COLLEGE FOOTBALL-BOWL GAMES
TCU, Boise, Tech win
UNDATED (AP) — TCU was snubbed by the College Football Playoff committee last month. The sixth-ranked Horned Frogs took out their anger on No. 9 Mississippi on Wednesday, cruising to a 42-3 run in the Peach Bowl.
Trevone Boykin threw for three touchdowns, two going to Josh Doctson. Aaron Green ran for a score and added a touchdown reception to help the Horned Frogs finish 12-1.
The Rebels were held to 129 yards in losing for the fourth time in six games since a 7-0 start. Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace threw three interceptions and was sacked five times.
Boise State won the Fiesta Bowl as Jay Ajayi ran for 134 yards and three touchdowns to carry the 21st-rated Broncos past No. 12 Arizona 38-30. Grant Hedrick helped Boise race out to a 21-0 lead in the first 10 minutes and finished with 309 passing yards and a touchdown.
Boise State finishes 12-2 in its first season under coach Bryan Harsin.
The 10-4 Wildcats end the year with back-to-back losses.
Tenth-ranked Georgia Tech racked up 452 rushing yards in beating No. 8 Mississippi State 49-34 in the Orange Bowl. Justin Thomas ran for 121 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing for 125 yards and a score. Synjyn Days rushed for 171 yards and three scores, including a 69-yarder that defused Mississippi State’s comeback bid.
The Yellow Jackets finish 11-3 following the second victory in their last 10 bowl games.
The 10-3 Bulldogs lost three of their final four games.
NFL-BILLS
Marrone steps down after 9-7 season
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills finally posted a winning record in 2014, but their coaching carousel continues.
Doug Marrone (muh-ROHN’) has stepped down after leading the team to its first winning record in 10 years. The Bills finished 9-7 in Marrone’s second season with the team, but the franchise missed the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season.
Marrone had an opt-out clause in his contract after the team was purchased by Terry and Kim Pegula from the estate of Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson in March.
NFL-REDSKINS
Haslett canned DC
ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — Following another disastrous season, the Washington Redskins have announced a coaching change. Defensive coordinator Jim Haslett is done after five seasons on the job. In that timespan the Redskins never finished better than 20th in the 32-team NFL in points allowed. They were 29th in that category this season, and 30th last year.
Haslett’s departure is the first fallout after Washington finished 4-12 for its sixth last-place finish in the NFC East over the past seven years.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Knicks fall again
UNDATED (AP) — The New York Knicks are more than happy to see 2014 draw to a close.
The Knicks end the year on a nine-game losing streak following a 99-78 setback against the Clippers in Los Angeles. J.J. Redick had a team-high 20 points and hit a jumper to ignite a 13-0 run that opened the second half. DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Blake Griffin chipped in 13 points, seven boards and 11 assists to help the Clippers improve to 22-11.
The Knicks own the NBA’s second-worst record at 5-29.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— James Harden scored 36 points and the Houston Rockets halted a two-game skid by drubbing Charlotte 102-83.
— Manu Ginobili (MAN’-oo jih-NOH’-blee) scored seven of his 26 points in overtime to lift San Antonio past New Orleans 95-93.
— Kevin Durant returned from a six-game absence to pour in a season-high 44 points in Oklahoma City’s 137-134 overtime win against Phoenix.
— Brandon Knight scored 26 points and O.J. Mayo had 15 as Milwaukee earned a 96-80 win at Cleveland.
— Boston’s four-game losing streak is over after Jared Sullinger scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 106-84 rout of Sacramento.
— C.J. Miles scored 25 points and George Hill added 20 as the Pacers turned a 10-point, second-half deficit into a 106-95 triumph against Miami.
NBA-KINGS
No more interim for Corbin
BOSTON (AP) — Tyrone Corbin is now the full-fledged head coach of the Sacramento Kings. The team has lifted his interim tag for the rest of the season despite a 2-6 record under Corbin. He replaced fired coach Michael Malone on Dec. 15.
T25 MEN’S BASKETEBALL-SCHEDULE
Duke, Wisconsin, Villanova close out year with victories
UNDATED (AP) — It was a fun New Year’s Eve for a few of the nation’s top-10 men’s basketball teams.
Freshman Jahlil Okafor (jah-LIHL OH’-kah-fohr) scored 24 points and Justise Winslow added 16 as second-ranked Duke ripped Wofford 84-55. Okafor was 11 of 13 from the field while reaching the 20-point mark for the fifth time in seven games for the 12-0 Blue Devils.
Fourth-ranked Wisconsin hammered Penn State 89-72 as Frank Kaminsky provided 18 points and 14 rebounds. Nigel Hayes scored 21 points and helped the fourth-ranked Badgers shoot a blazing 63 percent from the field.
Ryan Arcidiacono (ahr-chee-dee-ah-KAH’-noh) scored 15 points and No. 6 Villanova improved to 13-0 for the second time in school history by beating Butler 67-55. JayVaughn Pinkston had 13 points for the Wildcats, who also were 13-0 during the 1937-38 campaign before losing their next game.
