house. A man off camera says, "It's yours, from Shohei. He wanted to gift you a Porsche." Joe Kelly is switching to No. 99 so Ohtani can keep the No. 17 he wore with the Angels.

The NBA's annual Christmas slate awaits. Teams insist it's special to be picked

MIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra was part of 12 Christmas games as a staff member, assistant coach or head coach in his first 20 seasons with the Miami Heat. And in the eight seasons that followed, the Heat played on Christmas only once. He says playing on Christmas beats not playing on Christmas. The Heat return to the league's holiday slate for the first time since 2020 on Monday, when they meet the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the NBA's traditional Christmas quintuple header. The other games are Milwaukee at New York, Golden State at Denver, Boston at the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas at Phoenix.

NBA MVP Joel Embiid won't play in 76ers-Heat Christmas game because of ankle issue

MIAMI (AP) — Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid won't play in Philadelphia's Christmas night game against the Miami Heat, with the 76ers ruling him out because of a sprained right ankle. Embiid didn't fly with the Sixers on Sunday to Miami. He got hurt during Friday's win over Toronto. It'll be the fourth game Embiid has missed this season for the 76ers, who are third in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NBA, entering Monday with a 20-8 record. He has been on a tear in December, averaging 40.2 points and 12.6 rebounds on 61% shooting in nine appearances so far this month.

Eastern Michigan apologizes to South Alabama for player's punch that sparked brawl after bowl game

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Eastern Michigan's athletic director has apologized to South Alabama, a day after an EMU player raced onto the field after the 68 Ventures Bowl and punched an opposing player in the head. The confrontation happened as South Alabama's players, cheer squad and band lined up to sing the school song following a 59-10 rout of Eastern Michigan. An unidentified EMU played charged into the group and punched a South Alabama player in the back of the head. Another South Alabama player dragged the EMU player onto the field, sparking a free-for-all among members of both teams. Eastern Michigan athletic director Scott Wetherbee says "what happened was completely unacceptable."

Manchester United announces deal to sell up to 25% of EPL club to UK billionaire Jim Ratcliffe

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — More than a year after it was put up for sale, Manchester United said Sunday that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe had agreed to buy a minority stake in the storied Premier League club. Ratcliffe owns petrochemicals giant INEOS and is one of Britain's richest people. He has secured a stake of "up to 25%" of the 20-time league champions and will invest $300 million in its Old Trafford stadium. As part of the deal United said Ratcliffe would take responsibility for the club's soccer operations. In total the deal will be worth around $1.6 billion including the $300 million of funding. The deal is subject to approval by the Premier League.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Monday, December 25th, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Monday, December 25th, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>Merry Christmas!AP Sports Summary for December 25th, 2023,Dolphins nip Cowboys 22-20 on Jason Sanders' last-second field goal, secure playoff spotMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Jason Sanders kicked his fifth field goal of the game, a 29-yarder as time expired, and the Miami Dolphins secured a playoff berth with a 22-20 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 293 yards and a touchdown for the AFC East-leading Dolphins, who beat a team with a winning record for the first time this season. He connected with Tyreek Hill twice on the decisive drive, which covered 64 yards and took the final 3:27 off the clock. Hill had nine catches for 99 yards. Dak Prescott threw for two touchdowns for the Cowboys, who have already clinched a playoff spot.Chad Ryland's 56-yard field goal sends Patriots past Broncos 26-23 as Denver's playoff hopes dimDENVER (AP) — Chad Ryland made a career-long 56-yard field goal with 2 seconds left, and the New England Patriots delivered a near-fatal blow to the Denver Broncos' playoff hopes with a 26-23 victory. The Patriots (4-11) scored a pair of touchdowns in a 6-second span of the third quarter, then fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Broncos. Ryland's kick capped a seven-play, 44-yard drive that began with 58 seconds left after the Broncos went three-and-out. Denver had tied it up with a pair of long TD drives and 2-point conversions on its previous two possessions.Lions hang on to beat Vikings 30-24 and clinch 1st division title since 1993MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Detroit Lions have clinched their first division title in 30 years. They used two rushing touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs and 106 receiving yards and a third-quarter go-ahead score by Amon-Ra St. Brown to overtake the injury-ravaged Minnesota Vikings 30-24. Ifeatu Melifonwu picked off Nick Mullens at the 5-yard line with 49 seconds left for Detroit's fourth interception of the game an off-target pass to an open Justin Jefferson. That came three plays after Jefferson's leaping grab in double coverage on third-and-27 kept the last-minute drive alive. The Lions are 11-4. The Vikings are 7-8.Amari Cooper has franchise-record 265 yards receiving to lead Browns to 36-22 win over TexansHOUSTON (AP) — Amari Cooper set a franchise record with 265 yards receiving and scored two touchdowns and a 2-point conversion to move the Cleveland Browns closer to a playoff berth with a 36-22 win over the Houston Texans. Cooper's performance moved him atop the Browns' record book ahead of Josh Gordon, who had 261 yards receiving against Jacksonville in December 2013. He has 1,250 yards receiving this season, making him the first receiver in team history with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. The Browns can't clinch a playoff spot this week, but at 10-5 they're all but guaranteed to secure just their second postseason appearance since 2002.Shoulder injury is the latest issue in a painful month for Trevor Lawrence and the JagsTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence suffered a shoulder injury and left Sunday's game against Tampa Bay in the fourth quarter. Lawrence had just cleared the NFL's concussion protocol a day earlier, allowing him to start against the Buccaneers. C.J. Beathard replaced Lawrence with 13 1/3 minutes to play and Jacksonville trailing 30-6. Lawrence went 17 for 29 for 211 yards and a third-quarter touchdown pass. He had two first-half interceptions and a fumble in the third quarter. All three turnovers led to Tampa Bay touchdowns. The Jaguars have lost four straight while Lawrence has dealt with a multitude of injuries.Shohei Ohtani gives a Porsche to Joe Kelly's wife for his No. 17 with the DodgersAfter the wife of reliever Joe Kelly offered up her husband's uniform number to help lure Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the two-way star responded by giving her a Porsche. The Dodgers shared a video showing Kelly's wife, Ashley, who had launched what she dubbed her #Ohtake17 campaign in hopes that the free agent from Japan would sign with the team. In the video, Ashley Kelly opens the front door to reveal a sports car parked in front of the house. A man off camera says, "It's yours, from Shohei. He wanted to gift you a Porsche." Joe Kelly is switching to No. 99 so Ohtani can keep the No. 17 he wore with the Angels.The NBA's annual Christmas slate awaits. Teams insist it's special to be pickedMIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra was part of 12 Christmas games as a staff member, assistant coach or head coach in his first 20 seasons with the Miami Heat. And in the eight seasons that followed, the Heat played on Christmas only once. He says playing on Christmas beats not playing on Christmas. The Heat return to the league's holiday slate for the first time since 2020 on Monday, when they meet the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the NBA's traditional Christmas quintuple header. The other games are Milwaukee at New York, Golden State at Denver, Boston at the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas at Phoenix.NBA MVP Joel Embiid won't play in 76ers-Heat Christmas game because of ankle issueMIAMI (AP) — Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid won't play in Philadelphia's Christmas night game against the Miami Heat, with the 76ers ruling him out because of a sprained right ankle. Embiid didn't fly with the Sixers on Sunday to Miami. He got hurt during Friday's win over Toronto. It'll be the fourth game Embiid has missed this season for the 76ers, who are third in the Eastern Conference and fourth overall in the NBA, entering Monday with a 20-8 record. He has been on a tear in December, averaging 40.2 points and 12.6 rebounds on 61% shooting in nine appearances so far this month.Eastern Michigan apologizes to South Alabama for player's punch that sparked brawl after bowl gameYPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — Eastern Michigan's athletic director has apologized to South Alabama, a day after an EMU player raced onto the field after the 68 Ventures Bowl and punched an opposing player in the head. The confrontation happened as South Alabama's players, cheer squad and band lined up to sing the school song following a 59-10 rout of Eastern Michigan. An unidentified EMU played charged into the group and punched a South Alabama player in the back of the head. Another South Alabama player dragged the EMU player onto the field, sparking a free-for-all among members of both teams. Eastern Michigan athletic director Scott Wetherbee says "what happened was completely unacceptable."Manchester United announces deal to sell up to 25% of EPL club to UK billionaire Jim RatcliffeMANCHESTER, England (AP) — More than a year after it was put up for sale, Manchester United said Sunday that British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe had agreed to buy a minority stake in the storied Premier League club. Ratcliffe owns petrochemicals giant INEOS and is one of Britain's richest people. He has secured a stake of "up to 25%" of the 20-time league champions and will invest $300 million in its Old Trafford stadium. As part of the deal United said Ratcliffe would take responsibility for the club's soccer operations. In total the deal will be worth around $1.6 billion including the $300 million of funding. The deal is subject to approval by the Premier League.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Final	Atlanta	29	Indianapolis	10	Final	Cleveland	36	Houston	22	Final	Detroit	30	Minnesota	24	Final	Green Bay	33	Carolina	30	Final	N-Y Jets	30	Washington	28	Final	Seattle	20	Tennessee	17	Final	Tampa Bay	30	Jacksonville	12	Final	Chicago	27	Arizona	16	Final	Miami	22	Dallas	20	Final	New England	26	Denver	23	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Milwaukee	at	New York	12 p.m.	Golden State	at	Denver	2:30 p.m.	Boston	at	L.A. Lakers	5 p.m.	Philadelphia	at	Miami	8 p.m.	Dallas	at	Phoenix	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Las Vegas	at	Kansas City	1 p.m.	N-Y Giants	at	Philadelphia	4:30 p.m.	Baltimore	at	San Francisco	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Monday

By ARNE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — Bailey Zappe had a feeling this would be the New England Patriots' night when he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1739093010296471931">coughed up the football</a>&nbsp;at his 5-yard line on his very first snap and his defense bailed him out by keeping the Denver Broncos out of the end zone.

“It kind of nullifies everything that happened,” Bailey said after helping the Patriots deliver a near-fatal blow to the Broncos' playoff hopes with a 26-23 victory Sunday night.

“You don’t want to turn the ball over, but if they don’t get any points, that’s a win, of course,” Zappe said. “To have a defense like we do, I mean it’s phenomenal. It’s just awesome to see those guys play. They’re one of the best — if not the best — defenses in the entire league.”

Chad Ryand's career-long 56-yard field goal with two seconds left was the difference for the Patriots (4-11), who scored a pair of touchdowns in a six-second span of the third quarter, then fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Broncos (7-8).

Ryland's kick capped a seven-play, 44-yard drive that began with 58 seconds left after the Broncos went three-and-out. Denver had tied it up with a pair of long TD drives and 2-point conversions on its previous two possessions.

Ryland came in as the worst full-time starting kicker in the league in field-goal percentage at 65% (13 of 20), and the rookie missed from 47 yards late in the first half on Sunday night. He also missed an extra point in the third quarter.

The Broncos were 7 1/2-point favorites,&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/">according to FanDuel Sportsbook</a>, making the Patriots the fourth underdog to win at Empower Field at Mile High in coach Sean Payton's first season. This latest upset left the Broncos with just a 6% chance of ending their eight-year playoff drought, according to the NFL's calculations.

“Our margin for error right now isn't what it needs to be,” Payton said.

Bill Belichick improved to 11-10 against the Broncos during his 24-year tenure in New England, denying Denver the status as the only opponent with a winning record against him during his time with the Patriots.

After falling behind 23-7, the Broncos tied it when Russell Wilson threw touchdown passes to rookie tight end Lucas Krull and wideout Brandon Johnson and converted 2-point passes to Johnson and Javonte Williams.

“We believed we would win the game,” Wilson said. “... It didn't go our way.”

The Broncos had a shot at completing the comeback when they got the ball at their 39 with 1:42 remaining but they went three-and-out, giving the ball back to New England with just under a minute remaining.

Zappe gave New England its first lead with a 15-yard touchdown toss to Ezekiel Elliott, but Ryland's missed PAT left the Patriots up 9-7.

<a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1739119110049378707">Elliott hurdled</a>&nbsp;nickel back Ja'Quan McMillian on his way into the end zone.

“A lot of DBs, when they see a big guy in the open field they're going to try to go low," Elliott said. “I had a feeling they were going to go low and I knew if I got over this guy I had a good chance to score.”

Zappe escaped pressure and found Mike Gesicki with an 11-yard touchdown throw to make it 16-7, and when Marvin Mims Jr. fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the 5-yard line. Cody Davis scooped it up at the 1 and rolled across the goal line.

