w Page 65 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Bucs denote QB Baker Mayfield limited on estimated practice report
During his three years in Tampa Bay, quarterback Baker Mayfield has yet to miss a starting assignment. It's unlikely he's going to miss Saturday's regular-season finale.,There have been many injury obstacles for the veteran to overcome, especially in 2025, and another set are at work as the Buccanee...

Louisville star freshman Mikel Brown Jr. (back) won’t play at Cal
Louisville downgraded freshman guard Mikel Brown Jr. from probable to out just before the No. 16 Cardinals tipped off at Cal on Tuesday night.,Brown missed Louisville's loss at then-No. 20 Tennessee and win over Montana earlier this month with a lower back issue. According to the Louisville Courier-...

Wisconsin strolls to comfortable win over Milwaukee
Nick Boyd scored 16 points while leading Wisconsin to an 80-60 nonconference win over Milwaukee on Tuesday in Madison, Wis.,Nolan Winter added 14 points and seven rebounds for Wisconsin (9-4). John Blackwell added eight points, six rebounds and four assists for the Badgers, who won their second stra...

Illinois fights past Tennessee to capture Music City Bowl
David Olano kicked a game-winning 29-yard field goal as time expired and Luke Altmyer passed and ran for one touchdown apiece as Illinois edged Tennessee 30-28 on Tuesday in the Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tenn.,Illinois finished 9-4 as the program secured nine victories in consecutive seasons for...

Rolling with Giannis back, Bucks welcome Wizards
With former Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the lineup, the Milwaukee Bucks aim to replicate their recent road surge when they host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.,Washington serves as the penultimate opponent Milwaukee faces at home before embarking on a four-game trek throu...

Blues seek consistency, face another red-hot team in NHL-best Avs
The Colorado Avalanche battle the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night in Denver with a chance to extend their already scorching start to the 2025-26 season.,Colorado has won eight in a row overall and 14 straight at home -- where it is 16-0-2 this season -- and has just two regulation losses through ...

'Relentless' Sabres go for 10th straight win vs. stellar Stars
The Buffalo Sabres have been sizzling in December and can wrap up the month by matching a franchise-record winning streak when they visit the Dallas Stars on Wednesday.,Winners of nine straight after a 4-2 victory against the St. Louis Blues on Monday, Buffalo will go for double digits against Dalla...

Matthew Stafford may have thrown MVP away in 3-pick loss
Matthew Stafford's march toward his first NFL Most Valuable Player award went from one of the league's feel-good stories of 2025 to a significant longshot over four shocking quarters in Atlanta on Monday night.,With only two regular-season games remaining -- both against teams out of playoff content...

Recent defensive slippage motivates Thunder vs. Blazers
For much of the season, the Oklahoma City Thunder's defense has been elite.,During their 24-1 start, the Thunder allowed 103.3 points per 100 possessions -- by far the best mark in the league.,But in the eight games since, their defense has slipped.,Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander says that nee...

Raptors enjoying depth that injury-ravaged Nuggets crave
The Denver Nuggets begin at least one month without star center Nikola Jokic because of a hyperextended left knee when they visit the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.,Jokic hobbled to the dressing room in the final seconds of the first half of Monday's 147-123 loss at the Miami Heat and did not r...

Texas Tech QB Behren Morton (fibula) out of boot, feels 100%
Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton has shed the walking boot that he's spent the second half of the season wearing during the week, and he feels 100% ahead of the Red Raiders' College Football Playoff opener against Oregon on Thursday.,"Staying in a boot the whole entire week, not getting to pract...

Red Wings tout self-belief as they welcome sinking Jets
The Detroit Red Wings will head into the new year with at least a share of first place in the Atlantic Division. They can maintain sole possession with a win over Winnipeg in Detroit's annual New Year's Eve home game on Wednesday.,That's a nice, and unusual, place to be for a franchise that hasn't q...

Knicks, Spurs ring out 2025 with NBA Cup final rematch
The New York Knicks can build on a three-game winning streak and produce a repeat result of the NBA Cup final when they visit the suddenly struggling San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday in a clash between two of the league's best teams.,The Knicks and Spurs squared off in the finals of the NBA's in-seaso...

St. John's hopes to get better of longtime rival Georgetown once again
Old rivals meet again on the eve of a new year when St. John's and host Georgetown clash Wednesday night in Washington, with Big East play getting firmly under way.,The Red Storm (8-4, 1-0 Big East) and Hoyas (9-4, 1-1), founding members of the Big East Conference in 1979, have been playing each oth...

Deron Rippey Jr., No. 1 PG in ‘26, commits to Duke
Duke received a commitment on Tuesday from five-star Deron Rippey Jr., considered the top point guard in the Class of 2026.,The addition of Rippey boosted Duke's class to No. 1 in the rankings from both ESPN and the 247Sports composite.,Rippey, hailing from the New York borough of Brooklyn, chose Du...

Wild making best of long road trip so far, take on Sharks
The Minnesota Wild look to stay perfect on their longest road trip of the season when they wrap up the 2025 portion on Wednesday afternoon against the San Jose Sharks.,San Jose is the third stop on the seven-game stretch away from Saint Paul. On Monday, the Wild blew out the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2...

Nick Martinelli scores 32 as Northwestern downs Howard
Nick Martinelli scored a career-high-tying 32 points and freshman Tre Singleton added a career-high 17 as Northwestern gradually pulled away for an 80-60 nonconference victory over Howard on Tuesday afternoon in Evanston, Ill.,Martinelli, who missed the Wildcats' previous game with a concussion, add...

Injuries, rebounding will matter as Pels go for third straight vs. Bulls
Things were starting look up for the Chicago Bulls and the New Orleans Pelicans.,But both teams have hit hard times in recent days leading up to their meeting Wednesday night in Chicago.,The Bulls (15-17) had won five straight games before losing their last two. Of greater concern are the injuries t...

Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews (lower body) deemed day-to-day
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced that star forward Auston Matthews has a lower-body injury that will keep him out of Tuesday's home game against the New Jersey Devils.,Matthews is considered day-to-day, the Leafs said.,Matthews, 28, had four points in two weekend games for Toronto -- a goal and two...

No. 4 UConn's Silas Demary Jr. providing boost ahead of Xavier matchup
No. 4 UConn proved a little bit of hydration can go a long way in a Dec. 21 win over DePaul.,The Huskies (12-1, 2-0 Big East) were struggling when junior guard Silas Demary Jr. abruptly had to leave the floor. He came back strong, however, to lead the Huskies to a 72-54 win.,UConn takes the floor ag...