Mike Tirico has been officially named as NBC's lead play-by-play announcer when it begins its cov...

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Mike Tirico has been officially named as NBC's lead play-by-play announcer when it begins its coverage of <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">the NBA</a> next season.
The move is not a surprise, since many expected that to happen when NBC agreed to an 11-year contract with the NBA last summer. Tirico was part of ESPN and ABC's coverage of the league until moving to NBC in July 2016. He also called six NBA Finals on ESPN Radio.
According to research from the 506 Sports Archive, Tirico called 313 NBA regular-season and playoff games on ESPN and ABC.
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Tirico will have another busy 10-month stretch from September through May 2026. He calls the “Sunday Night Football” package, which will include Super Bowl 60, and will lead NBC's Olympics coverage as the prime time host of the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/milan-cortina-2026-olympics-cc9766aca181e27195bb864b7288cf63">Milan-Cortina Winter Games</a>.
Tirico will call select games on NBC and Peacock the first half of the season, including the season opener in October.
“My 15 years of chronicling the best basketball players in the world still stands as one of the highlights of my career," Tirico said in a statement. "Like so many others, my love of the league took hold during the unforgettable days of the NBA on NBC back in the ’90s. The chance to be a part of the team bringing that iconic partnership back to life has us incredibly excited.”
NBC, which carried NBA games from 1990 through 2002, will have up to 100 regular-season games, including on Sunday night once the NFL season has ended. It will also have games on Tuesday throughout the regular season, while a Monday night doubleheader would be exclusively streamed on Peacock. NBC will also have the All-Star Game and All-Star Saturday Night.
During the playoffs, NBC and/or Peacock will have up to 28 games the first two rounds, with at least half on NBC. It also will carry one of the two conference finals in six of the 11 years of the deal.
With the All-Star Game less than a month away, the hiring cycle for NBC, ESPN/ABC and Prime Video for next season is expected to ramp up.
NBC previously announced that Jamal Crawford will be a game analyst and Frank DiGraci will serve as coordinating producer while Prime Video named Taylor Rooks, Blake Griffin and Dirk Nowitzki to its studio show.
“Inside the NBA” will appear on ESPN and ABC beginning next season as part of a settlement between Warner Bros. Discovery and the NBA. This is the final season of NBA coverage on TNT.
Noah Eagle, who does college football, college basketball and some NFL games, is also expected to be a part of NBC's coverage even though an announcement has not been made. Jalen Rose is a game analyst for college basketball on NBC/Peacock, but does have NBA studio and analyst experience from his time with ESPN/ABC.
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AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>
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Mike Tirico arrives at the Trocadero ahead of the opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Picture date: Friday July 26, 2024.

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NBC names Mike Tirico lead play-by-play announcer for NBA coverage

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers announced their deal with prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki on W...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dodgers announced their deal with prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki on Wednesday, agreeing to a minor league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus.A 23-year-old right-hander whose fastball tops 100 mph, Sasaki announced his intention to sign with the Dodgers on Friday and was to be introduced at a news conference Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. He joined fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Dodgers in a decision many baseball executives long expected.Sasaki had until Thursday to finalize a contract. He was considered an international amateur under Major League Baseball's rules because he is under 25 and does not have six years service in the Japanese major leagues, making him subject to international signing bonus pools.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Dodgers started with a pool of $5,146,200 but increased it to $8,102,800 with a pair of trades last week, acquiring $1.5 million from Cincinnati and $1,456,600 from Philadelphia.The Dodgers are planning to use a six-man rotation, which could ease Sasaki’s transition to Major League Baseball, as the Dodgers attempt to become the first repeat champion since the New York Yankees from 1998 to 2000.Sasaki was made available to MLB teams for a 45-day window by the Chiba Lotte Marines of Japan’s Pacific League under the posting agreement between Nippon Professional Baseball and MLB.The Marines will get a release fee of $1,625,000, calculated at 25% of the amount of Sasaki’s signing bonus.During a news conference at the winter meetings last month, Sasaki’s agent, Joel Wolfe, denied an agreement with the Dodgers was already in place. Wolfe said MLB had investigated.Sasaki was 10-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 18 games last year, striking out 129 hitters in 111 innings during a season limited by shoulder inflammation. He went 7-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 15 starts in 2023, when he had an oblique injury. He has a 29-15 career record with a 2.10 ERA over four seasons with the Marines and pitched a perfect game against Orix in April 2022.Among international amateur free agents, Los Angeles also agreed to deals with Venezuelan infielders Luis Tovar ($397,500) and Moises Acacio ($197,500), Panamanian left-hander Adrian Torres ($362,500) and Colombian shortstop Luis Luna ($137,500).___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 20: Roki Sasaki #14 of Team Japan reacts after an out in the third inning against Team Mexico during the World Baseball Classic Semifinals at loanDepot park on March 20, 2023 in Miami, Florida.

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Dodgers make signing of Japanese star Sasaki official

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas...

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas joined the Argentinian club Newell's Old Boys on a free transfer on Wednesday.The 38-year-old Costa Rican, who recently retired from international soccer, won three Champions League titles with Real but has not played since the end of his stint in Paris last May."Thank God we are returning to the pitch," Navas said on his social media accounts. "I feel ready, willing and very happy to take this new challenge."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Newell's, Lionel Messi’s boyhood club, is based in Rosario, 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of Buenos Aires.Newell's called Navas "an international legend" on social media. He has played in the last three World Cups for his country.The length of his deal with Newell's has not been disclosed.<h2>__</h2>AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PARIS, FRANCE - APRIL 27: Goalkeeper Keilor Navas of Paris Saint Germain during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain and Havre AC at Parc des Princes on April 27, 2024 in Paris, France.

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Former Real Madrid, PSG 'keeper Navas joins Newell's Old Boys

TORONTO (AP) — General manager Ross Atkins said a Toronto Blue Jays jersey with Anthony Santander...

TORONTO (AP) — General manager Ross Atkins said a Toronto Blue Jays jersey with Anthony Santander’s name on it was "floating around our office" throughout the offseason.The outfielder put it on Tuesday when he was introduced by the Blue Jays during a Zoom news conference, a day after finalizing a $92.5 million, five-year contract."Looks great on me already," Santander said with a smile.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Santander's deal includes an opt-out provision and a 2030 team option with escalators that could increase the total value to $110 million."The process was really good," Santander said. "This move, since day one, we’ve had really good communication, back and (forth). I know it took a little bit longer but we got what we wanted. We’re here. The process was really easy."The 30-year-old was a first-time All-Star last year in his eighth and final season with Baltimore, hitting .235 while setting career highs with 44 homers, 102 RBIs and 91 runs in 155 games.Santander joins a batting order projected to include George Springer, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr."I’m happy for this opportunity," Santander said. "I can’t wait to be with my brothers. It starts on day one of spring training. Work hard, get better every single day and go after the championship."That’s what we’re looking for. That’s what I’m here for."After playoff appearances as a wild card in 2020, ’22 and ’23, the Blue Jays were last in the AL East last year at 74-88."Anthony is about as good of a fit as we can find," Atkins said. "So doing it from both sides of the plate, putting the ball in the seats (regularly), his ability to do damage on a nightly basis is exactly what we were looking for and a great addition to this lineup."A switch-hitter with power from both sides, Santander has averaged 35 homers, 95 RBIs and 153 games over the last three seasons.He’s the first high-profile free agent to sign with the Blue Jays this winter.Atkins didn't want to address the Blue Jays' failed attempt to sign pitcher Roki Sasaki, who agreed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, or the possibility of a long-term agreement with Guerrero, who can become a free agent after the 2025 World Series.Santander figures to be used as a designated hitter by manager John Schneider and hit cleanup much of the time."Left field, right field, first base, DH — I’m really flexible with that," Santander said. "All that I want is to get ready to win games."___AP MLB: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mlb">https://apnews.com/hub/mlb</a>

