By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

For the second consecutive outing a streak came to an end for the Barton Community College men's basketball team as the 6th ranked Cougars fell 82-72 to 9th ranked Butler Community College Wednesday evening in El Dorado.

The loss snaps Barton's three-game win streak over the Grizzlies, dropping the Cougars to 3-2 in conference play and 8-2 overall while Butler improves to 4-0 in league and 9-1 on the season.

Barton has three games remaining before the holiday break with its lone home contest coming this Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. versus Pratt Community College. The Cougars then travel to Seward County Community College on Wednesday before wrapping up the fall slate the following Saturday at Dodge City Community College.

*Final Stats unavailable<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/moss_brent_th5a">Brent Moss</a>&nbsp;led the Cougars with 18 points before fouling out for the remaining 3:50 of the foul infested contest with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/rodriguez_aris_jaun">Aris Rodriguez</a>&nbsp;connecting on 11-of-13 from the stripe for a career with 17 points.

Saddled to just nine first half minutes due to foul problems,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/kindell_keandre_xyju">Keandre Kindell</a>&nbsp;scored nine of his 13 points in second half play.

RECAP The Cougars got off to a good start behind a 6-0 run for their largest lead of five coming at 9-4 just over four minutes into the contest.

Following a seven point swing to the Grizzlies, Barton fired back with the next six but after a Butler three-pointer the first half momentum swung back to the home team.

With a double technical being issued to Butler's Russell Branch and Kindell, the Cougars' leading scorer was sent to the bench with his third foul for the remaining three minutes.

Barton was able to maintain their lead following a pair of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/sanogo_modibo_knhy">Modibo Sanogo</a>&nbsp;free throws but for the next four minutes the Cougars were held scoreless on eight straight by the Grizzlies.

A pair of four point stretches by Barton sliced the deficit with Butler responding with a five pack of points including their 4th three-pointer of the half in riding to an eventual 36-33 edge at the break.

Returning to the court for second half action, Kindell canned a trey immediately tying it up with a perfect trip to the line following a Butler bucket knotting things up again at 38.

Butler took the next six points and following a Moss bucket, drained another triple taking their then-largest lead of seven.

Trailing by five two minutes later, Moss put the Cougars on his back with seven straight including an offensive rebound putback for an And-1 putting Barton back on top 52-50 at the 12:29 mark.

It would be the Cougars' last lead of the contest as Butler went into the bonus at the ten minute mark, capitalizing on free throws within a 9-0 stretch.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/smith-_jr._eltramon_lgek">Eltramon Smith, Jr.</a>'s triple helped Barton hang around a 4-6 point range deficit, later cutting the gap to just two at 71-69 on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/parlow-_jr._james_9gp2">James Parlow, Jr.</a>'s jumper with 3:30 left.

A pivotal stretch of calls went against the Cougars to help deter the comeback, the first coming on Kindell being whistled for a charging call wiping away a potential scoring threat then being followed by a Barton blocking foul on an apparent push off.

The stretch resulted in five points for the Grizzlies including a dagger triple coming late in the shot clock for a 76-69 Butler lead with two minutes remaining.

