NBA-SCHEDULE
Spurs continue skid…Hawks win again
UNDATED (AP) β The Memphis Grizzlies have added to the San Antonio Spurs’ recent woes.
The Spurs lost for the seventh time in nine games as Mike Conley provided 30 points and six assists in the Grizzlies’ 95-87 triumph over San Antonio. Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) had 17 points and Tayshaun Prince added 12 as Memphis beat the Spurs for the second time in two weeks.
Duncan finished with nine points and 10 rebounds for San Antonio, which played without Tony Parker due to a strained left hamstring.
Marco Belinelli and Cory Joseph scored 18 points apiece for the Spurs.
Also in the NBA:
β The Golden State Warriors improved their NBA-best record to 25-5 by crushing Philadelphia 126-86. Marcus Speights had a team-high 23 points for the Warriors, who led by 27 at halftime. The Warriors had seven players score in double figures, including Leandro Barbosa’s 17 points off the bench.
β Portland knocked off the top team in the East as Damian Lillard had team highs of 26 points and nine assists in the Trail Blazers’ 102-97 overtime win against Toronto. LaMarcus Aldridge added 23 points and 13 rebounds to the Blazers’ fourth consecutive win.
β Cleveland forward LeBron James sat out with a sore left knee while the Atlanta Hawks won for the 16th time in 18 games, beating the Cavaliers 109-101. Paul Millsap scored 10 of his team-high 26 points in the fourth quarter to help Atlanta stave off a late Cleveland charge. Cleveland turned a 17-point, second-half deficit to 93-90 before Millsap scored the Hawks’ next eight points.
β Brooklyn put an end to Chicago’s seven-game winning streak as Brook Lopez poured in a season-high 29 points on 13 of 21 shooting in the Nets’ 96-82 triumph over the Bulls. Joe Johnson had a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds to help the Nets win for the fifth time in six games.
β Monta (MAHN’-tay) Ellis scored 20 points in 27 minutes as the Mavericks overpowered Washington 114-87 in Dallas. Nine of Ellis’ points came in the final 2:35 of the second quarter to help the Mavs carry an 18-point lead into intermission.
β Tyreke (ty-REEK’) Evans capped his 24-point night by scoring eight straight for New Orleans in the final two minutes of a 110-106 downing of Phoenix. Anthony Davis had 19 points with a season-high 18 rebounds as the Pelicans ended the Suns’ six-game winning streak.
β The Los Angeles Lakers knocked off Denver 111-103 behind Kobe Bryant’s 21st career triple-double. Bryant had 23 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds as the Lakers halted a three-game skid.
β Gordon Hayward scored 11 of his 26 points in the final four minutes to help the Utah Jazz turn a 92-84 into a 100-94 win over Minnesota. Trey Burke set a career-high with 26 points and Derrick Favors had 15 points for the Jazz.
β Jodie Meeks shot 9-for-11 from 3-point range while scoring 34 points off the bench in Detroit’s 109-86 rout of Orlando. Andre Drummond added 17 points and 22 rebounds to the Pistons’ season-high third straight win.
NFL-LIONS/SUH
Lions’ Suh wins appeal, can play Sunday at Dallas
NEW YORK (AP) β Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (ehn-DAHM’-uh-kehn soo) has won the right to play in Sunday’s NFC wild-card game against Dallas, but his victory also cost him some cash.
Suh appealed his one-game suspension for stepping on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ left leg twice during Sunday’s 30-20 loss at Green Bay. Hearing officer Ted Cottrell (kah-TREHL’) rescinded the suspension and instead fined him $70,000.
Cottrell was jointly appointed by the NFL and the players’ union to handle the case.
This was the 10th incident in which Suh has been fined and/or suspended since turning pro in 2010.
NFL-GIANTS
Coach and GM returning
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) β New York Giants co-owner John Mara has announced that both head coach Tom Coughlin (KAWF’-lihn) and general manager Jerry Reese will be back for the 2015 season despite what he called an “embarrassing” 6-10 season.
In making his decision Mara pointed out how the team never quit after losing seven games in a row.
RAVENS SECURITY DIRECTOR CHARGED
Ravens security director charged with sex offense
BALTIMORE (AP) β Court records show the security director of the Baltimore Ravens has been charged with a sex offense and is due in court in February.
Online court records for Baltimore City District Court on Tuesday night showed Darren Sanders was charged with fourth-degree sexual offense, related to an incident that occurred Dec. 14.
The summons issued Tuesday lists Sanders’ address as that of the Ravens’ team headquarters in Owings Mills, Maryland. The record shows a hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 9.
