LeBron James breaks Michael Jordan's record for 30-point games with his 563rd

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James broke Michael Jordan's NBA record for 30-point games during the Los Angeles Lakers' victory over Atlanta on Friday night. With an 18-foot jumper with 5:58 to play for the last of his 30 points, James reached at least 30 points in the regular season for the 563rd time in his career, breaking the record established by Jordan in 2003. Jordan set the record in 1,072 games over 15 seasons, while James broke the mark in his 1,523rd appearance over 22 seasons. James idolized Jordan during his childhood in Akron, Ohio, and when he passed Jordan for fourth place on the NBA's career scoring list back in March 2019, the moment moved him to tears on the Lakers' bench.

Here's Kelce! Retired Eagles great Jason Kelce's tries hand as late night television show host

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jason Kelce has tried his hand at late-night television, He hosted the debut episode of "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce," Friday on ESPN. Kelce bantered with the guests and crowd during commercial breaks and took questions from a select few of about 300 fans in the audience. The 37-year-old Kelce retired in March after a 13-year career spent entirely with Philadelphia. He has watched his profile balloon in retirement. He already co-hosted a podcast with his brother but has become a prolific pitchman hawking everything from chicken wings to soup to laundry detergent to cereal to hoagies to his own beer company.

Heat suspend Jimmy Butler for 7 games and will seek to trade him

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games and say they will seek to trade him. The Heat say the suspension was for "conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks." The team made the move one day after Butler said in a postgame press conference that he does not believe he can be happy playing in Miami going forward. The Heat say Butler "has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team." Butler was Miami's best player for five years and the leader of a team that went to the NBA Finals twice.

Hillary Clinton, George Soros and Denzel Washington will receive the highest US civilian honor

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Democratic philanthropist George Soros and actor-director Denzel Washington are set to be awarded the nation's highest civilian honor. President Joe Biden will bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday afternoon to 19 of the most famous names in politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy and science. The White House says the recipients have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." Other awardees include José Andrés, Bono, Magic Johnson, Michael J. Fox and Anna Wintour.

College football turns upside down, but this final four is a collection of the sport's big programs

In the first round of the College Football Playoff, the teams seeded 5-8 all won. In the second round, they all won again. The moral of this story: Who knows, other than something doesn't totally add up when not a single one of the top four teams, all of which received byes, advances into college football's final four. The semifinals are set: Next Thursday in the Orange Bowl, it will be No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame. Then, Friday in the Cotton Bowl, it will be No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State.

Dolphins' Tagovailoa 'unlikely' to play Sunday against Jets, Huntley in line for 2nd straight start

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to miss his second straight game when the Dolphins travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday, coach Mike McDaniel said. Backup quarterback Tyler "Snoop" Huntley is again in line to start after leading Miami to a win in Tagovailoa's place last week. Tagovailoa is still dealing with a right hip injury that he sustained at Houston on Dec. 15 and aggravated on a hit against San Francisco the next week. The Dolphins are still in the hunt for the last AFC wild-card spot. Miami needs to win Sunday and have Denver lose to Kansas City.

Jets interview former Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching job

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets interviewed former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching vacancy. Vrabel is the second known coaching candidate to meet with the Jets, who spoke to former Washington and Carolina coach Ron Rivera on Thursday. The 49-year-old Vrabel served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired earlier this week. The one-time All-Pro linebacker helped New England win three Super Bowl titles and was 56-48 in six seasons as coach of the Titans, including 2-3 in the postseason. He was fired by Tennessee after a 6-11 finish last season.

PGA Tour contemplating changes to Tour Championship, AP sources say

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan told his staff that everything is on the table. That includes the format for the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship. Two officials at the PGA Tour say they are contemplating another change to the format to decide the $25 million winner of the FedEx Cup. Among the ideas are creating seeds and a bracket nearer the conclusion. That could involve medal matches so all 18 holes are played. One official directly involved says there are a number of formats being considered. Any change would require approval by the PGA Tour board. The Tour Championship currently begins with the FedEx Cup leader at 10 under par.

Hideki Matsuyama sets the target at Kapalua and leads Collin Morikawa by 1

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama is leading The Sentry at the halfway point of the start to the new PGA Tour season. He had a bogey-free 65 for a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa with eight other players within three shots of the lead. Morikawa did his work late. He's been around Kapalua enough to know there's no need to panic. Morikawa was seven shots behind at one point. He ran off five straight birdies late in his round and shot 65. The scoring average was 68.1 on a perfect day for scoring. And more low scores are expected on the weekend with moderate wind.

Minnesota beats Virginia Tech 24-10 in Duke's Mayo Bowl for 8th straight bowl victory

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Max Brosmer threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, Darius Taylor ran for 113 yards a TD and also threw for a score and Minnesota extended its bowl winning streak to eight with a 24-10 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Elijah Spencer had six catches for 81 yards and two TDs for the Golden Gophers (8-5). They improved to 6-0 in bowl games under coach P.J. Fleck, who got the bowl's traditional mayo bath after the game. Backup quarterback Collins Schlee ran for a touchdown and Ayden Greene had six catches for 115 yards for the Hokies (6-7). They've lost five of their last six bowl games. The Golden Gophers outgained the Hokies 403-223.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

		South Carolina	at	(17)Mississippi St.	2 p.m.	

		(19)Gonzaga	at	Loyola Marymount	9 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, January 4th, 2025" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Saturday, January 4th, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for January 4th, 2025:LeBron James breaks Michael Jordan's record for 30-point games with his 563rd<div><iframe title="AP Early Morning Sports for January 4th, 2025" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=f8vfs-1797457-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James broke Michael Jordan's NBA record for 30-point games during the Los Angeles Lakers' victory over Atlanta on Friday night. With an 18-foot jumper with 5:58 to play for the last of his 30 points, James reached at least 30 points in the regular season for the 563rd time in his career, breaking the record established by Jordan in 2003. Jordan set the record in 1,072 games over 15 seasons, while James broke the mark in his 1,523rd appearance over 22 seasons. James idolized Jordan during his childhood in Akron, Ohio, and when he passed Jordan for fourth place on the NBA's career scoring list back in March 2019, the moment moved him to tears on the Lakers' bench.Here's Kelce! Retired Eagles great Jason Kelce's tries hand as late night television show hostPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jason Kelce has tried his hand at late-night television, He hosted the debut episode of "They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce," Friday on ESPN. Kelce bantered with the guests and crowd during commercial breaks and took questions from a select few of about 300 fans in the audience. The 37-year-old Kelce retired in March after a 13-year career spent entirely with Philadelphia. He has watched his profile balloon in retirement. He already co-hosted a podcast with his brother but has become a prolific pitchman hawking everything from chicken wings to soup to laundry detergent to cereal to hoagies to his own beer company.Heat suspend Jimmy Butler for 7 games and will seek to trade himMIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat have suspended Jimmy Butler for seven games and say they will seek to trade him. The Heat say the suspension was for "conduct detrimental to the team over the course of the season and particularly the last several weeks." The team made the move one day after Butler said in a postgame press conference that he does not believe he can be happy playing in Miami going forward. The Heat say Butler "has shown he no longer wants to be part of this team." Butler was Miami's best player for five years and the leader of a team that went to the NBA Finals twice.Hillary Clinton, George Soros and Denzel Washington will receive the highest US civilian honorWASHINGTON (AP) — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Democratic philanthropist George Soros and actor-director Denzel Washington are set to be awarded the nation's highest civilian honor. President Joe Biden will bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday afternoon to 19 of the most famous names in politics, sports, entertainment, civil rights, LGBTQ+ advocacy and science. The White House says the recipients have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors." Other awardees include José Andrés, Bono, Magic Johnson, Michael J. Fox and Anna Wintour.College football turns upside down, but this final four is a collection of the sport's big programsIn the first round of the College Football Playoff, the teams seeded 5-8 all won. In the second round, they all won again. The moral of this story: Who knows, other than something doesn't totally add up when not a single one of the top four teams, all of which received byes, advances into college football's final four. The semifinals are set: Next Thursday in the Orange Bowl, it will be No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame. Then, Friday in the Cotton Bowl, it will be No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State.Dolphins' Tagovailoa 'unlikely' to play Sunday against Jets, Huntley in line for 2nd straight startMIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to miss his second straight game when the Dolphins travel to face the New York Jets on Sunday, coach Mike McDaniel said. Backup quarterback Tyler "Snoop" Huntley is again in line to start after leading Miami to a win in Tagovailoa's place last week. Tagovailoa is still dealing with a right hip injury that he sustained at Houston on Dec. 15 and aggravated on a hit against San Francisco the next week. The Dolphins are still in the hunt for the last AFC wild-card spot. Miami needs to win Sunday and have Denver lose to Kansas City.Jets interview former Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching jobFLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets interviewed former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel for their head coaching vacancy. Vrabel is the second known coaching candidate to meet with the Jets, who spoke to former Washington and Carolina coach Ron Rivera on Thursday. The 49-year-old Vrabel served in a consultant role with Cleveland this season, but his contract expired earlier this week. The one-time All-Pro linebacker helped New England win three Super Bowl titles and was 56-48 in six seasons as coach of the Titans, including 2-3 in the postseason. He was fired by Tennessee after a 6-11 finish last season.PGA Tour contemplating changes to Tour Championship, AP sources sayKAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan told his staff that everything is on the table. That includes the format for the FedEx Cup finale at the Tour Championship. Two officials at the PGA Tour say they are contemplating another change to the format to decide the $25 million winner of the FedEx Cup. Among the ideas are creating seeds and a bracket nearer the conclusion. That could involve medal matches so all 18 holes are played. One official directly involved says there are a number of formats being considered. Any change would require approval by the PGA Tour board. The Tour Championship currently begins with the FedEx Cup leader at 10 under par.Hideki Matsuyama sets the target at Kapalua and leads Collin Morikawa by 1KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Hideki Matsuyama is leading The Sentry at the halfway point of the start to the new PGA Tour season. He had a bogey-free 65 for a one-shot lead over Collin Morikawa with eight other players within three shots of the lead. Morikawa did his work late. He's been around Kapalua enough to know there's no need to panic. Morikawa was seven shots behind at one point. He ran off five straight birdies late in his round and shot 65. The scoring average was 68.1 on a perfect day for scoring. And more low scores are expected on the weekend with moderate wind.Minnesota beats Virginia Tech 24-10 in Duke's Mayo Bowl for 8th straight bowl victoryCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Max Brosmer threw for 211 yards and a touchdown, Darius Taylor ran for 113 yards a TD and also threw for a score and Minnesota extended its bowl winning streak to eight with a 24-10 victory over Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Elijah Spencer had six catches for 81 yards and two TDs for the Golden Gophers (8-5). They improved to 6-0 in bowl games under coach P.J. Fleck, who got the bowl's traditional mayo bath after the game. Backup quarterback Collins Schlee ran for a touchdown and Ayden Greene had six catches for 115 yards for the Hokies (6-7). They've lost five of their last six bowl games. The Golden Gophers outgained the Hokies 403-223.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Detroit	98	Charlotte	94	Final	Orlando	106	Toronto	97	Final	Boston	109	Houston	86	Final	Oklahoma City	117	New York	107	Final	New Orleans	132	Washington	120	Final	Cleveland	134	Dallas	122	Final	San Antonio	113	Denver	110	Final	Sacramento	138	Memphis	133	Final	L.A. Lakers	119	Atlanta	102	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal SO	Florida	3	Pittsburgh	2	Final	St. Louis	4	Ottawa	0	Final	Chicago	4	Montreal	2	Final	Edmonton	3	Anaheim	2	Final	Nashville	3	Vancouver	0	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(8)Marquette	79	Creighton	71	Final	(18)Michigan St.	69	Ohio St.	62	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Philadelphia	at	Brooklyn	6 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			Phoenix	at	Indiana	7 p.m.			Denver	at	San Antonio	8 p.m.			New York	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			Portland	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.			Utah	at	Miami	8 p.m.			Memphis	at	Golden State	8:30 p.m.			Atlanta	at	L.A. Clippers	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		N-Y Rangers	at	Washington	12 p.m.			New Jersey	at	San Jose	4 p.m.			Boston	at	Toronto	7 p.m.			Detroit	at	Winnipeg	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Carolina	7 p.m.			Montreal	at	Colorado	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			Utah	at	Dallas	8 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	Los Angeles	9 p.m.			Buffalo	at	Vegas	10 p.m.			Edmonton	at	Seattle	10 p.m.			Nashville	at	Calgary	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Cleveland	at	Baltimore	4:30 p.m.			Cincinnati	at	Pittsburgh	8 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		(23)Arkansas	at	(1)Tennessee	1 p.m.			Missouri	at	(2)Auburn	4 p.m.			(25)Baylor	at	(3)Iowa St.	2 p.m.			(4)Duke	at	SMU	2:15 p.m.			(12)Oklahoma	at	(5)Alabama	6 p.m.			(6)Florida	at	(10)Kentucky	11 a.m.			Texas	at	(13)Texas A&amp;M	8 p.m.			BYU	at	(14)Houston	2 p.m.			(15)UCLA	at	Nebraska	2 p.m.			Arizona	at	(16)Cincinnati	2:30 p.m.			South Carolina	at	(17)Mississippi St.	2 p.m.			(19)Gonzaga	at	Loyola Marymount	9 p.m.			Georgia	at	(24)Mississippi	12 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Saturday

