KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs advanced to their first Super Bowl in 50 years by doing things decidedly their way. They let Patrick Mahomes and their potent offense wing the ball all over the field, never worrying for a moment that they were being too cavalier. They stuffed the line of scrimmage to take away Tennessee running back Derrick Henry, then did just enough in pass defense to ensure the Titans' Ryan Tannehill didn't beat them through the air. It all added up to a 35-24 victory in the AFC title game and a spot in the Chiefs' first Super Bowl since the 1969 season.
UNDATED (AP) — Baylor leaped over Gonzaga and into the No. 1 spot in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll to give the Top 25 its seventh team on top this season. That matches the record set in 1983 for the most No. 1s in the history of the poll that dates to the 1948-49 season. Baylor received 33 first-place votes from the 65-member media panel and had 1,591 points. Gonzaga received 31 first-place votes for 1,588 points. Kansas, undefeated San Diego State and Florida State replaced Duke, Auburn and Butler in the top five after those three schools each lost a pair of games last week.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Oscar Tshiebwe had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Derek Culver scored 13 points, No. 14 West Virginia jumped to a big early lead and coasted to a 97-59 victory over Texas. It was the fifth-worst loss in Texas history and the worst under coach Shaka Smart. Jermaine Haley added 12 points and Jordan McCabe scored 10 for the Mountaineers. West Virginia improved to 9-0 at home and bounced back from a lopsided loss at Kansas State that cost them a spot in the top 10 this week. Jase Febres led the Longhorns with 18 points and Matt Coleman scored 15.
WACO, Texas (AP) — Dave Aranda sensed something special about Baylor even before the Bears were looking for a new head football coach. Baylor formally introduced Aranda on Monday, four days after he was hired as a first-time head coach. He spent the past four seasons as defensive coordinator for national champion LSU. Aranda says he could see the togetherness and toughness of the Bears when watching them against Oklahoma. That's the team the Tigers beat in the national semifinal game. He takes over for Matt Rhule. Rhule is now coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Aranda says he's excited about furthering the progress that has been made under Rhule the past three seasons.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter is hoping he can bounce back from a poor season that was interrupted by injuries. The three-time All-Star hit just .226 with 15 home runs. Carpenter hit a career-high 36 homers in 2018 and that earned him a two-year contract for $39 million. The NL Central champion Cardinals have indicated Carpenter will be their starting third baseman this season. He turned 34 in November. Carpenter spoke Monday at the team's annual Winter Warm-Up fan event in St. Louis.
National Headlines
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Celtics had dropped three in a row before Jayson Tatum delivered 27 points in just 29 minutes of a 139-107 thrashing of the Western Conference-leading Lakers. Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown each chipped in 20 points and Enes Kanter added 18 with 11 rebounds as Boston stayed a half-game behind the Atlantic Division-leading Raptors. JaVale McGee had 18 points for Los Angeles, which lost for only the second time in 12 games.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo registered a triple-double of 28 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in just 31 minutes of the Milwaukee Bucks’ seventh straight win, 111-98 against the Chicago Bulls. Khris Middleton contributed 24 points as the Bucks improved to a league-best 39-6 at home, including 21-2 at home.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Michael Porter Jr. posted his second double-double in three games with 20 points and 14 rebounds in the Denver Nuggets’ 107-100 downing of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jerami Grant scored 19 points and Nikola Jokic added 17 with 13 rebounds to help Denver win without Jamal Murray, Paul Millsap and Gary Harris Jr. The Timberwolves dropped their sixth in a row despite Karl-Anthony Towns’ game-high 28 points.
MIAMI (AP) — Kendrick Nunn provided 25 points and James Johnson added 22 on 9-for-11 shooting as the Miami Heat outlasted Sacramento, 118-113 in overtime. Goran Dragic scored 18 as the Heat improved their league-best home record to 19-1. Bam Adebayo finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for Miami, which is 7-0 in OT.
ATLANTA (AP) — Norman Powell furnished 17 of his 27 points in the final period as the Toronto Raptors hung on to beat the Atlanta Hawks, 122-117. Fred VanVleet had 20 points, including three free throws with 14.2 left after Toronto blew most of a 21-point lead. Trae Young had 42 points and 15 assists for Atlanta, which pulled within 117-115.
Monday Scores
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)Baylor 61 Oklahoma 57
Final (14)West Virginia 97 Texas 59
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Washington 106 Detroit 100
Final Toronto 122 Atlanta 117
Final Philadelphia 117 Brooklyn 111
Final Milwaukee 111 Chicago 98
Final New Orleans 126 Memphis 116
Final New York 106 Cleveland 86
Final Oklahoma City 112 Houston 107
Final Orlando 106 Charlotte 83
Final OT Miami 118 Sacramento 113
Final Boston 139 L.A. Lakers 107
Final Denver 107 Minnesota 100
Final Utah 118 Indiana 88
Final San Antonio 120 Phoenix 118
Final OT Portland 129 Golden State 124