Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Lute Olson, the Hall of Fame coach who turned Arizona into a college basketball powerhouse, has died. He was 85. Olson's family said he died Thursday evening. The cause of death wasn't given. Olson spent 24 seasons at Arizona, revitalizing a fan base in the desert while transforming a program that had been to the NCAA Tournament just three times in 79 years before he was hired in 1983. Olson first took the Wildcats to the NCAA Tournament during his second season in Tucson to start a string of 25 straight appearances. The Wildcats won a national championship under Olson in 1997 with a team led by Mike Bibby, Jason Terry and Miles Simon.
UNDATED (AP) — A group of Nebraska football players filed a lawsuit asking a jury to force the Big Ten Conference to reinstate a fall football season. The lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court in Lincoln contends, among other things, the players lost opportunities for development in football, will lose exposure for possible professional football opportunities and won't be able to market themselves in order to eventually capitalize on name, image and likeness revenue opportunities. The Big Ten said the lawsuit has no merit.
FREMONT, Neb. (AP) — Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska, and four other small colleges in the state are moving forward with plans to play football this fall. Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers in Lincoln will be sitting idle because of the Big Ten decision to postpone the season until spring because of the coronavirus pandemic. At Midland, players and staff adhere to protocols put in place to mitigate the risk of being infected. Linebacker Theo Blum says he and his teammates are grateful to be able to play. Tight end Austin Harris invites Huskers fans to adopt Midland as its team to cheer for in 2020.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Erik Gonzalez and Adam Frazier singled in runs, rookie Cody Ponce earned his first big league victory and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0 for a doubleheader sweep. Cole Tucker drove in the go-ahead run in extra innings in the Pirates' 4-3 win in the opener. Ponce was used as a reliever in his first two appearances this season and made his first major league start. He went 5 2/3 innings, holding the Cardinals scoreless and scattering five hits. Nick Turley pitched the seventh to record his first save in the majors. Prior to this year, Turley hadn't appeared in affiliated ball since 2017 due to elbow injuries.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs had most of the summer to celebrate their first Super Bowl title in 50 years. That's because they weren't allowed anywhere near the practice facility due to the COVID-19 shutdown. But after back-and-forth negotiations between the league and its players' union crafted the rules for a season that promises to be unlike any other, the Chiefs are set to begin the defense of their crown against the Houston Texans on Sept. 10. And with plenty of returning starters, including stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs believe they can pull it off.
UNDATED (AP) — St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko will undergo surgery on his left shoulder once again and won't be evaluated for another five months. It will be Tarasenko's third operation on that shoulder in the past two and a half years. He's now in danger of missing the start of the next NHL season after missing a vast majority of this past season following surgery in October. General manager Doug Armstrong says there's concern because of how many times Tarasenko has had the same shoulder surgically repaired.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — During this most atypical of training camps, when a slow ramp-up replaced any preseason games, the Chiefs have found themselves going first-team offense against first-team defense quite a bit. The result? Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's bunch are forced to get ready for the opener Sept. 10 against Houston while facing one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL, which in turn is trying to shred the Chiefs defense as Patrick Mahomes and the rest of them are fine-tuning themselves.
Update on the latest sports
RACIAL INJUSTICE-NBA
NBA prepares to restart after protest pause
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — The NBA playoffs are set to resume Saturday, after the league and the National Basketball Players Association detailed the commitments that made players comfortable continuing the postseason.
In a joint statement released Friday, the sides say they will immediately establish a social justice coalition, made up of players, coaches and owners, that would focus on issues such as voting access and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.
Play stopped Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks didn't take the court for their playoff game against Orlando to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Wisconsin and acts of racial injustice. There have been no games since, while players met among themselves and with coaches and owners before an agreement to resume was reached. All 13 teams remaining in the postseason scheduled practice Friday.
Players are calling on people to vote, hopefully in their home arenas. Many within the league of primarily Black players have focused on the importance of voting and the need for places in inner cities where minorities can do so safely.
Madison Square Garden is one of eight arenas ready to open its doors on Election Day. Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rovers said Miami is working hard to make its facility available. Thunder guard Chris Paul pointed out that practice facilities would be helpful if arenas can't be secured.