BALTIMORE, MD - April 17: Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Anthony Santander (25) is all smiles following the Minnesota Twins versus the Baltimore Orioles on April 17, 2024 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, MD.

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Santander excited after choosing Blue Jays: Jersey 'looks great on me'

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Madison Keys is back into the Australian Open semifinals for a third ...

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Madison Keys is back into the Australian Open semifinals for a third time after her 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 win Wednesday over Elina Svitolina of Ukraine.The 29-year-old Keys is on a 10-match winning streak after warming up for the year’s first major with a title at Adelaide, where she beat fellow American Jessica Pegula in the final.Her run to the semifinals at Melbourne Park has included victories over two former Australian Open finalists — Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina — in the third and fourth rounds.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Keys, the 2017 U.S. Open runner-up, next faces the winner of Wednesday’s later quarterfinal between five-time Grand Slam singles champion Iga Swiatek and No. 8 Emma Navarro.This is Keys' 11th trip to the Australian Open, where her best performances have resulted in semifinal losses to the eventual champion: against Serena Williams in 2015 and to Australia's Ash Barty in 2022.“I think I play a little bit smarter for sure ... probably a little bit less fearless,” Keys said of the differences in her game over a decade. “But to be here 10 years later in the semifinals again, I’m really proud of myself and really excited to play another.”Svitolina was in control during the first set and took a lot of adjustments from Keys to turn the momentum of the match. Keys started advancing to the net faster and more frequently, cut down her errors and found her range and more speed with her booming forehand and serve.She won 23 of the 26 points she played at the net and hit 49 winners, including 23 on the forehand side.It wasn't until the sixth game of the second set that she converted a break-point chance, her seventh, to go ahead 4-2. From then, momentum was mostly with the American.The No. 19-seeded Keys broke in the fifth game of the third set and held her nerve to close it out in just under two hours.Svitolina, a 30-year-old from Ukraine, was playing her third quarterfinal in Australia, and first since losing to eventual champion Naomi Osaka in 2019.The former world No. 3 has still never gone past the last eight at Melbourne Park, with her runs to the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2023 and 2019 and the U.S. Open in 2019 remaining her major highlights.Ahead of the last of the women's quarterfinals, Swiatek had swept all of her matches in straight sets, while Navarro spent more than 10 hours on court across four three-set matches.Two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka will contest the other women's semifinal Thursday against her friend and No. 11 seed Paula Badosa.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 22: Madison Keys of the United States acknowledges the crowd after winning against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the Women's Singles Quarterfinal during day 11 of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 22, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia.

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Keys beats Svitolina to reach Aussie Open semis for 3rd time

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Brianne Jenner scored her first PWHL goal of the season less than four min...

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — <a href="https://x.com/PWHL_Ottawa/status/1881859089359413536">Brianne Jenner scored her first PWHL goal of the season less than four minutes into the game</a>, Gwyneth Philips made 22 saves for her first career shutout, and the Ottawa Charge beat the Minnesota Frost 1-0 on Tuesday night to end a three-game losing streak.Ottawa (5-0-2-5) moved past New York for third in the standings with 17 points. It was the Charge’s eighth road game this season.Minnesota (4-3-2-4) has lost three games in a row. The Frost were also held scoreless by New York on Jan. 5.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Ottawa scored after three minutes, 19 seconds when Gabbie Hughes got the puck along the boards and sent a pass in front of the goal to a wide-open Jenner.Philips, who started in place of Emerance Maschmeyer for the third time this season, recorded the first victory of her career and Ottawa’s first shutout of the season. She had six shutouts — and was named Women’s Hockey Commissioners Association National goalie of the year, awarded to the most outstanding goalie in Division I — at Northeastern last season.Ottawa had a player advantage with 3:23 left in the third period after Michela Cava was called for roughing. Then Minnesota pulled its goalie with at 1:09, but did not register a shot on goal.<h2>___</h2>AP Women’s Hockey: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey">https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey</a>

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Jenner, Philips lift Charge to narrow win over Frost

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Ohio State backup quarterback Devin Brown is transferring to California. ...

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BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Ohio State backup quarterback Devin Brown is transferring to California.
Brown entered the transfer portal in December but stayed with the Buckeyes through their run to the national championship that ended with a win Monday night over Notre Dame.
Cal announced Tuesday that Brown would be joining the Golden Bears for next season.
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The Bears lost starting quarterback Fernando Mendoza to Indiana this offseason, as well as the top two backups, with Chandler Rogers and CJ Harris also entering the portal.
Brown is expected to compete with freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele for the starting job at Cal. Brown has two years of eligibility remaining.
Brown lost a close quarterback competition to Kyle McCord in 2023 and was relegated to the back seat again when the Buckeyes brought in Kansas State transfer Will Howard for 2024.
Brown, who is from Gilbert, Arizona, has thrown for 331 yards and three touchdowns in the past two seasons, mostly in mop-up duty.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Devin Brown #33 of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks to throw the ball during the first quarter against the Missouri Tigers during the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.

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Ohio State backup Devin Brown transfers to Cal

LE CHESNAY, France (AP) — Victor Wembanyama stood on the center stripe of a new outdoor court in ...