The Broncos' already pedestrian offense suffered a big loss when wide receiver Courtland Sutton went out in the first half with a concussion, and all Denver managed through 3 1/2 quarters was Williams' 3-yard TD run to open the scoring. Denver gained just 15 yards and had one first down in the third quarter.

The Broncos hold faint hopes of becoming just the fourth team since the merger to make the playoffs after losing five of their first six games, but they'll need plenty of help to get there now.

Denver's defense has carried the team all season, leading the Broncos back from a 1-5 start and into playoff contention, but Payton's offense hasn't done its part, something that was never in clearer focus than in the game's opening sequence.

On the game's first snap, D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe and recovered the loose ball himself at the New England 5-yard line.

The Broncos came away from Jones' trifecta empty-handed, however, when Williams ran three times into the teeth of the league's best run defense, including on fourth-and-goal from the 2 when Christian Barmore stopped him a yard shy of the goal line.

The Broncos started their next drive at the Patriots 46 but went three-and-out before finally exploiting a short field when&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1739097672743571612">Mims' 52-yard punt return</a>&nbsp;set them up on the New England 25-yard line for the drive in which Williams ran it in from the 3.

The Broncos sorely missed Sutton, who has 10 touchdown catches this season. He went out in the first quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion.

Broncos: Host the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703484548127.jpeg" alt="Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (85), defended by New England Patriots cornerback Alex Austin (28), catches a 3-yard pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>Denver Broncos tight end Lucas Krull (85), defended by New England Patriots cornerback Alex Austin (28), catches a 3-yard pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARNE STAPLETON AP Pro Football WriterDENVER (AP) — Bailey Zappe had a feeling this would be the New England Patriots' night when he&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1739093010296471931">coughed up the football</a>&nbsp;at his 5-yard line on his very first snap and his defense bailed him out by keeping the Denver Broncos out of the end zone.“It kind of nullifies everything that happened,” Bailey said after helping the Patriots deliver a near-fatal blow to the Broncos' playoff hopes with a 26-23 victory Sunday night.“You don’t want to turn the ball over, but if they don’t get any points, that’s a win, of course,” Zappe said. “To have a defense like we do, I mean it’s phenomenal. It’s just awesome to see those guys play. They’re one of the best — if not the best — defenses in the entire league.”Chad Ryand's career-long 56-yard field goal with two seconds left was the difference for the Patriots (4-11), who scored a pair of touchdowns in a six-second span of the third quarter, then fended off a furious fourth-quarter rally by the Broncos (7-8).Ryland's kick capped a seven-play, 44-yard drive that began with 58 seconds left after the Broncos went three-and-out. Denver had tied it up with a pair of long TD drives and 2-point conversions on its previous two possessions.Ryland came in as the worst full-time starting kicker in the league in field-goal percentage at 65% (13 of 20), and the rookie missed from 47 yards late in the first half on Sunday night. He also missed an extra point in the third quarter.The Broncos were 7 1/2-point favorites,&nbsp;<a href="https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/">according to FanDuel Sportsbook</a>, making the Patriots the fourth underdog to win at Empower Field at Mile High in coach Sean Payton's first season. This latest upset left the Broncos with just a 6% chance of ending their eight-year playoff drought, according to the NFL's calculations.“Our margin for error right now isn't what it needs to be,” Payton said.Bill Belichick improved to 11-10 against the Broncos during his 24-year tenure in New England, denying Denver the status as the only opponent with a winning record against him during his time with the Patriots.After falling behind 23-7, the Broncos tied it when Russell Wilson threw touchdown passes to rookie tight end Lucas Krull and wideout Brandon Johnson and converted 2-point passes to Johnson and Javonte Williams.“We believed we would win the game,” Wilson said. “... It didn't go our way.”The Broncos had a shot at completing the comeback when they got the ball at their 39 with 1:42 remaining but they went three-and-out, giving the ball back to New England with just under a minute remaining.Zappe gave New England its first lead with a 15-yard touchdown toss to Ezekiel Elliott, but Ryland's missed PAT left the Patriots up 9-7.<a href="https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1739119110049378707">Elliott hurdled</a>&nbsp;nickel back Ja'Quan McMillian on his way into the end zone.“A lot of DBs, when they see a big guy in the open field they're going to try to go low," Elliott said. “I had a feeling they were going to go low and I knew if I got over this guy I had a good chance to score.”Zappe escaped pressure and found Mike Gesicki with an 11-yard touchdown throw to make it 16-7, and when Marvin Mims Jr. fumbled the ensuing kickoff at the 5-yard line. Cody Davis scooped it up at the 1 and rolled across the goal line.The Broncos' already pedestrian offense suffered a big loss when wide receiver Courtland Sutton went out in the first half with a concussion, and all Denver managed through 3 1/2 quarters was Williams' 3-yard TD run to open the scoring. Denver gained just 15 yards and had one first down in the third quarter.The Broncos hold faint hopes of becoming just the fourth team since the merger to make the playoffs after losing five of their first six games, but they'll need plenty of help to get there now.Denver's defense has carried the team all season, leading the Broncos back from a 1-5 start and into playoff contention, but Payton's offense hasn't done its part, something that was never in clearer focus than in the game's opening sequence.On the game's first snap, D.J. Jones strip-sacked Zappe and recovered the loose ball himself at the New England 5-yard line.The Broncos came away from Jones' trifecta empty-handed, however, when Williams ran three times into the teeth of the league's best run defense, including on fourth-and-goal from the 2 when Christian Barmore stopped him a yard shy of the goal line.The Broncos started their next drive at the Patriots 46 but went three-and-out before finally exploiting a short field when&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Broncos/status/1739097672743571612">Mims' 52-yard punt return</a>&nbsp;set them up on the New England 25-yard line for the drive in which Williams ran it in from the 3.INJURIESThe Broncos sorely missed Sutton, who has 10 touchdown catches this season. He went out in the first quarter and was diagnosed with a concussion.UP NEXTPatriots: Visit Buffalo next Sunday.Broncos: Host the Los Angeles Chargers next Sunday.

🏈 Late field goal sends Patriots past Broncos as Denver's playoff hopes dim

AP Sports Summary for December 24th, 2023

Josh Allen accounts for 3 touchdowns as Bills escape with 24-22 victory over Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns, Tyler Bass made a 29-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining, and the Buffalo Bills escaped with a 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers to improve their playoff chances. Allen ran for two TDs and threw for one, becoming the first player in NFL history with four consecutive seasons with 40 combined touchdowns. Bass' go-ahead kick capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive that included Allen's 15-yard completion to Khalil Shakir on third down. The Bills have won four of five to improve to 9-6. Buffalo turned the ball over three times to keep the short-handed Chargers in the game in their first outing under interim coach Giff Smith.

Rudolph hits Pickens for 2 long touchdowns, Steelers end 3-game skid with 34-11 win over Bengals

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mason Rudolph and George Pickens connected for two long touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Rudolph threw for 290 yards while starting in place of the injured Kenny Pickett and the ineffective Mitch Trubisky. Pickens finished with four receptions for 195 yards as the Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 8-7. Jake Browning passed for 335 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times as the Bengals fell to 8-7.

Pistons match NBA single-season record with 26th straight loss, fall 126-115 to the Nets

NEW YORK (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have matched the NBA record for the longest losing streak within one season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night for their 26th straight loss. The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams. The Nets put them away with a 15-0 run to open a 21-point lead and ensure that Detroit would remain winless since Oct. 28. The teams will meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the overall longest skid in league history. The 76ers lost 28 consecutive games from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.

LeBron James scores season-high 40 points, Lakers beat Thunder to end 4-game skid

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-120 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Anthony Davis, who had called this a must-win game, added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Austin Reaves chipped in 11 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles, which had gone 1-5 since winning the In-Season Tournament. The 38-year-old James was 13 of 20 from the field, hitting five 3-pointers without a miss, and made all nine of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points for Oklahoma City.

Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras score lacrosse-style goals on NHL's final night before break

On the NHL's final night before its holiday break, Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard and Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras combined for a stylish celebration of lacrosse. Bedard and Zegras each scored a lacrosse-style — or "Michigan" — goal in a pair of highlights that likely will be watched repeatedly before the league returns to action on Wednesday night. The 18-year-old Bedard pulled off the feat for the first time since he was selected by Chicago with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NHL draft.

Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama sprains ankle during warmups, misses game in Dallas

DALLAS (AP) — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is a late scratch against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks because of a sprained right ankle after stepping on a ball boy's foot during warmups. The 19-year-old sensation from France returned to the locker room to get the ankle taped and wanted to play. The Spurs held him out for precautionary reasons. It was the second time in three games Wembanyama was inactive. The reason was right ankle soreness four nights earlier at Milwaukee.

New York Mets hit with record luxury tax of nearly $101 million for season of fourth-place finish

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets must pay a record luxury tax of nearly $101 million after a fourth-place finish in their division, among an unprecedented eight teams that owe the penalty for the 2023 season. Owner Steve Cohen's Mets finished with a tax payroll of $374.7 million, according to figures finalized by Major League Baseball on Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press. Other teams owing tax money are San Diego, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, Atlanta and World Series champion Texas. The Blue Jays, Braves and Rangers are paying tax for the first time.

Plans abounding for new sports stadiums across the US, carrying hefty public costs

Proposals for new and improved sports stadiums are proliferating across the U.S. and could come with a hefty price tag for taxpayers. This past year alone, roughly a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises took steps toward building new stadiums or making major renovations to their current ones. In some cases, sports teams are seeking a new jolt of public funding for state-of-the-art stadiums even as public entities are still paying off debt from the last round of renovations conducted a couple decades ago. Cities and states are offering hundreds of millions of dollars in public financing. But many economists doubt whether it is a worthwhile investment.

Key takeaways from AP's look at the emerging wave of sports construction in the US

The list of sports teams seeking new or improved stadiums is getting longer and longer. In the past year alone, about a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises tooks steps toward new stadiums or major renovations. The most recent was the Baltimore Ravens, who unveiled plans for a publicly funded $430 million renovation. That followed similar announcements by the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Jacksonville Jaguars. New stadiums also are underway for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans. Many are looking for the public to help pay the bill, and some are making that ask before they've paid off their existing public debts.