The players and the league will also immediately establish a social justice coalition, made up of players, coaches and owners. The coalition will focus on issues such as voting access and advocating for meaningful police and criminal justice reform.
And the NBA and players will work with TV networks to create advertising spots during the remainder of the postseason to promote greater engagement in the election process and their communities.
NBA-MAVERICKS-PORZINGIS
Porzingis to miss rest of Mavs-Clippers series
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Kristaps Porzingis (KRIHS'-tahps pohr-ZIHN'-gihs) will miss the rest of the Dallas Mavericks' series against the Los Angeles Clippers because of a torn ligament in his right knee. The team said it is looking into treatment options but added that Porzingis wouldn't be medically cleared the rest of the series. Porzingis averaged 23.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in the first three games of the series.
NHL PLAYOFFS-SCHEDULE CHANGES
NHL playoffs to resume this weekend
UNDATED (AP) — The NHL's second-round playoff series will resume this weekend with three games each on Saturday and Sunday after players prompted the league to postpone two days of action to protest racial injustice.
The postponements of four games to be played Thursday and Friday have led the NHL to push back the potential completion of the second-round schedule by as many as two days should three of the series require a Game 7.
RACIAL INJUSTICE-MOTORSPORTS
NASCAR plans to race, Wallace says fight for racial equality goes on
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR drivers don't plan to skip Saturday's race at Daytona International Speedway to raise awareness of social and racial injustices. But Bubba Wallace says that decision should not be interpreted as "turning away from the dark and evil acts that have taken over our nation."
The 26-year-old Wallace is the only fulltime Black driver in the Cup series and has been a leader in pushing NASCAR for more diversity and its recent ban on the Confederate flag at racetracks. He was the first driver to address any action potentially planned at Daytona as other sports leagues have reacted to the police shooting of a Black man in Wisconsin.
MLB-SCHEDULE
Smith homers in first game since boycott
UNDATED (AP) — Dom Smith was tearful on Wednesday, grateful on Thursday and gleeful on Friday afternoon.
Smith belted a tiebreaking solo homer while the New York Mets scored five times in the sixth inning to beat the Yankees, 6-4 in Game 1 of a doubleheader. The homer came two days after he made an impassioned statement about racial injustice in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Mets responded by rallying around Smith on Thursday, staging an on-field demonstration with the Miami Marlins before the two teams boycotted their game.
The Yankees led 4-1 until the Mets homered three times in the sixth. Pete Alonso tied it with a three-run blast and Jake Marisnick gave the Mets breathing room with a solo shot.
Clint Frazier belted a two-run homer and had three RBIs for the Yankees, who have dropped six straight since a six-game winning streak.
Smith also hit an RBI single in the nightcap, but the Mets completed a sweep by defeating the Yankees, 4-3 on Amed Rosario's two-run, walk-off homer off Aroldis Chapman in the seventh. The Mets scored nine of their 10 runs in the doubleheader from the fifth inning on.
The opener of the doubleheader was the first game on Jackie Robinson Day. Robinson first met with Dodgers owner Branch Rickey on Aug. 28, 1945 to discuss breaking the color barrier in baseball, and the 1963 March on Washington was held on the same day. Jackie Robinson Day is usually April 15, the day of his first major league game. The date was moved when the major league season had to be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Also on the major league schedule:
— The Astros-Athletics game in Houston was the 11th to be boycotted by big league players since Wednesday. The two teams took their positions on the field and headed toward the clubhouses after a moment of silence. A Black Lives Matter T-shirt was draped across home plate.
— The sizzling White Sox wasted a one-run lead in the ninth before Yasmani Grandal (yahs-MAH'-nee grahn-DAHL') hit a walk-off blast in the bottom half to give Chicago its 10th win in 11 games, 6-5 versus the Royals. Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert also homered for the White Sox, who lead the AL with 62 round-trippers.
— Franmil (FRAHN'-meel) Reyes was 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and five RBIs as part of the Indians' 20-hit attack in a 14-2 laugher over the Cardinals. Carlos Santana and Tyler Naquin (NAY'-kwihn) chipped in two-run homers as Cleveland moved into a three-way tie with Minnesota and Chicago for the AL Central lead.