The record did not give more specifics on the charge or other details about the case.
News of the summons was first reported by the Baltimore Sun.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-MICHIGAN
Harbaugh returns to Ann Arbor
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) β Without doubt, Jim Harbaugh has the pedigree to become a successful head coach at the University of Michigan. He quarterbacked the team for three seasons under legendary coach Bo Schembechler (SHEM’-bek-lur), delivered a guaranteed win over arch rival Ohio State in 1986 and was Big Ten player of the year the same season and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting.
Now he’s being given the chance to lead the school as head coach. Harbaugh told reporters it has been a lifelong dream to be the head coach at Michigan as his ties go back to when he was a child. His father Jack Harbaugh served as an assistant coach for Schembechler when Jim Harbaugh was a young boy.
Jim Harbaugh has had success on the college level as the head coach at San Diego and Stanford before four seasons with San Francisco of the NFL. With the 49ers he coached the team to three straight NFC championship games and a spot in the 2013 Super Bowl. An 8-8 finish this season with San Francisco led to his leaving the team under a “mutual decision.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOWL GAMES
Bulldogs rip Cardinals…Irish nip Tigers on late kick
UNDATED (AP) β The Georgia Bulldogs have concluded a 10-win season by winning their bowl game.
Freshman Nick Chubb ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns to carry 13th-ranked Georgia to a 37-14 rout of No. 20 Louisville in the Belk Bowl at Charlotte. Chubb allowed the Bulldogs to overcome the loss of quarterback Hutston Mason, who threw for 149 yards and a TD before leaving with blurred vision in the second quarter with Georgia ahead 20-7.
Georgia’s defense came up with four turnovers, with Dominick Sanders recording two interceptions.
In other bowl action:
β Notre Dame won the Music City Bowl in Nashville by beating No. 22 LSU 31-28 on Kyle Brindza’s 32-yard field goal as time expired. Irish quarterback Malik Zaire threw for a touchdown and ran for another to help the Irish finish 8-5. Tigers freshman Leonard Fournette ran for 143 yards and two touchdowns, and also returned a kickoff 100 yards for a score.
β Kevin Hogan threw for two touchdowns and Remound (reh-MAHND’) Wright ran for three others as Stanford clobbered Maryland 45-21 to win the Foster Farms Bowl. Devon Cajuste (DEH’-vuhn kah-JOOST’) had a pair of TD receptions while the Cardinals scored 35 straight points to take a 42-7 lead. William Likely brought back a kickoff 100 yards to end Stanford’s string of five touchdowns.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-SIDELINE INCIDENTS
Texas A&M dismisses assistant who hit West Virginia players
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) β Texas A&M has dismissed student assistant coach Michael Richardson, one day after videos showed him hitting West Virginia players out of bounds during the Liberty Bowl.
Coach Kevin Sumlin apologized to coach Dana Holgorsen, the two players who were hit and West Virginia overall for Richardson’s “inexcusable actions.”
Sumlin said he was “extremely disappointed and embarrassed,” and said Richardson’s behavior “reflected poorly on our program.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Huskers to lose Gregory
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) β Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory is declaring for the NFL draft. He was a First Team All-Big Ten pick as a junior after leading the Cornhuskers with seven sacks. He was fourth on the team with 54 tackles, including 10 for losses.
T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Hawkeyes upset Buckeyes…Mountaineers are 12-1
UNDATED (AP) β In a top-25 men’s basketball upset this afternoon, No. 20 Ohio State was beaten at home by Iowa 71-65. Jarrod Uthoff scored 18 points and Aaron White added 17 for the Hawkeyes in the Big Ten opener for both teams. Iowa is now 10-4 overall, while the Buckeyes are 11-3.
In other AP Top-25 hoops:
β Justin Anderson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to fuel a 12-3 run in the second half of third-ranked Virginia’s 83-72 victory over Davison. Anthony Gill led the 12-0 Cavaliers with a career-high 25 points and 13 rebounds.
β Terry Rozier scored 23 points and Montrez (mahn-TREHZ’) Harrell added 16 to lead No. 5 Louisville past Long Beach State 63-48. The 12-1 Cardinals rebounded from their first loss of the season last Saturday to top-ranked Kentucky.
β Jordan Loveridge returned from a seven-game absence to score 14 points as No. 10 Utah routed Carroll College 85-49. Loveridge was out after a minor knee surgery and quickly made an impact when he entered the game a few minutes in.