A 1-of-2 trip to the line and a field goal by Rodriguez would be all the Cougars could put on the scoreboard as Barton could not get no producing point stops with Butler closing out the evening's last minute with the final four points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733406135780.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoFor the second consecutive outing a streak came to an end for the Barton Community College men's basketball team as the 6th ranked Cougars fell 82-72 to 9th ranked Butler Community College Wednesday evening in El Dorado.The loss snaps Barton's three-game win streak over the Grizzlies, dropping the Cougars to 3-2 in conference play and 8-2 overall while Butler improves to 4-0 in league and 9-1 on the season.Barton has three games remaining before the holiday break with its lone home contest coming this Saturday in a 7:30 p.m. versus Pratt Community College. The Cougars then travel to Seward County Community College on Wednesday before wrapping up the fall slate the following Saturday at Dodge City Community College.*Final Stats unavailable<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/moss_brent_th5a">Brent Moss</a>&nbsp;led the Cougars with 18 points before fouling out for the remaining 3:50 of the foul infested contest with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/rodriguez_aris_jaun">Aris Rodriguez</a>&nbsp;connecting on 11-of-13 from the stripe for a career with 17 points.Saddled to just nine first half minutes due to foul problems,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/kindell_keandre_xyju">Keandre Kindell</a>&nbsp;scored nine of his 13 points in second half play.RECAP The Cougars got off to a good start behind a 6-0 run for their largest lead of five coming at 9-4 just over four minutes into the contest.Following a seven point swing to the Grizzlies, Barton fired back with the next six but after a Butler three-pointer the first half momentum swung back to the home team.With a double technical being issued to Butler's Russell Branch and Kindell, the Cougars' leading scorer was sent to the bench with his third foul for the remaining three minutes.Barton was able to maintain their lead following a pair of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/sanogo_modibo_knhy">Modibo Sanogo</a>&nbsp;free throws but for the next four minutes the Cougars were held scoreless on eight straight by the Grizzlies.A pair of four point stretches by Barton sliced the deficit with Butler responding with a five pack of points including their 4th three-pointer of the half in riding to an eventual 36-33 edge at the break.Returning to the court for second half action, Kindell canned a trey immediately tying it up with a perfect trip to the line following a Butler bucket knotting things up again at 38.Butler took the next six points and following a Moss bucket, drained another triple taking their then-largest lead of seven.Trailing by five two minutes later, Moss put the Cougars on his back with seven straight including an offensive rebound putback for an And-1 putting Barton back on top 52-50 at the 12:29 mark.It would be the Cougars' last lead of the contest as Butler went into the bonus at the ten minute mark, capitalizing on free throws within a 9-0 stretch.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/smith-_jr._eltramon_lgek">Eltramon Smith, Jr.</a>'s triple helped Barton hang around a 4-6 point range deficit, later cutting the gap to just two at 71-69 on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bartonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/bios/parlow-_jr._james_9gp2">James Parlow, Jr.</a>'s jumper with 3:30 left.A pivotal stretch of calls went against the Cougars to help deter the comeback, the first coming on Kindell being whistled for a charging call wiping away a potential scoring threat then being followed by a Barton blocking foul on an apparent push off.The stretch resulted in five points for the Grizzlies including a dagger triple coming late in the shot clock for a 76-69 Butler lead with two minutes remaining.A 1-of-2 trip to the line and a field goal by Rodriguez would be all the Cougars could put on the scoreboard as Barton could not get no producing point stops with Butler closing out the evening's last minute with the final four points.

 6th ranked Cougars suffer second straight setback, Barton takes loss at No. 9 Butler

Western Athletic Conference Thursday Dodge City @ McPherson Newton @ Hays Garden City @ Pioneer (Colorad0 Springs, Co) Friday Salina South @ Great Bend Emporia @ Liberal Garden City @ Coronado H.S.&nbsp;(Colorad0 Springs, Co) Central Kansas League Friday Scott City @ Hoisington Pratt @ Larned Central Plains @ Smoky Valley Hesston @ Southeast of Saline Halstead @ Rose Hill Buhler @ Nickerson Hutch-Trinity @ Haven Sterling @ Hillsboro Central Prairie League Thursday Natoma @ Otis-Bison Friday LaCrosse @ Ellinwood Macksville @ Ness City Victoria @ Quinter Stafford @ St. John Other Area Games Friday South Gray @ Pawnee Heights Lyons @ Ellsworth Osborne @ Russell Hodgeman County @ Deerfield TMP @ Hugoton South Barber @ Kiowa County

Western Athletic Conference Thursday Dodge City @ McPherson Newton @ Hays Garden City @ Pioneer (Colorad0 Springs, Co) Friday Salina South @ Great Bend Emporia @ Liberal Garden City @ Coronado H.S.&nbsp;(Colorad0 Springs, Co) Central Kansas League Friday Scott City @ Hoisington Pratt @ Larned Central Plains @ Smoky Valley Hesston @ Southeast of Saline Halstead @ Rose Hill Buhler @ Nickerson Hutch-Trinity @ Haven Sterling @ Hillsboro Central Prairie League Thursday Natoma @ Otis-Bison Friday LaCrosse @ Ellinwood Macksville @ Ness City Victoria @ Quinter Stafford @ St. John Other Area Games Friday South Gray @ Pawnee Heights Lyons @ Ellsworth Osborne @ Russell Hodgeman County @ Deerfield TMP @ Hugoton South Barber @ Kiowa County