Southeast of Saline 60, Republic County 28

St. Thomas Aquinas 62, Bishop Miege 59, OT

Wichita Bishop Carroll 56, Wichita Heights 53, OT

Southeast of Saline 69, Republic County 43

Wichita Heights 56, Wichita Bishop Carroll 26

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701785757574.png" alt="Eagle Media HS Basketball Scoreboard from Friday, January 3rd, 2025" />
 <figcaption>Eagle Media HS Basketball Scoreboard from Friday, January 3rd, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>Friday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Andover 61, Newton 11Andover Central 34, Goddard 28Arkansas City 55, Clearwater 33Axtell 41, Washington County 33Beloit 48, Lyons 16Blue Valley Randolph 62, Onaga 40Canton-Galva 40, Cunningham 29Central Heights 42, Uniontown 29Centralia 64, Clifton-Clyde 35Cheney 71, Nickerson 5De Soto 51, Mill Valley 41Derby 48, Salina South 16Doniphan West 52, Linn 36Garden Plain 45, Andale 35Gardner-Edgerton 53, Lincoln, Mo. 25Hanover 55, Frankfort 25Haven 38, Norton 28Hesston 52, Wamego 44, OTHodgeman County 46, Macksville 38Holton 54, Hiawatha 40Horton 54, Jackson Heights 33Liberal 73, Great Bend 44Oberlin-Decatur 68, Logan 20Oskaloosa 36, Riverside 31Pike Valley 51, Centre 30Pratt Skyline 45, Sublette 34Red Cloud, Neb. 62, Rock Hills 61Rose Hill 50, Howard West Elk 28SM North 59, Junction City 30Southeast 49, Crest 42Southeast of Saline 60, Republic County 28St. Thomas Aquinas 62, Bishop Miege 59, OTTopeka 50, Wichita Life Prep 42Topeka Hayden 60, Shawnee Heights 47Valley Center 46, Salina Central 36Valley Falls 34, McLouth 29Webb City, Mo. 69, Pittsburg 36Wichita Bishop Carroll 56, Wichita Heights 53, OTWichita Classical 73, Flinthills 59Wichita East 84, Wichita North 24Wichita Northwest 43, Wichita West 15Wichita Southeast 55, Wichita South 43Woodward, Okla. 50, Dodge City 24Yates Center 20, Altoona-Midway 19Friday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Altoona-Midway 48, Yates Center 40, OTAndale 52, Garden Plain 31Andover 63, Newton 33Andover Central 84, Goddard 41Arkansas City 53, Clearwater 43Axtell 99, Washington County 52BV North 59, Metro Academy 40Beloit 70, Lyons 58Blue Valley Randolph 60, Onaga 31Centralia 60, Clifton-Clyde 55Cheney 68, Nickerson 29Cunningham 87, Canton-Galva 52De Soto 52, Mill Valley 50Derby 63, Salina South 50Dodge City 83, Woodward, Okla. 79Gardner-Edgerton 63, Lincoln, Mo. 54Great Bend 89, Liberal 42Hanover 60, Frankfort 50Haven 50, Norton 29Highland Park 82, Topeka 41Holton 47, Hiawatha 44Jackson Heights 54, Horton 48Linn 50, Doniphan West 44, OTLittle River 40, Norwich 34Logan 40, Oberlin-Decatur 26Oskaloosa 60, Riverside 47Rose Hill 50, Howard West Elk 28SM North 75, Junction City 53Shawnee Heights 61, Topeka Hayden 52South Central 59, Pawnee Heights 29Southeast of Saline 69, Republic County 43Spring Hill 79, Eudora 68St. Thomas Aquinas 83, Bishop Miege 51Uniontown 53, Central Heights 30Valley Center 73, Salina Central 52Valley Falls 81, McLouth 37Wichita Classical 44, Flinthills 32Wichita Heights 56, Wichita Bishop Carroll 26Wichita Northwest 66, Wichita West 52Wichita Southeast 81, Wichita South 51___

🏀 EAGLE Media Scoreboard from Friday's games

Freeman and Notre Dame handle 'tough moments' and oust Georgia from CFP with 23-10 win in Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dame's defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, Notre Dame made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman. He sent out the punt team deep in his own territory before running all 11 players off the field, and an offside penalty gave the Irish a critical first down.

Georgia's Kirby Smart defends aggressive but ill-fated play calls in CFP loss to Notre Dame

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart says he doesn't regret aggressive offensive play calls that backfired during the Bulldogs' College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. A decision to have inexperienced quarterback Gunner Stockton drop back to pass in the final minute of the first half went badly when he was sacked by Notre Dame's RJ Oben and fumbled. Notre Dame recovered and scored a touchdown one play later. Smart's bid for his third national title with the Bulldogs fell short as he was frequently outmaneuvered by Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.

Big 12 commissioner calls for 'national standards' for calling targeting after controversial play

DALLAS (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is calling for more consistency on what constitutes a targeting penalty after no call was made on Texas safety Michael Taaffe's high hit on Arizona State receiver Melquan Stovall late in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Peach Bowl. Taaffe struck Stovall with a helmet-to-helmet hit as Stovall caught a pass near midfield with 1:15 left in regulation Wednesday. No flag was thrown, but referee Larry Smith of the Big Ten halted play to check the replay for possible targeting. As Stovall was being helped off the field, Smith announced there was no penalty.

Postponed Sugar Bowl played with enhanced security about 36 hours after terror attack in New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Snipers were positioned on rooftops outside the Superdome in New Orleans as fans filed in for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish won the College Football Playoff semifinal 23-10. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday night but was postponed until Thursday afternoon because of a terror attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street that killed 14 revelers early on New Year's Day. Flags were at half-staff at the stadium, and a moment of silence was held before the singing of the national anthem. Fans said they felt safe amid the enhanced security.

Surging Ohio State to face tenacious Texas in the Cotton Bowl for a spot in the CFP title game

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Texas will be a whole lot closer to home than Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes appear to be a whole lot closer to Atlanta. That's where the winner of the Cotton Bowl, which doubles as a College Football Playoff semifinal this year, will be heading next for the national championship game. But first, two powerhouse college football programs meet Jan. 10 at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&amp;T Stadium. Ohio State has rebounded from two regular-season losses to rout a pair of elite opponents by a combined 45 points, while Texas has survived two difficult tests on its CFP journey.

Jimmy Butler, when asked if he can find on-court joy again in Miami: 'Probably not'

MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler says he needs to find joy again on the basketball court. And when asked if he can find that joy in Miami, he had a two-word answer. "Probably not," he said. The relationship between Butler and the Heat — a talking point for weeks now — seems to have further deteriorated. The Heat lost to Indiana 128-115 on Thursday night, Butler scoring exactly nine points and playing exactly zero seconds in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game. It also happened Wednesday in a win over New Orleans.

LeBron James applauds younger son Bryce's hoops commitment to the University of Arizona

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is excited about his younger son's decision to play basketball at the University of Arizona next season. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar said the decision was Bryce James' to make, and he went where he felt most comfortable. LeBron praised Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd as a straight shooter who told Bryce exactly what the Wildcats believe about him. Bryce James is a four-star recruit at Sierra Canyon School in suburban Chatsworth. That's the same private high school where his older brother, Bronny, played his senior season in 2022-23.

Tom Hoge leads at Kapalua where good golf exceeds expectations in PGA Tour opener

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Tom Hoge has a new baby and no expectations. The North Dakota player had the right vibe for Maui in the opening round of The Sentry. He just took whatever golf gave him. That was 10 birdies in the wind at Kapalua for a 64. Hoge leads the PGA Tour opener by one shot over Hideki Matsuyama and Will Zalatoris. Matsuyama had a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch on the back nine to get back in the game. Zalatoris came to Kapalua weighing some 20 pounds more than he did in August. He hopes a stronger physique will be good for his back.

White leads No. 22 Illinois to 109-77 blowout at No. 9 Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Tre White had 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 22 Illinois made a resounding statement on the road with a 109-77 blowout of ninth-ranked Oregon. Ben Humrichous shot 4 of 7 from 3-point range and scored 18 points on a night when Illinois went 16 for 29 behind the arc. Kylan Boswell also made four 3s and finished with 15 points for the Fighting Illini. Kasparas Jakucionis added 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jake Davis scored 12. Supreme Cook scored 20 to lead the Ducks, while Nate Bittle added 13 points and five rebounds.

US routs Switzerland 7-2 in world junior quarterfinals; Czechia eliminates Canada 4-3

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Boston College teammates James Hagens and Ryan Leonard each scored twice and the defending champion United States routed Switzerland 7-2 on Thursday in the world junior hockey quarterfinals. Boston University's Brandon Svoboda, Notre Dame's Danny Nelson and Denver's Zeev Buium also scored, Hampton Slukynsky of Western Michigan made 17 saves and BC's Gabe Perreault had three assists. The Group A champion Americans will face Czechia — a 4-3 winner over Canada in the night game at Canadian Tire Centre — on Saturday. Group B winner Sweden will play Finland in the other semifinal. Adam Jecho scored on a one-timer on a power play with 39.4 seconds left to lift Czechia past Canada. At TD Place, Sweden beat Latvia 3-2, and Finland topped Slovakia 5-3.

