EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jaxon Kohler had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 9 Michigan State never trailed while rolling to a 92-69 victory over Toledo on Tuesday night.

Kohler's double-double was his sixth of the season. Jeremy Fears Jr., who came in averaging a Division I-best 9.5 assists per game, had 15 points and eight assists.

Coen Carr and Kur Teng added 14 points apiece for Michigan State (10-1). Carson Cooper added eight points and nine rebounds as the Spartans recorded season highs in scoring and rebounding.

Sonny Wilson had 29 points, five assists and four steals to lead Toledo (5-6), which has lost three straight. Leroy Blyden Jr. had 10 points and Sean Craig scored eight.

The Spartans out-rebounded the Rockets 54-24. Michigan State's 18 offensive rebounds led to 17 points. The Spartans also scored 36 points on the fast break, compared to Toledo's 16.

Sloppy play by the Spartans, particularly in the second half, was the only thing that prevented an even more lopsided margin. Michigan State committed 15 turnovers, while Toledo had just four.

Kohler had 14 points and 10 rebounds by halftime as the Spartans led 58-28 at the break to set a season high in first-half points.

The Spartans are 7-3 all-time against the Rockets.

Toledo: Hosts Lourdes on Saturday.

Michigan State: Plays Oakland in Detroit on Saturday.

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Chuck Neinas, the onetime Big Eight commissioner whose media savvy and dealmaking helped turn college football into the multibillion-dollar business it is today, died Tuesday. He was 93.

The National Football Foundation announced Neinas' death, with its president and CEO Steve Hatchell calling him “a visionary in every sense of the word.” A cause of death was not disclosed.

From 1980-97, Neinas was executive director of the College Football Association, an agency created by several big conferences that sought to wrest control of their TV rights from the NCAA.

Two key members, Georgia and Oklahoma, sued the NCAA over TV, and a 1984 Supreme Court ruling in their favor effectively made the CFA a separate business from the rest of college sports. It gave Neinas a key seat at the negotiating table.

He brought home deals worth billions in the 1980s and ’90s, and those huge contracts set the stage for today’s industry, currently highlighted by a TV deal worth $7.8 billion for the College Football Playoff.

After the CFA disbanded in 1997 — with conferences taking their TV rights into their own hands and the Bowl Championship Series, the precursor to today’s playoff, about to start — Neinas founded a consulting firm that helped schools create policies and hire athletic directors and coaches.

He was CEO of Ascent Entertainment Group, which owned the Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche and their arena when they sold to Liberty Media Group in 2000.

But his passion was college sports. He served as interim commissioner of the Big 12 from 2011-12, solidifying that conference during one of many surges of realignment by adding TCU and West Virginia.

In a 2014 interview with The Associated Press, Neinas envisioned a future that looks much like today as he pondered lawsuits against the NCAA that would eventually lead to players being paid.

“There is a need for some changes,” Neinas said. “The auto industry is always trying to improve their model. College athletics should do the same. But the basics are still sound.”

Born in Wisconsin, Neinas was a longtime Colorado resident and was living in Boulder at the time of his death.

After working as a play-by-play man for Wisconsin football and basketball, Neinas got a job with the NCAA, where he served as an assistant executive director from 1961-71. He became commissioner of the Big Eight Conference in 1971 until moving to the CFA.

During his Big Eight tenure, Neinas chaired the committee that recommended the NCAA withdraw from the U.S. Olympic Committee. That led to a major reorganization and the passing of the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act that governs the Olympics in the U.S. today.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans placed a trio of safeties on injured reserve Tuesday, effectively ending the seasons of Xavier Woods, rookie Kevin Winston Jr. and Mike Brown with only three games remaining.

All three were hurt early in Sunday's 37-24 loss at San Francisco. Brown hurt an ankle, while both Woods and Winston hurt hamstrings.

A nine-year veteran, Woods started 10 of 11 games he played and had two interceptions. Winston, a third-round pick out of Penn State, started six of 10 games played. Brown played nine games in his third season with the Titans and recovered a blocked punt on Dec. 7 in Tennessee's win over Cleveland.

The Titans signed a pair of safeties off practice squads, adding Erick Hallett from Detroit and Sanoussi Kane from Baltimore. They also claimed rookie guard Garrett Dellinger off waivers from Cleveland.

Hallett started a game with the Lions in October and was undrafted out of college at Pittsburgh. He started with the Jaguars in 2023 before signing with Detroit in 2024 with stints on the roster and practice squad. A seventh-round pick out of Purdue by Baltimore in 2024, Kane has played in 22 games, mostly on special teams.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers don't play a particularly aesthetically pleasing brand of football. It's been that way for a while.

The offense can lack explosion for long stretches. The defense can get pushed around with alarming ease against quality opponents. The coaching decisions sometimes randomly flip-flop between aggressive and overly cautious.

The Steelers almost need a specific set of circumstances to succeed. They need to run the ball. They need to take it away. They need to avoid mistakes. It's a formula as old as the game itself, and at times in recent years, it has felt more stale than steady.

Yet occasionally, there are stretches when Pittsburgh finds a way to thread the needle well enough that what is old feels new again.

One of those stretches arrived late in the first half of what became a 28-15 dismantling of Miami on Monday night that kept the Steelers (8-6) one game ahead of Baltimore for the top spot in the AFC North.

Four offensive drives, all of them at least 60 yards in length, produced touchdowns that turned a 3-0 deficit into a 25-point lead, their biggest advantage at any point in a game since 2020.

While 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers was channeling his prime at wintry Acrisure Stadium by completing 23 of 27 passes for 224 yards and two scores, a defense playing without superstar outside linebacker T.J. Watt overwhelmed Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during a third quarter in which Miami ran six plays and lost 20 yards in the process.

Though the Dolphins managed a pair of meaningless touchdowns late to make the final score more respectable, the outcome was never in doubt in the second half and offered tangible proof that Pittsburgh's hope of playing its best football in December wasn't just an empty promise.

Stringing together performances like the one the Steelers enjoyed on Monday night has been a challenge — and what has made the Steelers so confounding for much of the last decade.

Yet for the first time in a while, Pittsburgh looked like a first-place team capable of doing more than squeaking into the playoffs before meekly exiting. As rocky as it was during a 2-5 stretch in which their comfortable AFC North lead vanished, they'll take it.

