AP Sports SummaryBrief at 2:09 a.m. EDT
Connor Stalions, the Michigan employee at the center of the NCAA sign-stealing investigation, quits
Connor Stalions, the low-level Michigan football staffer who is at the center of an NCAA investigation into impermissible scouting of opponents and sign stealing, has resigned. He had been suspended with pay two weeks ago. An AP source says Stalions failed to show up for a scheduled hearing Friday and informed the school he would not participate in any investigations. Michigan is under NCAA investigation for the alleged scheme.
World Series MVP Seager takes swipe at rival as Rangers celebrate 1st title with huge parade
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Hundreds of thousands Texas Rangers fans lined up and stacked dozens deep in some areas along a 2-mile route near the team's ballpark for a parade Friday to celebrate the franchise's first World Series championship. The parade Friday came two days after the Rangers wrapped up the World Series with a Game 5 win on the road against the Arizona Diamondbacks. World Series MVP Corey Seager even took a swipe at the Houston Astros, the team that won the AL West but that the Rangers beat in the AL Championship Series. Arlington fire officials say the crowd estimate was 400,000 to 700,000 fans.
Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw undergoes shoulder surgery, says he hopes to return next summer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has undergone left shoulder surgery and anticipated being sidelined until next summer.. The 35-year-old posted on social media that the surgery was to repair the glenohumeral ligaments and his shoulder capsule. Kershaw wrote that he hopes to return to play "at some point next summer." He was sidelined for six weeks by the shoulder injury and it hampered him over the final couple months of the season. Neither Kershaw nor the Dodgers ever said much about his shoulder. He got lit up by Arizona in the NL Division Series, tagged for six runs before getting an out in the first inning of the worst start of his career.
Jokic scores 33 points, leads Nuggets to 125-114 win over Mavericks in NBA tournament opener
DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic finished an assist shy of a triple-double and the Denver Nuggets held off the Dallas Mavericks 125-114 on Friday night to open the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament. Jokic had 33 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. He was 14 of 16 from the field, Michael Porter Jr. scored 24 points, and Jamal Murray had 18 points and 13 assists for the NBA champion Nuggets, who led by 20 points in the third quarter before seeing Dallas trim it to eight late in the game. Jokic made a cutting layup with 1:11 remaining to seal it. The Mavericks lost for the first time this season. Luka Doncic finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists but also had nine turnovers.
Column: After a decade of success, Dabo Swinney is suddenly under fire at Clemson
AP Sports Columnist Paul Newberry writes that Dabo Swinney is a bit testy these days. He was once the hottest college football coach in all the land, the guy who seemed poised to supplant Nick Saban as the G.O.A.T. of the sideline. Now, after struggling to adapt to the times, Swinney is leading a Clemson program that looks downright ordinary. Over their last 14 games, the Tigers are 7-7. When a bold fan called in to challenge the state of the affairs on Swinney's radio show this week, there were plenty of thin-skinned fireworks.
16-1 shot Fierceness wins Breeders' Cup Juvenile for trainer Todd Pletcher
ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) — Fierceness has won the $2 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile by 6 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita. As a result, the 2-year-old colt is the winter favorite for next year's Kentucky Derby. Trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Mike Repole won the Juvenile last year with Forte. Pletcher earned his 15th Cup victory, while John Velazquez notched his 20th, which is second among jockeys on the career list. Fierceness ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:41.90 and paid $35 to win at 16-1 odds. Friday was opening day of the 40th Breeders' Cup, with five races for 2-year-olds.
Analysis: Sunday's stacked lineup of games could have playoff ramifications for several teams
A stacked lineup of games Sunday could determine plenty come January. The action kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET with a marquee matchup between the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs and Dolphins in the NFL's first game in Frankfurt, Germany. It's a potential preview of the AFC championship game. The conference is wide open as the Chiefs, Dolphins, Ravens and Jaguars each have the same record at the season's midpoint. The Bills and Bengals are also in the mix. They meet Sunday night in Cincinnati so the stakes are high in that playoff rematch. The road to the Super Bowl has gone through Kansas City the last five years.