Final	Oklahoma City	116	L.A. Clippers	98	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Friday, January 3rd, 2025" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Friday, January 3rd, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for January 3rd, 2025:<div><iframe title="AP Early Morning Sports for January 3rd, 2025" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=znk4y-179637e-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Freeman and Notre Dame handle 'tough moments' and oust Georgia from CFP with 23-10 win in Sugar BowlNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dame's defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, Notre Dame made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman. He sent out the punt team deep in his own territory before running all 11 players off the field, and an offside penalty gave the Irish a critical first down.Georgia's Kirby Smart defends aggressive but ill-fated play calls in CFP loss to Notre DameNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart says he doesn't regret aggressive offensive play calls that backfired during the Bulldogs' College Football Playoff quarterfinal loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl. A decision to have inexperienced quarterback Gunner Stockton drop back to pass in the final minute of the first half went badly when he was sacked by Notre Dame's RJ Oben and fumbled. Notre Dame recovered and scored a touchdown one play later. Smart's bid for his third national title with the Bulldogs fell short as he was frequently outmaneuvered by Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.Big 12 commissioner calls for 'national standards' for calling targeting after controversial playDALLAS (AP) — Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark is calling for more consistency on what constitutes a targeting penalty after no call was made on Texas safety Michael Taaffe's high hit on Arizona State receiver Melquan Stovall late in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Peach Bowl. Taaffe struck Stovall with a helmet-to-helmet hit as Stovall caught a pass near midfield with 1:15 left in regulation Wednesday. No flag was thrown, but referee Larry Smith of the Big Ten halted play to check the replay for possible targeting. As Stovall was being helped off the field, Smith announced there was no penalty.Postponed Sugar Bowl played with enhanced security about 36 hours after terror attack in New OrleansNEW ORLEANS (AP) — Snipers were positioned on rooftops outside the Superdome in New Orleans as fans filed in for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish won the College Football Playoff semifinal 23-10. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday night but was postponed until Thursday afternoon because of a terror attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street that killed 14 revelers early on New Year's Day. Flags were at half-staff at the stadium, and a moment of silence was held before the singing of the national anthem. Fans said they felt safe amid the enhanced security.Surging Ohio State to face tenacious Texas in the Cotton Bowl for a spot in the CFP title gamePASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Texas will be a whole lot closer to home than Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. The Buckeyes appear to be a whole lot closer to Atlanta. That's where the winner of the Cotton Bowl, which doubles as a College Football Playoff semifinal this year, will be heading next for the national championship game. But first, two powerhouse college football programs meet Jan. 10 at the Dallas Cowboys' AT&amp;T Stadium. Ohio State has rebounded from two regular-season losses to rout a pair of elite opponents by a combined 45 points, while Texas has survived two difficult tests on its CFP journey.Jimmy Butler, when asked if he can find on-court joy again in Miami: 'Probably not'MIAMI (AP) — Jimmy Butler says he needs to find joy again on the basketball court. And when asked if he can find that joy in Miami, he had a two-word answer. "Probably not," he said. The relationship between Butler and the Heat — a talking point for weeks now — seems to have further deteriorated. The Heat lost to Indiana 128-115 on Thursday night, Butler scoring exactly nine points and playing exactly zero seconds in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game. It also happened Wednesday in a win over New Orleans.LeBron James applauds younger son Bryce's hoops commitment to the University of ArizonaLOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is excited about his younger son's decision to play basketball at the University of Arizona next season. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar said the decision was Bryce James' to make, and he went where he felt most comfortable. LeBron praised Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd as a straight shooter who told Bryce exactly what the Wildcats believe about him. Bryce James is a four-star recruit at Sierra Canyon School in suburban Chatsworth. That's the same private high school where his older brother, Bronny, played his senior season in 2022-23.Tom Hoge leads at Kapalua where good golf exceeds expectations in PGA Tour openerKAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Tom Hoge has a new baby and no expectations. The North Dakota player had the right vibe for Maui in the opening round of The Sentry. He just took whatever golf gave him. That was 10 birdies in the wind at Kapalua for a 64. Hoge leads the PGA Tour opener by one shot over Hideki Matsuyama and Will Zalatoris. Matsuyama had a birdie-eagle-birdie stretch on the back nine to get back in the game. Zalatoris came to Kapalua weighing some 20 pounds more than he did in August. He hopes a stronger physique will be good for his back.White leads No. 22 Illinois to 109-77 blowout at No. 9 OregonEUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Tre White had 20 points and 11 rebounds as No. 22 Illinois made a resounding statement on the road with a 109-77 blowout of ninth-ranked Oregon. Ben Humrichous shot 4 of 7 from 3-point range and scored 18 points on a night when Illinois went 16 for 29 behind the arc. Kylan Boswell also made four 3s and finished with 15 points for the Fighting Illini. Kasparas Jakucionis added 16 points, six rebounds and six assists. Jake Davis scored 12. Supreme Cook scored 20 to lead the Ducks, while Nate Bittle added 13 points and five rebounds.US routs Switzerland 7-2 in world junior quarterfinals; Czechia eliminates Canada 4-3OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Boston College teammates James Hagens and Ryan Leonard each scored twice and the defending champion United States routed Switzerland 7-2 on Thursday in the world junior hockey quarterfinals. Boston University's Brandon Svoboda, Notre Dame's Danny Nelson and Denver's Zeev Buium also scored, Hampton Slukynsky of Western Michigan made 17 saves and BC's Gabe Perreault had three assists. The Group A champion Americans will face Czechia — a 4-3 winner over Canada in the night game at Canadian Tire Centre — on Saturday. Group B winner Sweden will play Finland in the other semifinal. Adam Jecho scored on a one-timer on a power play with 39.4 seconds left to lift Czechia past Canada. At TD Place, Sweden beat Latvia 3-2, and Finland topped Slovakia 5-3.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Indiana	128	Miami	115	Final	Boston	118	Minnesota	115	Final	Oklahoma City	116	L.A. Clippers	98	Final	Brooklyn	113	Milwaukee	110	Final	Golden State	139	Philadelphia	105	Final	L.A. Lakers	114	Portland	106	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	5	Columbus	4	Final	N-Y Rangers	2	Boston	1	Final SO	Minnesota	4	Washington	3	Final	Carolina	3	Florida	1	Final	Toronto	2	N-Y Islanders	1	Final OT	Anaheim	4	Winnipeg	3	Final	Dallas	4	Ottawa	2	Final	Utah	5	Calgary	3	Final OT	Colorado	6	Buffalo	5	Final	Vegas	5	Philadelphia	2	Final SO	Vancouver	4	Seattle	3	Final	San Jose	2	Tampa Bay	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(3)Notre Dame	23	(2)Georgia	10	Final	(16)Mississippi	52	Duke	20	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(22)Illinois	109	(9)Oregon	77	Final	(19)Gonzaga	81	Portland	50	Final	(20)Purdue	81	Minnesota	61	Final	(21)Memphis	90	FAU	62	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Charlotte	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			Orlando	at	Toronto	7:30 p.m.			Boston	at	Houston	8 p.m.			New York	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.			Washington	at	New Orleans	8 p.m.			Cleveland	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.			San Antonio	at	Denver	9 p.m.			Memphis	at	Sacramento	10 p.m.			Atlanta	at	L.A. Lakers	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Pittsburgh	at	Florida	7 p.m.			Montreal	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			Ottawa	at	St. Louis	8 p.m.			Anaheim	at	Edmonton	9 p.m.			Nashville	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		Creighton	at	(8)Marquette	9 p.m.			(18)Michigan St.	at	Ohio St.	8 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Friday

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">WATCH: 2026 standout from Manhattan, JJ Dunnigan Jr. announces his commitment to Kansas. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kufball?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kufball</a> <a href="https://t.co/eSUU1Ovzr7">pic.twitter.com/eSUU1Ovzr7</a>&mdash; JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayhawkSlant/status/1874932215290999119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🏈 Manhattan prep chooses Jayhawks

The most decorated gymnast of all time takes one more bow.

The most decorated gymnast of all time takes one more bow.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Simone Biles is SI’s 2024 Sportsperson of the Year ⭐ <a href="https://t.co/Fm4hAkpY45">https://t.co/Fm4hAkpY45</a> <a href="https://t.co/JYyp8OKG6V">pic.twitter.com/JYyp8OKG6V</a>&mdash; Sports Illustrated (@SInow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SInow/status/1874806208009527381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Biles is Sportsperson of the Year

The NFL announced on Thursday the complete rosters for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, a week-long celebration of player skills that is highlighted by a flag football game between the AFC and NFC.

Tight End Travis Kelce, Offensive Guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith and Center Creed Humphrey join Defensive Lineman Chris Jones on the squad.

Six NFL teams are sending at least five players to Orlando, where the flag football game will be played on Feb. 2 at Nicholson Fieldhouse at the University of Central Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1628270080399.jpeg" alt="kelce" />
 <figcaption>kelce</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/2025-pro-bowl-games-complete-afc-roster-revealed">Via NFL</a>The NFL announced on Thursday the complete rosters for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games, a week-long celebration of player skills that is highlighted by a flag football game between the AFC and NFC.Five Kansas City Chiefs were selected.Tight End Travis Kelce, Offensive Guards Joe Thuney and Trey Smith and Center Creed Humphrey join Defensive Lineman Chris Jones on the squad.Six NFL teams are sending at least five players to Orlando, where the flag football game will be played on Feb. 2 at Nicholson Fieldhouse at the University of Central Florida.

🏈 Five Chiefs make Pro Bowl

Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame postponed after deadly truck attack

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The College Football Playoff quarterfinal in New Orleans has been postponed a day after a truck plowed into a New Year's crowd about a mile away from the site of the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. Fifteen people were killed in the attack early Wednesday in the French Quarter. The game originally was scheduled for Wednesday night at the 70,000-seat Superdome. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says all parties agreed that it was in the best interest of public safety to push back the game. It's now set for 3 p.m. CST on Thursday. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry says he'll attend the Sugar Bowl and is confident the area in and around the stadium will be safe.

Texas avoids huge upset, beats Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime at Peach Bowl

ATLANTA (AP) — Texas avoided the first big upset of the College Football Playoff, hitting a fourth-and-long touchdown pass to keep the game going and beating Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime when an interception by Andrew Mukuba finally ended a Peach Bowl quarterfinal classic. The teams traded touchdowns on their first overtime possessions, and Quinn Ewers put Texas ahead with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Matthew Golden. The fourth-ranked Longhorns finally put No. 10 Arizona State away when Mukuba picked off Sam Leavitt's pass at the 3 to end the game. The Sun Devils were two-touchdown underdogs. Texas moves on to face Ohio State in the semifinals at the Cotton Bowl.

No. 6 Ohio State routs top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, advances to CFP semifinals

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — No. 6 Ohio State roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 41-21 victory over No. 1 Oregon in the 111th Rose Bowl. Jeremiah Smith caught two of Will Howard's three long touchdown passes while Ohio State went ahead 34-0 in a sensational first half. Howard passed for 319 yards, Emeka Egbuka also caught a long TD pass and TreVeyon Henderson made a 66-yard touchdown run in a redemptive Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes, who emphatically blew out the CFP's No. 1 seed. Ohio State is headed to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 to face No. 4 Texas for a berth in the national title game.

Penn State takes simple approach during ride into CFP semifinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The cliche of one game at a time can be found all across the sports world. Penn State coach James Franklin has gotten his players to buy into it wholeheartedly, pushing the program to new heights. The fifth-ranked Nittany Lions opened their first College Football Playoff berth with a blowout win over SMU and took down No. 8 Boise State 31-14 in the New Year's Eve Fiesta Bowl. Penn State moves on to the Orange Bowl to face the winner of No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions have done it with one of the nation's best defenses and a balanced offense.

Skattebo's do-it-all show is not enough to overcome Arizona State's 4th-down woes against Texas

ATLANTA (AP) — Cam Skattebo's do-it-all offensive show wasn't enough to save Arizona State from a stretch of fourth-down failures against Texas. Led by Skattebo, Arizona State compiled big advantages in rushing yards, total yards and time of possession. The three fourth-down stops kept the Sun Devils from taking full advantage of their statistical edges in their 39-31 College Football Playoff quarterfinal double-overtime loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl. Skattebo was named offensive MVP after having 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns, eight catches for 99 yards and one pass for a 42-yard TD.