“We hold ourselves to a higher standard here,” longtime defensive captain Cam Heyward said. “You know, when you play for a team like this that’s had a lot of success, and, you know, we’re not responsible for that, those guys before (did that). We are trying to grasp what they did. The expectations are high, and we like it that way.”

Finding experienced players looking for an opportunity midseason and having them make an impact.

The list of what Rodgers described as “cast-offs” includes wide receivers Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Adam Thielen and cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., all of whom made plays that contributed to perhaps Pittsburgh's most complete performance since beating Minnesota in Ireland at the end of September.

Valdes-Scantling caught his first touchdown pass from Rodgers since 2021 when they were both in Green Bay. Samuel collected his first pick since 2023 and Thielen had his first reception and added a perfect kick-out block that opened up a lane for a Jonnu Smith touchdown run.

The weather wasn't conducive to a hot start and it took the offense a while to get going. While Pittsburgh did eventually score touchdowns on four straight possessions for the first time since 2018, the Steelers have been slow to warm up for most of the season, something they'll likely need to avoid on Sunday in Detroit if they want to keep pace with the Lions.

Tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth had virtually disappeared from the offense entirely in recent weeks as Darnell Washington took on an increasingly larger role in the passing game.

That changed against Miami. Smith had three touches for 26 yards, including the second rushing touchdown of his nine-year career on a cleverly designed pitch early in the fourth quarter that put the game out of reach.

Freiermuth had more yards receiving (45) than he had in the previous four games combined, nimbly adjusting his routes against Miami's zone.

The “Fire Tomlin!” chants that popped up in the waning stages of a blowout loss at home to Buffalo on Nov. 30. Winning two straight and looking pretty good in the process will do that.

For all of the vitriol aimed at the NFL's longest-tenured head coach by a portion of the fan base, the Steelers are where they have always been during Tomlin's 19-year run: in the mix as Christmas approaches.

Even Ben Roethlisberger, who suggested recently it might be time for the team to “clean house,” said on Monday night before being inducted into the club's Hall of Honor that he'd be fine if Tomlin coached in Pittsburgh for 10 more years.

Watt's status remains uncertain as he recovers from surgery to repair a partially collapsed lung suffered following a dry-needling treatment last week. ... Veteran LG Isaac Seumalo sustained a triceps injury in the second half against Miami. ... OLB Nick Herbig left late with a hamstring injury. It's unclear whether it's an aggravation of the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the season opener. ... LT Andrus Peat remains in the concussion protocol. ... CB James Pierre could return from a calf injury that forced him to sit out on Monday night.

23 — Consecutive home wins on Monday night for the Steelers.

Try to keep it going in Detroit, no easy task against an explosive Lions team that will be playing with its season on the line.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban has purchased a minority stake in the NHL's Nashville Predators.

Predators chairman and majority owner Bill Haslam announced Tuesday the purchase made by Dream Sports Ventures LLC, an entity controlled by Saban and business partner Joe Agresti.

“Although I am now retired as a coach, I still possess a competitive nature and a great passion for sports,” Saban said in a statement released by the Predators. “Being involved in a sports team in Nashville has always been a goal and the opportunity to partner in the Predators with a class act like Bill Haslam created the perfect scenario for us. The Preds are a great organization with a fantastic brand, and we are excited to be part of the future success of the franchise.”

Saban and Agresti are partners in the Dream Motor Group that features 10 car dealerships, including two in Nashville. They’re partners in several other business ventures as well.

Saban stepped down as Alabama’s coach after the 2023 season. He posted a 297-71-1 record in 28 years as a coach and won seven national titles – one at LSU and six at Alabama.

Haslam was governor of Tennessee from 2011-19. He became chairman of the Predators on July 1, 2024 and took over as majority owner of the franchise on July 3 of this year.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

PITTBURGH (AP) — Two-time All-Star reliever Gregory Soto and the Pittsburgh Pirates finalized a $7.75 million, one-year contract on Tuesday.

Soto gives the Pirates an experienced left-handed option in a bullpen that will get a makeover in 2026 after relievers Colin Holderman and Dauri Moreta were designated for assignment last month.

The 30-year-old is 15-34 with a 4.26 ERA and 56 saves over seven seasons with five teams. He was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022 for Detroit. He spent 2025 with Baltimore and the New York Mets, who acquired him in late July just before the trade deadline.

Soto struggled in New York, going 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 25 appearances. His departure is the second significant subtraction from the Mets bullpen in free agency after closer Edwin Díaz agreed to a three-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers earlier Tuesday.

Pittsburgh appears to be settled at the back end of the bullpen, where Dennis Santana performed well after two-time All-Star David Bednar was traded to the New York Yankees last season. Soto gives the Pirates a pitcher who has filled a variety of roles, including closer.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

The New York Jets are releasing veteran wide receiver Allen Lazard, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the team didn’t announce the move, said the decision was mutual.

Lazard’s role with the Jets had diminished significantly this season, even as the offense struggled to produce. With three games left in the regular season, the 30-year-old wide receiver will be able to sign elsewhere.

Pro Football Talk first reported that Lazard would be released at his request.

Lazard had only 10 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown this season while playing in just 10 games after he was buried on the depth chart.

Lazard came to the Jets as one of the team’s biggest offseason moves in 2023, signing a four-year, $44 million contract — a month before he was reunited with Aaron Rodgers, his former quarterback in Green Bay who was acquired in a trade by New York.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A scorpion kick by Lizbeth Ovalle, the most expensive player ever in women’s soccer, and Santiago Montiel’s long-distance overhead shot won the FIFA awards on Tuesday for best goals last season.

Both had their backs to the net when scoring the winners. Fans voted for Ovalle and Montiel to receive the Marta Award and Puskas Award, respectively.

Ovalle flicked the ball with her heels in a midair leap facing away from goal playing in the Mexican league for Tigres against Guadalajara.

The women’s award is named for Brazil great Marta who is now Ovalle’s teammate at Orlando Pride. Marta won the award last year and also had a goal nominated by FIFA for this year’s edition.

Ovalle, who is also known as Jacquie, moved for a women’s world record transfer fee of $1.5 million to join the Pride from Tigres in August.

