NBA-SCHEDULE
Grizzlies beat Spurs in 3OTs…Hawks crush Cavs
UNDATED (AP) β The Memphis Grizzlies needed three overtimes to knock off the defending NBA champs and continue their winning streak.
Marc Gasol (gah-SAHL’) scored 26 points and the Grizzlies picked up their sixth straight win by downing San Antonio 117-116. The Grizzlies coughed up a 23-point lead and trailed by three until Gasol banked in a 3-pointer as regulation expired.
Zach Randolph had 21 points and 21 rebounds as the Grizzlies improved to 21-4, the second-best mark in the NBA.
In other NBA finals:
β The Atlanta Hawks cruised to their 11th victory in 12 games as Shelvin Mack poured in a career-high 24 points in a 127-98 rout of the Cavaliers. Cleveland actually led by 12 in the second quarter before Atlanta outscored the Cavaliers 89-48 the rest of the way.
β Toronto still leads the Eastern Conference at 20-6 after Kyle Lowry had 20 points and 12 assists in the Raptors’ fourth straight win, 105-89 against Brooklyn. Jonas Valanciunas (YOH’-nuhs val-an-CHOO’-nuhs) added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors, who led by just three before outscoring the Nets 29-16 in the final period.
β The Los Angeles Clippers won for the 11th time in 13 games as Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan each had double-doubles in a 102-100 triumph over Indiana. Griffin had 31 points and 16 rebounds, while Jordan added 23 boards and 15 points.
β James Harden scored eight of his 41 points in overtime and finished with 10 assists as Houston knocked off Denver 115-111. Dwight Howard contributed 24 points and 16 boards to the Rockets’ third consecutive win.
β Damian Lillard hit four 3-pointers and scored 29 points in Portland’s 104-97 over Milwaukee. LaMarcus Aldridge delivered 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Thomas Robinson added 15 points and 16 boards as the Trail Blazers won their third in a row to improve to 20-6.
β Chandler Parsons scored a season-high 32 points and Monta (MAHN’-tay) Ellis finished with 25 as Dallas topped Detroit 117-106. Dirk Nowitzki contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Mavericks handed the Pistons their 11th consecutive home loss.
β Phoenix ended a six-game skid as Isaiah Thomas came off the bench to score 23 points and Goran Dragic (DRAH’-gihch) added 20 in a 111-106 triumph at Charlotte. The Hornets blew a 17-point and lost for the 14th time in their last 16 games.
β Dwyane (dwayn) Wade’s 42 points weren’t enough for the Miami Heat in a 105-87 loss to Utah. Gordon Hayward scored 29 points and Enes Kanter added 18 as the Jazz won for only the second time in 14 games while dealing the Heat their fourth straight home loss.
β Rajon Rondo (RAH’-zhahn RAHN’-doh) had 13 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds in Boston’s 109-92 rout of Orlando. Brandon Bass scored 18 points, and Jeff Green and Jared Sullinger each finished with 16 in the Celtics’ second straight win since a three-game losing streak.
T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE
Buckeyes coast
UNDATED (AP) β The nation’s No. 12 men’s basketball team cruised to a 42-point victory on Wednesday.
D’Angelo Russell scored 21 points and Marc Loving had 15 as Ohio State crushed North Carolina A&T 97-55. Shannon Scott finished with 12 assists, while Kam Williams had 15 points in the second half for the 9-1 Buckeyes.
Ohio State hit 69 percent of its shots in the second half to finish at 57 percent (35 of 62) from the field.
In other top-25 finals:
β Shawn Kemp Jr. scored 13 of his 21 points while No. 16 Washington was building a 45-13 halftime lead in an 86-38 laugher against Grambling State. Andrew Andrews added 16 points as the Huskies improved to 9-0, their best start in nine years.
β Farad Cobb hit a huge 3-pointer in overtime as Cincinnati outlasted 19th-ranked San Diego State 71-62. Winston Shepard had a game-high 17 points and forced overtime by hitting a pair of free throws with 3.9 seconds left in overtime.