Final	(25)Mississippi	89	Southern Miss.	72	

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, December 24th, 2023" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Sunday, December 24th, 2023</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 24th, 2023Josh Allen accounts for 3 touchdowns as Bills escape with 24-22 victory over ChargersINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns, Tyler Bass made a 29-yard field goal with 28 seconds remaining, and the Buffalo Bills escaped with a 24-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers to improve their playoff chances. Allen ran for two TDs and threw for one, becoming the first player in NFL history with four consecutive seasons with 40 combined touchdowns. Bass' go-ahead kick capped a 13-play, 64-yard drive that included Allen's 15-yard completion to Khalil Shakir on third down. The Bills have won four of five to improve to 9-6. Buffalo turned the ball over three times to keep the short-handed Chargers in the game in their first outing under interim coach Giff Smith.Rudolph hits Pickens for 2 long touchdowns, Steelers end 3-game skid with 34-11 win over BengalsPITTSBURGH (AP) — Mason Rudolph and George Pickens connected for two long touchdowns, and the Pittsburgh Steelers kept their playoff hopes alive with a 34-11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Rudolph threw for 290 yards while starting in place of the injured Kenny Pickett and the ineffective Mitch Trubisky. Pickens finished with four receptions for 195 yards as the Steelers snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 8-7. Jake Browning passed for 335 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted three times as the Bengals fell to 8-7.Pistons match NBA single-season record with 26th straight loss, fall 126-115 to the NetsNEW YORK (AP) — The Detroit Pistons have matched the NBA record for the longest losing streak within one season, falling 126-115 to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night for their 26th straight loss. The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers, dropping to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams. The Nets put them away with a 15-0 run to open a 21-point lead and ensure that Detroit would remain winless since Oct. 28. The teams will meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the overall longest skid in league history. The 76ers lost 28 consecutive games from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.LeBron James scores season-high 40 points, Lakers beat Thunder to end 4-game skidOKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-120 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak. Anthony Davis, who had called this a must-win game, added 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers. Rui Hachimura scored 21 points and Austin Reaves chipped in 11 points and 10 assists for Los Angeles, which had gone 1-5 since winning the In-Season Tournament. The 38-year-old James was 13 of 20 from the field, hitting five 3-pointers without a miss, and made all nine of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points for Oklahoma City.The NBA's annual Christmas slate awaits. Teams insist it's special to be pickedMIAMI (AP) — Erik Spoelstra was part of 12 Christmas games as a staff member, assistant coach or head coach in his first 20 seasons with the Miami Heat. And in the eight seasons that followed, the Heat played on Christmas only once. He says playing on Christmas beats not playing on Christmas. The Heat return to the league's holiday slate for the first time since 2020 on Monday, when they meet the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the NBA's traditional Christmas quintuple header. The other games are Milwaukee at New York, Golden State at Denver, Boston at the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas at Phoenix.Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras score lacrosse-style goals on NHL's final night before breakOn the NHL's final night before its holiday break, Chicago Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard and Anaheim Ducks center Trevor Zegras combined for a stylish celebration of lacrosse. Bedard and Zegras each scored a lacrosse-style — or "Michigan" — goal in a pair of highlights that likely will be watched repeatedly before the league returns to action on Wednesday night. The 18-year-old Bedard pulled off the feat for the first time since he was selected by Chicago with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's NHL draft.Spurs rookie star Victor Wembanyama sprains ankle during warmups, misses game in DallasDALLAS (AP) — San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is a late scratch against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks because of a sprained right ankle after stepping on a ball boy's foot during warmups. The 19-year-old sensation from France returned to the locker room to get the ankle taped and wanted to play. The Spurs held him out for precautionary reasons. It was the second time in three games Wembanyama was inactive. The reason was right ankle soreness four nights earlier at Milwaukee.New York Mets hit with record luxury tax of nearly $101 million for season of fourth-place finishNEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets must pay a record luxury tax of nearly $101 million after a fourth-place finish in their division, among an unprecedented eight teams that owe the penalty for the 2023 season. Owner Steve Cohen's Mets finished with a tax payroll of $374.7 million, according to figures finalized by Major League Baseball on Thursday and obtained by The Associated Press. Other teams owing tax money are San Diego, the New York Yankees, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia, Toronto, Atlanta and World Series champion Texas. The Blue Jays, Braves and Rangers are paying tax for the first time.Plans abounding for new sports stadiums across the US, carrying hefty public costsProposals for new and improved sports stadiums are proliferating across the U.S. and could come with a hefty price tag for taxpayers. This past year alone, roughly a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises took steps toward building new stadiums or making major renovations to their current ones. In some cases, sports teams are seeking a new jolt of public funding for state-of-the-art stadiums even as public entities are still paying off debt from the last round of renovations conducted a couple decades ago. Cities and states are offering hundreds of millions of dollars in public financing. But many economists doubt whether it is a worthwhile investment.Key takeaways from AP's look at the emerging wave of sports construction in the USThe list of sports teams seeking new or improved stadiums is getting longer and longer. In the past year alone, about a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises tooks steps toward new stadiums or major renovations. The most recent was the Baltimore Ravens, who unveiled plans for a publicly funded $430 million renovation. That followed similar announcements by the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Jacksonville Jaguars. New stadiums also are underway for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans. Many are looking for the public to help pay the bill, and some are making that ask before they've paid off their existing public debts.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Milwaukee	130	New York	111	Final	Boston	145	L.A. Clippers	108	Final	Denver	102	Charlotte	95	Final	Orlando	117	Indiana	110	Final	Houston	106	New Orleans	104	Final	Utah	126	Toronto	119	Final	Memphis	125	Atlanta	119	Final	Brooklyn	126	Detroit	115	Final	Cleveland	109	Chicago	95	Final	L.A. Lakers	129	Oklahoma City	120	Final	Dallas	144	San Antonio	119	Final	Golden State	126	Portland	106	Final	Minnesota	110	Sacramento	98	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Dallas	3	Nashville	2	Final	Florida	4	Vegas	2	Final	Toronto	4	Columbus	1	Final	New Jersey	3	Detroit	2	Final	Minnesota	3	Boston	2	Final SO	Tampa Bay	2	Washington	1	Final OT	Ottawa	5	Pittsburgh	4	Final	N-Y Islanders	5	Carolina	4	Final OT	N-Y Rangers	4	Buffalo	3	Final	St. Louis	7	Chicago	5	Final	Seattle	3	Anaheim	2	Final	Colorado	4	Arizona	1	Final	Vancouver	7	San Jose	4	Final	Los Angeles	5	Calgary	3	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	34	Cincinnati	11	Final	Buffalo	24	L.A. Chargers	22	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	Air Force	31	(24)James Madison	21	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(14)FAU	96	(4)Arizona	95	Final	(5)UConn	69	St. John's	65	Final	(23)Memphis	77	Vanderbilt	75	Final	(25)Mississippi	89	Southern Miss.	72	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Cleveland	at	Houston	1 p.m.			Detroit	at	Minnesota	1 p.m.			Green Bay	at	Carolina	1 p.m.			Indianapolis	at	Atlanta	1 p.m.			Seattle	at	Tennessee	1 p.m.			Washington	at	N-Y Jets	1 p.m.			Jacksonville	at	Tampa Bay	4:05 p.m.			Arizona	at	Chicago	4:25 p.m.			Dallas	at	Miami	4:25 p.m.			New England	at	Denver	8:15 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Sunday

AP Sports Summary for December 23rd, 2023.

Florida State has sued the ACC, setting the stage for a fight to leave over revenue concerns

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State has sued the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging a contract that binds the school to the league for the next 12 years. The lawsuit claims the ACC's grant of rights violates antitrust law and has unenforceable withdrawal penalties. It also accuses the ACC of mismanaging its members' media rights. The suit says it would cost more than $570 million for Florida State to withdraw from the ACC. The ACC says the school agreed to a renewal of the GOR in 2016 knowing all the details. The conference filed its own lawsuit against the FSU Board of Trustees in North Carolina.

Column: Florida State always seemed out of place in the ACC. Now the Seminoles want out

Florida State always seemed out of place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. A football school in a league long renowned for its basketball prowess. Now, the Seminoles want out. Divorce is inevitable, but the split figures to be anything but amicable. The first salvo was fired Friday by the Florida State board of trustees. With its unbeaten football team snubbed by the playoff, the board voted to begin legal proceedings to escape the ACC without having to pay a staggering exit fee of more than a half-billion dollars. Both sides hurled nasty accusations, seemingly leaving little chance of a reconciliation.

Former NFL player Mike Williams died of dental-related sepsis, medical examiner says

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A medical examiner's report concludes that former NFL player Mike Williams died from a rare form of sepsis related to dental health problems. The 36-year-old Williams died Sept. 12 after being hospitalized following a construction accident while working as an electrician. Williams was a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's report says the cause of Williams' death was bacterial sepsis traced to a dental infection and "retained tooth roots." The report released Friday is preliminary. Officials say a full autopsy will be released later and include toxicology and other information.

Jags QB Trevor Lawrence practices with hopes of clearing concussion protocol and playing at Bucs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is practicing despite remaining in the NFL's concussion protocol. Coach Doug Pederson says part of Lawrence gaining clearance includes going through practice and seeing how he responds to stress. Pederson says "we'll give him as much as we can, as much as he can tolerate." Lawrence would need to clear protocol before the team travels to Tampa Bay on Saturday to be able to play Sunday against the Buccaneers.

NFL denies Eagles' appeal of $100,000 fine, security chief DiSandro's sideline ban, AP sources say

The NFL has denied the Eagles' appeal of a $100,000 fine and the league's ban of the team's security chief, Dom DiSandro, from the sideline for the remainder of the regular season. That's according to two people familiar with the league's decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter hasn't been disclosed. Philadelphia was fined and DiSandro was barred from the sideline for his role in a scuffle with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. DiSandro has still been permitted to travel and perform all other work duties. He can return to the sideline in the playoffs.

Ryan Minor, Orioles 3B who replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting streak, dies at 49

Former Baltimore Orioles infielder Ryan Minor has died at age 49. Minor became part of baseball history when he replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting consecutive games streak in 1998. The University of Oklahoma said Minor died of cancer Friday, and the Orioles also announced his death. Minor was a star in both baseball and basketball at Oklahoma. A week after Minor made his big league debut, Ripken decided to end his streak at 2,632 consecutive games. So Minor started at third base for the first time in his career. He went on to play parts of four seasons for the Orioles and Montreal Expos.

King, Haynes help Georgia Tech overcome 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in Gasparilla Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Haynes King threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Georgia Tech rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. King went 7 for 13 for 87 yards and had 89 rushing yards on 12 carries. Jamal Haynes had 128 yards on 18 rushes to help Georgia Tech (7-6) to its first winning season since 2018. UCF's John Rhys Plumlee completed 16 of 29 passes for 198 and two touchdowns. RJ Harvey picked up 120 yards on 15 carries as the Knights finished their first season in the Big 12 at 6-7.

Luis Suárez signs with Inter Miami, reunites with former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The long-awaited reunion of Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi is now a reality, after the Uruguayan striker signed with Inter Miami on Friday for the 2024 season. Suárez and Messi spent six seasons together at Barcelona, winning four Spanish league titles together and nine other trophies — including a Champions League title — in that span. Suárez is coming off a season where he was best player and best striker in the Brazilian league with Gremio.

Final	(16)Colorado St.	76	Loyola Marymount	67	

Final	(20)James Madison	89	Morgan St.	75	

(24)James Madison	at	Air Force	3:30 p.m.	

