Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Brandon Johnson made all four his 3-point attempts in overtime and finished with 26 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota in a 102-95 win over No. 4 Iowa. Marcus Carr had 30 points on 6-for-13 shooting from 3-point range and eight assists for the Gophers. They improved to 8-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten despite trailing by seven points with 44 seconds left in regulation. Luka Garza had 32 points and 17 rebounds for the Hawkeyes. They fell to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Update on the latest sports
NFL-SCHEDULE
Bucs clinch playoff berth; Dolphins win, Cards fall
UNDATED (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be part of the NFC postseason.
The Bucs have ended a 12-season playoff drought by racking up a team-record 588 yards in a 47-7 pounding of the Lions.
Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns before sitting out the second half. He was 22 of 27 for 348 yards to help Tampa Bay go ahead, 34-0, the largest halftime lead in franchise history.
Blaine Gabbert came in and hit Rob Gronkowski for a 25-yard score on his first snap. Gabbert added another scoring strike to Mike Evans as the Bucs improved to 10-5.
The Lions played most of the game without quarterback Matthew Stafford because of an ankle injury.
The Dolphins have moved a half-game ahead of the Ravens in the battle for an AFC wild-card berth.
Jason Sanders' 44-yard field goal with one second remaining gave the Dolphins a 26-25 victory over the Raiders.
Ryan Fitzpatrick prolonged the winning drive by completing a 41-yard TD pass to Mack Hollins while being dragged down by a facemask. The pass and penalty put the ball on the Las Vegas 26, setting up the game-winning kick.
The Raiders thought they had won it when Daniel Carlson drilled a 22-yard field goal with 19 seconds left.
Fitzpatrick was inserted into the game in the fourth quarter for an ineffective Tua Tagovailoa, who threw for just 94 yards and a touchdown for the 10-5 Dolphins.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have damaged the Cardinals' playoff hopes.
Third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard threw three touchdown passes and Jeff Wilson ran for 183 yards as San Francisco surprised Arizona 20-12.
The Niners came up with two big defensive stops late in the fourth quarter, including Ahkello Witherspoon's interception of Kyler Murray's pass in the end zone.
The 8-7 Cardinals no longer control their own destiny in the playoff race. If the Bears win their final two games, they will reach the playoffs because of a tiebreaker over the Cardinals.
NFL-NEWS
COVID-19 decimates Browns' roster ahead of Jets game
UNDATED (AP) — The Cleveland Browns will be very short-handed as they try to wrap up an AFC playoff berth against the New York Jets on Sunday.
Missing will be their four wide receivers and a pair of linebackers due to positive COVID-19 tests. The Browns delayed their flight to the New York area after starting linebacker B.J. Goodson tested positive. Contact tracing led the team to put receivers Jarvis Landry, Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and KhaDarel Hodge on the list, knocking them out of the game.
Rookie linebacker Jacob Phillips may have started for Goodson until he also landed on the COVID-19 list.
The Browns will have rookie left tackle Jedrick Wills as they try to lock up their first playoff appearance since 2002. Wills had been placed on the COVID list this week after having close contact with a person outside the organization.
Elsewhere around the NFL:
— Packers center Corey Linsley has been activated from injured reserve after missing his team's past three games with a knee injury. Linsley had started in 68 consecutive regular-season games before getting hurt in a win over the Bears on Nov. 29.
— The Jets activated running back La'Mical Perine from injured reserve after the rookie missed four games with a high ankle sprain. Perine is second on the team with 202 yards rushing.
— Phillip Lindsay's injury-marred season is over after the Broncos placed him on injured reserve Saturday. Lindsay ran for just over 500 yards and scored just one touchdown this season despite dealing with several injuries, including turf toe, a concussion, and hip and knee ailments.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-UTAH-DEATH
University: Utah star freshman running back Ty Jordan dead
DALLAS (AP) — University of Utah officials say star freshman running back Ty Jordan has died.
