December 15, 2023 4:58 am
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Harper Murray had 13 kills, Bekka Alllick had 10 blocks and Nebraska continued its relentless march to an NCAA volleyball championship with a 3-0 sweep of Pittsburgh in the semifinals. Nebraska advanced to its 11th championship match and will go for its sixth title on Sunday. The Huskers won 25-20, 25-23 and 25-7. Pitt, which had 22 attacking errors, lost the first set on an attack error, lost the second with a service error and the third on a net violation. Pitt’s only leads were 1-0, 3-2 and 4-2 in the first set. The Cornhuskers set the tone with eight blocks in the first set and hit .407 in the third to improved to 15-0 against Pitt. The last meeting was in the 2021 semifinals, won by Nebraska 3-1. Olivia Babcock had 12 kills and Torrey Stafford had 10 for Pitt.
December 15, 2023 4:38 am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Four days after losing 3-0, the Las Vegas Raiders set a franchise scoring record with a 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders scored 42 points by halftime. They didn’t let the Chargers cross midfield until the third quarter. It was the most points for the Raiders, beating out their 59-14 victory at Denver in 2010. The Raiders led 42-0 at halftime, just three points shy of the NFL record for halftime margin that was set in 2009 when the New England led Tennessee 45-0. The halftime deficit was the biggest in Chargers history.
December 15, 2023 4:43 am
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — Joe Flacco’s officially signed and sealed with Cleveland. Flacco got a one-year, $4.05 million contract from the Browns, who brought in the veteran quarterback last month while in emergency mode after losing starter Deshaun Watson for the season with a right shoulder injury. Flacco’s deal means the 38-year-old moves from the practice squad to the active roster. And while it was more procedural than anything, it assures he’ll be with the Browns as they try to clinch a playoff spot. The team elevated Flacco from the practice squad in each of the past two weeks for starts.
December 15, 2023 4:40 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani opened his first news conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers by dodging questions about whether he had a second Tommy John surgery. He says: “It was a procedure. I’m not sure what it was called.” Speaking to media for the first time since Aug. 9, he also refused to say what other teams he negotiated with before the agreement last weekend on a record $700 million, 10-year contract. Ohtani wore a navy business suit with a white shirt and blue tie, took off the jacket and put on a Dodgers home jersey with No. 17.
December 15, 2023 4:42 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person familiar with the agreement tells The Associated Press the Los Angeles Dodgers have agreed to a tentative trade with the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire right-hander Tyler Glasnow and outfielder Manuel Margot for pitcher Ryan Pepiot and outfield prospect Jonny Deluca. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade is subject to the Dodgers and Glasnow agreeing to a new contract. The teams have until 11 a.m. EST on Sunday to complete the trade under a window granted by the commissioner’s office. Glasnow went 10-7 with a 3.53 ERA for the Rays last season.
December 14, 2023 4:34 am
MONTREAL (AP) — Sidney Crosby climbed up the NHL career scoring list and Jansen Harkins scored the deciding goal in the 12th round of the shootout to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby had two goals and an assist to move past Paul Coffey and into a tie with former teammate Mark Recchi for 13th place on the NHL points list with 1,533. Jake Guentzel also scored in regulation for the Penguins, who won their second straight after a four-game skid. Erik Karlsson had two assists and Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 39 saves. David Savard, Jayden Struble and Sean Monahan scored for Montreal, which has lost eight of its last nine at home. Sam Montembeault had 27 saves.
December 14, 2023 9:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers star outside linebacker T.J. Watt has been cleared from the concussion protocol by an independent neurologist. The decision means Watt should be available when Pittsburgh visits Indianapolis. Watt entered the protocol when he reported concussion-like symptoms less than 24 hours after a loss to New England. Watt took a knee to the facemask from Patriots running back Ezekiel Elliott on the first play from scrimmage in what became a 21-18 defeat. He missed a handful of snaps before returning, wearing a tinted visor for most of the game.
December 14, 2023 4:35 am
IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will play a regular-season game in Brazil in 2024. It’s the latest expansion in the league’s rapidly growing international plan. The league says the game will be played at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo. The stadium has a capacity of nearly 50,000 and was a World Cup venue in 2014. The NFL played its first two regular-season games in Frankfurt, Germany, this year, with three more in London. There will be games in both those countries again in 2024.
December 14, 2023 4:36 am
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — College athletes who were denied the chance to play immediately after transferring a second time can return to competition, for now. A federal judge in West Virginia issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Wednesday against the NCAA. The order comes after seven states filed a lawsuit contending the NCAA’s transfer rule violates federal antitrust law. The NCAA said in a statement it would comply with the order. NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out. But an additional transfer as an undergraduate generally requires the NCAA to grant a waiver to play immediately. A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Dec. 27.
December 13, 2023 4:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Jeff Carter and Jake Guentzel both scored twice and Pittsburgh’s beleaguered power play showed signs of life as the Penguins slipped past the Arizona Coyotes 4-2. Pittsburgh scored twice with the man advantage while ending an 0-for-37 drought that stretched over a month. Tristan Jarry made 20 saves as the Penguins beat the Coyotes for the 11th straight time. Lawson Crouse scored his 13th of the season for Arizona and added an assist on Matias Maccelli’s power-play tally.