— Ryan Yarbrough worked into the seventh inning and two relievers completed a five-hitter in the Rays' 2-0 shutout of the Marlins. Yarbrough struck out five and allowed four hits over 6 2/3 frames of Tampa Bay's 12th win in 15 games.
— The Blue Jays pulled out a 5-4 win over the Orioles on Randal Grichuk's (GRIH'-chuhks) two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Teoscar (tay-AHS'-kur) Hernandez hit longballs in the fourth inning of Toronto's ninth victory in 12 games.
— Mike Trout's 11th home run of the year was the difference as the Angels downed the Mariners, 3-2. Andrew Heaney struck out 10 and limited Seattle to a run and four hits over 7 2/3's.
— Derek Dietrich's solo homer broke a 2-2 tie in a four-run seventh that sent the Rangers past the Dodgers, 6-2. Texas starter Mike Minor scattered four hits over six innings and left with a 2-0 lead.
— Ty France drove in four runs and Zach Davies didn't allow an earned run over 5 2/3 innings to lead the Padres' ninth win in 11 games, 10-4 over the Rockies. Eric Hosmer and Wil Myers went 4-for-5 with three runs scored, while France and Manny Machado added three hits apiece.
— Scott Kingery launched a three-run, walk-off homer in the 11th inning to lift the Phillies past the Braves, 7-4. Andrew McCutchen and Jean Segura belted two-run homers for the Phils, who almost wasted a good starting pitching performance after Zack Wheeler held Atlanta to one earned run over 5 2/3 innings.
— The Reds picked up a 6-5 win over the Cubs behind Tyler Mahle (MAH'-lee), who gave up two solo homers but no other hits while fanning 11 over 6 2/3 innings. Eugenio Suarez, Jess Winker and Freddy Galvis (GAL'-vees) smacked solo homers in Cincinnati's third victory in a row.
— Jedd Gyorko (JUR'-koh) belted two of the Brewers' four home runs in a 9-1 rout of the Pirates. Ryan Braun and Jacob Nottingham also left the yard to back Corbin Burnes, who fanned 10 while firing three-hit ball over six shutout innings.
— Juan Soto and Howie Kendrick hit back-to-back homers in a five-run third that highlighted the Nationals' 10-2 dismantling of the Red Sox. Trea Turner and Victor Robles had three hits apiece and Josh Harrison also homered to back Max Scherzer, who struck out 11 over six innings.
— The Diamondbacks' eight-game losing streak is over after Starling Marte and Christian Walker drove in two runs apiece in a 7-4 decision over the Giants. Winning pitcher Zac Gallen was terrific and opening the season with six straight no-decisions, holding San Francisco to a run and five hits over seven innings.
— The Tigers-Twins doubleheader in Detroit has been postponed because of bad weather. One game will be made up as part of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sept. 4.
MLB-NEWS
Judge on IL again
UNDATED (AP) — The Yankees have placed right fielder Aaron Judge on the 10-day injured list again with a strained left calf just days after the star slugger returned. Judge was activated Wednesday but aggravated the injury in a game at Atlanta and was removed in the sixth inning.
In other major league news:
— Two people with knowledge of the trade tell The Associated Press that the Athletics have acquired infielder 2019 All-Star infielder Tommy La Stella from the for infielder Franklin Barreto. La Stella is in the final year of his contract with the Angels, who acquired him from the Cubs in November 2018. He is batting .273 with four homers and 14 RBIs this season while playing second base and first base for struggling Los Angeles.
— The White Sox acquired speedy outfielder Jarrod Dyson from Pittsburgh and reinstated Nick Madrigal from the 10-day injured list. Dyson is batting just .157 this season, but he swiped 30 bags last year. The White Sox sent international signing bonus pool money to the last-place Pirates for the 36-year-old Dyson.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-COLLEGE SPORTS
AP Source: Big Ten working on multiple options for football
UNDATED (AP) — Big Ten coaches, athletic directors and medical personnel are working on multiple plans for staging a football season, including one that would have the league kicking off as soon as Thanksgiving weekend.