— Naz Long made seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 24 points as ninth-ranked Iowa State crushed Mississippi Valley State 83-33. Jameel McKay added 10 points and six rebounds to help Fred Hoiberg pick up his 100th win as the Cyclones’ head coach.
In other top-25 action:
— Seton Hall knocked off No. 15 St. John’s 78-67 as Sterling Gibbs had 25 points and eight assists.
— Ron Baker scored 23 points, including 13 straight down the stretch to help 16th-ranked Wichita State close out a 66-58 triumph over Drake.
— Buddy Hield scored all but two of his 17 points in the first half as No. 18 Oklahoma shut down George Mason 61-43.
— John Gillon scored a career-high 25 points, including a critical three-point play in the final minute of No. 24 Colorado State’s 71-65 triumph over Boise State.
— Xavier hammered 25th-ranked Georgetown 70-53 behind Jalen Reynolds’ 17 points.
NHL-SCHEDULE
All smiles for Isles
UNDATED (AP) — It’s been 27 years since the New York Islanders have entered a new year with at least a share of a division lead.
The drought has ended after Frans Nielsen scored twice and had an assist in the Islanders’ 5-2 victory over the Jets in Winnipeg. Ryan Strome (strohm) had a career-high four points on a goal and three assists to help the Isles pick up their second straight win and improve to 25-11-1.
Jaroslav Halak (hah-LAHK’) made 21 saves in the opener of the Islanders’ seven-game road trip.
The Isles share the Metropolitan Division lead with Pittsburgh, which beat Carolina 2-1 on Brandon Sutter’s goal with 1:42 remaining. Chris Kunitz (KOO’-nits) had a goal and an assist in the Penguins’ first victory in five games.
Elsewhere on ice:
— Tampa Bay took over sole possession of the Eastern Conference lead as Nikita Kucherov (koo-CHEHR’-ahv) scored twice and had an assist in the Lightning’s 5-1 verdict over Buffalo.
— Ryan McDonagh, Chris Kreider and Martin St. Louis (mahr-TAN san loo-EE’) had a goal and an assist each as the New York Rangers won for the ninth time in 10 games, downing the Panthers 5-2 in Florida.
— Joe Pavelski scored twice and Antti Niemi (AN’-tee nee-EH’-mee) earned his 30th career shutout by stopping 28 shots in San Jose’s 3-0 victory against Anaheim.
— Cody Eakin and Jamie Benn each had a goal and an assist as Dallas rocked Arizona 6-0.
— Columbus is a .500 team after David Savard scored the game-winner with 14:03 remaining to send the Blue Jackets to their 10th victory in 12 games, 3-1 over Minnesota.
— Darren Helm scored twice and Henrik Zetterberg snapped a 1-1 tie with 5:01 left in Detroit’s 3-1 triumph against New Jersey.
— Toronto blew a 3-1 lead and needed shootout goals by Mike Santorelli and Nazem Kadri (NAH’-zehm KAH’-dree) to win for the second time in seven games, 4-3 over Boston.
— Jarome Iginla (ih-GIHN’-luh) scored the tying goal late in the third period before Ryan O’Reilly tallied with 20 seconds left in overtime to give Colorado a 4-3 victory over Philadelphia.
— Joe Colborne scored twice and Josh Jooris tallied 68 seconds into overtime to push Calgary past Edmonton 4-3.
NHL-CONTRACTS
Bjugstad, Foligno get extensions
UNDATED (AP) — Florida and Columbus have signed two of the NHL’s best young stars to longterm deals.
The Panthers have worked out a six-year, $24.6 million contract extension with Nick Bjugstad (BYOOG’-stad). The 22-year-old Bjugstad has 13 goals and 21 points in 35 games this season.
The Blue Jackets have signed left wing Nick Foligno (fuh-LEE’-noh) to a six-year contract extension through the 2020-21 season. The 27-year-old Foligno is tied for sixth in the NHL with 17 goals and shares the team lead with 31 points.
HOCKEY-WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Canada beats U.S.
MONTREAL (AP) — The United States has finished second in Group A of hockey’s World Junior Championship by falling 5-3 to Canada in Montreal Max Domi helped the Canadians seal the victory with a pair of empty-net goals. The Americans will take on Russia in the quarterfinals, while Canada faces Denmark.
MLB-NEWS
Reds and Phillies pull off deal
UNDATED (AP) — The Phillies and Reds have worked out a trade. Outfielder Marlon Byrd is going to Cincinnati, along with some cash to pay part of his salary, for minor league pitcher Ben Lively. The 37-year-old Byrd hit .264 last season with 25 homers and 85 RBIs.
In other baseball:
— The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed free-agent pitcher Brett Anderson to a one-year contract. The 26-year-old left-hander is 27-32 with three saves and a 3.73 ERA in 92 games over six major league seasons with Oakland and Colorado.