Montiel scored for Independiente in a game in Argentina’s Primera Division against Independiente Rivadavia. He leaped in the air about 22 meters (yards) out rising to meet a bouncing ball after a defender’s clearing header from a corner.

FIFA is staging its annual Best Awards at a private dinner in Doha on the sidelines of Paris Saint-Germain playing Flamengo in the Intercontinental Cup game on Wednesday.

The awards for best player and best coach in men’s and women’s soccer were due later Tuesday.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PNC CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Orlando, Florida.

Course: Ritz-Carlton GC. Yardage: 7,106. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1.085 million. Winner's share: $200,000.

Television: Saturday, 1-2:30 p.m. (Peacock), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 12:30-1:30 p.m. (Peacock), 1:30-4:30 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champions: Bernhard and Jason Langer.

Last tournament: Europe won the Skechers World Champions Cup.

Charles Schwab Cup champion: Stewart Cink.

Notes: The 36-hole scramble is for players who have won majors, senior majors or LPGA majors, along with The Players Championship. What started as the “Father-Son” now includes champion and family member. ... Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland makes his tournament debut with his father, Dan. ... Tiger Woods is recovering from back surgery and is not playing with his son, Charlie, for the first time since 2019. ... The field includes two women. Annika Sorenstam again plays with her son, Will, while Nelly Korda plays with her father, Petr. ... Bernhard Langer goes for his seventh title in the PNC Championship. ... Davis Love III returns, playing with son Dru. They won in 2018. Dru Love previously had an Asian Tour card. ... Lee Trevino is playing again. He has not missed the PNC Championship since it began in 1995. ... Steve Stricker is playing with daughter Izzi, who plays at the University of Wisconsin.

Next tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Jan. 22-24.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions

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AFRASIA BANK MAURITIUS OPEN

Site: Bel Ombre, Mauritius.

Course: Heritage La Reserve GL. Yardage: 7,357. Par: 72.

Prize money: $1.2 million. Winner's share: $200,000.

Television: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 4-8:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1-6 a.m. (Golf Channel).

Defending champion: John Parry.

Race to Dubai leader: Jayden Schaper.

Last week: Jayden Schaper won the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Notes: This is the final tournament of the year that earns official world ranking points. Ryan Gerard (No. 57) is playing with hopes of moving into the top 50 to earn a spot in the Masters. ... Daniel Brown, who earned a PGA Tour card when Laurie Canter joined LIV Golf, can move into the top 50 from (No. 72) with a victory. ... Jayden Schaper was a runner-up at the Nedbank Challenge and won the following week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. That has moved the South African into the top 100 in the world ranking. ... Fred Biondi of Brazil is in the field after the former NCAA champion at Florida failed to earn a PGA Tour card or full Korn Ferry Tour status at Q-school in Florida last week. ... John Parry won last year after winning three times on the Challenge Tour. ... This is the 10th playing of the Mauritius Open since it became part of the European tour schedule in 2015. This is the fourth consecutive year it has been the last official tournament of the year.

Next tournament: Dubai Invitational on Jan. 15-18.

Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/ and https://sunshinetour.com/

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Last week: Andrew Novak and Lauren Coughlin won the Grant Thornton Invitational.

Next tournament: Sony Open on Jan. 15-18.

FedEx Cup champion: Tommy Fleetwood.

Online: https://www.pgatour.com/

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Last week: Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak won the Grant Thornton Invitational.

Next tournament: Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions on Jan. 29-Feb. 1

Race to CME Globe champion: Jeeno Thitikul.

Online: https://www.lpga.com/

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

A decision by a Paris labor court in the financial dispute between Kylian Mbappé and his former club Paris Saint-Germain is expected on Tuesday — the latest chapter in a judicial saga involving colossal sums.

Lawyers argued last month before the Conseil de prud’hommes de Paris, with each side demanding hundreds of millions of euros from the other regarding the end of the player’s contract before his move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024.

Amid accusations of betrayal and harassment surrounding the breakdown of their relationship, Mbappé's lawyers claimed PSG owes him more than 260 million euros ($305 million). They argue his fixed-term contract should be reclassified as a permanent one, triggering compensation for unfair dismissal and unpaid wages. They have also alleged moral harassment and undeclared work.

PSG, meanwhile, is seeking 440 million euros from Mbappé, citing damages and a “loss of opportunity” after he left on a free transfer.

Tuesday's decision can be appealed and is unlikely to end the dispute. The panel may also decide to decline jurisdiction or to adjourn the case to a later hearing, sitting in parity with a tie-breaking judge if no majority emerges.

The ruling may have broader consequences for player contracts and labor law in French soccer, even as PSG maintains that Mbappé’s request to reclassify his contract as a permanent one is without legal basis.

The club argues that professional players’ contracts are a special form of fixed-term agreements regulated by the sports code and validated by the French professional league, in accordance with both French and European Union law. Mbappé’s legal team disagrees, saying the reclassification of a fixed-term contract into a permanent contract is a standard procedure when legal conditions for a fixed-term deal are not fulfilled.

The relationship between the 2018 World Cup winner and the reigning European champion turned bitter when Mbappé decided in 2023 not to extend his contract, which was set to expire in summer 2024.

This deprived the club of a juicy transfer fee despite having offered him the most lucrative contract in club history when he signed a new deal in 2022. He was sidelined from a preseason tour and forced to train with fringe players. He missed the opening league game but returned to the lineup for a final season after discussions with the club — talks that are central to the dispute.

The club accuses Mbappé of backing out of an August 2023 agreement that allegedly included a pay reduction should he leave on a free transfer, an arrangement PSG says was meant to protect its financial stability. PSG claims Mbappé hid his decision not to extend his contract for nearly 11 months, from July 2022 to June 2023, preventing the club from arranging a transfer and causing major financial harm. It accuses him of violating contractual obligations and the principles of good faith and loyalty.

Mbappé’s camp insists PSG has never produced evidence that the striker agreed to forego any payment. His lawyers claim the club failed to pay wages and bonuses for April, May, and June 2024. They are also seeking reclassification of his fixed-term contract into a permanent one, which would trigger compensation. Mbappé also accuses PSG of moral harassment, citing his treatment when sidelined. His total claim exceeds 260 million euros, combining unpaid salary, contractual bonuses, severance, indemnities, and damages for workplace misconduct.