Targeting no-call at Peach Bowl raises more questions about disputed rule

ATLANTA (AP) — The Peach Bowl referee declined to call a targeting penalty late in the fourth quarter for a helmet-to-helmet hit by Texas safety Michael Taaffe that could've given Arizona State a chance to kick a winning field goal in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The fourth-ranked Longhorns went on to beat the No. 10 Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime. The big hit by Taaffe came after Texas missed a field goal attempt with 1:39 remaining that left the game tied at 24-all. It led to a punt by Arizona State.

Top-seeded Oregon sees title hopes dashed with early knockout by Ohio State

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Oregon withstood many challenges en route to being the only unbeaten team and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. However, Ohio State's opening flurry on offense and defense in the first half was too much to overcome as the Big Ten champions saw its hopes of a first national championship dashed with a 41-21 loss in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Defensively, Oregon gave up scores on six of Ohio State's first seven drives. Offensively, the Ducks got into Buckeyes' territory only once on its first six drives and had four three-and-outs before reaching the end zone the seventh time they had the ball.

Carter reflected on 1980 Olympic boycott: 'A bad decision'

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — It was a decision that robbed hundreds of athletes of their once-in-a-lifetime chance at Olympic glory. For more than four decades, that decision weighed heavily on the man who made it — Jimmy Carter. Carter's passing has unearthed memories from his presidency that ran from 1977-81. Somewhere between his greatest foreign-policy success and his greatest failure sits the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Carter who called for that boycott to illustrate America's disdain for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviets stayed in Afghanistan for another nine years and retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Carter later came to admit that the boycott had been ineffective. He told wrestler Jeff Blatnick 'That was a bad decision.'

Mikaela Shiffrin aiming to be back on snow 'in the next week or so' following November crash

Mikaela Shiffrin is back in the gym and says she's aiming to be on snow "in the next week or so." The American skiing star suffered a deep puncture wound in her hip when she crashed in a giant slalom run on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont. Shiffrin underwent abdominal surgery in mid-December. She says she's "making progress" and "can move and sweat and use my body." Shiffrin adds that "this next phase of recovery is all about getting my strength and conditioning back as much as possible." It's unclear when Shiffrin will return to competition.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni set to rest Saquon Barkley in finale and end chance at NFL rushing record

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley will sit out the Philadelphia Eagles final regular-season game Sunday, denying the running back his chance at breaking Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing record. Barkley will finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, just 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson's record of 2,105 yards set with the the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles clinched the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference, leaving little to play for in Sunday's home game against the New York Giants. Barkley also set the Eagles record for yards rushing in a single season and set a season franchise record for scrimmage yards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, January 2nd, 2025" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Thursday, January 2nd, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for January 2nd, 2025:<div><iframe title="AP Early Morning Sports for January 2nd, 2025" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ys2v7-1793236-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame postponed after deadly truck attackNEW ORLEANS (AP) — The College Football Playoff quarterfinal in New Orleans has been postponed a day after a truck plowed into a New Year's crowd about a mile away from the site of the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. Fifteen people were killed in the attack early Wednesday in the French Quarter. The game originally was scheduled for Wednesday night at the 70,000-seat Superdome. Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley says all parties agreed that it was in the best interest of public safety to push back the game. It's now set for 3 p.m. CST on Thursday. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry says he'll attend the Sugar Bowl and is confident the area in and around the stadium will be safe.Texas avoids huge upset, beats Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime at Peach BowlATLANTA (AP) — Texas avoided the first big upset of the College Football Playoff, hitting a fourth-and-long touchdown pass to keep the game going and beating Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime when an interception by Andrew Mukuba finally ended a Peach Bowl quarterfinal classic. The teams traded touchdowns on their first overtime possessions, and Quinn Ewers put Texas ahead with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gunnar Helm, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Matthew Golden. The fourth-ranked Longhorns finally put No. 10 Arizona State away when Mukuba picked off Sam Leavitt's pass at the 3 to end the game. The Sun Devils were two-touchdown underdogs. Texas moves on to face Ohio State in the semifinals at the Cotton Bowl.No. 6 Ohio State routs top-ranked Oregon 41-21 in the Rose Bowl, advances to CFP semifinalsPASADENA, Calif. (AP) — No. 6 Ohio State roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 41-21 victory over No. 1 Oregon in the 111th Rose Bowl. Jeremiah Smith caught two of Will Howard's three long touchdown passes while Ohio State went ahead 34-0 in a sensational first half. Howard passed for 319 yards, Emeka Egbuka also caught a long TD pass and TreVeyon Henderson made a 66-yard touchdown run in a redemptive Rose Bowl for the Buckeyes, who emphatically blew out the CFP's No. 1 seed. Ohio State is headed to the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 to face No. 4 Texas for a berth in the national title game.Penn State takes simple approach during ride into CFP semifinalsGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The cliche of one game at a time can be found all across the sports world. Penn State coach James Franklin has gotten his players to buy into it wholeheartedly, pushing the program to new heights. The fifth-ranked Nittany Lions opened their first College Football Playoff berth with a blowout win over SMU and took down No. 8 Boise State 31-14 in the New Year's Eve Fiesta Bowl. Penn State moves on to the Orange Bowl to face the winner of No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. The Nittany Lions have done it with one of the nation's best defenses and a balanced offense.Skattebo's do-it-all show is not enough to overcome Arizona State's 4th-down woes against TexasATLANTA (AP) — Cam Skattebo's do-it-all offensive show wasn't enough to save Arizona State from a stretch of fourth-down failures against Texas. Led by Skattebo, Arizona State compiled big advantages in rushing yards, total yards and time of possession. The three fourth-down stops kept the Sun Devils from taking full advantage of their statistical edges in their 39-31 College Football Playoff quarterfinal double-overtime loss to Texas in the Peach Bowl. Skattebo was named offensive MVP after having 30 carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns, eight catches for 99 yards and one pass for a 42-yard TD.Targeting no-call at Peach Bowl raises more questions about disputed ruleATLANTA (AP) — The Peach Bowl referee declined to call a targeting penalty late in the fourth quarter for a helmet-to-helmet hit by Texas safety Michael Taaffe that could've given Arizona State a chance to kick a winning field goal in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The fourth-ranked Longhorns went on to beat the No. 10 Arizona State 39-31 in double overtime. The big hit by Taaffe came after Texas missed a field goal attempt with 1:39 remaining that left the game tied at 24-all. It led to a punt by Arizona State.Top-seeded Oregon sees title hopes dashed with early knockout by Ohio StatePASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Oregon withstood many challenges en route to being the only unbeaten team and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. However, Ohio State's opening flurry on offense and defense in the first half was too much to overcome as the Big Ten champions saw its hopes of a first national championship dashed with a 41-21 loss in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday. Defensively, Oregon gave up scores on six of Ohio State's first seven drives. Offensively, the Ducks got into Buckeyes' territory only once on its first six drives and had four three-and-outs before reaching the end zone the seventh time they had the ball.Carter reflected on 1980 Olympic boycott: 'A bad decision'COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — It was a decision that robbed hundreds of athletes of their once-in-a-lifetime chance at Olympic glory. For more than four decades, that decision weighed heavily on the man who made it — Jimmy Carter. Carter's passing has unearthed memories from his presidency that ran from 1977-81. Somewhere between his greatest foreign-policy success and his greatest failure sits the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow. Carter who called for that boycott to illustrate America's disdain for the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviets stayed in Afghanistan for another nine years and retaliated by boycotting the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Carter later came to admit that the boycott had been ineffective. He told wrestler Jeff Blatnick 'That was a bad decision.'Mikaela Shiffrin aiming to be back on snow 'in the next week or so' following November crashMikaela Shiffrin is back in the gym and says she's aiming to be on snow "in the next week or so." The American skiing star suffered a deep puncture wound in her hip when she crashed in a giant slalom run on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont. Shiffrin underwent abdominal surgery in mid-December. She says she's "making progress" and "can move and sweat and use my body." Shiffrin adds that "this next phase of recovery is all about getting my strength and conditioning back as much as possible." It's unclear when Shiffrin will return to competition.Eagles coach Nick Sirianni set to rest Saquon Barkley in finale and end chance at NFL rushing recordPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley will sit out the Philadelphia Eagles final regular-season game Sunday, denying the running back his chance at breaking Eric Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing record. Barkley will finish the season with 2,005 yards rushing, just 101 yards shy of breaking Dickerson's record of 2,105 yards set with the the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles clinched the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the conference, leaving little to play for in Sunday's home game against the New York Giants. Barkley also set the Eagles record for yards rushing in a single season and set a season franchise record for scrimmage yards.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Washington	125	Chicago	107	Final	Detroit	105	Orlando	96	Final	New York	119	Utah	103	Final	Miami	119	New Orleans	108	Final	Toronto	130	Brooklyn	113	Final	Houston	110	Dallas	99	Final	Denver	139	Atlanta	120	Final	Sacramento	113	Philadelphia	107	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Los Angeles	3	New Jersey	0	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(6)Ohio St.	41	(1)Oregon	21	Final	(4)Texas	39	(10)Arizona St.	31	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(11)UConn	81	DePaul	68	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Boston	at	Minnesota	7:30 p.m.			Indiana	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.			Brooklyn	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.			L.A. Clippers	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	Golden State	10 p.m.			Portland	at	L.A. Lakers	10:30 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Boston	at	N-Y Rangers	7 p.m.			Carolina	at	Florida	7 p.m.			Detroit	at	Columbus	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Washington	7 p.m.			Toronto	at	N-Y Islanders	7:30 p.m.			Anaheim	at	Winnipeg	8 p.m.			Ottawa	at	Dallas	8 p.m.			Buffalo	at	Colorado	9 p.m.			Utah	at	Calgary	9 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	Vegas	10 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Seattle	10 p.m.			Tampa Bay	at	San Jose	10:30 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(3)Notre Dame	at	(2)Georgia	4 p.m.			Duke	at	(16)Mississippi	7:30 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		(22)Illinois	at	(9)Oregon	10 p.m.			Portland	at	(19)Gonzaga	9 p.m.			(20)Purdue	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.			(21)Memphis	at	FAU	7 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Thursday

Travis Kelce led all players in fan balloting for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end finished with 252,200 votes. Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift has significantly increased his popularity.

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Kelce, a four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl pick, has 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns this season. He’s third behind Raiders rookie Brock Bowers (108) and Arizona’s Trey McBride (101) for most receptions among tight ends.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (250,082 votes) ranked second overall behind Kelce, ahead of Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley, who is 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record.

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (242,352), Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (239,526) and Lions quarterback Jared Goff (225,858) rounded out the top five.

The AFC and NFC rosters will be announced on Thursday.

This is the third year of the Pro Bowl Games after the NFL eliminated its full-contact all-star game and replaced it with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pro-bowl-skills-challenges-24c8a0a6293df87990c14d86f3b896ca">games</a>&nbsp;will take place at Central Florida and finish with a seven-on-seven flag football game between the AFC and NFC at Camping World Stadium on Feb. 2.