Authorities have not released details about the circumstances of the Mesquite, Texas, native's death.
The school announced Jordan's death a day after the 19 year old was named Pac-12's newcomer of the year. He finished the season with 597 yards rushing, 11 catches for 126 yards and six touchdowns.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOWL SCHEDULE
Ragin' Cajuns, Panthers get bowl wins
UNDATED (AP) — No. 23 Liberty has won the Cure Bowl by downing ninth-ranked Coast Carolina, 37-34 in overtime. Elajah James blocked Massimo Biscardi's 42-yard field goal attempt to end the Chanticleers' bid for a perfect season.
The game was extended when Liberty's Joshua Mack fumbled inside the Coastal Carolina 1 with 41 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Malik Willis ran for 137 yards and four touchdowns for the 10-1 Flames, whose only loss was against NC State on a blocked field goal.
Coastal Carolina's Grayson McCall ran in a 2-point conversion to make it 34-34 after throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass with 3:01 remaining.
Sixteenth-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia State were Saturday's other bowl game winners.
Trey Ragas scored on a 1-yard plunge with 7:16 left to send the Ragin' Cajuns past UTSA, 31-24 in the First Responder Bowl. The Cajuns wasted a 24-7 lead before embarking on a 12-point, 72-yard TD drive.
Levi Lewis had first-half touchdown passes of 15 and 10 yards for Louisiana-Lafayette.
Redshirt freshman Cornelius "Quad" Brown threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns to lead Georgia State to a 39-21 victory over Western Kentucky in the LendingTree Bowl. Destin Coates added 117 yards and a touchdown rushing for the Panthers, who scored TDs on four straight first-half possessions.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-NEWS
QB D'Eriq King says he's returning to Hurricanes in 2021
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami quarterback D'Eriq King has announced he is returning for another senior season. He's taking advantage of the NCAA rule that essentially gave all college athletes another year of eligibility in response to the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
King initially transferred to Miami with the hope of competing for championships. His latest decision likely means that Miami will enter next season as a top contender in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the league that sent Clemson and Notre Dame into this season's College Football Playoff.
TOP-25 MEN'S BASKETBALL
Virginia "D" no match for Gonzaga's "O"
UNDATED (AP) — Virginia has owned one of the very best defenses in men's college basketball over the last two years. Gonzaga wasn't impressed.
Corey Kispert and Drew Timme (TIH'-mee) combined for 61 points as the top-ranked Bulldogs clobbered the No. 16 Cavaliers, 98-75 in Fort Worth, Texas. Kispert established career highs by nailing nine 3-pointers and scoring 32 points. Timme added a career-best 29 points with eight rebounds to help the Zags move to 7-0.
Gonzaga shot 60% against a Virginia team that hadn't allowed an opponent to hit more than 40% of its shots. The Zags almost became the first team in 10 years to score 100 points against the Cavaliers.
Elsewhere in top-25 men's basketball:
— Marcus Sasser scored 19 points and Caleb Mills furnished seven of his 12 points in the closing minutes, helping No. 6 Houston escape with a 63-54 win at UCF. The Cougars held the Knights to one field goal over the final 8:50 and shot 11-for-11 from the line in the last 2 1/2 minutes to improve to 7-0.
— Ayo Dosunmu (EYE'-oh doh-SOO'-moo) scored 30 points and Kofi Cockburn added 15 with 15 rebounds as No. 18 Illinois beat Indiana, 69-60. The game was close until about midway through the second half, when Dosunmu hit three consecutive 3-pointers to fuel the Illini's 14-0 run.
— Northwestern is 3-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in 53 years after Miller Kopp scored 23 points and Boo Buie (BOO'-ee) had 14 in a 71-70 downing of No. 23 Ohio State. Pete Nance added 10 points to the Wildcats' fourth win in a row.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Hawks look sharp again
UNDATED (AP) — There could be some hope for Atlanta Hawks fans if the team's first two games are any indication.