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LE CHESNAY, France (AP) — Victor Wembanyama stood on the center stripe of a new outdoor court in his hometown, his arms outstretched to their full 8-foot wingspan as he posed for a slew of photographers.
He could not have seemed happier.
Wembanyama unveiled a gift of sorts to his hometown and the next generation on Tuesday, a pair of outdoor courts — one for 5-on-5 play, the other for 3-on-3 play — that were built to the specifications that he wanted and sketched out himself.
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“For those of you that don’t know, this started in a room with an idea," San Antonio general manager Brian Wright said, as about five dozen kids sat on the court in front of him and another 100 or so people watched from adjacent courtside seating. "And I remember watching Victor going on a whiteboard and literally drawing every single detail of the court that you see today and putting his heart and soul into designing this court for the children to play on. It speaks to how special you are and how special this is to you, so thank you, Victor.”
Wembanyama and the Spurs are in France this week, playing a pair of games Thursday and Saturday in Paris against the Indiana Pacers. France is Wembanyama's homeland, as everyone knows. And it's often assumed that he's from Paris, but he's from Le Chesnay — about 12 miles (20 kilometers) west of the city.
It was important to him to make this happen in time for the Spurs' visit there. Others did not think that was realistic.
“Impossible,” said Le Chesnay's mayor, Richard Delepierre.
The challenges were many: There were old courts in that space to excavate, designs to be approved, it's not great weather for construction at this time of year, and if all that wasn't enough, building anything so close to the Palace of Versailles seems to be a bit of logistical headache, to say the least.
But it's what Wemby wanted. And that makes things happen, especially in his hometown.
“Beyond his immense basketball talents, it seems that Victor possesses great qualities of art and a certain capacity for persuasion,” Delepierre said.
Construction really got going just a couple months ago. But on Tuesday, on a chilly afternoon, it was finished. The new nets were in place, the fibers still tight together as if to show not a single shot had gone through them yet. The kids peeled back a black drape to show off the center court design — a nod to both the Spurs' logo and the Le Chesnay clock tower — and Wembanyama caught a lob for the ceremonial first dunk.
“It was my dream also to have these kind of courts when I was living here,” Wembanyama said.
Le Chesnay is a small city of about 30,000, a little west of downtown Paris. From town hall there's a view of the Palace of Versailles, the home King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette shared in the late 18th century before he was beheaded during the French Revolution. Local legend suggests Napoleon roamed the area at times, even ordering that trees be planted to line the streets a certain way.
It is also where Wembanyama's basketball life began to grow.
Local officials say the majority of residents there — the Chesnaycourtois and Chesnaycourtoise — take part in some sort of sporting activity. Wembanyama created a bit of a stir in town when he brought friends in for an impromptu pickup soccer match last year, some of them roaming the same field that they did as little kids. Handball is extremely popular there, as are auto racing and equestrian. There even was a filly named Le Chesnay that raced at the famed Saratoga Race Course in 2009.
But, officially or unofficially, it's a basketball town now. Kids are playing the game all the time in Le Chesnay, most of them — as one would guess — wearing Spurs jerseys or T-shirts. Wembanyama's 6-foot-3 mother, Elodie de Fautereau, was a standout player and became a coach.
“The Spurs ‘Play Paris’ initiative isn’t just about building a court, it’s about creating a vibrant hub for the community that honors Victor’s journey and his commitment to giving back,” said RC Buford, CEO of Spurs Sports and Entertainment. “This renovated space will hopefully inspire the next generation and showcase the power of sports to bring people together.”
The Spurs haven't said what they spent on the project, but it was a “significant” part of the estimated $500,000 budget, Delepierre said. It's also important to note that the courts aren't some Wembanyama tribute; the city logo and the Spurs logo are present, but nothing that screams the 2023-24 NBA rookie of the year's name.
He didn't want them to be about him. And they got done just in time.
“Impossible,” Delepierre said, taking back his previous declaration, “is not French.”
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AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>
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San Antonio Spurs' French forward-centre Victor Wembanyama reacts during the inauguration of basketball courts in Le Chesnay, a south-western suburb of Paris, on January 21, 2025.

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Wemby dedicates pair of new outdoor courts in hometown

The Dallas Cowboys are set to interview Brian Schottenheimer, their offensive coordinator, in the...

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The Dallas Cowboys are set to interview Brian Schottenheimer, their offensive coordinator, in the search to replace former coach Mike McCarthy, a person with direct knowledge of the plan said Tuesday.
Schottenheimer would be the first known internal candidate to interview for the head coaching job. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no planned interviews were being announced.
The first three formal interviews were external candidates. They were Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who was Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott's play-caller for four seasons, and former NFL head coaches Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier.
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<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cowboys-mccarthy-533c8098fe87060e341a75368dea254e">McCarthy and the Cowboys parted ways</a> last week after his initial five-year contract with the club expired.
McCarthy interviewed with Chicago last week, but the Bears reached a deal Monday for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bears-ben-johnson-head-coach-41b68dc47cf6563253f2a87779f7c1df">Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to be their next coach</a>, a person with knowledge of that agreement told the AP.
The 51-year-old Schottenheimer, son of the late NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, joined the Dallas staff as a consultant in 2022 and held the offensive coordinator title the past two seasons while McCarthy was the play-caller. McCarthy took over those duties in 2023 when the Cowboys and Moore mutually parted ways.
McCarthy's first NFL coaching job was on Marty Schottenheimer's Kansas City staff in 1993.
The younger Schottenheimer cultivated a strong relationship with Prescott the past two seasons and would be a familiar face for a franchise QB going into the first year of a <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cowboys-dak-prescott-contract-318da54828e8bd96d7010f82c6dcfe22">$240 million, four-year contract</a>. It's the first NFL contract to average $60 million per season.
Brian Schottenheimer called plays as the offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and Seattle. His 12 seasons over those three stints were from 2006-2020.
Prescott had one of the best seasons of his career in his first year with the McCarthy-Schottenheimer combination, but the offense slumped early this season even before <a href="https://apnews.com/article/cowboys-dak-prescott-hamstring-injury-9cfef226fdbb0f1d735d0ace6734f144">Prescott's season-ending hamstring injury</a>. Dallas finished 7-10 to end a three-year run of 12-5 teams that qualified for the playoffs.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 28: Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer looks on prior to the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 28, 2024 in Arlington, Texas.

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Report: Cowboys to interview OC Schottenheimer in coaching search

MIAMI (AP) — Brittney Griner is testing the free agent market for the first time in her career.  ...