Retired Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning will be back as head coaches for the two conferences.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735310690198.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) dunks the football over the goal post after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) dunks the football over the goal post after scoring a touchdown during an NFL football game, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Matt Durisko)</figcaption>
 </figure>Associated PressTravis Kelce led all players in fan balloting for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games.The Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end finished with 252,200 votes. Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift has significantly increased his popularity.Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, in Las Vegas. The Chiefs won 25-22. (AP Photo/John Locher)Kelce, a four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowl pick, has 97 catches for 823 yards and three touchdowns this season. He’s third behind Raiders rookie Brock Bowers (108) and Arizona’s Trey McBride (101) for most receptions among tight ends.Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (250,082 votes) ranked second overall behind Kelce, ahead of Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley, who is 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record.Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels (242,352), Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (239,526) and Lions quarterback Jared Goff (225,858) rounded out the top five.The AFC and NFC rosters will be announced on Thursday.This is the third year of the Pro Bowl Games after the NFL eliminated its full-contact all-star game and replaced it with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pro-bowl-skills-challenges-24c8a0a6293df87990c14d86f3b896ca">games</a>&nbsp;will take place at Central Florida and finish with a seven-on-seven flag football game between the AFC and NFC at Camping World Stadium on Feb. 2.Retired Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning will be back as head coaches for the two conferences.

🏈 Kelce leads fan ballots for Pro Bowl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will start backup Carson Wentz at quarterback on Sunday in Denver in a game that means nothing to Kansas City, which has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but could mean everything to the Broncos.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced his decision to rest Patrick Mahomes on Wednesday, shortly before they returned to practice from an extended break following their Christmas Day win in Pittsburgh. But Reid declined to say who else might spend the day with Mahomes on the sideline, pointing out that only so many players can be rested given roster limitations.

“If someone wants to start messing with it,” Reid said, “there’s not a whole lot of messing going on. So guys play.”

The Broncos would clinch a playoff berth as the No. 7 seed by beating the Chiefs, earning a trip to Buffalo for their postseason opener. If they lose, they would need the Jets to beat the Dolphins and the Steelers to beat the Bengals.

There is a good chance that Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who sustained a calf strain a couple of weeks ago, will be one of their veterans getting the week off.

The same could go for running back Isiah Pacheco, who has bruised ribs, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who has a sore knee, and veteran tight end Travis Kelce, who similarly skipped last year’s Week 18 game.

Reid did say that he takes into consideration whether players have salary bonuses that they could achieve. And that could mean three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins gets plenty of playing time against the Broncos.

Hopkins, who was acquired by the Chiefs in a midseason trade with Tennessee, needs nine catches to reach 65 and trigger a $250,000 bonus. He has 610 yards receiving, which means another 140 would earn him another $250,000. And if one of those catches is a touchdown, Hopkins would earn an additional $500,000 for catching six of them this season.

“We want the guys to be able to reach them if they’re reachable,” Reid said.

It will be up to Wentz to deliver Hopkins the ball on Sunday.

He signed with Kansas City in the offseason as the latest veteran backup to Mahomes, following in the footsteps of Matt Moore, Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert. And while Wentz has hardly played since the preseason — he was 2 for 2 for 20 yards in closing out a win in Cleveland — the ninth-year pro has earned the respect of just about everyone in the Chiefs locker room.

“I got to train with him in team camp, stuff like that. Carson is an elite QB and a lot of people take that for granted,” said fullback Carson Steele, who could be among those who get extra reps at Denver so that Pacheco and Kareem Hunt can get a break.

“It’s really cool to see how he performs,” Steele said, “especially being a veteran like himself.”

Wentz has started 68 games, mostly with Philadelphia, where he was chosen for a Pro Bowl while going 11-2 during the 2017 season. He never quite played to that same lofty standard the rest of his time with the Eagles, which was derailed by an injury, and Wentz has only started eight games over the past three seasons with the Commanders, Rams and Chiefs.

His decision to sign with Kansas City was made in part with an eye on building his value and starting somewhere next season.

“It’s obviously been different,” Wentz said, “but I’ve stayed locked in, stayed ready, prepared every week. I’ve taken some things from Pat, working with him, but every week I’m staying locked in and ready to go.”

NOTES: WR Mecole Hardman (knee) returned to practice, opening a 21-day window in which the Chiefs must activate him or put him on season-ending injured reserve. Reid said it is unlikely Hardman would play Sunday. … LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring strain) could play against the Broncos. The former Pro Bowl pick, who is coming off a torn ACL, appeared in just one game after signing with Kansas City in late November before getting hurt. The Chiefs have had to patch together their offensive line without him, but the hope is Humphries will be ready for the playoffs. “He’s feeling better. I just want to see how he does here in practice, give me one more go-around with him,” Reid said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734529800517.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz (11) passes in the pocket against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Carson Wentz (11) passes in the pocket against the Cleveland Browns during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs will start backup Carson Wentz at quarterback on Sunday in Denver in a game that means nothing to Kansas City, which has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs, but could mean everything to the Broncos.Chiefs coach Andy Reid announced his decision to rest Patrick Mahomes on Wednesday, shortly before they returned to practice from an extended break following their Christmas Day win in Pittsburgh. But Reid declined to say who else might spend the day with Mahomes on the sideline, pointing out that only so many players can be rested given roster limitations.“If someone wants to start messing with it,” Reid said, “there’s not a whole lot of messing going on. So guys play.”The Broncos would clinch a playoff berth as the No. 7 seed by beating the Chiefs, earning a trip to Buffalo for their postseason opener. If they lose, they would need the Jets to beat the Dolphins and the Steelers to beat the Bengals.There is a good chance that Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who sustained a calf strain a couple of weeks ago, will be one of their veterans getting the week off.The same could go for running back Isiah Pacheco, who has bruised ribs, right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who has a sore knee, and veteran tight end Travis Kelce, who similarly skipped last year’s Week 18 game.Reid did say that he takes into consideration whether players have salary bonuses that they could achieve. And that could mean three-time All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins gets plenty of playing time against the Broncos.Hopkins, who was acquired by the Chiefs in a midseason trade with Tennessee, needs nine catches to reach 65 and trigger a $250,000 bonus. He has 610 yards receiving, which means another 140 would earn him another $250,000. And if one of those catches is a touchdown, Hopkins would earn an additional $500,000 for catching six of them this season.“We want the guys to be able to reach them if they’re reachable,” Reid said.It will be up to Wentz to deliver Hopkins the ball on Sunday.He signed with Kansas City in the offseason as the latest veteran backup to Mahomes, following in the footsteps of Matt Moore, Chad Henne and Blaine Gabbert. And while Wentz has hardly played since the preseason — he was 2 for 2 for 20 yards in closing out a win in Cleveland — the ninth-year pro has earned the respect of just about everyone in the Chiefs locker room.“I got to train with him in team camp, stuff like that. Carson is an elite QB and a lot of people take that for granted,” said fullback Carson Steele, who could be among those who get extra reps at Denver so that Pacheco and Kareem Hunt can get a break.“It’s really cool to see how he performs,” Steele said, “especially being a veteran like himself.”Wentz has started 68 games, mostly with Philadelphia, where he was chosen for a Pro Bowl while going 11-2 during the 2017 season. He never quite played to that same lofty standard the rest of his time with the Eagles, which was derailed by an injury, and Wentz has only started eight games over the past three seasons with the Commanders, Rams and Chiefs.His decision to sign with Kansas City was made in part with an eye on building his value and starting somewhere next season.“It’s obviously been different,” Wentz said, “but I’ve stayed locked in, stayed ready, prepared every week. I’ve taken some things from Pat, working with him, but every week I’m staying locked in and ready to go.”NOTES: WR Mecole Hardman (knee) returned to practice, opening a 21-day window in which the Chiefs must activate him or put him on season-ending injured reserve. Reid said it is unlikely Hardman would play Sunday. … LT D.J. Humphries (hamstring strain) could play against the Broncos. The former Pro Bowl pick, who is coming off a torn ACL, appeared in just one game after signing with Kansas City in late November before getting hurt. The Chiefs have had to patch together their offensive line without him, but the hope is Humphries will be ready for the playoffs. “He’s feeling better. I just want to see how he does here in practice, give me one more go-around with him,” Reid said.

🏈 Chiefs will start Wentz Sunday

No. 5 Penn State bottles up Jeanty, beats No. 8 Boise State 31-14 in Fiesta Bowl

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Drew Allar threw three touchdown passes and No. 5 Penn State bottled up Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty for a 31-14 win over No. 8 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Nittany Lions opened their first CFP berth with a blowout win over SMU and appeared headed toward the latest lopsided victory in the new 12-team format by jumping out to a 14-0 lead against the Broncos. Boise State fought back, pulling to 17-14 on Matt Lauter's 53-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter. Penn State shut down the Broncos from there, earning a spot in the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl. Jeanty had 104 yards on 30 carries, leaving him 27 yards short of Barry Sanders' single-season NCAA record.

Jeanty falls short of record as dream season gets stuffed by Penn State defense in CFP loss

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty took the handoff on Boise State's first play and made it just a few steps before being greeted by a wall of dark blue Penn State jerseys that swallowed him up and shoved him backward for no gain. A dream season was about to end with a rough night for the Broncos star. Jeanty — the Heisman Trophy runner-up — ran for a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries as No. 6 seed Penn State beat No. 3 seed Boise State 31-14 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. He finished with 2,601 yards rushing this season, falling 27 short of the Football Bowl Subdivision record set by Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. Sanders accomplished his mark in just 11 games, while Jeanty played 14.

Gauff and Fritz put U.S. in United Cup tennis semis. Kazakhstan also through after ousting Germany

PERTH, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz have powered the U.S. into the semifinals of the United Cup mixed teams tennis event. Gauff got the ball rolling for her team with a gritty 7-6, 6-2 win over Zhang Shuai in Perth, Australia. Fritz then made sure of victory by edging a tight contest with Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 6-4. Kazakhstan also advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over a Germany team playing without the injured world No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev. Zverev was a late scratch for Germany due to a biceps injury.

Michigan defense pressures Milroe all day, Wolverines beat No. 11 Alabama 19-13 in ReliaQuest Bowl

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Michigan's defense sacked Jalen Milroe five times and forced three turnovers by the Alabama quarterback to lead the Wolverines to a 19-13 victory over the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Dominic Zvada kicked four field goals and Davis Warren threw a first-half touchdown pass to Fredrick Moore for Michigan, which finished the season on a three-game winning streak that included back-to-back upsets of rival Ohio State and Alabama. Alabama's season ended with a loss to Michigan for the second year in a row. The Wolverines and the Crimson Tide met in a College Football Playoff semifinal at last season's Rose Bowl, with Michigan winning on the way to capturing the national championship.

Blues have all the fun in convincing victory over the Blackhawks in the Winter Classic

CHICAGO (AP) — St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery walked around before the Winter Classic. He looked at the growing crowd soaking in the festive atmosphere. He thought about all the famous ballplayers who played at Wrigley Field. He called the experience "just really cool." The Winter Classic returned to Wrigley on the final day of 2024, and the Chicago Blackhawks threw quite a party. Fireworks streaked through the night sky at the home of baseball's Chicago Cubs. It was a very Chicago party, and St. Louis had all the fun. The Blues rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Blackhawks in front of a crowd of 40,933.

Dartmouth basketball players end their unionization attempt in anticipation of shifting NLRB

BOSTON (AP) — The Dartmouth men's basketball team has dropped its attempt to form a union. The team is ending a push to become the first college sports team to unionize in order to avoid a potentially damaging precedent from a National Labor Relations Board that soon will be controlled by Republicans. The Service Employees International Union Local 560 filed a request to withdraw the NLRB petition on Tuesday rather than take its chances with an unfriendly labor board likely to take over in the new presidential administration. The request was approved later Tuesday. The Dartmouth case threatened to upend the NCAA's amateur model.

