Here is the latest Big 12 Conference sports news from The Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas has suspended men's basketball coach Chris Beard after he was charged with felony family violence. Beard was arrested by Austin police before dawn Monday on a charge of assault on a family or household member. A woman told police Beard had strangled and bit her. The felony charge carries a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison. The 49-year-old coach is in his second season of a seven-year contract that pays him more than $5 million per year. His attorney says Beard is innocent of the allegation. Beard was released on $10,000 bond.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — No. 7 Texas played without Chris Beard after the coach was suspended for a felony domestic violence arrest, and Marcus Carr scored 28 points to lead the Longhorns to an 87-81 overtime win against Rice. Beard was arrested after a woman alleged he choked and bit her. Texas announced about 90 minutes before tipoff he was suspended without pay and that assistant coach Rodney Terry would lead the team. Quincy Olivari scored 28 points for Rice, which missed the potential game winner in the final seconds of regulation.
JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) — Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach is listed in critical condition at a hospital in Jackson. The update came one day after what the university called "a personal health issue" at his home in Starkville forced him to be airlifted to Jackson. A spokesman at the University of Mississippi Medical Center says Leach is listed in critical condition. Other details are not known. Leach is in his third season at Mississippi State, with a 19-17 record. He is widely recognized for his innovative Air Raid offense.
UNDATED (AP) — Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams is one of three Southern California players to be selected to The Associated Press All-America team. Trojans offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu joined their quarterback to give USC more players on the first team than any other school. Williams accounted for 47 touchdowns this season and led USC to the Pac-12 title game. Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. and Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn, who made it as an all-purpose player, are AP All-Americans for the second year in a row.
UNDATED (AP) — The holiday break is usually a quiet time in college basketball, many of the top teams playing small-conference schools at home or taking extra time off before conference schedules start in full. The season isn't quite there yet and this week is loaded with marquee games, including two involving No. 16 UCLA. The big day is Saturday when No. 4 Alabama faces No. 15 Gonzaga in Birmingham, Alabama, No. 6 Tennessee is at No. 9 Arizona and No. 8 Kansas hosts No. 14 Indiana. UCLA also faces No. 13 Kentucky in New York on Saturday after playing at No. 20 Maryland on Wednesday. The most intriguing game on Saturday might be No. 5 Houston at No. 2 Virginia.
UNDATED (AP) — Kansas has cracked The Associated Press women's basketball poll for the first time in nearly 10 years. The 22nd-ranked Jayhawks routed then 12th-ranked Arizona by 27 points on the road last week. The top five teams remained the same with No. 1 South Carolina followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame. Virginia Tech was sixth and will host Notre Dame on Sunday. Fellow ACC schools North Carolina and N.C. State were seventh and eighth. UConn fell three spots to ninth after losing at Maryland. UCLA moved up three places to 10th.
UNDATED (AP) — Purdue has climbed to No. 1 in men's basketball AP Top 25 for the second straight season. The Boilermakers moved up three spots in this week's poll. Virginia moved up to No. 2, with Connecticut, Alabama and Houston rounding out the top five. The Crimson Tide have their second top-five ranking in three seasons after becoming the second team to beat two No. 1 teams in the same season. Alabama knocked off Houston last week after beating North Carolina earlier in the season.
NEW YORK (AP) — Barring some unusual circumstances, Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams will become the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season. None of them has come close to winning another. Maybe Williams is the one to break the trend and become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State's Archie Griffin (1974-75). Who will challenge Williams in next year's Heisman race?