PSG rejects all accusations of harassment, highlighting that Mbappé took part in over 94% of matches in 2023–24 and always worked under conditions compliant with the Professional Football Charter.

PSG is seeking a total of 440 million euros in damages, including 180 million euros for the lost opportunity to transfer Mbappé because he left as a free agent after declining a 300 million euros offer from Saudi club Al-Hilal in July 2023.

Mbappé joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 on a free transfer after scoring a club-record 256 goals in seven years at PSG, which won the Champions League this year without him.

PARIS (AP) — Portugal will return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2027 and 2028, replacing the Dutch Grand Prix.

The Algarve International Circuit near Portimão previously hosted F1 in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic.

The two-year deal brings the series back to Portugal after a six-year absence.

“The circuit delivers on-track excitement from the first corner to the checkered flag, and its energy lifts fans out of their seats," F1 president Stefano Domenicali said on Tuesday. "I look forward to working together again to ensure that Portimão returns to the calendar in emphatic style.”

Portugal's first F1 race was in Porto in 1958 but was discontinued shortly after. Estoril hosted grands prix from 1984-96, and was where Ayrton Senna claimed his first victory.

Lewis Hamilton won both pandemic races in Portimão and surpassed Michael Schumacher's record of all-time wins with his 92nd victory in 2021.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/apf-AutoRacing

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Cooper Flagg scored the most points by an 18-year-old in NBA history, but he couldn't enjoy the accomplishment because it came in a loss.

Flagg had 42 points — topping the previous mark of 37 set by LeBron James on Dec. 13, 2003 — in a 140-133 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

“Obviously we didn’t win. So it's tough for me to want to be happy, or any of that, but obviously it’s a success,” said Flagg, who had a bag of ice on his ankle after rolling it at the end of regulation.

Flagg also became just the fifth rookie to record 40 points, five rebounds and five assists in the last 15 years as he finished with seven board and six assists.

“The more time he spends on the floor, the more he sees, the better he gets. He displayed it all tonight,” Dallas coach Jason Kidd said.

Flagg has been playing his best basketball the past few weeks as the No. 1 overall draft pick has averaged 25.7 points in the last seven games. He's also playing aggressive enough to get to the line and went 15 for 20 against Utah.

“It’s come a long way from the start of the season, so I’m proud of that fourth quarter,” Flagg said. “It’s a new game ... but I am getting more and more comfortable ... and just settling in, honestly, just being myself and letting the game come to me.”

He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter and made a savvy play to get the game into overtime when he missed a free throw on purpose with such a big carom that teammate Max Christie got the rebound with 3.9 seconds remaining and was fouled.

With Anthony Davis out and Dallas missing several other teammates to injuries, this game may be a harbinger of things to come as Flagg becomes a centerpiece of the Mavericks' offense.

"We were going to Coop. He was killing them the whole game, so they finally tried to double him." P.J. Washington said. “It doesn’t surprise me at all. I know exactly what he’s capable of. He’s a special player so there will be a lot more to come.”

Flagg also tied Mark Aguirre for the most points by a rookie in Mavs history as he begins to make his mark on the franchise. But he couldn't stop thinking of what he could have done to get the win despite the throbbing ankle. The Jazz made a late 11-0 run and then dominated in overtime as Flagg didn't score a basket in the extra period.

“I gotta be better. I had a couple of dumb turnovers, missed a couple easy ones, but I gotta be better, executing down the stretch like that,” Flagg said.

Setting records might be nice but Flagg feels it just means he's consistently improving and that's been his goal all season.

“I’m not really focused on a lot of that stuff (the records). I’m more just focused on being present, day to day, and trying to get better and and getting our team as many wins as we can,” Flagg said.

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AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

BOSTON (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 32 points and 10 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Boston Celtics 112-105 on Monday night.

Caris LeVert and Tobias Harris each added 13 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons, who won their fourth straight. Detroit also got even for a frustrating loss in Boston late last month.

Jaylen Brown had 34 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to lead the Celtics. Derrick White scored 31 points as Boston lost its second straight after a five-game winning streak.

When the teams met three weeks ago, Boston ended Detroit’s franchise record-tying 13-game winning streak despite 42 points from Cunningham, who missed a tying free throw in the closing seconds.

Detroit opened the final quarter with a four-point edge and pushed it to 103-93 on Javonte Green’s steal and breakaway dunk with just under six minutes left.

Boston had cut it to 96-93 on White’s three-point play that sent Cunningham to the bench with his fifth foul, but Green had a corner 3 and followed that with his jam that pushed the Pistons up by 10.

The Celtics made one more charge, closing to 104-102 on White’s baseline jumper with 2:47 left, but Cunningham had a couple of key jumpers in the final two minutes.

RAPTORS 106, HEAT 96

MIAMI (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 28 points and Toronto snapped a four-game skid with a victory over Miami, extending its losing streak to five.

Miami lost forward Nikola Jovic to an elbow injury in the first quarter. Jovic took a hard foul from Collin Murray-Boyles while driving to the basket and fell to the floor 12 seconds after he entered the game.

Scottie Barnes added 17 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley finished with 15 points for the Raptors, who made 16 3-pointers. Ingram shot 5 of 7 from behind the arc.

Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 11 points and Gradey Dick added 10 for Toronto.

Norman Powell and Bam Adebayo scored 20 points each and Davion Mitchell added 12 points for the Heat, who played without Tyler Herro. He sat out because of a right toe contusion.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sam Reinhart scored a shorthanded goal and a power play goal to lead the Florida Panthers to a 5-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.

Reinhart recorded his fourth career game with a shorthanded and power play goal in the same game, most in franchise history. Anton Lundell, Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe also scored for Florida, which improved to 5-1-1 in the past seven games.

Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 26 saves.

J.J. Moser and Max Crozier scored for Tampa Bay. Brayden Point finished with a pair of assists. Jonas Johansson, making his seventh consecutive start in place of Andrei Vasilevskiy, made 19 saves.

Reinhart scored shorthanded 2:16 into the first period for Florida’s fourth shorthanded goal of the season. Reinhart passed Scott Mellanby on the play for sixth most points in franchise history.