Resting or playing running back Saquon Barkley is a tougher decision than it seems for Eagles

Saquon Barkley's pursuit of Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old rushing record could get grounded by his coach. Nick Sirianni's decision is more difficult than it seems. Barkley needs 101 yards rushing against his former team on Sunday to set the NFL's single-season record. But the Philadelphia Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC so the outcome of their game won't affect the standings. Win, lose or tie against the New York Giants, the Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in a wild-card playoff game. They don't have a bye so this game is an opportunity for Sirianni to rest most of his starters ahead of the playoffs and avoid risking injuries to key players.

Arizona State extends coach Kenny Dillingham 5 more years, AP source says

Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham has agreed to a five-year contract extension on the eve of the Sun Devils' College Football Playoff quarterfinal game, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Dillingham will receive a pay increase and substantial bonus increases, the person said on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The contract extension was first reported by ESPN'. The 34-year-old Dillingham orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college football history, taking the No. 10 Sun Devils from three wins a year ago to the New Year's Day Peach Bowl against No. 4 Texas.

Schauffele says Ryder Cup pay for Americans is going to charity and 'we're going to take crap'

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Xander Schauffele says the plan is for Americans to give their Ryder Cup compensation to charity. The PGA of America is paying players for the first time. They will get $300,000 for charity and a $200,000 stipend for the September matches at Bethpage Black. Schauffele says all that means is more money going to charity and the Americans are "going to take crap" for perceived greed. He says captain Keegan Bradley had a plan for players to pool the stipend for a local charity. Bradley says the timetable of announcing the plan was moved up because of a British newspaper report.

US beats Canada 4-1 to finish first in its group at world junior championship

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Danny Nelson scored the eventual game-winner in the third period and Trey Augustine made 38 saves, leading the United States to a 4-1 win over Canada and into the top spot in Group A at the world junior hockey championship. Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman each had a goal and an assist for the Americans. Ryan Leonard scored into an empty-net. In another Group A game, Finland beat Latvia 3-0. In Group B, Switzerland beat Kazakhstan 3-1 to secure a spot in the quarterfinal round, and Sweden completed a sweep of its four preliminary round games, beating Czechia 4-2.

Final	(21)Illinois	21	(14)South Carolina	17	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, January 1st, 2025" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, January 1st, 2025</figcaption>
 </figure>Happy New Year!AP Sports Summary for January 1st, 2025:<div><iframe title="AP Early Morning Sports for January 1st, 2025" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=9r76c-1791e5a-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>No. 5 Penn State bottles up Jeanty, beats No. 8 Boise State 31-14 in Fiesta BowlGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Drew Allar threw three touchdown passes and No. 5 Penn State bottled up Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty for a 31-14 win over No. 8 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. The Nittany Lions opened their first CFP berth with a blowout win over SMU and appeared headed toward the latest lopsided victory in the new 12-team format by jumping out to a 14-0 lead against the Broncos. Boise State fought back, pulling to 17-14 on Matt Lauter's 53-yard touchdown catch midway through the third quarter. Penn State shut down the Broncos from there, earning a spot in the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl. Jeanty had 104 yards on 30 carries, leaving him 27 yards short of Barry Sanders' single-season NCAA record.Jeanty falls short of record as dream season gets stuffed by Penn State defense in CFP lossGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Ashton Jeanty took the handoff on Boise State's first play and made it just a few steps before being greeted by a wall of dark blue Penn State jerseys that swallowed him up and shoved him backward for no gain. A dream season was about to end with a rough night for the Broncos star. Jeanty — the Heisman Trophy runner-up — ran for a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries as No. 6 seed Penn State beat No. 3 seed Boise State 31-14 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. He finished with 2,601 yards rushing this season, falling 27 short of the Football Bowl Subdivision record set by Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. Sanders accomplished his mark in just 11 games, while Jeanty played 14.Gauff and Fritz put U.S. in United Cup tennis semis. Kazakhstan also through after ousting GermanyPERTH, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz have powered the U.S. into the semifinals of the United Cup mixed teams tennis event. Gauff got the ball rolling for her team with a gritty 7-6, 6-2 win over Zhang Shuai in Perth, Australia. Fritz then made sure of victory by edging a tight contest with Zhang Zhizhen 6-4 6-4. Kazakhstan also advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win over a Germany team playing without the injured world No. 2-ranked Alexander Zverev. Zverev was a late scratch for Germany due to a biceps injury.Michigan defense pressures Milroe all day, Wolverines beat No. 11 Alabama 19-13 in ReliaQuest BowlTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Michigan's defense sacked Jalen Milroe five times and forced three turnovers by the Alabama quarterback to lead the Wolverines to a 19-13 victory over the 11th-ranked Crimson Tide in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Dominic Zvada kicked four field goals and Davis Warren threw a first-half touchdown pass to Fredrick Moore for Michigan, which finished the season on a three-game winning streak that included back-to-back upsets of rival Ohio State and Alabama. Alabama's season ended with a loss to Michigan for the second year in a row. The Wolverines and the Crimson Tide met in a College Football Playoff semifinal at last season's Rose Bowl, with Michigan winning on the way to capturing the national championship.Blues have all the fun in convincing victory over the Blackhawks in the Winter ClassicCHICAGO (AP) — St. Louis coach Jim Montgomery walked around before the Winter Classic. He looked at the growing crowd soaking in the festive atmosphere. He thought about all the famous ballplayers who played at Wrigley Field. He called the experience "just really cool." The Winter Classic returned to Wrigley on the final day of 2024, and the Chicago Blackhawks threw quite a party. Fireworks streaked through the night sky at the home of baseball's Chicago Cubs. It was a very Chicago party, and St. Louis had all the fun. The Blues rolled to a 6-2 victory over the Blackhawks in front of a crowd of 40,933.Dartmouth basketball players end their unionization attempt in anticipation of shifting NLRBBOSTON (AP) — The Dartmouth men's basketball team has dropped its attempt to form a union. The team is ending a push to become the first college sports team to unionize in order to avoid a potentially damaging precedent from a National Labor Relations Board that soon will be controlled by Republicans. The Service Employees International Union Local 560 filed a request to withdraw the NLRB petition on Tuesday rather than take its chances with an unfriendly labor board likely to take over in the new presidential administration. The request was approved later Tuesday. The Dartmouth case threatened to upend the NCAA's amateur model.Resting or playing running back Saquon Barkley is a tougher decision than it seems for EaglesSaquon Barkley's pursuit of Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old rushing record could get grounded by his coach. Nick Sirianni's decision is more difficult than it seems. Barkley needs 101 yards rushing against his former team on Sunday to set the NFL's single-season record. But the Philadelphia Eagles are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC so the outcome of their game won't affect the standings. Win, lose or tie against the New York Giants, the Eagles will host the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in a wild-card playoff game. They don't have a bye so this game is an opportunity for Sirianni to rest most of his starters ahead of the playoffs and avoid risking injuries to key players.Arizona State extends coach Kenny Dillingham 5 more years, AP source saysArizona State coach Kenny Dillingham has agreed to a five-year contract extension on the eve of the Sun Devils' College Football Playoff quarterfinal game, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press. Dillingham will receive a pay increase and substantial bonus increases, the person said on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. The contract extension was first reported by ESPN'. The 34-year-old Dillingham orchestrated one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college football history, taking the No. 10 Sun Devils from three wins a year ago to the New Year's Day Peach Bowl against No. 4 Texas.Schauffele says Ryder Cup pay for Americans is going to charity and 'we're going to take crap'KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — Xander Schauffele says the plan is for Americans to give their Ryder Cup compensation to charity. The PGA of America is paying players for the first time. They will get $300,000 for charity and a $200,000 stipend for the September matches at Bethpage Black. Schauffele says all that means is more money going to charity and the Americans are "going to take crap" for perceived greed. He says captain Keegan Bradley had a plan for players to pool the stipend for a local charity. Bradley says the timetable of announcing the plan was moved up because of a British newspaper report.US beats Canada 4-1 to finish first in its group at world junior championshipOTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Danny Nelson scored the eventual game-winner in the third period and Trey Augustine made 38 saves, leading the United States to a 4-1 win over Canada and into the top spot in Group A at the world junior hockey championship. Cole Hutson and Cole Eiserman each had a goal and an assist for the Americans. Ryan Leonard scored into an empty-net. In another Group A game, Finland beat Latvia 3-0. In Group B, Switzerland beat Kazakhstan 3-1 to secure a spot in the quarterfinal round, and Sweden completed a sweep of its four preliminary round games, beating Czechia 4-2.AP-ScorecardTODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Boston	125	Toronto	71	Final	Milwaukee	120	Indiana	112	Final	San Antonio	122	L.A. Clippers	86	Final	Oklahoma City	113	Minnesota	105	Final	Cleveland	122	L.A. Lakers	110	Final	Memphis	117	Phoenix	112	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Washington	3	Boston	1	Final	Toronto	3	N-Y Islanders	1	Final	Montreal	3	Vegas	2	Final	St. Louis	6	Chicago	2	Final	Colorado	5	Winnipeg	2	Final	Dallas	4	Buffalo	2	Final	Detroit	4	Pittsburgh	2	Final	Philadelphia	4	San Jose	0	Final	Anaheim	3	New Jersey	2	Final	Minnesota	5	Nashville	3	Final SO	Columbus	4	Carolina	3	Final	Edmonton	4	Utah	1	Final	Calgary	3	Vancouver	1	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(5)Penn St.	31	(8)Boise St.	14	Final	(21)Illinois	21	(14)South Carolina	17	Final	Michigan	19	(11)Alabama	13	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(1)Tennessee	67	Norfolk St.	52	Final	(4)Duke	88	Virginia Tech	65	Final	West Virginia	62	(7)Kansas	61	Final	(8)Marquette	78	Providence	50	Final	(10)Kentucky	88	Brown	54	Final	(25)Baylor	81	Utah	56	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Javon Small hit the go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, and short-handed West Virginia held on after blowing an 18-point second-half lead to beat seventh-ranked Kansas 62-61 in an intense Big 12 opener for both teams Tuesday.

Eduardo Andre had 15 points and Small finished with 13 for the Mountaineers (10-2, 1-0), who built a 38-20 lead despite missing two of their three leading scorers to injuries, only to watch Kansas (9-3, 0-1) use a 15-2 run to get back in the game.

Zeke Mayo, who led the Jayhawks with 27 points, converted a three-point play to tie the game 61-all with 16 seconds left. Small was fouled by Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga at the other end and made the second of two free throws, and KJ Adams missed a contested shot as time expired that would have sent the game to overtime.

It was the first conference-opening loss for Kansas since Jan. 8, 1991, and the first win for the Mountaineers in 12 tries in Allen Fieldhouse. They had lost six of their last seven games to the Jayhawks.

West Virginia played its fourth game without star forward Tucker DeVries and also was missing big man Amani Hansberry to an ankle injury. But the Mountaineers committed just six turnovers while never getting rattled by the noise in the Phog.

Kansas missed 15 of its first 19 shots, digging a hole that it spend the entire game trying to escape. Mayo gave the Jayhawks a chance, going 13 for 13 at the foul line, including several of them in the closing minutes.

Small struggled from the field, going 0 for 6 from the 3-point arc. But he also had 11 rebounds and six assists, and he made the free throw that mattered with 1.8 seconds to go.

Kansas went 19 of 21 from the foul line. West Virginia only attempted six free throws, making four — including the winner.