(25)Mississippi	at	Southern Miss.	2 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, December 23rd, 2023." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, December 23rd, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 23rd, 2023.Florida State has sued the ACC, setting the stage for a fight to leave over revenue concernsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State has sued the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging a contract that binds the school to the league for the next 12 years. The lawsuit claims the ACC's grant of rights violates antitrust law and has unenforceable withdrawal penalties. It also accuses the ACC of mismanaging its members' media rights. The suit says it would cost more than $570 million for Florida State to withdraw from the ACC. The ACC says the school agreed to a renewal of the GOR in 2016 knowing all the details. The conference filed its own lawsuit against the FSU Board of Trustees in North Carolina.Column: Florida State always seemed out of place in the ACC. Now the Seminoles want outFlorida State always seemed out of place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. A football school in a league long renowned for its basketball prowess. Now, the Seminoles want out. Divorce is inevitable, but the split figures to be anything but amicable. The first salvo was fired Friday by the Florida State board of trustees. With its unbeaten football team snubbed by the playoff, the board voted to begin legal proceedings to escape the ACC without having to pay a staggering exit fee of more than a half-billion dollars. Both sides hurled nasty accusations, seemingly leaving little chance of a reconciliation.Plans abounding for new sports stadiums across the US, carrying hefty public costsProposals for new and improved sports stadiums are proliferating across the U.S. and could come with a hefty price tag for taxpayers. This past year alone, roughly a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises took steps toward building new stadiums or making major renovations to their current ones. In some cases, sports teams are seeking a new jolt of public funding for state-of-the-art stadiums even as public entities are still paying off debt from the last round of renovations conducted a couple decades ago. Cities and states are offering hundreds of millions of dollars in public financing. But many economists doubt whether it is a worthwhile investment.Key takeaways from AP's look at the emerging wave of sports construction in the USThe list of sports teams seeking new or improved stadiums is getting longer and longer. In the past year alone, about a dozen Major League Baseball and National Football League franchises tooks steps toward new stadiums or major renovations. The most recent was the Baltimore Ravens, who unveiled plans for a publicly funded $430 million renovation. That followed similar announcements by the Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Jacksonville Jaguars. New stadiums also are underway for the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans. Many are looking for the public to help pay the bill, and some are making that ask before they've paid off their existing public debts.Former NFL player Mike Williams died of dental-related sepsis, medical examiner saysTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A medical examiner's report concludes that former NFL player Mike Williams died from a rare form of sepsis related to dental health problems. The 36-year-old Williams died Sept. 12 after being hospitalized following a construction accident while working as an electrician. Williams was a wide receiver for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner's report says the cause of Williams' death was bacterial sepsis traced to a dental infection and "retained tooth roots." The report released Friday is preliminary. Officials say a full autopsy will be released later and include toxicology and other information.Jags QB Trevor Lawrence practices with hopes of clearing concussion protocol and playing at BucsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is practicing despite remaining in the NFL's concussion protocol. Coach Doug Pederson says part of Lawrence gaining clearance includes going through practice and seeing how he responds to stress. Pederson says "we'll give him as much as we can, as much as he can tolerate." Lawrence would need to clear protocol before the team travels to Tampa Bay on Saturday to be able to play Sunday against the Buccaneers.NFL denies Eagles' appeal of $100,000 fine, security chief DiSandro's sideline ban, AP sources sayThe NFL has denied the Eagles' appeal of a $100,000 fine and the league's ban of the team's security chief, Dom DiSandro, from the sideline for the remainder of the regular season. That's according to two people familiar with the league's decision who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter hasn't been disclosed. Philadelphia was fined and DiSandro was barred from the sideline for his role in a scuffle with 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw. DiSandro has still been permitted to travel and perform all other work duties. He can return to the sideline in the playoffs.Ryan Minor, Orioles 3B who replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting streak, dies at 49Former Baltimore Orioles infielder Ryan Minor has died at age 49. Minor became part of baseball history when he replaced Cal Ripken at the end of his record-setting consecutive games streak in 1998. The University of Oklahoma said Minor died of cancer Friday, and the Orioles also announced his death. Minor was a star in both baseball and basketball at Oklahoma. A week after Minor made his big league debut, Ripken decided to end his streak at 2,632 consecutive games. So Minor started at third base for the first time in his career. He went on to play parts of four seasons for the Orioles and Montreal Expos.King, Haynes help Georgia Tech overcome 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in Gasparilla BowlTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Haynes King threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score as Georgia Tech rallied from a 14-point deficit to beat UCF 30-17 in the Gasparilla Bowl. King went 7 for 13 for 87 yards and had 89 rushing yards on 12 carries. Jamal Haynes had 128 yards on 18 rushes to help Georgia Tech (7-6) to its first winning season since 2018. UCF's John Rhys Plumlee completed 16 of 29 passes for 198 and two touchdowns. RJ Harvey picked up 120 yards on 15 carries as the Knights finished their first season in the Big 12 at 6-7.Luis Suárez signs with Inter Miami, reunites with former Barcelona teammate Lionel MessiFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The long-awaited reunion of Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi is now a reality, after the Uruguayan striker signed with Inter Miami on Friday for the 2024 season. Suárez and Messi spent six seasons together at Barcelona, winning four Spanish league titles together and nine other trophies — including a Champions League title — in that span. Suárez is coming off a season where he was best player and best striker in the Brazilian league with Gremio.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Final	Philadelphia	121	Toronto	111	Final	Denver	122	Brooklyn	117	Final	Houston	122	Dallas	96	Final	Miami	122	Atlanta	113	Final	Golden State	129	Washington	118	Final	Sacramento	120	Phoenix	105	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final SO	Detroit	7	Philadelphia	6	Final	Edmonton	4	N-Y Rangers	3	Final	Winnipeg	5	Boston	1	Final	Montreal	5	Chicago	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(2)Kansas	75	Yale	60	Final	(6)Marquette	81	Georgetown	51	Final	(10)Baylor	107	MVSU	48	Final	(13)Illinois	97	Missouri	73	Final	(16)Colorado St.	76	Loyola Marymount	67	Final	(17)BYU	101	Bellarmine	59	Final	(18)Clemson	109	Queens (NC)	79	Final	(19)Texas	71	Texas A&amp;M-CC	55	Final	(20)James Madison	89	Morgan St.	75	Final	(24)Wisconsin	80	Chicago St.	53	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Milwaukee	at	New York	12:30 p.m.	Boston	at	L.A. Clippers	3:30 p.m.	Denver	at	Charlotte	7 p.m.	Houston	at	New Orleans	7 p.m.	Orlando	at	Indiana	7 p.m.	Detroit	at	Brooklyn	7:30 p.m.	Memphis	at	Atlanta	7:30 p.m.	Utah	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.	Cleveland	at	Chicago	8 p.m.	L.A. Lakers	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.	Portland	at	Golden State	8:30 p.m.	San Antonio	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.	Minnesota	at	Sacramento	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Dallas	at	Nashville	3 p.m.	Vegas	at	Florida	3 p.m.	Boston	at	Minnesota	7 p.m.	Detroit	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.	Pittsburgh	at	Ottawa	7 p.m.	Tampa Bay	at	Washington	7 p.m.	Toronto	at	Columbus	7 p.m.	Buffalo	at	N-Y Rangers	7:30 p.m.	N-Y Islanders	at	Carolina	7:30 p.m.	Chicago	at	St. Louis	8 p.m.	Seattle	at	Anaheim	8 p.m.	Arizona	at	Colorado	9 p.m.	Calgary	at	Los Angeles	10 p.m.	San Jose	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Cincinnati	at	Pittsburgh	4:30 p.m.	Buffalo	at	L.A. Chargers	8 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL (24)James Madison	at	Air Force	3:30 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (14)FAU	at	(4)Arizona	3 p.m.	St. John's	at	(5)UConn	8 p.m.	Vanderbilt	at	(23)Memphis	4 p.m.	(25)Mississippi	at	Southern Miss.	2 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Saturday

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kevin McCullar Jr. was going IN for a layup in practice this week when one of his Kansas teammates landed on his head.

You'd never know that he had tweaked his neck Friday night.

The veteran guard poured in a career-high 34 points against Yale, taking over during a second-half run that gave the Jayhawks the lead, and the nation's second-ranked team eventually pulled away for a 75-60 win over the Bulldogs.

"He's been our best player the whole year. Proved it again today," said Jayhawks reserve Nicolas Timberlake, who added 13 points. “Got nicked up in practice the other day and played through it. Easily one of the toughest players I've played with."

Dajuan Harris Jr. added 10 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (11-1), who trailed by as many as 11 in the first half and by a point at the break before making the final appear much more comfortable than it was all night.

Yale (7-6) shut down Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, kept the Jayhawks from getting into transition and held its own on the glass. It also got 13 points apiece from guards August Mahoney and Bez Mbeng, who kept the Bulldogs in the game.

“We didn't play well early,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “The last 24 minutes I thought we were pretty good.”

Kansas has had trouble with trap-type games this season, stumbling past Eastern Illinois between the Maui Invitational and a showdown with UConn, and struggling to overcome a slow start against Kansas City before facing rival Missouri.

That was the case again in the Jayhawks' last game before an eight-day holiday break.

They missed easy shots in the paint, took poor shots from the perimeter and allowed Yale to gain some confidence when Mahoney and John Poulakidas began knocking down 3-pointers. By the time Danny Wolf knocked down a 3 of his own, and Self called timeout, the Bulldogs had built a 25-14 lead in the closing minutes of the first half.

The Jayhawks settled down a bit, scoring the final seven points of the half, but they still trailed 33-32 at the break.

Then they turned up the defense in the second half.

Forcing the Bulldogs into a pair of shot-clock violations, and very nearly three more, the Jayhawks slowly pulled back ahead. And when they got the lead, they quickly extended it, unspooling a 13-1 run to take a 51-43 lead with 7 1/2 minutes to go.

McCullar added a pair of 3s during a 10-0 run a couple of minutes later that put the game away.

“The big thing for us, we have guys that can put the ball in the hole,” McCullar said. “It's about the defensive end for us. Not all shots are going to fall. We have to worry about the defensive end first.”

Yale hung with Gonzaga earlier this season, so coach James Jones knew his team could compete. But the way the Bulldogs played in the toughest environment they will face all season bodes well for Ivy League play.

Kansas was coming off tough games against Missouri and Indiana, so the Jayhawks were ripe for a letdown. Now comes a break before facing Wichita State in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Jayhawks' final tuneup before Big 12 play.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703345714814.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) attempts a shot in an NCAA college basketball game Friday, December 22, 2023 in Lawrence, Kan. (Kansas Athletics phtoto)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (15) attempts a shot in an NCAA college basketball game Friday, December 22, 2023 in Lawrence, Kan. (Kansas Athletics phtoto)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kevin McCullar Jr. was going IN for a layup in practice this week when one of his Kansas teammates landed on his head.You'd never know that he had tweaked his neck Friday night.The veteran guard poured in a career-high 34 points against Yale, taking over during a second-half run that gave the Jayhawks the lead, and the nation's second-ranked team eventually pulled away for a 75-60 win over the Bulldogs."He's been our best player the whole year. Proved it again today," said Jayhawks reserve Nicolas Timberlake, who added 13 points. “Got nicked up in practice the other day and played through it. Easily one of the toughest players I've played with."Dajuan Harris Jr. added 10 points and six assists for the Jayhawks (11-1), who trailed by as many as 11 in the first half and by a point at the break before making the final appear much more comfortable than it was all night.Yale (7-6) shut down Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, kept the Jayhawks from getting into transition and held its own on the glass. It also got 13 points apiece from guards August Mahoney and Bez Mbeng, who kept the Bulldogs in the game.“We didn't play well early,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said. “The last 24 minutes I thought we were pretty good.”Kansas has had trouble with trap-type games this season, stumbling past Eastern Illinois between the Maui Invitational and a showdown with UConn, and struggling to overcome a slow start against Kansas City before facing rival Missouri.That was the case again in the Jayhawks' last game before an eight-day holiday break.They missed easy shots in the paint, took poor shots from the perimeter and allowed Yale to gain some confidence when Mahoney and John Poulakidas began knocking down 3-pointers. By the time Danny Wolf knocked down a 3 of his own, and Self called timeout, the Bulldogs had built a 25-14 lead in the closing minutes of the first half.The Jayhawks settled down a bit, scoring the final seven points of the half, but they still trailed 33-32 at the break.Then they turned up the defense in the second half.Forcing the Bulldogs into a pair of shot-clock violations, and very nearly three more, the Jayhawks slowly pulled back ahead. And when they got the lead, they quickly extended it, unspooling a 13-1 run to take a 51-43 lead with 7 1/2 minutes to go.McCullar added a pair of 3s during a 10-0 run a couple of minutes later that put the game away.“The big thing for us, we have guys that can put the ball in the hole,” McCullar said. “It's about the defensive end for us. Not all shots are going to fall. We have to worry about the defensive end first.”BIG PICTUREYale hung with Gonzaga earlier this season, so coach James Jones knew his team could compete. But the way the Bulldogs played in the toughest environment they will face all season bodes well for Ivy League play.Kansas was coming off tough games against Missouri and Indiana, so the Jayhawks were ripe for a letdown. Now comes a break before facing Wichita State in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Jayhawks' final tuneup before Big 12 play.UP NEXTYale visits Santa Clara on Dec. 30.Kansas plays the Shockers the same day.

🏀 McCullar scores career-best 34 points, No. 2 Kansas pulls away late for win over Yale

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🎧 LISTEN: 🏀 MBB K-State wins over Shockers; 🏈 TNF Rams win

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;– Senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry&nbsp;led four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 17 points, as Kansas State earned its fifth consecutive win over in-state rival Wichita State with a 69-60 victory before a record-crowd of 18,660 fans at the T-Mobile Center in the 12th Wildcat Classic on Thursday night.

The 18,660 fans in attendance represented the largest crowd in the 12-game history of the Wildcat Classic, surpassing the previous high of 18,422 vs. UNLV on Dec. 21, 2010.

K-State is now 10-2 all-time in the Wildcat Classic, which dates to 2007. The Wildcats are now 2-0 in the Classic under Tang after defeating Nebraska, 71-58, in 2022.

Perry was joined in double figures by junior&nbsp;Cam Carter&nbsp;(15 points), senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;(13 points) and junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;(11 points). N’Guessan nearly had a double-double with a game-high 9 rebounds to go along with a game-best 3 blocked shots. Perry added a season-tying 4 steals, game-tying 5 assists and 3 rebounds to his 17-point effort, while Carter had a game-tying 5 assists and 5 rebounds to go with his 15 points. Senior&nbsp;Will McNair Jr.&nbsp;posted 7 points and 7 rebounds.

K-State (9-3) broke open a nip-and-tuck affair with a 15-5 run over a 5-minute span early in the second half, turning a 36-35 lead into a 51-40 advantage with just under 12 minutes remaining. Four different Wildcats contributed points during the pivotal run, including 5 points from Kaluma, 4 points from N’Guessan and 3 points each from Carter and Perry.

Down double figures, Wichita State (8-4) didn’t go away, using a 7-0 run to close the deficit to 51-47 with just over 10 minutes to play. However, the Wildcats returned serve with their own 7-0 spurt, including 4 more points from N’Guessan and a 3-pointer from Perry, to push back ahead by double digits at 58-47 at 8:15 mark. The Shockers would get no closer than 7 points the rest of the way.

WSU narrowly out-shot K-State, 41.3 percent to 40 percent, scoring 38 of its 60 points in the paint. The Wildcats were able to capitalize on their opportunities from the free throw line, hitting on 23 of 29 attempts, including a perfect 6-of-6 effort from Perry and a 8-of-9 performance from Carter.