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MIAMI (AP) — Brittney Griner is testing the free agent market for the first time in her career.
The All-Star center is taking meetings starting Tuesday with multiple teams, according to her agent. WNBA executives were in Miami for the opening of Unrivaled to talk with Griner and other free agents.
Griner has been a free agent before, but always re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury since she was first drafted by the franchise in 2013 as the No. 1 pick.
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“I want to show off my skills for free agency,” Griner said of playing in the new league, which seems to be dominated more by guards and wings then post players.
Unrivaled has some of the top unrestricted free agents, like Griner and Courtney Vandersloot, as well as a few players who most likely will play on other teams next season despite being given the franchise tag by their current WNBA squad.
“There’s a ton of free agents here,” New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart said. “It’s like a one-stop shop to kind of do everything.”
The new league is a unique opportunity for free agents to build relationships on and off the court with some of the star players on potential destination teams.
“There’s conversations for sure. Everybody’s like ‘Hey, you want to come play here?’” said Vandersloot, who has meetings this week with multiple teams. “I think it’s great. You know, it gives you an opportunity to get, like, real honest feedback about teams and say, who wants to play with each other? We’re at a time in the league that there’s going to be a lot of player movement.”
Coffees and dinners have been bought and conversations are constantly being had among the 36 players. Vandersloot joked that buying her a pack of IPA would be a good recruiting pitch.
“I’m an IPA drinker, so I guess that is not a requirement. But listen, if you’re showing up with a pack of IPA, you might have a head start,” she said laughing.
Some of the potential stars at Unrivaled who could move teams include Satou Sabally, Jewell Loyd and Alyssa Thomas. Sabally and Thomas were given the franchise tags by their WNBA teams so the only way they could change teams would be via trade.
Sabally said that she doesn't <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sabally-wings-wnba-510aed3153d75a3e49fd1c57800ff2ec">plan to return to Dallas</a> next season to play for the Wings. Loyd isn't a free agent, but has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/storm-loyd-investigation-trade-8ecdf04243ba17c9d3129ddb27c39320">requested a trade</a> from the Storm.
“This is the best place to be able to recruit free agents,” Phoenix Mercury guard Natasha Cloud said. “At the end of the day, I’m very much a person that’s whatever is best for Satou moving forward — that’s what I want for Satou.”
Negotiations officially can begin Tuesday and players can sign contracts starting Feb. 1. With a new CBA featuring massive salary implications expected to come into effect in 2026, most players will sign just one-year deals.
This season the Connecticut Sun and expansion Golden State Valkyries have the most cap space to sign free agents. The Sun could lose most of their starting lineup to free agency with DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones and Thomas all potentially leaving.
“There's a lot to think about, a lot to process," Thomas said. "But I'm going to weigh all my decisions.”
One free agent who is not at Unrivaled is Diana Taurasi. The WNBA's all-time leading scorer is still weighing her decision on whether to retire or come back for another season.
___
AP WNBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball">https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball</a>
</div>

ARLINGTON, TX - JUNE 9: Brittney Griner #42 of the Phoenix Mercury reacts against the Dallas Wings during a 2024 Commissioner's Cup game on June 9, 2024 at the College Park Center in Arlington, TX. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE

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Ohio State was No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of the season Tue...

Ohio State was No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of the season Tuesday after beating Notre Dame for its first national championship since 2014.The Buckeyes (14-2) received every first-place vote following their mostly dominant run through the College Football Playoff. The Irish (14-2) finished No. 2 for their highest end-of-season ranking since 1993.Oregon (13-1), which had been No. 1 in eight straight polls entering the playoff, lost to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal and finished No. 3. The Ducks’ previous high final ranking was No. 2 in 2014.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Texas (13-3) and Penn State (13-3), which both reached the semifinals, rounded out the top five. The Longhorns finished in the top five for a second straight year for the first time since 2008-09. The Nittany Lions ended in the top five for the first time since 2005.It’s the first time the Big Ten has had three teams in the final top five.No. 6 Georgia (13-3) was followed by Arizona State (11-3), Boise State (12-2), Tennessee (10-3) and Indiana (11-2).No. 11 Mississippi (10-3), which closed with an impressive Gator Bowl win over Duke, and No. 13 BYU (11-2), which routed Colorado in the Alamo Bowl, were ranked ahead of two playoff teams from the ACC, SMU and Clemson.SMU (11-3) moved up one spot to No. 12, ahead of No. 14 Clemson (10-4), even though it lost to the Tigers in the ACC championship game and by four touchdowns to Penn State in the first round of the playoff. The Mustangs’ final ranking was their highest since they were eighth in 1984. Clemson, which lost to Texas in the first round, has been ranked in the final poll every year since 2011.Alabama took the biggest fall, six spots to No. 17. The Crimson Tide dropped two of their last three under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer, including a 19-13 bowl loss to Michigan. The Tide come out of the season with their lowest ranking since Gene Stallings’ 1995 team was No. 21.Ohio State had its lowest ranking of the season, at No. 7, following its 13-10 loss to 21-point-underdog Michigan on Nov. 30. The Buckeyes went into the playoff No. 6 and played their best ball of the season, beating Tennessee 42-17, Oregon 41-21, Texas 28-14 and Notre Dame 34-23 in the championship game in Atlanta on Tuesday night.The Buckeyes won their sixth AP national championship. They also won in 1942, 1954, 1968, 2002 and 2014.<figure class="article-segment--table"><div class="table-responsive"><table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Rank</th>
<th>Team</th>
<th>Record</th>
<th>Previous Rank</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>1</td>
<td>Ohio State</td>
<td>14-2</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2</td>
<td>Notre Dame</td>
<td>14-2</td>
<td>3</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td>Oregon</td>
<td>13-1</td>
<td>1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>4</td>
<td>Texas </td>
<td>13-3</td>
<td>4</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td>Penn State</td>
<td>13-3</td>
<td>5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td>Georgia</td>
<td> 11-3</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td>Arizona State</td>
<td> 11-3</td>
<td>10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>8</td>
<td>Boise State</td>
<td> 12-2</td>
<td>8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>9</td>
<td>Tennessee</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>7</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>10</td>
<td>Indiana</td>
<td> 11-2</td>
<td>9</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>11</td>
<td>Ole Miss</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>16</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td>SMU </td>
<td> 11-3</td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>13</td>
<td>BYU</td>
<td> 11-2</td>
<td>17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>14</td>
<td>Clemson</td>
<td> 10-4</td>
<td>12</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>15</td>
<td>Iowa State</td>
<td> 11-3</td>
<td>18</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16</td>
<td>Illinois</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>17</td>
<td>Alabama</td>
<td> 9-4</td>
<td>11</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>18</td>
<td>Miami</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>19</td>
<td>South Carolina</td>
<td> 9-4</td>
<td>14</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>20</td>
<td>Syracuse</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>21</td>
<td>Army</td>
<td> 12-2</td>
<td>19</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>22</td>
<td>Missouri</td>
<td> 10-3</td>
<td>23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>23</td>
<td>UNLV</td>
<td> 11-3</td>
<td>24</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>24</td>
<td>Memphis</td>
<td> 11-2</td>
<td>25</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>25</td>
<td>Colorado</td>
<td> 9-4</td>
<td>20</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div></figure><h3>Poll points</h3>Ohio State’s five-spot promotion to No. 1 matched the biggest in the final poll. Mississippi and No. 16 Illinois (10-3) also jumped five spots.The Southeastern Conference’s seven teams in the final Top 25 are the most since 2013.Big 12 champion Arizona State (11-3) has its highest final ranking since the 1996 Rose Bowl team was No. 4.Mountain West champion Boise State finished in the top 10 for the first time since 2011.No. 23 UNLV (11-3), which matched its school record for wins, is ranked at the end of the season for the first time.No teams that were ranked in the previous poll Dec. 8 were voted out of the Top 25.<h3>Conference call</h3>SEC — 7 (Nos. 4, 6, 9, 11, 17, 19, 22) Big Ten — 5 (Nos. 1, 3, 5, 10, 16).ACC — 4 (Nos. 12, 14, 18, 20).Big 12 — 4 (Nos. 7, 13, 15, 25).AAC — 2 (Nos. 21, 24).Mountain West — 2 (Nos. 8, 23).Independent — 1 (No. 2). ___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 20: Head coach Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrate after beating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 in the 2025 CFP National Championship at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic refused to let anything stop his pursuit of a record 2...