West Virginia plays Oklahoma State on Saturday. Kansas heads to UCF on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735679295068.png" alt="Photo West Virginia Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo West Virginia Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Javon Small hit the go-ahead free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining, and short-handed West Virginia held on after blowing an 18-point second-half lead to beat seventh-ranked Kansas 62-61 in an intense Big 12 opener for both teams Tuesday.Eduardo Andre had 15 points and Small finished with 13 for the Mountaineers (10-2, 1-0), who built a 38-20 lead despite missing two of their three leading scorers to injuries, only to watch Kansas (9-3, 0-1) use a 15-2 run to get back in the game.Zeke Mayo, who led the Jayhawks with 27 points, converted a three-point play to tie the game 61-all with 16 seconds left. Small was fouled by Kansas freshman Flory Bidunga at the other end and made the second of two free throws, and KJ Adams missed a contested shot as time expired that would have sent the game to overtime.It was the first conference-opening loss for Kansas since Jan. 8, 1991, and the first win for the Mountaineers in 12 tries in Allen Fieldhouse. They had lost six of their last seven games to the Jayhawks.<h2>Takeaways</h2>West Virginia played its fourth game without star forward Tucker DeVries and also was missing big man Amani Hansberry to an ankle injury. But the Mountaineers committed just six turnovers while never getting rattled by the noise in the Phog.Kansas missed 15 of its first 19 shots, digging a hole that it spend the entire game trying to escape. Mayo gave the Jayhawks a chance, going 13 for 13 at the foul line, including several of them in the closing minutes.<h2>Key moment</h2>Small struggled from the field, going 0 for 6 from the 3-point arc. But he also had 11 rebounds and six assists, and he made the free throw that mattered with 1.8 seconds to go.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas went 19 of 21 from the foul line. West Virginia only attempted six free throws, making four — including the winner.<h2>Up next</h2>West Virginia plays Oklahoma State on Saturday. Kansas heads to UCF on Sunday.

🏀 West Virginia hits go-ahead FT with 1.8 seconds left to beat KU

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Longtime coach Jack Hartman and Utah State star Wayne Estes, who was tragically killed while trying to provide help at the site of an auto accident after his final game, are among eight coaches and players who will be posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame revealed its latest class Tuesday. The date of the induction ceremony has not been announced.

The other members include Dave Meyers, who helped UCLA win the NCAA title in 1973 and ‘75; Duquesne’s Sihugo Green, the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft; Lennie Rosenbluth, who led North Carolina to a 32-0 record and then 1957 NCAA title; New Mexico State's Sam Lacey, the fifth overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft; John Rudometkin, the first Southern California player to score more than 1,000 points in two seasons; and Tom Stith of St. Bonaventure, who average 26.5 points for his career.

Hartman, who played football and basketball at Oklahoma State, is perhaps the most high-profile member of the class. He played quarterback in the Canadian Football League after college before turning his attention to coaching, first as an assistant at his alma mater and later at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College and Southern Illinois.

It was at Kansas State where Hartman made his biggest splash. He followed Tex Winter and Cotton Fitzsimmons in leading the Wildcats to four Elite Eights during 16 seasons, finishing first or second in the Big Eight in 10 of those years.

Hartman retired in 1986 with a 589–279 record. He died in 1998 at the age of 73.

Estes was just 21 when he died on Feb. 8, 1965. The 6-foot-6 forward had just scored 48 points for Utah State against Denver in his final game, pushing him past 2,000 points for his career, when he stopped at the scene of a car accident near campus. Estes was crossing the street when he accidentally touched a downed power line, fatally electrocuting him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735670756194.png" alt="Longtime coach Jack Hartman -photo courtesy KSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Longtime coach Jack Hartman -photo courtesy KSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Longtime coach Jack Hartman and Utah State star Wayne Estes, who was tragically killed while trying to provide help at the site of an auto accident after his final game, are among eight coaches and players who will be posthumously inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.The Hall of Fame revealed its latest class Tuesday. The date of the induction ceremony has not been announced.The other members include Dave Meyers, who helped UCLA win the NCAA title in 1973 and ‘75; Duquesne’s Sihugo Green, the first overall pick in the 1956 NBA draft; Lennie Rosenbluth, who led North Carolina to a 32-0 record and then 1957 NCAA title; New Mexico State's Sam Lacey, the fifth overall pick in the 1970 NBA draft; John Rudometkin, the first Southern California player to score more than 1,000 points in two seasons; and Tom Stith of St. Bonaventure, who average 26.5 points for his career.Hartman, who played football and basketball at Oklahoma State, is perhaps the most high-profile member of the class. He played quarterback in the Canadian Football League after college before turning his attention to coaching, first as an assistant at his alma mater and later at Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College and Southern Illinois.It was at Kansas State where Hartman made his biggest splash. He followed Tex Winter and Cotton Fitzsimmons in leading the Wildcats to four Elite Eights during 16 seasons, finishing first or second in the Big Eight in 10 of those years.Hartman retired in 1986 with a 589–279 record. He died in 1998 at the age of 73.Estes was just 21 when he died on Feb. 8, 1965. The 6-foot-6 forward had just scored 48 points for Utah State against Denver in his final game, pushing him past 2,000 points for his career, when he stopped at the scene of a car accident near campus. Estes was crossing the street when he accidentally touched a downed power line, fatally electrocuting him.

Former K-State coach named to National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734905537008.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>LAWRENCE, Kan. &mdash;&nbsp;No. 7 Kansas (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) opens Big 12 play hosting West Virginia (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) on Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 1 p.m. CT. The game will be played in Allen Fieldhouse and will be televised on ESPN+. &nbsp; Kansas is 19-7 all-time against West Virginia, including 11-0 in Allen Fieldhouse. KU has won six of the last seven and 11 of the last 13 meetings versus WVU. &nbsp; Kansas has won a mind-boggling 33-straight conference openers dating back to the 1991-92 season, with 14 of those at home in Allen Fieldhouse and 19 on the road. The last time Kansas lost a league opener was at Oklahoma, 88-82, on Jan. 8, 1991. &nbsp; KU is No. 12 in the NET report by the NCAA through games of Dec. 28. The No. 12 rank is third in the Big 12 behind No. 6 Houston and No. 8 Iowa State. &nbsp; Kansas (9-2, 0-0 Big 12) closed out non-conference play for the 2024-25 season with an 87-53 win against Brown on Dec. 22. The win made Kansas 7-0 at home this season and extended its home game winning streak to eight. &nbsp; The Jayhawks average 79.2 points per game and have a +13.2 scoring margin. KU pulls down 38.2 rebounds per contest with a +5.4 rebound margin. Kansas is making 49.8% from the field, which is third in the Big 12 and 24th nationally, including 35.5% from three-point range. Kansas ranks second in the Big 12 and ninth nationally in assists average at 18.8. KU also averages 7.2 steals and 4.9 blocked shots per game. Coming off his third-straight and sixth double-double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds against Brown (12/22), graduate C&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/hunter-dickinson/15488" rel="smarttag" rev="15488" data-airgap-id="66">Hunter Dickinson</a></dfn>&nbsp;leads Kansas in scoring at 15.5 ppg and rebounding at 10.3 rpg. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week, Dickinson leads the Big 12 in double-doubles (6), which is 10th nationally, and is second in rebounds per game (10.3), which is 12th nationally. Dickinson also leads KU with 17 blocked shots and he has 16 steals. Senior G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/zeke-mayo/15498" rel="smarttag" rev="15498" data-airgap-id="67">Zeke Mayo</a></dfn>&nbsp;is averaging 25.5 points in his last two games after his 25 points against Brown (12/22) and season-high 26 points against NC State (12/14). A two-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, Mayo is averaging 13.5 points per game and has made a team-high 24 threes. He is second on the team with 36 assists and pulls down 4.2 rebounds per contest. &nbsp; Graduate G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/dajuan-harris-jr-/15490" rel="smarttag" rev="15490" data-airgap-id="68">Dajuan Harris Jr.</a></dfn>&nbsp;is a four-year starter who is averaging 10.3 points per game and he is second in the Big 12 in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.88, which is 10th nationally, and assists per game at 5.6, which is 35th nationally. &nbsp; Senior F&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kj-adams/15494" rel="smarttag" rev="15494" data-airgap-id="69">KJ Adams</a></dfn>&nbsp;is a starter who is scoring 9.5 points per game. Adams has 25 assists, 12 blocked shots and seven steals. Junior G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/aj-storr/15496" rel="smarttag" rev="15496" data-airgap-id="70">AJ Storr</a></dfn>&nbsp;has started three games and he is scoring 7.9 points per contest. Storr has made 10 threes this season. Junior G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/rylan-griffen/15499" rel="smarttag" rev="15499" data-airgap-id="71">Rylan Griffen</a></dfn>&nbsp;is third on the team with 12 threes made. He is averaging 6.9 ppg and has started seven games this season. Senior G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/david-coit/15715" rel="smarttag" rev="15715" data-airgap-id="72">David Coit</a></dfn>&nbsp;has three starts in 2024-25 and he is second on the team with 16 threes made. Coit averages 6.1 points per game. Freshman F&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/flory-bidunga/15502" rel="smarttag" rev="15502" data-airgap-id="73">Flory Bidunga</a></dfn>&nbsp;is second on the team with a 4.9 rebound average. Bidunga averages 6.1 points per game, has 10 blocked shots and is shooting 81.1 percent (30-37) from the field. Other KU regulars include graduate G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/shakeel-moore/15495" rel="smarttag" rev="15495" data-airgap-id="74">Shakeel Moore</a></dfn>&nbsp;(2.3 ppg), redshirt-junior F&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/zach-clemence/15486" rel="smarttag" rev="15486" data-airgap-id="75">Zach Clemence</a></dfn>&nbsp;(1.4 ppg) and freshman G&nbsp;<dfn><a href="https://kuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/rakease-passmore/15497" rel="smarttag" rev="15497" data-airgap-id="76">Rakease Passmore</a></dfn>&nbsp;(1.4 ppg). &nbsp; UP NEXT Kansas continues Big 12 play at UCF on Sunday, Jan. 5. The contest from Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida, will tip at 3 p.m. (Central) and will be televised on ESPN+. &nbsp; UCF won the only series meeting with Kansas, 65-60, on Jan. 10, 2024, in Orlando.</div>

🏀 Kansas hosts West Virginia in conference opener

AP Sports Summary for December 31st, 2024:

Westbrook has 'perfect' triple-double, 0 turnovers in Nuggets' 132-121 win over Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to have a triple-double with zero turnovers and shoot 100% from the field and the free-throw line in the Denver Nuggets' 132-121 win over the Utah Jazz. Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 7 for 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line to join Domantas Sabonis in the history books. Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double with 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists, and Jamal Murray had 10 assists to go along with 20 points. Jordan Clarkson scored 24 for the Jazz.

Lions beat the 49ers 40-34 in a tune-up for Week 18 division showdown

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions tuned up for their Week 18 division showdown against Minnesota by beating the San Francisco 49ers 40-34. Goff threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the final minute of the third quarter following the first of Kerby Joseph's two second-half interceptions against Brock Purdy in a rematch of last season's NFC title game won by San Francisco. That proved to be enough for the Lions to extend their franchise record for wins in a season as they beat the 49ers on the road for the first time since 1975.

Giants beat the Colts but lost the coveted No. 1 draft pick

The New York Giants lost by winning. A rare victory — 45-33 over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday — knocked the Giants out of control for the coveted No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. So much for Shedeur Sanders' Giants-themed cleats unless New York trades up to get the Colorado quarterback. The Giants dropped from first to fourth in the draft order, with the Patriots moving up to No. 1. Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward won't be around if New York has to settle for the fourth pick. That's why Giants fans were angry after witnessing the team's first win at MetLife Stadium this season.

NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18

The NFC's No. 1 seed will come down to the final game of the regular season when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser becomes the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Lions hold the tiebreaker if the teams enter with identical records and play to a tie. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18.