The Shockers were led by junior&nbsp;Quincy Ballard, who posted 13 points and a team-best 7 rebounds, while juniors&nbsp;Xavier Bell&nbsp;and&nbsp;Colby Rogers&nbsp;added 12 points each.

The game pitted longtime friends Kansas State’s&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;and Wichita State’s&nbsp;Paul Mills, who spent 14 seasons together as assistant coaches under&nbsp;Scott Drew&nbsp;at Baylor.

The teams will finish off their 4-game series in 2024-25 when Wichita State plays host to K-State at Koch Arena for the first time since 2002.

The two teams went back and forth in the early going with the Wildcats taking a 10-8 edge in the first media timeout behind a 3-pointer from junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;and a layup by senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan. WSU used a 7-2 run to jump out ahead 15-12 before K-State responded with 8 straight points, including a corner 3-pointer from junior&nbsp;Cam Carter, to retake the lead at 20-15.

The Wildcats were able to maintain their lead over the next few minutes, building it to as much as 29-23 with 4 points from Carter and a pair of free throws by N’Guessan. However, the Shockers were able to close to within a possession multiple times, including 29-27 right before a timeout by head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;with 3:21 in the half.

Freshman&nbsp;Macaleab Rich&nbsp;was able to give K-State a boost right before the half with a pair of free throws and a putback, as the Wildcats led 33-29 at the break. WSU shot 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from the field in the opening half compared to 37.5 percent (9-of-24) by K-State. Carter led all scorers in the opening half with 10 points, while junior&nbsp;Colby Rogers&nbsp;led the Shockers with 7 points.

It was just as nip and tuck to start the second half, as a Carter jumper ignited a 15-5 run that gave the Wildcats a 51-40 lead with 11:44 remaining. Four different players contributed to the run highlighted by 3-pointers from Kaluma and senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry. The Shockers responded with 7 straight points to close the gap to 51-47, but the Wildcats used a 7-0 run of their own to again push ahead by double figures at 58-47 right before the media timeout with 7:49 to play.

WSU made one last push to close the deficit, scoring 6 of the next 8 points out of the timeout to get within 60-53. However, K-State responded with 7 straight points, including a pair of free throws by Carter and Perry and a 3-point play by senior&nbsp;Will McNair Jr., to push back out 67-53 and put the game away with 3 minutes to play.

“I just want to thank our fans– what a crowd. I was stunned this year when I didn't see the curtains [in the nosebleeds] I thought “this is a little different.” These games are always tough for a lot of different reasons. The game before Christmas, you're always concerned that your players go home and don't tell you. Some of them are flying out either tonight or tomorrow morning and you just wonder if they're already home for Christmas. [Assistant] Coach [Rodney] Perry did an unbelievable job with the scouting report and with his mentor today. I just thought our guys were just locked in, and we got to be a resilient tough group. We played 12 really terrible minutes of basketball against Nebraska last week. A lot of that credit goes to Nebraska and what they did, but we didn't play well for 12 minutes, and it cost us. Our guys didn't let it affect them in a negative way. They came back and they worked really hard. I was probably not nice to be around the last few days with them, just focusing on what we have to be about. You never want to lose at home, and they responded. They took it and adjusted what we did in the second half, especially the first four to eight minutes of the second half. We set the tone for the game and in the second half that really helped us. I am so blessed, and so thankful to be here coaching with the people I'm with. We are really grateful for a win before Christmas, because we say everybody has Christmas but the difference between Christmas and a “Merry Christmas” is a win.

On playing against longtime friend Paul Mills…

“Coach Mills is not just an old coach from Baylor, he is really like a brother. We coached against each other in high school and did a lot of things together there and supported each other's programs. We started out as coaches and then God blessed us to be at Baylor together for 14 years. We shared hotel rooms on the road, and he was my roommate, he would watch&nbsp;Hoosiers&nbsp;before every basketball game, and for every game he had the&nbsp;Hoosiers&nbsp;playing on his computer. We had talked about our dreams that one day we would be head coaches and we'd have our own teams in the NCAA Tournament. We were 2-2 as high school coaches against each other. We always said that after we got through coaching in college, we'd go back and coach high school and then break the tie. He's not just a coach. Win or lose this game, it wasn't going to change our relationship. I absolutely love that guy. He's done so much for me and my family and helped me be a better man, a better husband and a better father. You never want to play these kinds of games when you're playing against someone that you love and care about, but I mean we see how good his team is. Immediately you see how well coached they are. Wichita State is blessed to have Paul Mills.”

On David N’Guessan’s breakthrough in this game…

“It’s been great. We've just been letting David [N’Guessan] know that all his hard work is going to pay off. I said before the last game he was in the gym and made a lot of free throws. Our thing is to not be result driven, right, rather than be process driven. Let's trust our work, all the work you're doing, because at some point in time hard work pays off. It makes you shoot in all the spots he shoots, and he’s going to make his free throws because he puts a lot of work into these. He was 3-for-5 from the free throw line today. We showed him some film and talked about his plan this summer and how confident he was playing this summer with his international team. We wanted him to get back to that because he's a good basketball player. Being able to go 13 (points), nine (rebounds) and three blocks, that was great. I'm so proud of him.”

K-State will play its final non-conference game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday, Jan. 2, as the Wildcats welcome Chicago State (7-9) at 7 p.m., CT to Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets are still available at kstatesports.com/tickets.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703261453076.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;– Senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry&nbsp;led four Wildcats in double figures with a game-high 17 points, as Kansas State earned its fifth consecutive win over in-state rival Wichita State with a 69-60 victory before a record-crowd of 18,660 fans at the T-Mobile Center in the 12th Wildcat Classic on Thursday night.The 18,660 fans in attendance represented the largest crowd in the 12-game history of the Wildcat Classic, surpassing the previous high of 18,422 vs. UNLV on Dec. 21, 2010.K-State is now 10-2 all-time in the Wildcat Classic, which dates to 2007. The Wildcats are now 2-0 in the Classic under Tang after defeating Nebraska, 71-58, in 2022.Perry was joined in double figures by junior&nbsp;Cam Carter&nbsp;(15 points), senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;(13 points) and junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;(11 points). N’Guessan nearly had a double-double with a game-high 9 rebounds to go along with a game-best 3 blocked shots. Perry added a season-tying 4 steals, game-tying 5 assists and 3 rebounds to his 17-point effort, while Carter had a game-tying 5 assists and 5 rebounds to go with his 15 points. Senior&nbsp;Will McNair Jr.&nbsp;posted 7 points and 7 rebounds.K-State (9-3) broke open a nip-and-tuck affair with a 15-5 run over a 5-minute span early in the second half, turning a 36-35 lead into a 51-40 advantage with just under 12 minutes remaining. Four different Wildcats contributed points during the pivotal run, including 5 points from Kaluma, 4 points from N’Guessan and 3 points each from Carter and Perry.Down double figures, Wichita State (8-4) didn’t go away, using a 7-0 run to close the deficit to 51-47 with just over 10 minutes to play. However, the Wildcats returned serve with their own 7-0 spurt, including 4 more points from N’Guessan and a 3-pointer from Perry, to push back ahead by double digits at 58-47 at 8:15 mark. The Shockers would get no closer than 7 points the rest of the way.WSU narrowly out-shot K-State, 41.3 percent to 40 percent, scoring 38 of its 60 points in the paint. The Wildcats were able to capitalize on their opportunities from the free throw line, hitting on 23 of 29 attempts, including a perfect 6-of-6 effort from Perry and a 8-of-9 performance from Carter.The Shockers were led by junior&nbsp;Quincy Ballard, who posted 13 points and a team-best 7 rebounds, while juniors&nbsp;Xavier Bell&nbsp;and&nbsp;Colby Rogers&nbsp;added 12 points each.The game pitted longtime friends Kansas State’s&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;and Wichita State’s&nbsp;Paul Mills, who spent 14 seasons together as assistant coaches under&nbsp;Scott Drew&nbsp;at Baylor.The teams will finish off their 4-game series in 2024-25 when Wichita State plays host to K-State at Koch Arena for the first time since 2002.HOW IT HAPPENEDThe two teams went back and forth in the early going with the Wildcats taking a 10-8 edge in the first media timeout behind a 3-pointer from junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;and a layup by senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan. WSU used a 7-2 run to jump out ahead 15-12 before K-State responded with 8 straight points, including a corner 3-pointer from junior&nbsp;Cam Carter, to retake the lead at 20-15.The Wildcats were able to maintain their lead over the next few minutes, building it to as much as 29-23 with 4 points from Carter and a pair of free throws by N’Guessan. However, the Shockers were able to close to within a possession multiple times, including 29-27 right before a timeout by head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;with 3:21 in the half.Freshman&nbsp;Macaleab Rich&nbsp;was able to give K-State a boost right before the half with a pair of free throws and a putback, as the Wildcats led 33-29 at the break. WSU shot 41.2 percent (14-of-34) from the field in the opening half compared to 37.5 percent (9-of-24) by K-State. Carter led all scorers in the opening half with 10 points, while junior&nbsp;Colby Rogers&nbsp;led the Shockers with 7 points.It was just as nip and tuck to start the second half, as a Carter jumper ignited a 15-5 run that gave the Wildcats a 51-40 lead with 11:44 remaining. Four different players contributed to the run highlighted by 3-pointers from Kaluma and senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry. The Shockers responded with 7 straight points to close the gap to 51-47, but the Wildcats used a 7-0 run of their own to again push ahead by double figures at 58-47 right before the media timeout with 7:49 to play.WSU made one last push to close the deficit, scoring 6 of the next 8 points out of the timeout to get within 60-53. However, K-State responded with 7 straight points, including a pair of free throws by Carter and Perry and a 3-point play by senior&nbsp;Will McNair Jr., to push back out 67-53 and put the game away with 3 minutes to play.HEAD COACH JEROME TANGOn the game…“I just want to thank our fans– what a crowd. I was stunned this year when I didn't see the curtains [in the nosebleeds] I thought “this is a little different.” These games are always tough for a lot of different reasons. The game before Christmas, you're always concerned that your players go home and don't tell you. Some of them are flying out either tonight or tomorrow morning and you just wonder if they're already home for Christmas. [Assistant] Coach [Rodney] Perry did an unbelievable job with the scouting report and with his mentor today. I just thought our guys were just locked in, and we got to be a resilient tough group. We played 12 really terrible minutes of basketball against Nebraska last week. A lot of that credit goes to Nebraska and what they did, but we didn't play well for 12 minutes, and it cost us. Our guys didn't let it affect them in a negative way. They came back and they worked really hard. I was probably not nice to be around the last few days with them, just focusing on what we have to be about. You never want to lose at home, and they responded. They took it and adjusted what we did in the second half, especially the first four to eight minutes of the second half. We set the tone for the game and in the second half that really helped us. I am so blessed, and so thankful to be here coaching with the people I'm with. We are really grateful for a win before Christmas, because we say everybody has Christmas but the difference between Christmas and a “Merry Christmas” is a win.On playing against longtime friend Paul Mills…“Coach Mills is not just an old coach from Baylor, he is really like a brother. We coached against each other in high school and did a lot of things together there and supported each other's programs. We started out as coaches and then God blessed us to be at Baylor together for 14 years. We shared hotel rooms on the road, and he was my roommate, he would watch&nbsp;Hoosiers&nbsp;before every basketball game, and for every game he had the&nbsp;Hoosiers&nbsp;playing on his computer. We had talked about our dreams that one day we would be head coaches and we'd have our own teams in the NCAA Tournament. We were 2-2 as high school coaches against each other. We always said that after we got through coaching in college, we'd go back and coach high school and then break the tie. He's not just a coach. Win or lose this game, it wasn't going to change our relationship. I absolutely love that guy. He's done so much for me and my family and helped me be a better man, a better husband and a better father. You never want to play these kinds of games when you're playing against someone that you love and care about, but I mean we see how good his team is. Immediately you see how well coached they are. Wichita State is blessed to have Paul Mills.”On David N’Guessan’s breakthrough in this game…“It’s been great. We've just been letting David [N’Guessan] know that all his hard work is going to pay off. I said before the last game he was in the gym and made a lot of free throws. Our thing is to not be result driven, right, rather than be process driven. Let's trust our work, all the work you're doing, because at some point in time hard work pays off. It makes you shoot in all the spots he shoots, and he’s going to make his free throws because he puts a lot of work into these. He was 3-for-5 from the free throw line today. We showed him some film and talked about his plan this summer and how confident he was playing this summer with his international team. We wanted him to get back to that because he's a good basketball player. Being able to go 13 (points), nine (rebounds) and three blocks, that was great. I'm so proud of him.”TEAM NOTES<ul>
 <li><a>K-State (9-3) bounced back for a 69-60 win over Wichita State in the 12th edition of the Wildcat Classic at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.</a></li><li>K-State is now 10-2 all-time in the Wildcat Classic, which dates to 2007.</li><li>K-State is now 23-22 all-time in games played at the T-Mobile Center, including 12-6 in games played in the regular season (10-2 in Wildcat Classic and 2-4 in Hall of Fame Classic).</li><li>The 18,660 attendance was the largest in the 12-game Wildcat Classic history, surpassing the 18,422 vs. UNLV on Dec. 21, 2010.</li><li>K-State earned its fifth straight win over Wichita State and now lead the series, 23-11.</li><li>K-State is now 180-56 in non-conference play since 2006-07.</li><li>K-State scored its 69 points on 40 percent (20-of-50) shooting, including 33.3 percent (6-of-18) from 3-point range, while the Wildcats went 23-of-29 from the free throw line.</li><li>K-State held a 37-33 advantage in rebounding, marking the eighth time in 12 games that the Wildcats have out-rebounded their opponent.</li><li>Wichita State held advantages in points off turnovers (18-10), points in the paint (38-26), second-chance points (15-9), while K-State had an 11-2 edge in fast-break points.</li><li>K-State started a lineup of senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry, junior&nbsp;Cam Carter, junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;and senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;and senior&nbsp;Will McNair Jr.&nbsp;… It marked the eighth time using this lineup… Carter has now started all 48 games in his K-State career… Carter, N’Guessan and Perry have started all 12 games… Kaluma and McNair earned their 10th starts, respectively.</li>
 </ul>PLAYER NOTES<ul>
 <li>Four Wildcats scored in double figures led by senior&nbsp;Tylor Perry’s&nbsp;game-high 17 points to go with a season-best 4 steals.</li><li>Perry was joined in double figures by junior&nbsp;Cam Carter&nbsp;(15 points), senior&nbsp;David N’Guessan&nbsp;(13 points) and junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma&nbsp;(11 points).</li><li>Perry posted his 17 points on 4-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range, to go with a game-tying 5 assists, a season-tying 4 steals and 3 rebounds in 33 minutes… He also went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line…&nbsp;He has now scored in double figures in 68 career games, including in 11 of 12 games this season.</li><li>Carter scored his 15 points on 3-of-9 field goals, including 1-of-4 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 free throws to go with 5 rebounds, a game-tying 5 assists and a steal in team-high 36 minutes... He has now scored in double figures in 20 career games, including 10 times this season.</li><li>N’Guessan had a near double-double with 13 points on 5-of-8 field goals and 3-of-5 free throws to go with a game-high 9 rebounds to go with 3 blocked shots in 34 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 16 career games, including 5 this season.</li><li>Kaluma scored his 11 points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-3 from 3-point range, and 3-of-4 free throws to go with 6 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist in 24 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 49 career games, including 9 this season.</li><li>Redshirt freshman&nbsp;Dorian Finister&nbsp;played for the first time since the Central Arkansas game on Nov. 22, logging nearly 10 minutes of action with 2 rebounds.</li>
 </ul>UP NEXTK-State will play its final non-conference game of the 2023-24 season on Tuesday, Jan. 2, as the Wildcats welcome Chicago State (7-9) at 7 p.m., CT to Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets are still available at kstatesports.com/tickets.