The Panthers made it 2-0 at 3:48 moments after Yanni Gourde hit the crossbar on an open chance above the crease before Lundell finished off a 3-on-1 rush.

Marchand made it 3-0 at 11:48 of the second period before Reinhart notched a power play goal with 1:52 remaining.

Crozier scored his first career goal with 33 seconds left in the second. Moser cut it to 4-2 deficit 2:11 into the third period. But Verhaeghe scored his eighth goal in his past 10 games at 6:37 to regain a three-goal lead.

The Panthers played most of the third period without defenseman Gustav Forsling, who blocked a shot from Nikita Kucherov off his arm at 3:03 of the third. Forsling went down the tunnel to the locker room and did not return.

Lightning leading goal scorer Brandon Hagel did not play the final 15-plus minutes of the third period after a hit by Florida defenseman Seth Jones.

Panthers: Host Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

Lightning: Host Los Angeles Kings on Thursday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

CARY, N.C. (AP) — Harrison Bertos scored 1:54 into overtime after Washington blew a two-goal lead in the second half, and the Huskies beat North Carolina State 3-2 to win the Men's College Cup at First Horizon Stadium on Monday night.

It was the first national championship for unseeded Washington (16-6-2), who became the first team to win six road matches in the tournament — beating six seeded teams along the way under the guidance of coach Jamie Clark. The Huskies won in their second trip to the final after losing 2-0 to Clemson in 2021.

No. 15 seed N.C. State (16-3-4) made the final for the first time behind coach Marc Hubbard. The Wolfpack were aiming for the school's first national championship since Jim Valvano led the men's basketball team to the title in 1983.

Zach Ramsey scored unassisted with 1:12 remaining in the first half and Washington took a 1-0 lead into the break. It was only the second time this season that N.C. State trailed at halftime.

Ramsey scored into an empty net after Wolfpack goalkeeper Logan Erb couldn't corral the ball at the top of the box. It was Ramsey's second goal of the tournament.

Richie Aman sent a cross to the center of the goal and Joe Dale knocked it in for a 2-0 lead in the 62nd minute.

Donavan Phillip answered in the 66th, scoring with an assist from Nikola Markovic to cut it to 2-1 with his fourth goal of the tournament. The Wolfpack entered 11-0-1 when Phillip scores.

Taig Healy scored the equalizer with 3:28 remaining with assists from Justin Mclean and Calem Tommy.

Egor Akulov had an assist on Bertos' winner.

Huskies keeper Jadon Bowton, the only remaining player from the 2021 squad, had five saves.

Erb saved six shots for N.C. State, which was the last school to concede a goal this season.

The temperature was 28 degrees when the match between two teams that had never faced each other began.

BOSTON (AP) — Right-hander Luis Perales was acquired by Washington from Boston on Monday for left-hander Jake Bennett in an exchange of prospects recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Perales, 22, was ranked as Boston’s No. 5 prospect by Baseball America.

He had Tommy John surgery in June 2024 and returned to the mound this past Sept. 13, pitching 2 1/3 innings during three late-season minor league appearances for Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worchester.

He averaged 14.97 strikeouts per nine innings in 2024 before getting hurt.

Bennett, 25, was ranked Washington's No. 6 prospect by Baseball America.

A second-round pick in the 2022 amateur draft, he had Tommy John surgery in September 2023. Bennett returned this past May 1 and went 2-5 with a 2.27 ERA in 18 starts and one relief appearance for Class A Fredericksburg, High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg.

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Just when receiver Ricky Pearsall finally got back to his early season form for the San Francisco 49ers he's now dealing with another injury that could impact his availability for the stretch run.

Pearsall had six catches for 96 yards Sunday to help San Francisco beat the Tennessee Titans 37-24 to move within one win of clinching a playoff berth.

But Pearsall came out of the game with ankle and knee injuries. He hurt his ankle on the first play from scrimmage but was able to return. He left late in the fourth quarter after aggravating a knee injury that had sidelined him for six games already this season. Coach Kyle Shanahan said there's a “concern” that Pearsall might miss time but the team won't know until later in the week.

“He landed on his knee and that’s a painful thing when you have that," Shanahan said Monday. "So hopefully, it’s not at all like it was when he first did it, but it does take time for that pain to go away and hopefully that’ll be sooner than later over these next eight days.”

Pearsall struggled to produce in his first three games back with five catches for 20 yards but looked like his old self on Sunday when he got loose downfield for some big plays.

Shanahan said he was starting to get bothered by the questions about Pearsall's lack of production before Sunday, saying Pearsall had been playing well despite not getting the ball.

“I was getting annoyed too,” Pearsall said after the game.

The 2024 first-round pick had gotten off to a fast start this season with 20 catches for 327 yards before getting hurt early in the second half in Week 4.

“It’s something I had to learn the last few weeks,” Pearsall said. “It’s not about stats. It’s about the flow of the game and the impact I can make without the ball in my hands.”

The Niners are hoping he will be healthy enough for the ball to come his way plenty down the stretch.

“He can run any route in the route tree and I think it’s his ability to beat man coverage and his hands too,” running back Christian McCaffrey said. “He’s an elite route-runner and can get open. In this offense, when you have someone who’s as dynamic as that, the ball is going to find him.”

Opening drive. The 49ers drove 70 yards on 12 plays for a touchdown on their first possession in what is becoming a regular occurrence. In six games with Purdy at quarterback, San Francisco has scored four TDs and one field goal on its opening drive. Purdy was sharp once again, going 5 for 6 for 50 yards and throwing a TD pass to Jauan Jennings on the drive.

Pass rush. Cam Ward came into the game having been sacked 49 times, tied for the most in the NFL. The Niners didn't bring him down once on 29 pass attempts as they remain last in the NFL with 16 sacks on the season. San Francisco has sacks on 3.2% of pass plays by its opponents, which would be the ninth worst mark of the Super Bowl era.

Jennings. The opening-drive TD was one of two on the day for Jennings, who is back to his 2024 form after struggling with injuries earlier in the season. Jennings has a TD catch in three straight games with six in his last six contests as he has been Purdy's top red zone target.

WR Brandon Aiyuk. The former No. 1 receiver's San Francisco tenure might be over. Aiyuk was placed on the reserve/left squad list on Saturday, making him ineligible to play the rest of the season. Aiyuk has been out since tearing his ACL last October. The team had initially expressed hope he would return midway through the season.