Judge's ruling in latest antitrust lawsuit against NCAA could lead to billion in damages
Class-action status in the damages portion of an antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA was granted by a federal judge. Judge Claudia Wilken's decision could put the NCAA on the hook for a potential multibillion dollar payout to former and current college athletes. House vs. the NCAA is being heard in the Northern District of California. Brought by Arizona State swimmer Grant House in 2020, the lawsuit challenges the NCAA's remaining name, image and likeness compensation rules. Wilken's latest ruling could make more than 14,000 current and former college athletes eligible to claim damages if the NCAA loses the case.
NASCAR defends drama-free final four and vows to do a better job promoting its young stars
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — NASCAR says Sunday's championship finale has plenty of pizzazz. The final four of Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron are the youngest since the winner-take-all format began in 2019. Larson is the only previous Cup Series champion among the contenders. The drivers have acknowledged Sunday's showdown in Phoenix lacks the hype of years past. NASCAR President Steve Phelps says the playoffs are the most difficult in motorsports.
The WTA Finals semis are Coco Gauff vs. Jessica Pegula, and Aryna Sabalenka vs. Iga Swiatek
CANCUN, Mexico (AP) — Coco Gauff has overcome 17 double-faults and come back after being a game away from elimination at the WTA Finals to pull out a 5-7, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova in a round-robin match. Gauff will face her good friend and doubles partner Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. The other semifinal Saturday in Cancun, Mexico, will be No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka vs. No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Gauff took five of the match's last six games to improve to 2-1 at the season-ending championship. Swiatek won their group by going 3-0, finishing with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Ons Jabeur. Sabalenka defeated Elena Rybakina 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
AP-Scorecard
Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 121 Cleveland 116
Final Brooklyn 109 Chicago 107
Final Milwaukee 110 New York 105
Final Miami 121 Washington 114
Final Golden State 141 Oklahoma City 139
Final Denver 125 Dallas 114
Final OT Portland 115 Memphis 113
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Philadelphia 5 Buffalo 1
Final St. Louis 4 New Jersey 1
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TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE
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NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Phoenix at Philadelphia 1 p.m.
Atlanta at New Orleans 7 p.m.
Charlotte at Indiana 7 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Orlando 7 p.m.
Boston at Brooklyn 8 p.m.
Sacramento at Houston 8 p.m.
Utah at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Chicago at Denver 9 p.m.
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NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Nashville at Edmonton 3 p.m.
Winnipeg at Arizona 4 p.m.
Boston at Detroit 7 p.m.
Buffalo at Toronto 7 p.m.
Columbus at Washington 7 p.m.
Montreal at St. Louis 7 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Ottawa 7 p.m.
Carolina at N-Y Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Los Angeles at Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Florida at Chicago 8 p.m.
N-Y Rangers at Minnesota 8 p.m.
Calgary at Seattle 10 p.m.
Colorado at Vegas 10 p.m.
Dallas at Vancouver 10 p.m.
Pittsburgh at San Jose 10 p.m.
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TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL
(13)LSU at (8)Alabama 7:45 p.m.
(14)Missouri at (1)Georgia 3:30 p.m.
(5)Washington at (24)Southern Cal 7:30 p.m.
(25)Kansas St. at (7)Texas 12 p.m.
(3)Ohio St. at Rutgers 12 p.m.
Uconn at (19)Tennessee 12 p.m.
Texas A&M at (11)Mississippi 12 p.m.
(12)Notre Dame at Clemson 12 p.m.
Arizona St. at (18)Utah 2 p.m.
Army at (17)Air Force 2:30 p.m.
(10)Oklahoma at Oklahoma St. 3:30 p.m.
(4)Florida St. at Pittsburgh 3:30 p.m.
Virginia Tech at (15)Louisville 3:30 p.m.
(21)Tulane at East Carolina 3:30 p.m.
(9)Penn St. at Maryland 3:30 p.m.
(23)James Madison at Georgia St. 3:30 p.m.
California at (6)Oregon 5:30 p.m.
(22)Kansas at Iowa St. 7 p.m.
Purdue at (2)Michigan 7:30 p.m.
(16)Oregon St. at Colorado 10 p.m.
(20)UCLA at Arizona 10:30 p.m.
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MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Cincinnati at New York 7 p.m.
Seattle at FC Dallas 9 p.m.