🏀 MBB: K-State beats Wichita State in front of record crowd in KC

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Rookie Puka Nacua had nine catches for a career-high 164 yards and a TD, and Kyren Williams rushed for 104 yards and another score while topping 1,000 yards for the season in the Rams' fifth victory in six games. Los Angeles led 30-7 with 12:44 left in the fourth quarter after scoring on six of its first eight possessions, but Derek Carr threw TD passes to Juwan Johnson and A.T. Perry on the Saints’ next two drives. New Orleans' two-game win streak ended.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 17 points, including a pair of clinching free throws in the final minute, and Kansas State held on to beat in-state rival Wichita State 69-60 on Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center. Cam Carter added 15 points, David N’Guessan had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Arthur Kaluma scored 11 for the Wildcats. They bounced back from one of the worst shooting performances in school history in a loss to Nebraska to beat the Shockers for the fifth consecutive time. Quincy Ballard scored 12 points and Colby Rogers and Xavier Bell added 12 apiece for Wichita State.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Joe Toussaint scored 19 points, Pop Isaacs had 12 of his 18 in the second half and Texas Tech held off UT Arlington 77-66 on Thursday for the Red Raiders’ fourth straight win. Darrion Williams scored 14 points with nine rebounds and six assists and Chance McMillian added 13 points for the Red Raiders (9-2), who have won 28 consecutive nonconference home games. Phillip Russell, who made his season debut with 28 points in UTA’s win over Air Force last Saturday, had just two in the first half but finished with 18 points and seven assists, though he missed all seven of his 3-point attempts. Akili Vining added 16 points and eight rebounds.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jaylin Sellers scored 15 points and Darius Johnson and Marchelus Avery had 13 apiece as UCF defeated Florida A&amp;M 69-56 on Thursday. Shemarri Allen added 11 points and Ibrahima Diallo grabbed 12 rebounds to go with eight points for the Knights. They shot 40% and made 8 of 24 3-point tries and 19 of 27 from the line to the Rattlers’ 7 of 11. UCF scored 24 points off 21 FAMU turnovers. Roderick Coffee III scored 14 points, Shannon Grant added 12 and Keith Lamar had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Rattlers.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Curtis Jones scored 18 points off the bench, Milan Momcilovic, Robert Jones and Tamin Lipsey each scored 16 and Iowa State pulled away in the second half to take an 80-48 win over Eastern Illinois. Iowa State picked up a fifth-straight win and extended its home winning streak against non-conference opponents to 26 games.

HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points, Ja’Vier Francis added 13 and No. 3 Houston beat Texas State 72-37. Houston is one of three remaining undefeated teams, along with James Madison (11-0) and Ole Miss (11-0). Houston improved to 12-0 for the third time in school history, joining the Cougar teams from 2018-19 and 1967-68. Houston also has a 12-game home winning streak dating to last season. Kaden Gumbs scored seven points to lead Texas State (6-6).

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is widening the runner’s lane approaching first base to include a portion of fair territory, changing a more than century-old rule that caused World Series controversy over possible interference calls. MLB also is shortening the pitcher’s clock with runners on base by two seconds to 18 and further reducing mound visits in an effort to speed games. The sport’s 11-man competition committee also requires a pitcher who warms up on the mound before a half inning to face at least one batter.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports. Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last week. The Dodgers did not confirm the agreement with Yamamoto on Thursday night. MLB.com and ESPN were among the outlets citing anonymous sources in reporting the deal. It's the third pitching coup for the Dodgers this offseason. In addition to Ohtani, they signed right-hander Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 million, five-year contract after he was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to Los Angeles.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year for the second time in three years. Before the two-way superstar signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers this month, he put together another incredible season for Japan's national team at the World Baseball Classic and for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani led the AL with 44 homers and in several other categories, and he had the lowest opponents' batting average on the mound until his season ended early due to an elbow injury. The Dodgers still gave Ohtani the biggest contract in professional sports history.

UPDATED (AP) — Oregon State and Washington State say they have reached an agreement with 10 departing Pac-12 schools on revenue distribution for 2023-24 that puts an end to a legal battle sparked by conference realignment. Last week, Oregon State and Washington State were given control of the Pac-12 and assets when the state Supreme Court of Washington declined to review a lower court’s decision to grant the schools a preliminary injunction. Financial terms of the settlement were not released. Washington State and Oregon State say the departing members will forfeit a portion of distributions for this school year and guarantee to cover a portion of “potential future liabilities.”

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs are getting ready for a bowl game, which is standard routine at this time of year. Yet it feels so different. After winning back-to-back national championships and holding down the No. 1 spot in the rankings for nearly the entire season, Georgia’s first loss in nearly two years cost it a spot in the College Football Playoff. So, instead of preparing for a semifinal game and the chance to go for a third straight title, the Bulldogs are left to settle for an Orange Bowl matchup against unbeaten Florida State that carries little significance beyond pride.

BOSTON (AP) — NCAA President Charlie Baker is drawing on lessons learned during his eight years as a Republican governor in a Massachusetts dominated by Democrats as he tries to help the college athletic association navigate increasingly choppy political waters. Baker has floated a proposal that would require schools that want to be a part of a new D-1 tier to commit to paying their athletes tens of thousands of dollars per year through a trust fund. During eight years as governor Baker adapted to a sometimes frosty political environment by making as many allies as possible and choosing his fights carefully.

Final Oklahoma City 134 L.A. Clippers 115

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Friday, December 22nd, 2023." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Friday, December 22nd, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure>INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Matthew Stafford passed for 328 yards and two touchdowns, and the Los Angeles Rams surged forward in the NFC playoff race with a 30-22 victory over the New Orleans Saints. Rookie Puka Nacua had nine catches for a career-high 164 yards and a TD, and Kyren Williams rushed for 104 yards and another score while topping 1,000 yards for the season in the Rams' fifth victory in six games. Los Angeles led 30-7 with 12:44 left in the fourth quarter after scoring on six of its first eight possessions, but Derek Carr threw TD passes to Juwan Johnson and A.T. Perry on the Saints’ next two drives. New Orleans' two-game win streak ended.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored 17 points, including a pair of clinching free throws in the final minute, and Kansas State held on to beat in-state rival Wichita State 69-60 on Thursday night at the T-Mobile Center. Cam Carter added 15 points, David N’Guessan had 13 points and nine rebounds, and Arthur Kaluma scored 11 for the Wildcats. They bounced back from one of the worst shooting performances in school history in a loss to Nebraska to beat the Shockers for the fifth consecutive time. Quincy Ballard scored 12 points and Colby Rogers and Xavier Bell added 12 apiece for Wichita State.LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Joe Toussaint scored 19 points, Pop Isaacs had 12 of his 18 in the second half and Texas Tech held off UT Arlington 77-66 on Thursday for the Red Raiders’ fourth straight win. Darrion Williams scored 14 points with nine rebounds and six assists and Chance McMillian added 13 points for the Red Raiders (9-2), who have won 28 consecutive nonconference home games. Phillip Russell, who made his season debut with 28 points in UTA’s win over Air Force last Saturday, had just two in the first half but finished with 18 points and seven assists, though he missed all seven of his 3-point attempts. Akili Vining added 16 points and eight rebounds.ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Jaylin Sellers scored 15 points and Darius Johnson and Marchelus Avery had 13 apiece as UCF defeated Florida A&amp;M 69-56 on Thursday. Shemarri Allen added 11 points and Ibrahima Diallo grabbed 12 rebounds to go with eight points for the Knights. They shot 40% and made 8 of 24 3-point tries and 19 of 27 from the line to the Rattlers’ 7 of 11. UCF scored 24 points off 21 FAMU turnovers. Roderick Coffee III scored 14 points, Shannon Grant added 12 and Keith Lamar had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Rattlers.ADVERTISINGAMES, Iowa (AP) — Curtis Jones scored 18 points off the bench, Milan Momcilovic, Robert Jones and Tamin Lipsey each scored 16 and Iowa State pulled away in the second half to take an 80-48 win over Eastern Illinois. Iowa State picked up a fifth-straight win and extended its home winning streak against non-conference opponents to 26 games.HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points, Ja’Vier Francis added 13 and No. 3 Houston beat Texas State 72-37. Houston is one of three remaining undefeated teams, along with James Madison (11-0) and Ole Miss (11-0). Houston improved to 12-0 for the third time in school history, joining the Cougar teams from 2018-19 and 1967-68. Houston also has a 12-game home winning streak dating to last season. Kaden Gumbs scored seven points to lead Texas State (6-6).NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball is widening the runner’s lane approaching first base to include a portion of fair territory, changing a more than century-old rule that caused World Series controversy over possible interference calls. MLB also is shortening the pitcher’s clock with runners on base by two seconds to 18 and further reducing mound visits in an effort to speed games. The sport’s 11-man competition committee also requires a pitcher who warms up on the mound before a half inning to face at least one batter.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prized free-agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a $325 million, 12-year contract, according to multiple reports. Yamamoto is set to join Japanese countryman Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers, who signed the two-way superstar to a record $700 million, 10-year deal last week. The Dodgers did not confirm the agreement with Yamamoto on Thursday night. MLB.com and ESPN were among the outlets citing anonymous sources in reporting the deal. It's the third pitching coup for the Dodgers this offseason. In addition to Ohtani, they signed right-hander Tyler Glasnow to a $136.5 million, five-year contract after he was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays to Los Angeles.ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year for the second time in three years. Before the two-way superstar signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers this month, he put together another incredible season for Japan's national team at the World Baseball Classic and for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani led the AL with 44 homers and in several other categories, and he had the lowest opponents' batting average on the mound until his season ended early due to an elbow injury. The Dodgers still gave Ohtani the biggest contract in professional sports history.UPDATED (AP) — Oregon State and Washington State say they have reached an agreement with 10 departing Pac-12 schools on revenue distribution for 2023-24 that puts an end to a legal battle sparked by conference realignment. Last week, Oregon State and Washington State were given control of the Pac-12 and assets when the state Supreme Court of Washington declined to review a lower court’s decision to grant the schools a preliminary injunction. Financial terms of the settlement were not released. Washington State and Oregon State say the departing members will forfeit a portion of distributions for this school year and guarantee to cover a portion of “potential future liabilities.”ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — The Georgia Bulldogs are getting ready for a bowl game, which is standard routine at this time of year. Yet it feels so different. After winning back-to-back national championships and holding down the No. 1 spot in the rankings for nearly the entire season, Georgia’s first loss in nearly two years cost it a spot in the College Football Playoff. So, instead of preparing for a semifinal game and the chance to go for a third straight title, the Bulldogs are left to settle for an Orange Bowl matchup against unbeaten Florida State that carries little significance beyond pride.BOSTON (AP) — NCAA President Charlie Baker is drawing on lessons learned during his eight years as a Republican governor in a Massachusetts dominated by Democrats as he tries to help the college athletic association navigate increasingly choppy political waters. Baker has floated a proposal that would require schools that want to be a part of a new D-1 tier to commit to paying their athletes tens of thousands of dollars per year through a trust fund. During eight years as governor Baker adapted to a sometimes frosty political environment by making as many allies as possible and choosing his fights carefully.FRIDAY SCORESCOLLEGE FOOTBALLSouth Florida 45, Syracuse 0NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal L.A. Rams 30 New Orleans 22TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal (1)Purdue 100 Jacksonville 57Final (3)Houston 72 Texas St. 37Final (8)Tennessee 65 Tarleton St. 46Final (9)Kentucky 95 Louisville 76NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Utah 119 Detroit 111Final New Orleans 123 Cleveland 104Final Chicago 114 San Antonio 95Final Oklahoma City 134 L.A. Clippers 115Final Memphis 116 Indiana 103Final Milwaukee 118 Orlando 114Final Minnesota 118 L.A. Lakers 111Final Washington 118 Portland 117NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal Buffalo 9 Toronto 3Final St. Louis 4 Florida 1Final OT Washington 3 Columbus 2Final Nashville 4 Philadelphia 2Final Tampa Bay 5 Vegas 4Final SO Pittsburgh 2 Carolina 1Final Edmonton 6 New Jersey 3Final OT Dallas 4 Vancouver 3Final OT Minnesota 4 Montreal 3Final Colorado 6 Ottawa 4Final Calgary 3 Anaheim 0