The Niners got good news on OL Spencer Burford (knee, ankle) and DT Jordan Elliott (knee), with both expected to be able to practice this week. ... LB Tatum Bethune (ankle), DE Sam Okuayinonu (ankle), LB Eric Kendricks (calf) and DL Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) all should practice this week and could return after missing time. ... LB Nick Martin remains in the concussion protocol.

7: San Francisco converted its first seven third-down tries for the first time since Oct. 2, 2016, against Dallas. The last time the Niners had more consecutive third-down conversions to start a game came when Joe Montana led them to a 24-17 win over Tampa Bay on Nov. 18, 1984, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The 49ers visit Indianapolis and its 44-year-old, recently un-retired quarterback, Philip Rivers, next Monday night.

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — There’s a good reason why Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has been on those lists of prospective head coaching candidates all season long.

The past two weeks, including a 16-13 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, have only served to solidify why the 42-year-old Minter will be in demand.

With quarterback Justin Herbert dealing with a broken non-throwing hand behind a makeshift offensive line and working with an erratic run game, Minter’s defense has stepped up to put the Chargers (10-4) on the brink of a playoff berth.

“It has just been great,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Just calling a great game and coordinating and getting us ready for it.”

In a 22-19 overtime win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 8, the defense forced five takeaways, didn’t allow a red-zone touchdown in two opportunities and held strong on third down (4 of 13).

To complete the Chargers' season sweep of the Chiefs, the defense came up with five sacks, allowed 2.3 yards per carry and was generally able to limit Patrick Mahomes.

Minter successfully deployed linebacker Daiyan Henley as a spy after Mahomes scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown on Kansas City’s opening drive, helping keep the Chiefs out of the end zone for the final 53:52. Those sorts of adjustments have Minter in line for a promotion in short order.

“I’m Jesse Minter’s biggest fan,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t know of anybody who’s a bigger fan of Jesse Minter than I am. In fact, the Harbaughs love the Minters.”

The son of longtime college and NFL coach Rick Minter, Jesse got his first NFL seasoning under John Harbaugh in Baltimore starting in 2017 before joining Jim Harbaugh at Michigan in 2022.

Minter then followed Harbaugh to Los Angeles after helping the Wolverines winning the national championship, and he has overseen two outstanding defenses for the Chargers. They rank second in yards allowed (279.1) and sixth in yards per play (4.95) this season, elevating their performance just in time for the stretch run.

If the defense can maintain this strong form into January, other teams might have to wait a little longer before trying to hire Minter.

After struggling to come away with takeaways to start the season, the defense has 10 interceptions in the past five games, including picking off Jalen Hurts and Mahomes five times in its last two outings.

Herbert and the offense are doing just enough to pull out victories, but it’s hard to see a meaningful path to Super Bowl contention without significant improvement. Herbert was sacked four times and took 12 more hits, while the running back duo of Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal generated just 3.48 yards per carry.

Edge defenders Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh each had two sacks as the Chargers’ defensive front had its way with a depleted Chiefs offensive line. Tuipulotu is up to 12 sacks this season, and Oweh has six in nine games since being traded to Los Angeles.

RG Mekhi Becton’s first season with the Chargers continues to be a major disappointment, with another injury leaving him platooning with the recently acquired Trevor Penning on Sunday. Los Angeles can easily get out of Bector’s two-year contract in the offseason, and the 26-year-old has not given a compelling reason to be brought back.

S R.J. Mickens sustained a shoulder injury that, combined with Tony Jefferson’s ejection, left the Chargers short-handed at the position. Harbaugh said there would be more information on Mickens’ status by Wednesday.

2013 — The Chargers swept the season series against the Chiefs for the first time since 2013. Keenan Allen was a rookie wide receiver for the San Diego Chargers that year, which was also Andy Reid’s first as Kansas City's coach.

The Chargers, who play at Dallas on Sunday, will almost certainly need AFC West leader Denver to stumble against Jacksonville to have any chance of extending the division race another week.

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EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard will have season-ending surgery on a left shoulder injury he aggravated in the game at Dallas, coach Kevin O’Connell announced Monday.

The Vikings (6-8) were eliminated from playoff contention before their 34-26 victory over the Cowboys on Sunday night.

Greenard missed two games last month with the injury before returning for the last two games. The 2024 Pro Bowl pick had a sack and three hits on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before he was hurt again in the fourth quarter during a fourth-down stop by the Vikings.

Though Greenard's sack total dropped from 12 last season to just three this year, his ability to generate quarterback pressure and stop the run continually set the tone for the defense. O'Connell called the 28-year-old Greenard a “foundational player.”

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who was inactive on Sunday for his fourth game missed this season, is still being assessed on a daily basis, with no plan to shut him down, O'Connell said. Swelling in his surgically repaired left knee last week kept Darrisaw from practicing.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Colorado at Seattle — TNT

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

Long Island University at Mississippi State — SECN+

Morgan State at LSU — SECN+

Sam Houston at Alabama — SECN+

Troy at Jacksonville State — ESPN

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Durable and dependable over four seasons, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne could be available to other teams in March.

Etienne is closing in on 1,000 yards rushing for the third time and already tied his career high with 12 total touchdowns, including three TD receptions in a 48-20 romp over the New York Jets on Sunday.

“When you’ve got a guy like him that can make people miss in space, that’s got great hands, vision out on the perimeter, just finding different ways to get him the ball,” coach Liam Coen said. “He just continues to ascend.”

Etienne has been as steady as anyone for the Jaguars (10-4), who have reached double-digit wins for just the second time in the last 18 seasons. But it might not be enough to keep him in Jacksonville.

The Jaguars drafted Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen as potential replacements at the position, making it more likely that Etienne hits the open market rather than return on a long-term deal or on a franchise tag that would guarantee him roughly $14 million in 2026.

So the 26-year-old Etienne, a first-round draft pick in 2021, could be playing his final month in Jacksonville.

His recent performances — he has nine touchdowns in his last six games — have moved him into sixth on the team’s all-time TD list with 31. He’s three shy of passing tight end Marcedes Lewis for fifth.