Trae Young scored eight straight points down the stretch and finished with 36 as the Hawks beat the Grizzlies, 122-112 and improved to 2-0. Rookie Nathan Knight added 14 points, going 4 of 5 from the field and 2-for-3 shooting from 3-point range.
Kevin Huerter (HUR'-tur) added 21 points for the Hawks, who also opened last season with back-to-back wins before losing 16 of their next 18.
In other NBA action:
— CJ McCollum poured in 44 points, including a 3-pointer with 6.3 seconds left that gave the Trail Blazers a 128-126 win over the Rockets. Damian Lillard had 32 points and nine assists to help Portland withstand James Harden's 44 points and 17 assists for Houston.
— The Spurs scored the last nine points in a 119-114 win over the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan had 27 points, including a 3-pointer that sparked the rally for the 2-0 Spurs.
— The 76ers coasted to a 109-89 thumping of the Knicks as Joel Embiid (joh-EHL' ehm-BEED') had 27 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Simmons had 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists while also leading the defensive effort that forced New York's RJ Barrett into a 2-for-15 shooting performance.
— Domantas Sobonis (doh-MAHN'-tahs sah-BOH'-nuhs) had a triple-double of 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in leading the Pacers past the Bulls, 125-106. T.J. Warren scored 23 points and Victor Oladipo added 22 as Indiana beat its Central Division rivals for a 10th straight time.
— Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped his 24-point performance by nailing a tiebreaking jumper with 1.4 seconds left to push the Thunder past the Hornets, 109-107. Oklahoma City led by 13 with 1:50 to go before Miles Bridges scored 11 of his 14 points in the final 1:06, including a trio of 3s in the last 25 seconds.
— D'Angelo Russell's 25 points and six assists led the Timberwolves to a 116-111 victory over the Jazz. Karl-Anthony Towns added 16 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota.
— The Kings pulled out a 106-103 win over the Suns as De'Aaron Fox furnished 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Sacramento had eight players score at least eight points, with Buddy Hield (heeld) and Marvin Bagley III each contributing 13.
— The Wizards wasted Russell Westbrook's triple-double of 15 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists in a 130-120 loss to the Magic. Terrence Ross had a team-high 25 points and Nikola Vucevic had 22 points and 17 rebounds for Orlando.
— Collin Sexton scored 32 points and three of his Cavaliers teammates had at least 21 in a 128-119, double-overtime triumph over the Pistons. Andre Drummond had 23 points and 16 rebounds, Darius Garland scored 21 and had 12 assists while Cedi Osman added 22 points.
NBA-WARRIORS-CURRY
Curry drains 105 straight treys in shootaround
CHICAGO (AP) — Stephen Curry must have figured it was time to hone his long-range shooting after an unimpressive 19-point performance against the Bucks on Friday.
The Golden State Warriors guard nailed 105 straight 3-pointers in preparation for Saturday's game against the Bulls in Chicago. The Warriors captured the final 103 on video at the Bulls' practice facility.
Curry's shots were counted by his longtime shooting man, assistant Bruce Fraser. Coach Steve Kerr didn't see the 3-point barrage but said the feat should be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records.
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Still The King: James wins AP Male Athlete of Year award
UNDATED (AP) — Things have been coming in fours for LeBron James this year.
The Los Angeles Lakers forward is the third person to be named The Associated Press' Male Athlete of the Year four times, joining Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong. The honor comes after James earned his fourth NBA title and fourth NBA Finals MVP trophy in leading the Lakers to the crown.
MLB-NEWS
Rangers sign Arihara
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Texas Rangers have signed Japanese pitcher Kohei Arihara to a two-year, $6 million after paying a $1.2 million posting fee for the right-hander.
Arihara spent six years with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. The 28-year-old Arihara was 8-9 with a 3.46 ERA in 20 starts for Hokkaido during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season in Japan.