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Friday

🎧 LISTEN: Audio from Andy Reid & Patrick Mahomes, former Blue Dragon in tonights Boca Raton Bowl

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Seven Kansas State football players were honored for their work in the classroom as the group was named Academic All-District performers by College Sports Communicators (CSC).

Offensive lineman&nbsp;Cooper Beebe, quarterback&nbsp;Will Howard, linebacker&nbsp;Austin Moore, defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott, tight end&nbsp;Ben Sinnott, defensive end&nbsp;Cody Stufflebean&nbsp;and place kicker&nbsp;Chris Tennant&nbsp;each picked up the honor. Beebe, Moore, Mott and Sinnott were each honored for the second time in their careers. Each honoree was selected based on having a cumulative 3.5 or higher GPA. Academic All-District honorees are now considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot.

The 2023 Academic All‐District Football Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All‐America program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

Academic All‐District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All‐America ballot. First‐, second‐ and third-team Academic All‐America honorees will be announced on January 23, 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703174931291.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Seven Kansas State football players were honored for their work in the classroom as the group was named Academic All-District performers by College Sports Communicators (CSC).Offensive lineman&nbsp;Cooper Beebe, quarterback&nbsp;Will Howard, linebacker&nbsp;Austin Moore, defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott, tight end&nbsp;Ben Sinnott, defensive end&nbsp;Cody Stufflebean&nbsp;and place kicker&nbsp;Chris Tennant&nbsp;each picked up the honor. Beebe, Moore, Mott and Sinnott were each honored for the second time in their careers. Each honoree was selected based on having a cumulative 3.5 or higher GPA. Academic All-District honorees are now considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot.The 2023 Academic All‐District Football Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student‐athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All‐America program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.Academic All‐District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All‐America ballot. First‐, second‐ and third-team Academic All‐America honorees will be announced on January 23, 2024.

🏈 K-State lands 7 on Academic All-District team

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;(12/16) K-State went on the offensive early and often on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum to secure an 84-52 win over Southern to conclude its regular season non-conference schedule. The Wildcats have won six straight for the second time this season and own a nine-game home court winning streak, dating back to the final two home games of the 2022-23 season.

K-State improved its record to 12-1 for the first time under the direction of head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>. This is the best start for K-State since opening the 2008-09 season with a 13-0 mark. In its history, K-State has opened a season 12-1 or better six times.&nbsp;Lee, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week and All-American candidate, led the way for the Wildcats with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting including the first 3-pointer of her career. She also recorded five rebounds and three blocked shots in just under 21 minutes.

Junior guard and 2024 Lieberman Award candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/11197">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;strung together a diverse night with 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal in just under 23 minutes.

Freshman guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/taryn-sides/11198">Taryn Sides</a>&nbsp;tied her career high with 10 points, hauled in a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Wildcat on the glass and dished out four assists.

HOW IT HAPPENED - K-State got off to a hot start and never looked back on Wednesday. The Wildcats shot 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the field in the opening quarter to build a 22-11 lead. - The Wildcats opened the second quarter with a 15-0 run to build a 37-11 lead with 5:03 remaining. K-State would outscore Southern in the second frame, 27-4, to build a 49-15 halftime advantage. - K-State would hold the Jaguars to one made field goal in the second quarter (1-of-14; .071). The 7.1 field goal percentage allowed by the Wildcats was the lowest of the season for a quarter, while the four points were the fewest allowed by the Wildcats in a second quarter this season. - The Wildcats extended its lead to a game-high 42 points, 67-25, with 2:06 remaining in the third quarter following a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/zyanna-walker/11200">Zyanna Walker</a>&nbsp;three-pointer. - The highlight of the night came on K-State's opening possession of the fourth quarter, as Sundell drove the lane and then passed the ball back to the top of the key, where a wide-open Lee attempted her first career 3-pointer. The ball hit the front of the rim, popped in the air grazed the backboard and slipped through the net, bringing the loudest cheers of the night. - K-State ended the night shooting a season-high 56.7 percent from the field (34-of-60), including a season-high 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from 3-point range.

QUICK FACTS - K-State leads the series with Southern, 4-0. The Wildcats are 27-0 against current members of the SWAC. - The Wildcats are 6-0 in the month of December. In its history, K-State is 243-103 (.702) in the 12th month and 42-18 (.700) in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era. The Wildcats have recorded a .500 or better record in the month of December 48 times including a current streak of 28 consecutive seasons. - K-State head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;owns a career record of 630-363 (.634) and is 176-128 (.579) during his 10-seasons at K-State. - K-State owns a record of 387-154 (.715) during its 36-seasons in Bramlage Coliseum. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;is 117-46 (.718) in home games with the Wildcats. - K-State's nine-game home court winning streak is tied for the longest home court winning streak in the Mittie era. - K-State has won 28 straight non-conference home games dating back to December of 2020. Kansas State is 228-29 (.887) against non-conference foes, while Mittie is 74-8 (.902).&nbsp; - K-State owns a record of 234-88 (.727) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 16-4 (.800) all-time when ranked 12th in the nation.

TEAM NOTES - K-State's starting five consisted of guards:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/11189">Jaelyn Glenn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/11197">Serena Sundell</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/brylee-glenn/11188">Brylee Glenn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/11191">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;and center&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ayoka-lee/11193">Ayoka Lee</a>. This was the 13th time this starting five has been used this season. This was the 100th career start for Lee, the 91st collegiate career start and the 45th start at K-State for Gregory, the 82nd career start for Sundell, the 78th career start for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/11189">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;and the 72nd career start for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/brylee-glenn/11188">Brylee Glenn</a>. - The Wildcats held a 49-15 lead at halftime on Wednesday. This was the largest halftime lead of the season for K-State. Under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>, K-State is 140-17 (.892) when leading at halftime, including an 11-0 record this season. - K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in three quarters on Wednesday night. For the season, K-State owns 22 quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better. - The Wildcats dished out 27 assists on Wednesday. When K-State hands out 20 or more assists over the last 16 seasons, the Wildcats are 88-7 (.926), including a 7-0 record this season. The Wildcats have handed out 20 or more assists in six straight games. - K-State registered a 39-27 advantage in rebounds on Wednesday. This is the 12th time K-State has outrebounded its opponent this season (11-1).&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703172620863.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;(12/16) K-State went on the offensive early and often on Wednesday night at Bramlage Coliseum to secure an 84-52 win over Southern to conclude its regular season non-conference schedule. The Wildcats have won six straight for the second time this season and own a nine-game home court winning streak, dating back to the final two home games of the 2022-23 season.K-State improved its record to 12-1 for the first time under the direction of head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>. This is the best start for K-State since opening the 2008-09 season with a 13-0 mark. In its history, K-State has opened a season 12-1 or better six times.&nbsp;Lee, the reigning Big 12 Player of the Week and All-American candidate, led the way for the Wildcats with a game-high 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting including the first 3-pointer of her career. She also recorded five rebounds and three blocked shots in just under 21 minutes.Junior guard and 2024 Lieberman Award candidate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/11197">Serena Sundell</a>&nbsp;strung together a diverse night with 11 points, seven assists, five rebounds and a steal in just under 23 minutes.Freshman guard&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/taryn-sides/11198">Taryn Sides</a>&nbsp;tied her career high with 10 points, hauled in a career-high seven rebounds to lead the Wildcat on the glass and dished out four assists.HOW IT HAPPENED - K-State got off to a hot start and never looked back on Wednesday. The Wildcats shot 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the field in the opening quarter to build a 22-11 lead. - The Wildcats opened the second quarter with a 15-0 run to build a 37-11 lead with 5:03 remaining. K-State would outscore Southern in the second frame, 27-4, to build a 49-15 halftime advantage. - K-State would hold the Jaguars to one made field goal in the second quarter (1-of-14; .071). The 7.1 field goal percentage allowed by the Wildcats was the lowest of the season for a quarter, while the four points were the fewest allowed by the Wildcats in a second quarter this season. - The Wildcats extended its lead to a game-high 42 points, 67-25, with 2:06 remaining in the third quarter following a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/zyanna-walker/11200">Zyanna Walker</a>&nbsp;three-pointer. - The highlight of the night came on K-State's opening possession of the fourth quarter, as Sundell drove the lane and then passed the ball back to the top of the key, where a wide-open Lee attempted her first career 3-pointer. The ball hit the front of the rim, popped in the air grazed the backboard and slipped through the net, bringing the loudest cheers of the night. - K-State ended the night shooting a season-high 56.7 percent from the field (34-of-60), including a season-high 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from 3-point range. QUICK FACTS - K-State leads the series with Southern, 4-0. The Wildcats are 27-0 against current members of the SWAC. - The Wildcats are 6-0 in the month of December. In its history, K-State is 243-103 (.702) in the 12th month and 42-18 (.700) in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;era. The Wildcats have recorded a .500 or better record in the month of December 48 times including a current streak of 28 consecutive seasons. - K-State head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;owns a career record of 630-363 (.634) and is 176-128 (.579) during his 10-seasons at K-State. - K-State owns a record of 387-154 (.715) during its 36-seasons in Bramlage Coliseum. Head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>&nbsp;is 117-46 (.718) in home games with the Wildcats. - K-State's nine-game home court winning streak is tied for the longest home court winning streak in the Mittie era. - K-State has won 28 straight non-conference home games dating back to December of 2020. Kansas State is 228-29 (.887) against non-conference foes, while Mittie is 74-8 (.902).&nbsp; - K-State owns a record of 234-88 (.727) as an AP ranked team. K-State is 16-4 (.800) all-time when ranked 12th in the nation.TEAM NOTES - K-State's starting five consisted of guards:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/11189">Jaelyn Glenn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/serena-sundell/11197">Serena Sundell</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/brylee-glenn/11188">Brylee Glenn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/gabby-gregory/11191">Gabby Gregory</a>&nbsp;and center&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ayoka-lee/11193">Ayoka Lee</a>. This was the 13th time this starting five has been used this season. This was the 100th career start for Lee, the 91st collegiate career start and the 45th start at K-State for Gregory, the 82nd career start for Sundell, the 78th career start for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jaelyn-glenn/11189">Jaelyn Glenn</a>&nbsp;and the 72nd career start for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/brylee-glenn/11188">Brylee Glenn</a>. - The Wildcats held a 49-15 lead at halftime on Wednesday. This was the largest halftime lead of the season for K-State. Under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/jeff-mittie/2161">Jeff Mittie</a>, K-State is 140-17 (.892) when leading at halftime, including an 11-0 record this season. - K-State shot 50.0 percent or better in three quarters on Wednesday night. For the season, K-State owns 22 quarters with a field goal percentage of 50.0 percent or better. - The Wildcats dished out 27 assists on Wednesday. When K-State hands out 20 or more assists over the last 16 seasons, the Wildcats are 88-7 (.926), including a 7-0 record this season. The Wildcats have handed out 20 or more assists in six straight games. - K-State registered a 39-27 advantage in rebounds on Wednesday. This is the 12th time K-State has outrebounded its opponent this season (11-1).&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 WBB: (12/16) K-State rolls to 12th win on Wednesday night

Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;

WICHITA –&nbsp;Oral Roberts' fourth quarter run overtook the Shockers as Wichita State dropped its fourth straight, 76-74, Wednesday evening in Charles Koch Arena.

"Oral Roberts is tough team," head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/terry-nooner/1136">Terry Nooner</a>&nbsp;said. "We knew they were going to be tough and come down here confident. We just lost our edge for whatever reason, but we're going to figure it out."

<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/sierra-morrow/7623">Sierra Morrow</a>&nbsp;scored a career-high 29 points, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from behind the arc, including a game-tying three pointer with 17 seconds left in the game. The senior transfer from Miami (OH) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and blocked two shots in her third game with the Shockers after sitting the first nine games while awaiting the NCAA's decision on her transfer waiver.

"We were happy with the execution at the end of the game," Nooner said. "Sierra had a heck of a game, and that's just the kind of player we brought in and why we've been talking about how much we missed her the first nine games of the season."

<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/daniela-abies/7503">Daniela Abies</a>&nbsp;also recorded a career high for the Shockers, scoring 19 points, her fourth time with 18-plus points this season, shooting 8-for-11.The first half was closely contested as the Golden Eagles went into halftime with just a one-point lead. Morrow and Abies combined for 23 of the Shockers' 34 first-half points, scoring all 17 of Wichita State's first-quarter points.

The Shockers had emphasized their third quarter performance during practices leading up to the game after their third quarter had been their lowest-scoring period in seven games, and Wichita State made the third quarter its best quarter, outscoring the Golden Eagles 22-10.Wichita State led by as many as 14 points before Oral Roberts went on a 16-2 run in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 63-63."Seems like a thing with our team this year is we fix one problem just to allow another problem," Nooner said.

The Shockers committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter, and the Golden Eagles capitalized on all five, scoring 10 points off turnovers.

Oral Roberts took its first lead since halftime, going up four with a little over a minute left in regulation. Morrow scored eight points for the Shockers, hitting a pair of free throws and two three pointers off an inbound to tie the game at 74-74 with 17 seconds left, but Oral Roberts' Meghan Weinrich powered through the Shocker defense, making what would become the game-winning driving layup with 4 seconds left.

Wichita State falls to 4-8 as the Golden Eagles improve to 7-4.The Shockers have a 10-day break before opening conference play at home against Tulane on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703172372192.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;WICHITA –&nbsp;Oral Roberts' fourth quarter run overtook the Shockers as Wichita State dropped its fourth straight, 76-74, Wednesday evening in Charles Koch Arena."Oral Roberts is tough team," head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/terry-nooner/1136">Terry Nooner</a>&nbsp;said. "We knew they were going to be tough and come down here confident. We just lost our edge for whatever reason, but we're going to figure it out."<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/sierra-morrow/7623">Sierra Morrow</a>&nbsp;scored a career-high 29 points, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from behind the arc, including a game-tying three pointer with 17 seconds left in the game. The senior transfer from Miami (OH) grabbed a team-high nine rebounds and blocked two shots in her third game with the Shockers after sitting the first nine games while awaiting the NCAA's decision on her transfer waiver."We were happy with the execution at the end of the game," Nooner said. "Sierra had a heck of a game, and that's just the kind of player we brought in and why we've been talking about how much we missed her the first nine games of the season."<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/daniela-abies/7503">Daniela Abies</a>&nbsp;also recorded a career high for the Shockers, scoring 19 points, her fourth time with 18-plus points this season, shooting 8-for-11.The first half was closely contested as the Golden Eagles went into halftime with just a one-point lead. Morrow and Abies combined for 23 of the Shockers' 34 first-half points, scoring all 17 of Wichita State's first-quarter points.The Shockers had emphasized their third quarter performance during practices leading up to the game after their third quarter had been their lowest-scoring period in seven games, and Wichita State made the third quarter its best quarter, outscoring the Golden Eagles 22-10.Wichita State led by as many as 14 points before Oral Roberts went on a 16-2 run in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 63-63."Seems like a thing with our team this year is we fix one problem just to allow another problem," Nooner said.The Shockers committed five turnovers in the fourth quarter, and the Golden Eagles capitalized on all five, scoring 10 points off turnovers.Oral Roberts took its first lead since halftime, going up four with a little over a minute left in regulation. Morrow scored eight points for the Shockers, hitting a pair of free throws and two three pointers off an inbound to tie the game at 74-74 with 17 seconds left, but Oral Roberts' Meghan Weinrich powered through the Shocker defense, making what would become the game-winning driving layup with 4 seconds left.Wichita State falls to 4-8 as the Golden Eagles improve to 7-4.The Shockers have a 10-day break before opening conference play at home against Tulane on Saturday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. in Charles Koch Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 WBB: Shockers drop heartbreaker to ORU

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/nebraska-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WBB-Stats-12.20.pdf">SEASON STATS</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Women’s Basketball secured its fourth-consecutive win with a 69-52 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday evening at Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;

With the win, Kansas concludes non-conference play with a mark of 7-4, while Nebraska falls to 9-3 on the season.&nbsp;

In defeating the Cornhuskers, the Jayhawks closed out non-conference with four straight wins, improved to 5-0 at home this season and increased their overall winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse to 12-straight games, dating back to last season.

Zakiyah Franklin led the charge for the Jayhawks tonight with 16 points, going 5-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe. S’Mya Nichols was next in line with 13 points, while Taiyanna Jackson and Wyvette Mayberry each tabbed 12 points a piece. Jackson led the way on the boards with nine total, notching her 800th career rebound in doing so, while Holly Kersgieter was close behind with eight.

“I thought our energy was really good, particularly in the first half,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “We outrebounded them in the first half, we defended without fouling, but didn’t quite do that the entire game, in the fourth quarter in particular. I would have liked to see us be consistent and carry that over, but that’s a good win because Nebraska is a good team.”&nbsp;

The game started slowly for both sides, but Kansas was able to get itself out to a 4-0 lead with back-to-back layups from Nichols and Mayberry to open the game. The Jayhawks kept Nebraska scoreless for the first 2:49, but the Huskers scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead with 4:53 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;

Kansas answered with a 7-0 run that included two baskets from Jackson and a three-pointer by Franklin that made it 11-7. Nebraska added a fastbreak layup with a minute left, but Kansas was able to hold the Huskers at bay for the rest of the quarter and held an 11-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.

The game was tied at 14-all two minutes into the third quarter when Kansas went on a run to take control of the game. Five different Jayhawks had a basket as KU scored the next 11 points and ended the half on an 18-3 run to lead 32-17 at halftime. Eight different players scored in the quarter, led by Kersgieter with five, including a three-pointer that moved her into sole possession of second place in career threes at KU with 229.&nbsp;

Nebraska tried to rally out of the break with two unanswered buckets, but Mayberry quickly responded with her first three of the game. The next four minutes of the quarter were fairly balanced as both teams traded baskets. Nebraska outscored the Jayhawks 17-14 in the third quarter, but KU still held a steady advantage at 46-34.

The Jayhawks started the fourth on fire with a 7-0 run, which began with another Mayberry three, to take a 53-34. Kansas held Nebraska scoreless for 2:54 before the Huskers knocked down a three that cut KU’s lead to 53-40. From there, the Cornhuskers looked for a late comeback, but it was to no avail. Kansas was able to hold off the visiting squad until the final whistle by shooting 53.8% from the floor in the fourth quarter, while limiting the visitors to 3-of-20 (15.0%) in the final 10 minutes of play.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Next Up The Jayhawks will conclude their current three-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they open Big 12 Conference play against West Virginia. Tipoff from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703172282019.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas Athletics<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/nebraska-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WBB-Stats-12.20.pdf">SEASON STATS</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas Women’s Basketball secured its fourth-consecutive win with a 69-52 victory over Nebraska on Wednesday evening at Allen Fieldhouse.&nbsp;With the win, Kansas concludes non-conference play with a mark of 7-4, while Nebraska falls to 9-3 on the season.&nbsp;In defeating the Cornhuskers, the Jayhawks closed out non-conference with four straight wins, improved to 5-0 at home this season and increased their overall winning streak at Allen Fieldhouse to 12-straight games, dating back to last season.Zakiyah Franklin led the charge for the Jayhawks tonight with 16 points, going 5-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe. S’Mya Nichols was next in line with 13 points, while Taiyanna Jackson and Wyvette Mayberry each tabbed 12 points a piece. Jackson led the way on the boards with nine total, notching her 800th career rebound in doing so, while Holly Kersgieter was close behind with eight.“I thought our energy was really good, particularly in the first half,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said after the game. “We outrebounded them in the first half, we defended without fouling, but didn’t quite do that the entire game, in the fourth quarter in particular. I would have liked to see us be consistent and carry that over, but that’s a good win because Nebraska is a good team.”&nbsp;The game started slowly for both sides, but Kansas was able to get itself out to a 4-0 lead with back-to-back layups from Nichols and Mayberry to open the game. The Jayhawks kept Nebraska scoreless for the first 2:49, but the Huskers scored the next seven points to take a 7-4 lead with 4:53 to play in the quarter.&nbsp;Kansas answered with a 7-0 run that included two baskets from Jackson and a three-pointer by Franklin that made it 11-7. Nebraska added a fastbreak layup with a minute left, but Kansas was able to hold the Huskers at bay for the rest of the quarter and held an 11-9 lead after 10 minutes of play.The game was tied at 14-all two minutes into the third quarter when Kansas went on a run to take control of the game. Five different Jayhawks had a basket as KU scored the next 11 points and ended the half on an 18-3 run to lead 32-17 at halftime. Eight different players scored in the quarter, led by Kersgieter with five, including a three-pointer that moved her into sole possession of second place in career threes at KU with 229.&nbsp;Nebraska tried to rally out of the break with two unanswered buckets, but Mayberry quickly responded with her first three of the game. The next four minutes of the quarter were fairly balanced as both teams traded baskets. Nebraska outscored the Jayhawks 17-14 in the third quarter, but KU still held a steady advantage at 46-34.The Jayhawks started the fourth on fire with a 7-0 run, which began with another Mayberry three, to take a 53-34. Kansas held Nebraska scoreless for 2:54 before the Huskers knocked down a three that cut KU’s lead to 53-40. From there, the Cornhuskers looked for a late comeback, but it was to no avail. Kansas was able to hold off the visiting squad until the final whistle by shooting 53.8% from the floor in the fourth quarter, while limiting the visitors to 3-of-20 (15.0%) in the final 10 minutes of play.&nbsp;&nbsp;Next Up The Jayhawks will conclude their current three-game homestand on Saturday, Dec. 20, when they open Big 12 Conference play against West Virginia. Tipoff from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on Big 12 NOW on ESPN+.