AP Sports Summary for January 11th, 2024.
Alabama's Nick Saban retires after 7 national titles, most in major college football history
Alabama coach Nick Saban is retiring after winning more national championships than any other major college football coach. Saban won seven national championships and turned Alabama back into a national powerhouse that included six of those titles in 17 seasons. He made the announcement Wednesday. Saban led the Tide to nine Southeastern Conference championships and won his first national title at Alabama with a 14-0 season in 2009. Titles came again in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020. He also won a national title with LSU in 2003.
East-leading Celtics hold off West's best Timberwolves in OT, improve to 18-0 at home
BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 45 points — 14 of them in the fourth quarter and another 12 in overtime — as the Boston Celtics beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 127-120 in a matchup of the two conference leaders to remain perfect at home. Jaylen Brown had 35 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics, who are 18-0 at home for the first time in franchise history. Anthony Edwards had 29 points and Karl Anthony-Towns scored 25 with 13 rebounds for Minnesota, which has the best record in the Western Conference at 26-11 and trails only Boston overall. The Celtics are 29-8.
Victor Wembanyama has 1st NBA triple-double for Spurs in 130-108 victory over Pistons
DETROIT (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first triple-double in the NBA, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 130-108 win over the Detroit Pistons. Wembanyama pulled off the feat in just 21 minutes playing against the franchise that was hoping to land him. Detroit had the league's worst record last year, but didn't get the first pick in the draft lottery. Wembanyama was 6 of 16 from the field and showed his playmaking skills on the break and in the post to surpass his previous season high of seven assists.
Pete Carroll is out as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks after 14 seasons
RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Pete Carroll is out after 14 seasons as the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, responsible for two NFC championships and the only Super Bowl title in franchise history during his long tenure. The 72-year old coach is moving into an advisory role with the organization, according to a statement from owner Jody Allen on Wednesday. Seattle closed the regular season with a 21-20 win at Arizona on Sunday. The Seahawks entered the final two weeks of the regular season with the chance at reaching the playoffs for the 11th time with Carroll in charge, but a Week 17 loss to Pittsburgh left Seattle in need of help it didn't get to close out the season.
UCF Knights' defense powers team to comeback victory over No. 3 Kansas Jayhawks
ORLANDO, FL (AP) — Jaylin Sellers scored 18 points, Darius Johnson added 17 and UCF erased a 16-point deficit to beat No. 3 Kansas 65-60 on Wednesday night. UCF's victory came one night after No. 1 Purdue and second-ranked Houston lost.
Pro Picks: NFL's wild-card weekend filled with reunions and rematches
Matthew Stafford vs. the Lions. Mike McCarthy vs. the Packers. Tyreek Hill vs. the Chiefs. The NFL's wild-card weekend is all about reunions and some rematches, too. Stafford leads the Los Angeles Rams to Detroit to face his old team where he spent 12 seasons and didn't win a playoff game. McCarthy's Dallas Cowboys host Green Bay, the team he led to a Super Bowl title with Aaron Rodgers 13 years ago. Hill and the Miami Dolphins head to Kansas City, which won one Super Bowl with the dynamic wide receiver and one without him last season. The upstart Houston Texans take on the Browns for the second time in three weeks.
Sportsbooks pulling hard for big underdogs Packers and Steelers in the playoffs
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sportsbook directors follow the money when it comes to cheering for particular teams. They are solidly behind the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend. Both are sizable underdogs in the NFL playoffs, with the majority of the money from casual bettors going to the favorites. The Packers are 7 1/2-point underdogs at FanDuel Sportsbook in the wild-card round at the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Pittsburgh is an even bigger dog at plus-10 on Sunday at the Buffalo Bills.
Israel barred from International Ice Hockey Federation events over security concerns
ZURICH (AP) — The International Ice Hockey Federation has barred Israel from competing in its world championship events citing security concerns. The IIHF says its ruling council's decision was based on concern for "the safety and well-being of all participants," including Israelis. It set no deadline for the teams to return to competition. The statement did not say if any other country had objected to playing against Israel and made no mention of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Flyers coach John Tortorella lashes out at reporter about Gauthier trade report
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Flyers coach John Tortorella lashed out at a beat reporter during his postgame news conference Wednesday night, questioning a report surrounding the trade of top prospect Cutter Gauthier on Monday. Gauthier told Flyers general manager Danny Briere that he didn't want to play in Philadelphia or for the Flyers. Unable to sign Gauthier, Philadelphia traded the Boston College star to Anaheim on Monday for defenseman Jamie Drysdale. On Monday, a reporter with a podcast affiliated with the team said, citing an organizational source, that former Flyers forward Kevin Hayes' "fingerprints are all over this." Hayes, a former Boston College player, now plays for St. Louis. Tortorella took issue with the report after Philadelphia's 3-2 victory over Montreal on Wednesday night.
Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has cancer and might have less than a year to live
STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) — Swedish soccer coach Sven-Goran Eriksson says he has cancer and might have less than a year to live. The former England coach has told Swedish Radio he discovered he had cancer after collapsing suddenly. He said in February last year he was reducing his public appearances because of health issues. Eriksson says he has pancreatic cancer and that it is inoperable. He says he is trying to think positively. Eriksson was England's first ever foreign-born coach from 2001-06 after making his name winning league titles at club level with Lazio in Italy, Benfica in Portugal and IFK Gothenburg in his native Sweden.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Sacramento 123 Charlotte 98
Final San Antonio 130 Detroit 108
Final Indiana 112 Washington 104
Final OT Boston 127 Minnesota 120
Final Oklahoma City 128 Miami 120
Final OT Atlanta 139 Philadelphia 132
Final OT Chicago 124 Houston 119
Final New Orleans 141 Golden State 105
Final Utah 124 Denver 111
Final L.A. Clippers 126 Toronto 120
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final SO Philadelphia 3 Montreal 2
Final Dallas 7 Minnesota 2
Final Colorado 3 Vegas 0
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final UCF 65 (3)Kansas 60
Final (4)UConn 80 Xavier 75
Final Mississippi St. 77 (5)Tennessee 72
Final (7)North Carolina 67 NC State 54
Final TCU 80 (9)Oklahoma 71
Final Butler 69 (11)Marquette 62
Final (13)Memphis 107 UTSA 101
Final (15)Wisconsin 71 Ohio St. 60
Final Virginia Tech 87 (21)Clemson 72
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Brooklyn at Cleveland 2 p.m.
Boston at Milwaukee 7:30 p.m.
Portland at Oklahoma City 8 p.m.
New York at Dallas 8:30 p.m.
Phoenix at L.A. Lakers 10 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Anaheim at Carolina 7 p.m.
Edmonton at Detroit 7 p.m.
Los Angeles at Florida 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Tampa Bay 7 p.m.
Ottawa at Buffalo 7 p.m.
San Jose at Montreal 7 p.m.
Seattle at Washington 7 p.m.
Toronto at N-Y Islanders 7 p.m.
Vancouver at Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
Chicago at Winnipeg 8 p.m.
N-Y Rangers at St. Louis 8 p.m.
Calgary at Arizona 9 p.m.
Boston at Vegas 10 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Michigan St. at (10)Illinois 9 p.m.
(23)Gonzaga at Santa Clara 9:30 p.m.
(24)FAU at Tulane 7 p.m.
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