β No. 25 Michigan State downed Eastern Michigan 66-46 as Bryn Forbes scored 14 points and Travis Trice added 13. Eastern Michigan shot 23 percent from the field, one week after its stunning win over Michigan.
NCAA-WISCONSIN/CHRYST
Badgers hire Chryst
MADISON, Wis. (AP) β Paul Chryst (krist) is returning to Wisconsin, which also spells the end of Steve Pederson as Pittsburgh’s athletic director.
The Badgers have hired Chryst as their new football coach, three years after he left to take over Pittsburgh’s football program. The announcement ended days of speculation following the surprising departure of Gary Andersen for Oregon State.
The 49-year-old Chryst had two prior stints as an assistant for the Badgers. Most notably, he was part of the Wisconsin staff from 2005-11, helping the Badgers to five double-digit victory seasons and two Rose Bowls.
He leaves the Panthers after going 19-19 in three seasons.
Chryst’s return to Madison leaves the Panthers searching for their fourth football coach in as many years, which also caused the school to fire Pederson.
Vice chancellor for research conduct and compliance Randy Juhl has become Pitt’s acting athletic director. Offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph will serve as interim coach for the Panthers as they prepare for the Armed Forces Bowl on Jan. 2 against Houston.
NCAA-CONCUSSION LAWSUIT
Concussion deal nixed by judge
CHICAGO (AP) β A federal judge has rejected a proposed $75 million head injury settlement with the NCAA as too broad.
U.S. District Judge John Lee says the deal could be altered to address his concerns, which include the scope of the proposal. At an October hearing, he raised similar concerns, saying, “The settlement, as it’s constituted, includes every athlete for all time.”
Under the settlement, NCAA would toughen return-to-play rules for players with concussions. It would also create a $70 million fund to test current and former athletes for brain trauma, and set aside $5 million for research.
NFL-NINERS
49ers release McDonald
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) β The San Francisco 49ers have released defensive end Ray McDonald as San Jose police investigate him on suspicion of a sexual assault on Monday.
49ers general manager Trent Baalke (BAHL’-kee) said the decision was prompted by a pattern of poor decision making, adding that “we expect a lot from our players, hold them accountable for their actions.”
The Santa Clara County district attorney’s office announced last month that it declined to file charges against McDonald in a domestic violence investigation stemming from his Aug. 31 arrest. McDonald continued to play while Santa Clara authorities continued their investigation.
NFL-RICE PROBE
Report: Investigation heating up
UNDATED (AP) β Nearly 500 employees at NFL headquarters in New York have turned over phone and email records to investigators looking into how Commissioner Roger Goodell (guh-DEHL’) and his staff handled evidence in the Ray Rice case. Two people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press about the handover of material on condition of anonymity because details of the investigation won’t be made public until former FBI director Robert S. Mueller (MUHL’-ur) releases his report. The report is expected to be completed this month, one of the sources said.
Mueller has been investigating whether anyone at the NFL had seen or obtained video of the former Baltimore Ravens running back striking his then-fiancee inside an elevator before the video was published online.
NFL-PANTHERS
Newton back at work
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) β Cam Newton has returned to practice eight days after an automobile accident left him with two fractures in his lower back. The quarterback took part in all of the team drills and did some throwing during the portion of practice open to reporters. His status for playing in Sunday’s game against Cleveland remains up in the air.
Newton missed last week’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after flipping his truck in a two-vehicle wreck on Dec. 9. He is 3-8-1 this season as Carolina’s starter.
NFL-PAINKILLERS
Lawsuit dismissed
NEW YORK (AP) β A lawsuit brought by retired NFL players against the league for allegedly routinely mishandling painkillers has been dismissed. Judge William Alsup of the U.S. Northern District in California noted that the league has addressed the “serious and inevitable evil” of player injuries in a “serious way” through collective bargaining with the players’ union.
The judge gave them until Dec. 30 to file an amended complaint.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL-PROFANE PELINI
Pelini rips Nebraska AD
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) β On the day he was introduced as Youngstown State’s new head coach, the ugly nature of Bo Pelini’s departure from Nebraska was revealed.