β No. 12 Maryland opened its first-ever Big Ten schedule by outlasting Michigan State 68-66 at East Lansing. Dez Wells scored 16 points, including a tying 3 with 2.2 seconds left in regulation.
β Freshman Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 20 point and Perry Ellis added 15 to help No. 13 Kansas beat Kent State 78-62. Cliff Alexander scored six-straight points in 58 seconds to guide a 12-2 run that put Kansas up by 21.
β Notre Dame was 27 points better than Hartford as Demetrius Jackson contributed a game-high 18 points to lead the 14th-ranked Irish to an 87-60 victory at South Bend. Pat Connaughton added 16 points and Zach Auguste scored 13 of his 15 in the second half for the 13-1 Irish.
β Juwan Staten scored 18 points and Gary Browne added 12 as No. 17 West Virginia routed Virginia Tech 82-51. The victory gives the 12-1 Mountaineers their best record since 2009-10, when coach Bob Huggins’ Final Four team achieved the same record.
β J.P. Tokoto matched a season high with 19 points and added 10 rebounds, and No. 19 North Carolina beat William & Mary 86-64. Marcus Paige scored 11 of his 14 points in the second half.
β Royce O’Neale scored 15 points of his career-best 23 points in the opening minutes of the second half to lead No. 22 Baylor to a 92-51 romp over Norfolk State. Rico Gathers’ 13 points and 11 rebounds helped the Bears improve to 11-1.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Habs beat Panthers, catch Lightning
UNDATED (AP) β The Montreal Canadiens have moved into a tie with Tampa Bay for both the NHL’s Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division leads.
P.A. Parenteau (PAR’-ehn-toh) scored the lone shootout goal and Dustin Tokarski stopped 36 shots as the Canadiens won for the seventh time in eight games, beating Florida 2-1. Brendan Gallagher scored late in the second period, and the lead stood up until Nick Bjugstad (BYOOG’-stad) tallied with 1:49 left in regulation.
Tokarski stopped two shots in overtime before handling the Panthers’ three shootout attempts.
Also in the NHL:
β Nashville is one point behind the Central Division-leading Chicago Blackhawks after Shea Weber’s second goal of the night snapped a 2-2 tie midway through the third period of the Predators’ 3-2 win over St. Louis. Gabriel Bourque (bohrk) added a goal and an assist to back Pekka Rinne (PEK’-uh REE’-nay), who made 26 saves in his league-high 24th win.
β Ryan Miller stopped one of the Sharks’ two penalty shots while making 31 saves in Vancouver’s 3-1 win at San Jose. Goals by Jannik Hansen, Bo Horvat and Radim Vrbata (vur-BAH’-tah) helped the Canucks end a four-game road losing streak and send the Sharks to their third consecutive loss.
β Edmonton won for just the second time in 22 games as David Perron scored the only shootout goal in the fourth round of the Oilers’ 3-2 victory against Los Angeles. The Oilers were a half-period away from a 2-0 shutout until Drew Doughty and Jake Muzzin (MUZ’-ihn) scored to give the Kings a point.
NHL-CAPITALS
Caps may not have Orpik for Classic
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) β The Washington Capitals could be without defenseman Brooks Orpik for the Winter Classic on Thursday against the Chicago Blackhawks. He injured his right knee and received a two-minute penalty for trying to slam Cal Clutterbuck into the boards Monday night against the New York Islanders. Capitals coach Barry Trotz says Orpik’s availability will be a game-time decision.
NHL-DUCKS
Heatley to the minors
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) β Veteran NHL forward Dany (DAN’-ee) Heatley has been assigned to the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate in Norfolk clearing waivers.
The 33-year-old Heatley has scored 372 goals and 791 points in 869 games, but he’s struggled since signing a one-year, $1 million deal with Anaheim last summer. He is scoreless in six games this season, missing most of the season with a groin problem that required surgery.
MLB-ROYALS
Surgery for Gordon
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) β Royals outfielder Alex Gordon has had surgery on his injured right wrist. The American League champs say that the four-time Gold Glove winner should be ready for the season opener against the White Sox on April 6. It is not yet clear when Gordon will be able to start in spring training.
Gordon dealt with pain in the same wrist midway through last season but did not miss significant playing time. He aggravated the injury during his winter training sessions.
AP MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Giants ace wins honor
UNDATED (AP) β Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year following his tremendous postseason. The 25-year-old was dominating in the World Series with Kansas City, getting two wins before a five-inning save in Game 7.
Bumgarner worked a record 52 2/3rds innings in the postseason and was named the MVP of both the World Series and the National League Championship Series.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw finished second in the voting.