A person with direct knowledge of the conference's discussions told The Associated Press the conference is in the early stages of a complicated process that also involves broadcast partners and possible neutral site venues.
Any plan will need the approval of university presidents and chancellors. The person told the AP that the Big Ten will only play if certain benchmarks related to the coronavirus — such as transmission rates, testing capacity and availability, and testing accuracy — are met in each of the 11 states that are home to the league's 14 schools.
The Big Ten announced on Aug. 11 it was postponing its fall football season because of concerns about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pac-12 and some smaller conferences soon followed suit.
The Big Ten and first-year commissioner Kevin Warren have faced pushback and criticism ever since, including a lawsuit filed by eight Nebraska players who want the decision overturned.
In other pandemic-related college sports news:
— Seven members of the Kansas State football team have tested positive for COVID-19 in the first outbreak since the Wildcats convened for summer workouts in June. The Wildcats will continue to practice for the season-opener Sept. 12 against Arkansas State.
— Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt canceled Friday's practice after what he called "a few more positive tests." Pruitt had adjusted the schedule for Saturday to allow his players to take part in an on-campus march against racism.
— A person with knowledge of the situation says Auburn's football team has canceled its last two practices because of issues related to COVID-19 after positive tests this week. It wasn't clear how many players, coaches or others tested positive.
— North Carolina State has allowed 12 programs to resume workouts after the school paused all athletics activities earlier this week, but football remains on hold for now. In a statement Friday, athletics director Boo Corrigan said the school plans for another round of testing for the football program and will make a decision on next steps.
— North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham says the school will begin football and other fall sports without fans at home because of the pandemic. Cunningham says the restriction will last through September.
NFL-SAINTS OWNER-VIRUS
Saints, Pelicans owner Benson tests positive for coronavirus
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints and NBA's New Orleans Pelicans has tested positive for COVID-19.
The team says Gayle Benson hasn't been hospitalized and has continued to work from home.
Benson has been sole owner of both New Orleans franchises since her husband, Tom Benson, died in March of 2018.
PGA-BMW CHAMPIONSHIP
McIlroy, Cantlay share BMW lead
OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. (AP) — Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay share the lead as the only players under par through two rounds of the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields.
Cantlay fired a 2-under 68 and McIlroy shot a 69, leaving them 1 under at the midway point. Cantlay holed a 50-foot chip for birdie and holed out a 50-yard wedge for eagle.
Hideki Matsuyama and Dustin Johnson are one shot back, while Tiger Woods could be two rounds away from ending his season. Woods had to make a 35-foot par putt on his final hole to shoot 75, leaving him nine shots behind.
LPGA-WALMART NW ARKANSAS CHAMPIONSHIP
Three-way tie at LPGA event
ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — Jackie Stoelting returned from a 14-month maternity break to take a share of the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour's Walmart NW Arkansas Championship.
The 34-year-old played her first nine holes in 5-under 30 and finished with a bogey-free 7-under 64 to join Anna Nordqvist and rookie Esther Lee atop the leaderboard.
TENNIS-WESTERN & SOUTHERN
Osaka to face Azarenka, Djokovic vs. Raonic
NEW YORK (AP) — Naomi Osaka overcame a faulty first serve and reached the finals of the Western & Southern Open following a one-day break in the tournament prompted by her call for racial justice.
Osaka sparked the break by announcing she would drop out of the tournament rather than play a semifinal match Thursday against Elise Mertens. The 2018 U.S. Open champ pulled out a 6-2, 7-6 victory over Mertens on Friday.
Osaka will face resurgent Victoria Azarenka, who beat Johanna Konta 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Western & Southern final for the first time since 2013, when she beat Serena Williams.
In the men's bracket, top-ranked Novak Djokovic (JOH'-koh-vihch) overcame more neck problems and advanced to the finals with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 win over Roberto Bautista Agut (ah-GOOO'). Milos Raonic (MEE'-lohsh ROW'-nihch) beat fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6, 6-3 to reach a final for the first time in 26 months.