Pelini lambasted Nebraska athletic director Shawn Eichorst in a profanity-filled talk during his final meeting with his players. The Omaha World-Herald on Wednesday reported that it obtained an audiotape of Pelini’s address to the players on Dec. 2 at a Lincoln high school.
The university said in a statement that if the audiotape is authentic, “it only reaffirms the decision that he should no longer be a leader of young men at Nebraska.”
NHL-SCHEDULE
B’s beat Wild
UNDATED (AP) β The Boston Bruins were desperate for a win on Wednesday after falling to 10th in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. They got one in Minnesota as Loui Eriksson scored 90 seconds into overtime to give the Bruins a 3-2 win over the Wild.
Niklas Svedberg was outstanding in goal for Boston, making 20 of his 35 saves in the second period.
Eriksson and Carl Soderberg each finished with a goal and an assist as the B’s won for only the second time in their last eight games.
β Kyle Turris (TUR’-ihs) scored twice as the Senators downed the Devils 2-0 despite being outshot 34-16. Craig Anderson picked up his third shutout of the season and 29th of his career to help the Senators improve to 2-1-1 under new coach Dave Cameron.
β Kari Lehtonen (KAH’-ree LEH-toh-nehn) stopped 27 shots and Colton Sceviour (SEE’-vee-ur) scored the game-winner as Dallas blanked the Canucks 2-0 in Vancouver. The Stars have won two straight since dropping five of six.
NHL-PENGUINS-MUMPS
Crosby returns from mumps
PITTSBURGH (AP) β Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has returned from a bout with mumps, while several teammates were tested for the virus as a precaution.
Crosby worked out for the first time after missing three games over the weekend. He could return to the lineup as early as Thursday night when the Penguins face Colorado.
The Penguins held goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (FLUR’-ee) and defensemen Olli Maatta (MAH’-tah) and Robert Bortuzzo out of practice while they were tested for mumps. All three players tested negative for mumps earlier in December.
MLB-ACTIVITIES
Markakis has surgery
UNDATED (AP) β New Braves outfielder Nick Markakis (mar-KAY’-kihs) has undergone surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck. The Braves say the operation was a success and Markakis should be able to resume baseball activities before spring training in late February.
The 31-year-old was diagnosed with the condition before the 2013 season with the Orioles. He left to sign a $44 million, four-year contract with the Braves, who felt the neck condition was not a serious risk.
In other baseball news:
β A person with knowledge of the deal says the San Diego Padres have acquired outfielder Wil Myers, catcher Ryan Hanigan and minor league pitchers Jose Castillo and Gerardo Reyes from the Tampa Bay Rays for catcher Rene Rivera. Myers was the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year but was limited to 87 games this year due to a right wrist injury, hitting .222 with six home runs and 35 RBIs.
β The Giants are close to completing a deal that keeps Sergio Romo in San Francisco. A person with knowledge of the negotiations says the reliever and the team are hammering out on a two-year, $15 million contract. Romo went 6-4 with a 3.72 ERA with 23 saves in 64 outings last season.
β Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis has had surgery to repair a damaged tendon in his left ring finger. Kipnis injured his finger while working out at home in Chicago. The Indians say they expect Kipnis to be ready for the start of the 2015 season.
β Free agent right-hander Brandon Morrow and the San Diego Padres have agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract. Morrow was 1-3 with a 5.67 earned run average in six starts and seven relief appearances for Toronto last season.
β Seattle has acquired Justin Ruggiano (roo-JEE’-ah-no) from the Cubs for minor league pitcher Matt Brazis. Ruggiano appeared in 81 games last season for the Cubs, hitting .281 with six homers and 28 runs batted in.
COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Luck heads to NCAA
UNDATED (AP) β West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck is joining the NCAA as executive vice president of regulatory affairs. The NCAA is creating a new position for Luck that will bring academic and membership affairs, the eligibility center and enforcement under one umbrella. He will oversee day-to-day operations in all NCAA regulatory functions