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic refused to let anything stop his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam trophy in the Australian Open quarterfinals. Not a problem with his left leg. Not an early deficit. And not the kid across the net, Carlos Alcaraz, who was making things difficult and eyeing his own bit of history.Djokovic overcame it all, just as he has so often along the way to so many triumphs, moving into the semifinals at Melbourne Park for the 12th time with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Alcaraz in a scintillating showdown Tuesday night between a pair of stars born 16 years apart and at opposite ends of their careers.“I just wish that this match today was the final,” Djokovic said. “One of the most epic matches I've played on this court. On any court.”<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The action was non-stop, the shot-making brilliant, even as the encounter stretched on for more than 3 1/2 hours and nearly to 1 a.m. — never more so, perhaps, than when Alcaraz saved a break point in the fourth set. The 33-stroke exchange was the longest of the evening, and when it ended with Djokovic sailing a forehand long, the capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena went wild. Djokovic reached for his bothersome leg and yelled toward his entourage; Alcaraz, his chest heaving, leaned on a towel box and grinned.Turned out that only delayed the final result.With his wife, son and daughter cheering in the stands — Dad joked about the late hour afterward — the No. 7-seeded Djokovic prevailed thanks to the sort of remarkable returning and no-mistakes-made groundstrokes against Alcaraz that Big Three rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dealt with for years.Djokovic enjoyed some of his own best efforts in the latter stages, pointing to his ear or blowing kisses or spreading his arms while puffing out his chest. There was the forehand winner on a 22-stroke point that earned the break for a 5-3 lead in the third set. There was that set’s last point, which included a back-to-the-net sprint to chase down a lob. Alcaraz wasn’t shy, either, shouting “Vamos!” and pumping his fists after one particularly booming forehand in the fourth set.When the match ended, Djokovic yelled toward his team's box, before giving his coach, Andy Murray, a hug. Then Djokovic applauded for No. 3 seed Alcaraz as he left the court.“I'm sure we are going to see a lot of him,” Djokovic said. “Maybe not as much as I would like.”On Friday, Djokovic’s 50th major semifinal will come against No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev, a two-time runner-up at majors who beat No. 12 Tommy Paul 7-6 (1), 7-6 (0), 2-6, 6-1. The other men’s quarterfinals are Wednesday: No. 1 Jannik Sinner vs. No. 8 Alex de Minaur, and No. 21 Ben Shelton against unseeded Lorenzo Sonego.This was the eighth Djokovic vs. Alcaraz meeting, but the first at the Australian Open — and the first that wasn’t in the semifinal or final. Zverev called it “a clash of generations” between “two of the best players that probably ever touched a tennis racket.”Hard to find the hyperbole.At 37, Djokovic is undoubtedly past his prime, yes, but no man has won more Australian Open championships than his 10 or more Grand Slam singles titles than his 24. At 21, Alcaraz is unlikely yet to have reached his peak, yes, but no man ever had reached No. 1 in the rankings as a teen until he did or collected major trophies on three different surfaces by his age.Alcaraz hasn’t been shy about hoping to complete a career Grand Slam by adding a victory in Australia to the two he owns from Wimbledon — beating Djokovic in the finals in 2023 and 2024 — and the one apiece from the U.S. Open and French Open. Djokovic made getting an Olympic gold medal for Serbia his priority in 2024 and succeeded at the Paris Games last August — beating Alcaraz in the final — and otherwise cares mainly about the majors.Djokovic had something else on his mind lately: He was angry about insulting on-air remarks made by an Australian TV commentator, and refused to speak to the host country’s official tournament broadcaster on Sunday. Djokovic got the apologies he sought from the channel and its employee on Monday, and made it known he was ready to focus on facing Alcaraz.But at 4-all, Djokovic grabbed at his thigh and crouched down after stretching for a shot. He finished that game but lost it, before taking a medical timeout. When play resumed, his left thigh was taped, and Alcaraz served out that set. Anyone who thought Djokovic might go gently into the night is not familiar with his game. He began attacking Alcaraz’s serves relentlessly and, soon, the second set was his.“If I lost that second set, I don't know if I would continue playing,” Djokovic said, crediting medicine from the tournament doctor with helping him feel better.There was nary an empty blue seat in the stadium, and fans repeatedly cried out between points, drawing a stern, “Enough. Thank you,” from chair umpire Eva Asderaki-Moore.While the ball was in play, though, it got quite quiet, the hush pierced only by the squawks of seagulls flying overhead or the squeaks of sneakers or the “Aaahs” and “Ooohs” of impressed ticket-holders during electric exchanges.Djokovic and Alcaraz showed off their skills as the temperature dipped below 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 Celsius) and wind gusted at 30 mph (nearly 50 kph), rippling Djokovic’s blue shirt (although not Alcaraz’s tighter-fitting sleeveless number).Both tracked down shots they had no business getting to. Both went from defense to offense and conjured up winners out of nowhere. Both did much more, too, whether Alcaraz’s well-disguised drop shots or Djokovic’s marvelous returns, including two winners that closed the second set.But it was Djokovic who was better on this memorable night.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic gestures to the crowd after winning the third set during his men's singles quarterfinal match against Spain's Carlos Alcaraz on day ten of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 21, 2025.

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Haas has appointed Laura Mueller as the first female race engineer in Formula 1.  Mueller will be...

<div>
Haas has appointed Laura Mueller as the first female race engineer in Formula 1.
Mueller will be working with French driver Esteban Ocon this year, Haas said on Tuesday.
Race engineer is a very visible role in F1 since they’re on the radio to drivers during races and those messages are broadcast.
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
Haas was seventh in the constructor standings last year and has a new lineup with Ocon and Ollie Bearman.
Mueller was promoted from her role as performance engineer. The German has been with Haas since 2022.
“She’s a pretty determined character,” Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu was quoted as saying on the F1 website. “And then she’s very hard working. Her work ethic is really, really good.”
___
AP auto racing: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing">https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing</a>
</div>

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 01: Oliver Bearman of Great Britain driving the (50) Haas F1 VF-24 Ferrari on track during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Brazil at Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 01, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

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PARIS (AP) — This week in Paris is going to serve as a trip down memory lane for San Antonio cent...