A jet carrying the Gonzaga men's basketball team ordered to stop to avoid collision at LAX

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men's basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another flight was taking off at Los Angeles International Airport. The plane operated by Key Lime Air was ordered by air traffic controllers to stop as a Delta aircraft took off on Friday. No one was injured. Gonzaga was in Los Angeles for its game against UCLA on Saturday. Key Lime Air did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Los Angeles World Airports referred a media inquiry to the FAA, and a Delta spokesperson said there were no problems for its aircraft.

Kings' interim coach Doug Christie gets 1st win after taking over for Mike Brown

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Doug Christie took over as the interim head coach of the Sacramento Kings amid a season-long losing streak, fans booing the team off their home court and questions surrounding the decision to fire Mike Brown, who led the franchise to its first playoff appearance in 16 years in 2023. Christie got his first win at the helm on Monday with a 110-100 win over the Mavericks, a victory that meant just as much to the team's season as it did to him personally. It wasn't particularly easy, with the Kings falling behind by 18 points early to a Dallas team missing its top three scorers.

On his 40th, LeBron James says he could play "another 5 or 7 years." He won't stay around that long

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday by saying he could still play at an elite NBA level for another five to seven years if he wanted. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar also said Monday he has no intention of staying in basketball that long. James has always vowed to leave the game before his skills declined, but they've shown no signs of doing so as he joins the small group of NBA players to suit up past 40. James also said it's "kind of laughable, really," when he thinks about how he has lasted for a record-tying 22 seasons.

College Football Playoff picks: Broncos and Sun Devils embrace their underdog roles in quarterfinals

The College Football Playoff quarterfinals are here and six of the eight teams are no strangers to the big stage. Boise State and Arizona State are out to show they belong. They're top-four seeds as conference champions and both are double-digit underdogs. The Broncos arrived for Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl wearing T-shirts saying "Please Count Us Out" in capital letters. Penn State is an 11-point favorite. Texas is a 12 1/2-point favorite against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday. Other New Year's playoff games are Ohio State-Oregon in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame-Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Six former Florida State players sue coach Leonard Hamilton over failed NIL payments

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Six former Florida State basketball players are suing Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton and alleging he failed to make good on a promise to get each of them $250,000 in name, image and likeness compensation. Darin Green Jr., De'Ante Green, Cam'Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears and Jalen Warley filed suit Monday in Leon County Circuit Court. The former players allege Hamilton promised them the money from his "business partners." The lawsuit says they walked out of a practice last season over the missed payments and intended to boycott a game against Duke. The suit says they ended up playing amid a guarantee they would be paid but never were. The university says it's still investigating but knows of "no unfulfilled commitments by FSU."

No. 8 Boise State and No. 5 Penn State look for next step in College Football Playoff quarterfinals

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Boise State has taken that long-awaited next step, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time, 17 years after a program-shifting win. Awaiting the No. 8 Broncos in the desert is another team that made a breakthrough. No. 5 Penn State also is in its first CFP playoff, shaking its can't-win-the-big-game reputation with a victory over SMU. The prize in Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl: a trip to the CFP semifinals. Boise got here behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. The Nittany Lions earned their spot behind a stout defense and one of the nation's best tight ends in Tyler Warren.

Final	(17)Mississippi St.	87	Bethune-Cookman	73	

Final	(18)Michigan St.	80	W. Michigan	62	

		(14)South Carolina	at	(21)Illinois	3 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, December 31st, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Tuesday, December 31st, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 31st, 2024:<div><iframe title="AP Early Morning Sports for December 31st, 2024" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=596wj-178e2a7-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>Westbrook has 'perfect' triple-double, 0 turnovers in Nuggets' 132-121 win over JazzSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Russell Westbrook became the second player in NBA history to have a triple-double with zero turnovers and shoot 100% from the field and the free-throw line in the Denver Nuggets' 132-121 win over the Utah Jazz. Westbrook finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. He shot 7 for 7 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free-throw line to join Domantas Sabonis in the history books. Nikola Jokic also had a triple-double with 36 points, 22 rebounds and 11 assists, and Jamal Murray had 10 assists to go along with 20 points. Jordan Clarkson scored 24 for the Jazz.Lions beat the 49ers 40-34 in a tune-up for Week 18 division showdownSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Detroit Lions tuned up for their Week 18 division showdown against Minnesota by beating the San Francisco 49ers 40-34. Goff threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown in the final minute of the third quarter following the first of Kerby Joseph's two second-half interceptions against Brock Purdy in a rematch of last season's NFC title game won by San Francisco. That proved to be enough for the Lions to extend their franchise record for wins in a season as they beat the 49ers on the road for the first time since 1975.Giants beat the Colts but lost the coveted No. 1 draft pickThe New York Giants lost by winning. A rare victory — 45-33 over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday — knocked the Giants out of control for the coveted No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. So much for Shedeur Sanders' Giants-themed cleats unless New York trades up to get the Colorado quarterback. The Giants dropped from first to fourth in the draft order, with the Patriots moving up to No. 1. Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward won't be around if New York has to settle for the fourth pick. That's why Giants fans were angry after witnessing the team's first win at MetLife Stadium this season.NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18The NFC's No. 1 seed will come down to the final game of the regular season when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday night. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser becomes the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Lions hold the tiebreaker if the teams enter with identical records and play to a tie. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18.A jet carrying the Gonzaga men's basketball team ordered to stop to avoid collision at LAXLOS ANGELES (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after a private jet carrying the Gonzaga University men's basketball team nearly crossed a runway as another flight was taking off at Los Angeles International Airport. The plane operated by Key Lime Air was ordered by air traffic controllers to stop as a Delta aircraft took off on Friday. No one was injured. Gonzaga was in Los Angeles for its game against UCLA on Saturday. Key Lime Air did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Los Angeles World Airports referred a media inquiry to the FAA, and a Delta spokesperson said there were no problems for its aircraft.Kings' interim coach Doug Christie gets 1st win after taking over for Mike BrownSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Doug Christie took over as the interim head coach of the Sacramento Kings amid a season-long losing streak, fans booing the team off their home court and questions surrounding the decision to fire Mike Brown, who led the franchise to its first playoff appearance in 16 years in 2023. Christie got his first win at the helm on Monday with a 110-100 win over the Mavericks, a victory that meant just as much to the team's season as it did to him personally. It wasn't particularly easy, with the Kings falling behind by 18 points early to a Dallas team missing its top three scorers.On his 40th, LeBron James says he could play "another 5 or 7 years." He won't stay around that longEL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James celebrated his 40th birthday by saying he could still play at an elite NBA level for another five to seven years if he wanted. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar also said Monday he has no intention of staying in basketball that long. James has always vowed to leave the game before his skills declined, but they've shown no signs of doing so as he joins the small group of NBA players to suit up past 40. James also said it's "kind of laughable, really," when he thinks about how he has lasted for a record-tying 22 seasons.College Football Playoff picks: Broncos and Sun Devils embrace their underdog roles in quarterfinalsThe College Football Playoff quarterfinals are here and six of the eight teams are no strangers to the big stage. Boise State and Arizona State are out to show they belong. They're top-four seeds as conference champions and both are double-digit underdogs. The Broncos arrived for Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl wearing T-shirts saying "Please Count Us Out" in capital letters. Penn State is an 11-point favorite. Texas is a 12 1/2-point favorite against Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Wednesday. Other New Year's playoff games are Ohio State-Oregon in the Rose Bowl and Notre Dame-Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.Six former Florida State players sue coach Leonard Hamilton over failed NIL paymentsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Six former Florida State basketball players are suing Seminoles coach Leonard Hamilton and alleging he failed to make good on a promise to get each of them $250,000 in name, image and likeness compensation. Darin Green Jr., De'Ante Green, Cam'Ron Fletcher, Josh Nickelberry, Primo Spears and Jalen Warley filed suit Monday in Leon County Circuit Court. The former players allege Hamilton promised them the money from his "business partners." The lawsuit says they walked out of a practice last season over the missed payments and intended to boycott a game against Duke. The suit says they ended up playing amid a guarantee they would be paid but never were. The university says it's still investigating but knows of "no unfulfilled commitments by FSU."No. 8 Boise State and No. 5 Penn State look for next step in College Football Playoff quarterfinalsGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Boise State has taken that long-awaited next step, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time, 17 years after a program-shifting win. Awaiting the No. 8 Broncos in the desert is another team that made a breakthrough. No. 5 Penn State also is in its first CFP playoff, shaking its can't-win-the-big-game reputation with a victory over SMU. The prize in Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl: a trip to the CFP semifinals. Boise got here behind Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. The Nittany Lions earned their spot behind a stout defense and one of the nation's best tight ends in Tyler Warren.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	New York	126	Washington	106	Final OT	Chicago	115	Charlotte	108	Final	L.A. Clippers	116	New Orleans	113	Final	Denver	132	Utah	121	Final	Cleveland	113	Golden State	95	Final	Sacramento	110	Dallas	100	Final	Philadelphia	125	Portland	103	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Florida	5	N-Y Rangers	3	Final	Winnipeg	3	Nashville	0	Final	Seattle	5	Utah	2	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	Detroit	40	San Francisco	34	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(23)Missouri	27	Iowa	24	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(2)Auburn	87	Monmouth (NJ)	58	Final	(3)Iowa St.	79	Colorado	69	Final	(14)Houston	60	Oklahoma St.	47	Final	Kansas St.	70	(16)Cincinnati	67	Final	(17)Mississippi St.	87	Bethune-Cookman	73	Final	(18)Michigan St.	80	W. Michigan	62	Final	(19)Gonzaga	89	Pepperdine	82	Final	(23)Arkansas	92	Oakland	62	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Milwaukee	at	Indiana	3 p.m.			Toronto	at	Boston	3 p.m.			L.A. Clippers	at	San Antonio	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Oklahoma City	8 p.m.			Cleveland	at	L.A. Lakers	9 p.m.			Memphis	at	Phoenix	9 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Boston	at	Washington	12:30 p.m.			N-Y Islanders	at	Toronto	1 p.m.			Montreal	at	Vegas	3 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Chicago	5 p.m.			Buffalo	at	Dallas	8 p.m.			Carolina	at	Columbus	8 p.m.			Nashville	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.			New Jersey	at	Anaheim	8 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	San Jose	8 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Detroit	8 p.m.			Winnipeg	at	Colorado	8 p.m.			Utah	at	Edmonton	9 p.m.			Vancouver	at	Calgary	9 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(5)Penn St.	at	(8)Boise St.	7:30 p.m.			(14)South Carolina	at	(21)Illinois	3 p.m.			(11)Alabama	at	Michigan	12 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		Norfolk St.	at	(1)Tennessee	3 p.m.			Virginia Tech	at	(4)Duke	4:30 p.m.			West Virginia	at	(7)Kansas	2 p.m.			(8)Marquette	at	Providence	6 p.m.			Brown	at	(10)Kentucky	2 p.m.			Utah	at	(25)Baylor	2 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Tuesday

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.

David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.

Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.

Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.

Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.

Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.

Max Jones had eight points and five boards, but no play was bigger than when he kept alive Hawkins' missed free throw in the waning seconds. That got C.J. Jones to the foul line and he provided Kansas State some breathing room.

The Wildcats were 16 of 20 at the foul line. Cincinnati was 4 for 7.

Cincinnati plays Arizona on Saturday. Kansas State visits TCU the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735610859876.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.<h2>Key moment</h2>Max Jones had eight points and five boards, but no play was bigger than when he kept alive Hawkins' missed free throw in the waning seconds. That got C.J. Jones to the foul line and he provided Kansas State some breathing room.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Wildcats were 16 of 20 at the foul line. Cincinnati was 4 for 7.<h2>Up next</h2>Cincinnati plays Arizona on Saturday. Kansas State visits TCU the same day.___