“I feel like I’ve been working in the shadows, at practice catching balls and doing it in practice over and over again,” Etienne said. “But coach has the confidence to go out there and call it. I feel like that’s the difference. …

“He gets the ball in the playmaker’s hands. He just has confidence in us.”

The Jaguars haven’t allowed a sack in consecutive weeks, giving Lawrence enough time to get the ball down the field. Lawrence connected on six passes longer than 30 yards in wins against the Jets and the Indianapolis Colts, including three to Brian Thomas Jr.

“We are starting to click at the right time,” Thomas said.

Third-down defense could improve. The Jets moved the chains eight times on 13 third-down plays, a 53.3% conversion rate. Jacksonville is allowing opponents to convert 41.9% of the time on the crucial down, which ranks 26th in the league.

Lawrence has accounted for 10 touchdowns — and no turnovers — in his last three games. He has nine passing and one rushing.

He became the first player in NFL history to have five or more passing TDs, at least 50 yards rushing and a rushing touchdown in the same game against the Jets. His 136.7 passer rating against the Jets was the best of his five-year career.

“It’s a weapon for me being able to move and extend plays and get out of the pocket and run or make a throw and extend the place and still get the ball downfield,” he said. “It’s easier to do the more comfortable and confident you are in the system and just trusting what you see. I think you’re seeing that more and more the last few weeks.”

Lawrence now has 23 TD passes on the season, two shy of tying his career high set in 2022.

Second-year defensive tackle Maason Smith, a second-round draft pick from LSU in 2024, has drawn the ire of coaches the last two weeks. He jumped into the neutral zone on a second-and-7 play against Indy last week and was flagged for taunting against the Jets.

It’s the kind of undisciplined effort that could lead to fewer snaps down the stretch, especially with the emergence of journeyman Matt Dickerson. The 30-year-old Dickerson made his first start in seven NFL seasons Sunday.

LT Walker Little (concussion) was inactive against the Jets, but could return this week against Denver. Three backups were injured in the game: Tuten (finger), DE Danny Striggow (ankle) and LB Jack Kiser (hamstring).

84 — The number of points Jacksonville scored in back-to-back wins against the Jets and the Colts. It’s the third most in consecutive weeks in franchise history, following 92 points in 2000 (Cleveland and Arizona) and 90 in 2015 (Tennessee and Indianapolis).

The Jaguars would clinch an AFC playoff spot with a victory at Denver (12-2) on Sunday combined with a loss by either Houston (9-5) or Indy (8-6).

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There are six Russian sliders on the entry list for this weekend's World Cup luge races in Lake Placid, New York, all hoping to accumulate enough standings points to earn a berth at this winter's Milan Cortina Olympics.

They are scheduled to be part of official training on Tuesday, in a session that also will include athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Croatia, Finland, Britain, Canada, South Korea, Ireland and Estonia. The Russians are on the start list as AIN, or Individual Neutral Athletes.

Ukrainian athletes — who have made clear that they aren't comfortable with the notion of Russians being allowed to compete — are all in a different session of training Tuesday, the first day of official preparations at the Mount Van Hoevenberg track.

Training continues Wednesday, followed by a Nations Cup race — essentially a qualifier for the World Cup races — on Thursday. It's likely that the Russians will slide in the Nations Cup race before getting spots in the World Cup men's and women's singles luge events in Lake Placid.

Russians have not taken part in a World Cup luge race since January 2022, part of the response that the International Luge Federation — and other sport governing bodies — had to that country's invasion of Ukraine.

The International Olympic Committee wants Russians — in many sports — to have the opportunity to compete as neutral athletes at the Milan Cortina Games. Luge, like some other sports, originally refused to allow any Russians to take part this year, then amended those decisions after appeals.

The race in Lake Placid is the third of five races that will count toward Olympic qualifying, and the Russians need some results to enhance their odds of grabbing a berth for Milan Cortina. None of the Russians is expected to be a contender; of the six trying to compete now, only two have previous experience on the World Cup circuit.

The last two qualifying races for luge, in Latvia and Germany, may be difficult for the Russians to enter because the process of getting visas for those countries could be problematic. The Russians said last week that the U.S. granted them visas to come to races in Utah last weekend and Lake Placid this weekend; they skipped the Utah race for reasons that remain unclear.

Meanwhile, International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation said last week it was deeming nine Russians eligible for its races this season. None of those sliders is entered in this weekend's World Cup skeleton races in Latvia.

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AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Aryna Sabalenka won her second consecutive WTA Tour Player of the Year award on Monday, getting nearly 80% of the vote from a media panel after winning the U.S. Open, reaching the finals of two other Grand Slam tournaments and closing the season at No. 1 in the rankings.

Sabalenka joined Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek as back-to-back winners of the honor over the past 25 years.

Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, led women's tennis in match victories (going 63-12), titles (four) and finals reached (nine) in 2025 and set a tour record by earning $15 million in prize money. She spent the entire year at No. 1.

At the majors, Sabalenka was the runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January and to Coco Gauff at the French Open in June, made it to the semifinals at Wimbledon in July before losing to Amanda Anisimova and collected her fourth career Grand Slam singles trophy with a successful title defense at the U.S. Open in September, defeating Anisimova in the final.

Anisimova was selected as Most Improved Player after making it to her first two Grand Slam finals at the All England Club — where she was the runner-up to Swiatek — and Flushing Meadows. She reached three other finals, including claiming WTA 1000 titles in Doha and Beijing.

The 24-year-old from the United States ended 2024 at No. 36 in the rankings and, after making her top-10 debut, rose all the way to No. 4 at the end of this season. Anisimova also was nominated as Player of the Year.

This season capped quite a climb for Anisimova, who took time off in 2023, saying she had been “ struggling with my mental health ” for nearly a year.

Other award recipients Monday included Vicky Mboko as Newcomer of the Year, Belinda Bencic as Comeback Player of the Year, and Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend as Doubles Team of the Year.

Mboko, a 19-year-old from Canada, lifted her ranking from outside the top 300 to inside the top 20 with a season that included a WTA 1000 trophy in Montreal by beating four Grand Slam singles champions.

Bencic was away from the tour for more than a year while having her first child, then won two titles in 2025 and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon for the first time — her first appearance in the final four of a major since 2019.

Siniakova and Townsend won the Australian Open and were the runners-up at the U.S. Open.