<div>
PARIS (AP) — This week in Paris is going to serve as a trip down memory lane for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wembanyama-pacers-spurs-paris-56bef55926ead07e16a2768e1f9d5cbd">San Antonio center Victor Wembanyama.</a> He's the hometown hero, the French star coming back to put on a show for his country.
It's a memory-lane trip for Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton as well.
He was among the players on the top step of the Paris Games medal stand when his last visit to France ended in August, part of USA Basketball's team that delivered a fifth consecutive Olympic men's gold medal. And these games this week — Indiana vs. San Antonio, Thursday and Saturday — will surely remind Haliburton what it was like to be atop the basketball world.
<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>
“It's a very special thing to be part of a special group of people and man, it's been a blessing," Haliburton said. "I think the biggest thing is once you start to feel what it’s like to win a little bit, once you feel the importance of success, you want more of it."
Go back about 14 months or so, to a night in Miami — Nov. 30, 2023, to be exact — when Haliburton and the Pacers lost to the Heat, 142-132. Haliburton had a monster game, 44 points and 10 assists. But Indiana gave up 45 points in the fourth and let the game get away.
He sat at his locker after the game, completely calm, polite, engaging with reporters. And then Haliburton — already a max-contract player, getting that massive rookie extension in the summer of 2023 — offered The Quote, one that he knew as soon as he said it might follow him around for a while.
“I just wanna win,” he said. “I'm tired of being a loser.”
Those weren't just words. They were more like a vow. And evidently, he took it all to heart. Here's some of what he and/or the Pacers have done since that night:
— Made the championship game of last season's inaugural NBA in-season tournament, now called the NBA Cup.
— Made the Eastern Conference finals, his first postseason run.
— He scored 32 points in an All-Star Game, hitting 10 3-pointers, five of them in a span of about 90 seconds.
— He made his first All-NBA team.
— He won his first assist title.
— He was on the team that won Olympic gold.
“An unbelievable last year and a half for me,” Haliburton said.
When Haliburton is right — and injuries have been an issue for him — the Pacers are tough to beat. He's made more than 50% of his shots in 14 games this season; Indiana is 12-2 in those games. He's scored 20 or more points 15 times this season; Indiana is 13-2 in those games. He's had 10 or more assists 16 times this season; Indiana is 13-3 in those games.
The Pacers have survived some rocky stretches and are 24-19, fifth in the Eastern Conference, just a game back of No. 4 Milwaukee — yet also only two games ahead of No. 8 Miami. A couple wins in France obviously wouldn't hurt the playoff positioning cause.
"We had a hellacious schedule at the beginning (of the season), probably in large part due to the Paris trip and everything being compressed,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, explaining this stretch where Indiana has won nine of its last 11 games. “That’s challenging, but it hardens your resolve and makes you tougher. What do they say about pressure? It bursts pipes or it makes diamonds, and you hope that is the kind of thing where it can bring out the best in us. So. we’re doing some good things and we’ve got more work to do.”
The Pacers know what they're capable of. Haliburton knows what he's capable of. Yes, they are getting second-billing on the NBA marquees in Paris — no surprise considering that Wembanyama is, you know, French.
But he's faced the home team in Paris once before, and came away with Olympic gold. Last summer saw Haliburton forge deep ties with some of the best players the world has ever seen; the group chat has slowed in the months since, but it's still there. He's got Olympic jerseys with everyone's signature to frame. He's learned alongside some of the greats, the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James and Kevin Durant.
“It's a lot,” Haliburton said. “And I'm thankful for all of it.”
This much is certain: Win or lose in Paris, Haliburton isn't going to think he's a loser again anytime soon.
___
Around The NBA analyzes the biggest topics in the NBA during the season.
___
AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a>
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LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 10: Tyrese Haliburton #9 of Team USA handles the ball during the game against Team Canada on July 10, 2024 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE

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INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 35 points and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Ange...

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Zach LaVine scored 35 points and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 112-99 on Monday night to snap a five-game skid.Talen Horton-Tucker added 18 points off the bench. Josh Giddey had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as the Bulls improved to 2-6 in back-to-backs this season.The Clippers' four-game winning streak ended without starters Kawhi Leonard and Ivica Zubac. Norman Powell scored 27 points and James Harden added 17 points and 10 assists.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Clippers closed to 101-92 on a three-point play by Derrick Jones Jr. before the Bulls ended the game on an 11-7 surge.TakeawaysBulls: LaVine notched his 109th career game with at least 30 points, tying the late Bob Love for second-most such games in franchise history.Clippers: Zubac sat out for the first time this season after being poked in the eye in Sunday’s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/clippers-lakers-score-35ffa2e15e274e95226419df08147da3">win over the Lakers</a>. Los Angeles missed his rebounding, with the Bulls controlling the boards, 54-40. Leonard is being held out of back-to-backs as part of injury management for his right knee.Key momentLaVine led a dominant third quarter with 15 points. The Bulls outscored the Clippers 36-16 to turn a two-point halftime deficit into an 18-point lead going into the fourth.Key statThe Bulls made 15 3-pointers, led by five from LaVine. The Clippers were 9 of 42 from long range.Up nextThe Bulls visit Golden State on Thursday. The Clippers host defending NBA champion Boston on Wednesday.___AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/NBA">https://apnews.com/hub/NBA</a>

INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 20: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls smiles during the game against the LA Clippers on January 20, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE

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LaVine leads Bulls over Clippers to snap 5-game skid

ATLANTA (AP) — Instead of crying over another collapse, Ohio State can celebrate another national...

ATLANTA (AP) — Instead of crying over another collapse, Ohio State can celebrate another national title after holding off a Notre Dame comeback bid Monday night to walk away with a nailbiter of a 34-23 victory over the Fighting Irish.Will Howard hit big-play receiver Jeremiah Smith for 56 yards on a late third-and-11 to lock down a game that had been a laugher, then turned into something else.Trailing 31-7, Notre Dame scored two touchdowns and two 2-point conversions to make it a one-score game late in the fourth quarter.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Irish stopped Ohio State on the first two plays of the next drive and used their timeouts. But on third down, Howard found Smith in single coverage on the right sideline and dropped his best pass of the season into the hands of the second-team All-American.“They were running man coverage and I said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna let this loose and let him make a play on it,’” Howard said.It set up a field goal that started the celebration in earnest (and helped Ohio State cover the 8 1/2-point spread at BetMGM Sportsbook). And it closed out a seven-week climb from the depths of a program-shaking loss to 20-point underdog Michigan to the top of college football after this, the debut of the sport’s 12-team playoff.Ohio State will bring its sixth “natty” and first since the 2014 season back to the Horseshoe in Columbus.“It’s a great story about a bunch of guys who have just overcome some really tough situations, and with the point where there’s a lot of people that counted us out (they) just kept swinging and kept fighting,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said.Howard, a transfer-portal success story from Kansas State, threw for 231 yards and two scores, but nothing will beat the pass to Smith with everything on the line.The receiver, who had been bottled up by Texas in the semifinals then fairly quiet for most of this game, finally got loose for the kind of play he’s been making all year. He finished with five catches for 88 yards.Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions, then added a field goal on its fifth.When Quinshon Judkins (100 yards, 11 carries, three TDs), a transfer from Mississippi who highlighted Ohio State’s judicious use of the ever-growing portal, busted a 70-yard run to set up the score that made it 28-7, this game looked over.It wasn’t, and now Irish coach Marcus Freeman will have to answer a few tough questions — one about the failed fake punt in the third quarter that turned into a field goal for a 31-7 lead; the other about sending Mitch Jeter in for a short field goal attempt while down 16 and facing fourth-and-goal from the 9. It might have looked like a better call had Jeter’s kick not clanged off the left upright.Really, though, Ohio State was the better team. The Buckeyes outgained Notre Dame 445 yards to 308. Howard completed his first 13 passes and never really got stopped. Ohio State punted a grand total of once.The Buckeyes rolled through four games in the new, expanded playoff — what great timing for Ohio State, which didn’t even play for the Big Ten title — by an average score of 36-21.Ohio State was seeded eighth in the tournament, but the seedings were pretty much meaningless. The worse seed won every game in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds, and the Buckeyes dominated in this title-game showdown of No. 7 vs. No. 8.It puts to rest, for now, any angst about that 13-10 Michigan loss in November — Ohio State’s fourth straight in the series — that ended with a brawl after Wolverine players tried to plant a flag at midfield. The whole scene left a lot of folks, both in and out of Buckeye circles, thinking Day, in his sixth season, had outlived his usefulness on a campus that hadn’t tasted a title in a decade.Instead, he’s on a list of title-winning coaches with Urban Meyer, Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes and Paul Brown. Also, Day’s .873 winning percentage is third among coaches with 50-plus games — one spot behind none other than the Notre Dame legend Knute Rockne, himself.College football still has never had a Black coach win the national title. Freeman was trying to become the first.Instead, another kind of history. This marked the first time the Big Ten has taken back-to-back titles since 1942. Last year’s champion was Michigan, which was sitting home watching this one, but still played a special role in a Buckeyes redemption story hardly anyone saw coming.___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 20: Wide Receiver Jeremiah Smith #4 of the Ohio State Buckeyes celebrates a game sealing catch in the fourth quarter of the Ohio State Buckeyes versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff National Championship game on January 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

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Ohio State survives Notre Dame rally to claim national title

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Coco Gauff's retooled forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst w...

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coco-gauff-australian-open-2025-10c0580c7f888cce9ee5dfa9ae10dc1b">Coco Gauff's</a> retooled forehand and serve abandoned her in the worst way and at the worst time at the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/australian-open">Australian Open</a>. The unforced errors just kept accumulating Tuesday, and so did the double-faults and break points, often followed by a palm placed over her eyes or a slap to a thigh.Add it all up, and Gauff's trip to Melbourne Park — and her 13-match winning streak that dated to late last season — ended in the quarterfinals. Never able to take control on a hot afternoon in Rod Laver Arena, the 2023 U.S. Open champion was eliminated by No. 11 Paula Badosa of Spain 7-5, 6-4.Using tweaks to some key strokes, and a change to her coaching team after a disappointing end to her title defense in New York in September, the 20-year-old Gauff arrived in Australia with hopes of earning a second Grand Slam title.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>“I feel like (at the) U.S. Open, I was playing with no solution, so that was more the frustrating part. Today, I feel like I’m playing with solutions; I know what I need to work on. U.S. Open, I needed to work on my serve. Not saying that my serve is where I want it to be, but I worked on it; obviously, a big improvement. So I want to continue working on that, continue working on playing aggressive,” Gauff said.“So I feel like I’m on the road to the right way, right path,” she said. “Even though I lost today, I feel like I’m in an upward trajectory.”The American entered Tuesday with a 9-0 record in 2025; she also won her last four matches of last season to collect the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/coco-gauff-wta-finals-4bf961c7e8d595b9907c0528d361e6d8">trophy at the WTA Finals</a> in November.“Just a lot more work to do,” Gauff said after the 1-hour, 43-minute loss to Badosa, who had been 0-2 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. “I’m obviously disappointed, but I’m not completely crushed.”Badosa now heads to her first Grand Slam semifinal at age 27 — and less than a year after she was contemplating retirement because of a stress fracture in her back that took what felt like forever to heal and did not initially respond to cortisone injections.“I wanted to (give) it a last try,” Badosa said, “Well, here I am. So I’m really proud of what we went through with all my team and especially how I (fought) through all that, especially mentally.”She was hurt during a practice at the tournament in Rome in May 2023, shortly after she began working with coach Pol Toledo. A year later, including several months off the tour, there still were issues.“The reality is that the back was not responding. We couldn’t find a solution. Paula was frustrated,” Toledo said. “I was like: This is not working. I don’t know what we have to do.”Relying on a new doctor, fitness coach and nutritionist, Badosa tried different exercises and supplements, and her back improved.“The puzzle,” she said, “started to look better.”On Tuesday, she kept the pressure on Gauff, who finished with 41 unforced errors, including six double-faults and 28 missed forehands. Badosa compiled 10 break points and won four of Gauff's service games. Gauff, meanwhile, never earned so much as a single break point until after already down a set and a break.One key game — and one that illustrated Gauff’s problems on this afternoon — started the second set. It lasted 22 points spread over more than a dozen minutes, and Badosa converted her fifth break chance after Gauff missed two forehands in a row.Of Badosa’s 12 points in that game, 11 came via mistakes by Gauff, including seven errant forehands.“Today,” Gauff said, “she did better in those key moments.”When Badosa ended the quarterfinal with a forehand winner, she placed her hand over her mouth, then knelt on the ground and bowed her head. This was a big moment for someone who reached a career-best ranking of No. 2 in 2022, but only now believes she's reached her full potential.“Emotionally, I wanted it so much,” Badosa said. “I’m never going to feel freedom until I win the tournament. I’m always like this. It’s my personality. It’s my character."

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 21: Coco Gauff of the United States reacts while playing against Paula Badosa of Spain in the quarter-final on Day 10 of the 2025 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 21, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia

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Gauff makes 41 unforced errors, falls to Badosa in Aussie Open quarters

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars are seemingly narrowing their coaching search....