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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 Michigan remained locked in place atop The Associated Press men's college basketball poll released Monday while No. 15 Nebraska jumped to its highest Top 25 ranking in nearly 35 years.

The Wildcats had 42 of 61 first-place votes to hold the top spot while the Wolverines received 15 to keep the teams at 1-2 for a second consecutive week.

The top 10 was largely unchanged, with No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 8 Houston swapping spots from last week the only new wrinkle. No. 3 Duke (three) and No. 4 Iowa State (one) were the only other teams to earn first-place votes.

UConn and Purdue were next after the Cyclones, and Michigan State and BYU rounded out the top 10.

The Cornhuskers (11-0) had the week's biggest jump of eight spots after Saturday's win at then-No. 13 Illinois on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. That marked the highest ranking for the program since it was No. 11 in March 1991 for the final poll of that season.

The now-No. 18 Illini and 23rd-ranked Florida had the week's biggest slides, with each falling five spots.

Georgia was the lone new addition to the poll, moving in at No. 25 to replace UCLA.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Arizona, Michigan stay 1-2 in AP Top 25 men's poll; No. 15 Nebraska jumps to highest ranking since March 1991.

LONDON (AP) — A darts player briefly turned into a boxer as he lost his cool after a tough loss in the world championship on Monday.

Cameron Menzies repeatedly threw uppercuts at a table on the stage at Alexandra Palace after losing to Charlie Manby 3-2 in a thrilling first-round match that went down to the wire.

A drinks bottle and other items flew off the table and Menzies appeared to raise his hand in apology to jeering fans as he walked off the stage.

Menzies, who is from Scotland, was the 26th-seeded player at the tournament and had been expected to win his first match.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Army-Navy was the only matchup for college football over the weekend, but the NFL had plenty of excitement in Week 15, with the playoff picture coming into clearer focus.

Here’s a look at how things played out from a sports betting perspective:

NFL favorites went 9-5 Sunday at the BetMGM online sportsbook, including four of five double-digit favorites covering the spread. Three of the five most-bet sides in terms of tickets covered, including Bills -1.5 vs. Patriots, Chargers +6 at Chiefs and Broncos +1 vs. Packers. When it came to money, the three most-bet sides covered, including Texans -10 vs. Cardinals, Bills -1.5 vs. Patriots and Eagles -12.5 vs. Raiders.

Denver won its 11th consecutive game, defeating the Packers 34-26 at home. The Broncos (+100) were the most-bet underdog to win on Sunday.

Navy beat Army 17-16 on Saturday. The over/under was set at 38.5, meaning Unders are now 48-13-2 in service academy games since 2005.

The biggest upset in the NFL on Sunday was the Chargers beating the Chiefs as six-point underdogs, 16-13. The loss eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention. The Chargers took in 62% of the bets and 43% of the money.

Another upset came on Sunday Night Football, with the Vikings beating the Cowboys 34-26 on the road as five-point underdogs. Dallas took in 75% of the bets and 80% of the money.

In the NBA Cup semifinals, the Spurs upset the Thunder 111-109 in Las Vegas on Saturday night. San Antonio closed as 11.5-point underdogs and were +400 on the moneyline. In against-the-spread betting, the Thunder took in 72% of the bets and 67% of the money.

Here’s a look at the Super Bowl odds as of Dec. 15:

1. Rams +350

2. Seahawks +700

3. Broncos +800

4. Bills +850

5. Eagles +1100

6. Packers +1200

7. Texans +1300

8. Patriots +1300

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This column was provided to The Associated Press by BetMGM online sportsbook.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Former U.S. captain Michael Bradley became the New York Red Bulls' 21st coach in 31 seasons when he was promoted Monday to replace Sandro Schwarz, taking over a job his father held two decades earlier.

Bradley was hired on June 12 as coach of Red Bulls II in the third tier MLS Next Pro and led the team to the league title.

The 38-year-old had 17 goals in 151 international appearances from 2006-19 and spent 20 years playing for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (2004-05), Heerenveen (2006-08), Borussia Mönchengladbach (2008-11), Aston Villa (2011), Chievo Verona (2011-12), Roma (2012-14) and Toronto (2014-23).

Bradley was an assistant to his father Bob with Norway’s Stabaek in 2023-24. His father coached the U.S. from 2006-11.

New York missed Major League Soccer's playoffs, finishing 10th in the Eastern Conference with 12 wins, 15 losses and seven ties, and Schwarz was fired on Oct. 27 after two seasons. The team was seventh in 2024 and advanced to the MLS final, where it lost to the LA Galaxy.

The Red Bulls began play in 1996 as the New York/New Jersey Metrostars. They have never won the MLS championship.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

CARACAS (AP) — The Rinconada racetrack in Caracas, Venezuela, hosted the 56th Jockey Challenge on Sunday.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

LONDON (AP) — Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca is happy at the club, he said on Monday as he refused to go into more detail about the weekend outburst that he had just endured his worst spell since arriving in June 2024.

After the 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday, Maresca said “the last 48 hours has been the worst since I joined the club” because “many people didn’t support me and the team.”

The Italian coach didn't specify who he was referring to, except to say it wasn't about the Chelsea supporters, and wouldn't expand two days later despite repeated questions about the comments.

“I respect people's opinions,” Maresca said at a news conference ahead of Tuesday's English League Cup quarterfinal match at third-tier Cardiff. “But I don't have nothing to add and my focus is just on tomorrow's game.”

Asked if he was “100%” committed to Chelsea, Maresca replied: “Absolutely, yes.”

Chelsea is fourth in the Premier League, 13th in the 36-team Champions League, and looking to reach the semifinals of a cup competition for the third time since Maresca's arrival.

Beating Everton ended Chelsea's four-match winless run in all competitions.

Maresca said Cole Palmer will not be available for the trip to Wales, as the England forward looks to recover fully from a groin injury that has restricted him to seven games in all competitions this season.

Palmer scored the first goal against Everton but came off in the 58th minute.

“Cole is one of the players who deserve to be protected,” Maresca said. “At this moment, he is not available to play two games in three games.”

On Wednesday, Manchester City hosts Brentford and Fulham visits defending champion Newcastle.

The fourth quarterfinal takes place next week, when Arsenal hosts Crystal Palace.

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