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars are seemingly narrowing their coaching search.
The Jaguars announced Monday they have scheduled in-person interviews with three of their 10 initial candidates: Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Liam Coen, Las Vegas defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh. All three are slated to be in Jacksonville this week to meet face-to-face with owner Shad Khan, general manager Trent Baalke and others.
Coen was scheduled to interview Wednesday, with Graham going the following day and Saleh on Friday.
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The Jags lost out on Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who <a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-bears-ben-johnson-head-coach-41b68dc47cf6563253f2a87779f7c1df">agreed to become Chicago’s head coach Monday</a>, and appear to be out on Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Glenn reportedly has in-person interviews scheduled with New Orleans and the New York Jets.
Jacksonville still could double back on Buffalo offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Philadelphia offensive coordinator Kellen Moore or Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Under NFL rules, the earliest they can interview again is next week because their teams are in conference title games.
The only head coaching interviews Coen and Graham have completed during this cycle came with Jacksonville. Saleh's first interview with the Jags was the only one done in person.
The 39-year-old Coen just finished his first season as Tampa Bay’s play-caller. The Buccaneers ranked third in the NFL in yards (399.6 per game) and fourth in points (29.5). He had much less success during his one season with the Los Angeles Rams, who ranked last in the league in yards in 2022.
The 45-year-old Graham began his NFL coaching career with New England (2009-15). He was the New York Giants’ defensive line coach (2016-17), Green Bay’s linebackers coach and run-game coordinator in 2018 and Miami’s defensive coordinator a year later. He spent the last three seasons with the Raiders, who ranked 25th in points and 15th in yards in 2024.
The 45-year-old Saleh worked as Jacksonville’s linebackers coach (2014-16) under former coach Gus Bradley and in the same role with San Francisco (2017-20) before landing the Jets gig. He went 20-36 with New York.
Khan fired <a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-doug-pederson-fired-20f47f397e7885c8dd0fce10ac283076">coach Doug Pederson a day after the team's regular-season finale and following his 18th loss in 23 games,</a> a stunning stretch of futility that had a lot to do with injuries to quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a defense that regressed under first-year coordinator Ryan Nielsen.
Khan insisted that keeping Baalke in place would not hinder the coaching search. Three of the five coaches Baalke has worked alongside have had one-and-done tenures.
The Jaguars (4-13) have a young quarterback (Lawrence) with upside, a budding star at receiver (Brian Thomas Jr.), a few defensive building blocks (cornerback Tyson Campbell and pass rushers Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker), a relatively new practice facility, a $1.4 billion stadium renovation upcoming and a hands-off owner with deep pockets.
They have the fifth overall draft pick in April and roughly $50 million in salary cap space for 2025, play in arguably the NFL’s weakest division (AFC South) and work in a state with plenty of sunshine and no income tax. They also went 3-10 in one-score games — an indication they could be a quick fix.
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AP NFL: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nfl">https://apnews.com/hub/nfl</a>
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TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 27: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen looks out towards the field during the game between the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 27, 2024 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

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Jaguars schedule 2nd interviews with 3 head coaching candidates

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Lauren Betts had 24 points, nine rebounds and a school-record nine blocks to ...

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Lauren Betts had 24 points, nine rebounds and a school-record nine blocks to help <a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-basketball-rankings-5f8cdddd68106b56b763276198754125">No. 1 UCLA</a> beat 25th-ranked Baylor 72-57 on Monday in the inaugural Coretta Scott King Classic.The doubleheader that also featured No. 7 Texas and eighth-ranked Maryland was created to honor King's legacy and celebrate female empowerment in sports. It’s the first time the names of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King have been licensed for a sporting event.UCLA (18-0) jumped all over Baylor to build an early double-digit lead. The Bears (16-4), who saw their five-game winning streak end, got within five a few times, but each time Betts and the Bruins answered.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Bruins had a 41-36 lead midway through the third quarter before scoring six straight to restore a double-digit advantage. Baylor didn't get within single digits the rest of the way.Yaya Felder scored 10 points to lead the Bears.Key momentUCLA scored 17 of the game's first 19 points to build a double-digit cushion.Key statBetts broke the school record for blocks she held with Corinne Costa of seven. Betts reached that mark in her last game against Penn State last week. Costa did it four times from 2011-14.TakeawaysUCLA: The Bruins remained one of two unbeaten teams in Division I women's basketball, along with No. 5 LSU. UCLA will remain on the East Coast for the week to face Rutgers and then Maryland.Baylor: The Bears entered the Top 25 this week for the first time since early in the season. They probably will need a win on Sunday against No. 9 TCU to stay ranked.Up nextUCLA visits Rutgers on Thursday. Baylor visits No. 9 TCU on Sunday.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up <a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college women’s basketball: <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fhub%2Fap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csportsdesk%40ap.org%7Caf167d54ff504b722fed08dd369a2d7e%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638726758017258102%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=GtI4ebYvyfIKtyhMVyE2bPY8anWCKYEvDapGMLL9qp4%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll</a> and <a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Fhub%2Fwomens-college-basketball&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csportsdesk%40ap.org%7Caf167d54ff504b722fed08dd369a2d7e%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C638726758017278548%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ABJldp5C2%2BpApApsOv%2FI6NqEy0qbWNyBY5Cn%2Fdy7VI4%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball</a>

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - JANUARY 20: Lauren Betts #51 of the UCLA Bruins heads for the net as Darianna Littlepage-Buggs #5 of the Baylor Lady Bears defends during the Coretta Scott King Classic at Prudential Center on January 20, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. The UCLA Bruins defeated the Baylor Lady Bears 72-57.

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Betts lifts No. 1 UCLA over No. 25 Baylor at Coretta Scott King Classic

Kansas State forward Ayoka Lee will be sidelined indefinitely after an X-ray and MRI exam reveale...

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Kansas State forward Ayoka Lee will be sidelined indefinitely after an X-ray and MRI exam revealed the All-American fractured a bone in her foot in the second quarter of the <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll">No. 10</a> Wildcats' <a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-state-kansas-state-score-9dd812c75d1e801072ee17f55468bd8b">win over Arizona State</a>.
The school called it “probable” that Lee will return before the end of the season, but more will be known in the coming weeks.
“It's not good,” Kansas State coach Jeff Mittie said after the 81-69 win Sunday over Arizona State. “It’s not going to be a week or two.”
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Lee only played 13 minutes in the game, leaving for good with 4:21 left in the first half.
The Wildcats, who do not play again until visiting Colorado on Saturday, entered the week 19-1 and 7-0 in the Big 12, and they are riding a 14-game win streak, the fourth-longest in Division I women's basketball. The Wildcats' only loss came against No. 13 Duke in the Ball Dawgs Classic in late November.
Lee is a big reason for their success. The 6-foot-6 forward from Byron, Minnesota, is averaging 16 points on 65.4% shooting, even though she's played limited minutes because of a number of blowouts. She also is averaging 6.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.
Lee set the women's Division I scoring record when she had 61 points against Oklahoma in January 2022. She is already Kansas State's career scoring leader with 2,482 points, and she holds school records for rebounds, blocks and field goals.
Lee also has had a history of injuries, though. She redshirted as a freshman while recovering from a knee injury, and she missed the entire 2022-23 season <a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-manhattan-college-basketball-womens-kansas-d3a64345f3647364b65ddce0bb3b7c02">because of surgery</a> on the other knee. She also sat out several conference games a year ago after <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ayoka-lee-ankle-injury-kansas-state-87bbcaff2e509fea0da1043076736901">she hurt her ankle</a>, and Mittie has limited her minutes at times this season in an effort to keep her healthy.
The Wildcats will lean more heavily on Missouri State transfer Kennedy Taylor, Imani Lester and Eliza Maupin while Lee is out.
"I think it’s just the next-man-up mentality, and I think Eliza came in and played really well for us,” Kansas State guard Taryn Sides said after the win over the Sun Devils. “We don’t really know a whole lot about Yokie. Hopefully she’s OK.”
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MANHATTAN, KS - JANUARY 04: Ayoka Lee #50 of the Kansas State Wildcats runs up the court after scoring a basket against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the first half at Bramlage Coliseum on January 4, 2025 in Manhattan, Kansas.

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Kansas State's Ayoka Lee out indefinitely with fracture in foot

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