Week 1 High School Basketball Schedule

At age 40,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-vonn-comeback-skiing-olympics-cf0aad2667affe516e1f7ceae5fb951a">Lindsey Vonn</a>&nbsp;is going to enter an official ski race for the first time in nearly six years this weekend. Having already announced last month that she was coming out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-bcf56ea73a934ddf8f76dc53c61e8dd9">retirement</a>, Vonn will race lower-level FIS downhills and super-Gs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, in Copper Mountain, Colorado, U.S. Ski Team head coach Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press. Vonn needs some decent results to improve her long-dormant ranking so she can enter World Cup races this season under a new wild card rule. “Obviously her history speaks for itself and she’s definitely the most decorated speed skier out there and has done amazing things throughout her career,” Kristofic said Wednesday. “So it will be really, really fun and interesting to see what she can do.” It’s likely that many of the current World Cup racers will be competing alongside Vonn at Copper Mountain. Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games.

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Cade McNamara, who started Iowa’s first eight games at quarterback, has said he will enter the transfer portal and petition the NCAA for a seventh season of eligibility. McNamara, who spent his first four seasons at Michigan and the last two at Iowa, made the announcement on social media Wednesday. “My last two years at the University of Iowa have been an incredible journey,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDKT82bx5DT/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank">he wrote on Instagram.</a>&nbsp;“Through so many ups and downs, I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing people and experiences I’ve had here. I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and newfound friends.” McNamara began his career at Michigan in 2019, started the last game of the 2020 season and all 14 in 2021 as the Wolverines won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the College Football Playoff. McNamara was benched during a 34-11 loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl.

MIAMI (AP) — A 29-point loss in Minnesota on Monday. A 41-point loss in Miami on Wednesday. Add it up, and it’s the worst two-game stretch in Los Angeles Lakers history.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-heat-score-603ce7d09f02cc6faceda89c3f60e654">The Lakers lost to the Heat 134-93</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, that loss coming two days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-timberwolves-score-bf451b2a0a2cb162b086796abdb83d70">a 109-80 loss to the Timberwolves.</a>&nbsp;The 70-point margin is an all-time, two-game low for the Lakers; they were outscored by 67 over two separate two-game spans of the 2016-17 season. “It sucks, for sure, to get your (butt) whooped like that twice in a row,” Lakers star LeBron James said. “For sure.” The Lakers ran off a six-game winning streak last month to get to 10-4. They’re 2-6 since, four of those losses coming by 25 or more points. Wednesday was the low point; the 41-point loss was not only the worst of the season, but it marked only the 11th time in Lakers history — more than 6,800 games, including playoffs — that they’ve lost by more than 40. “I’m embarrassed,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “We’re all embarrassed.”

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Athletics’ move to southern Nevada is expected to take a major step forward Thursday when the 30-year lease, non-relocation and development documents are likely to be approved by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority following a rise in the estimated cost of the ballpark by $250 million to $1.75 billion. Those agreements could be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/as-athletics-vegas-stadium-oakland-f04dde29666d5f54b57ec14460a63c03">last major hurdles</a>&nbsp;before construction can begin in the spring on a Las Vegas Strip stadium projected to open for the start of the 2028 season, a ballpark in which underseat cooling is planned. Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, has maintained for several months those items would be approved and didn’t change his view this week. A backup meeting is scheduled for Dec. 12 in case the approval isn’t finalized Thursday, but Hill said he anticipated canceling that second session.

WEDNESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Creighton 76, No. 1 Kansas 63

No. 10 Alabama 94, No. 20 North Carolina 79

Mississippi State 90, No. 18 Pittsburgh 57

No. 24 San Diego State 84, Fresno State 62

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707734642080.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>At age 40,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-vonn-comeback-skiing-olympics-cf0aad2667affe516e1f7ceae5fb951a">Lindsey Vonn</a>&nbsp;is going to enter an official ski race for the first time in nearly six years this weekend. Having already announced last month that she was coming out of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-bcf56ea73a934ddf8f76dc53c61e8dd9">retirement</a>, Vonn will race lower-level FIS downhills and super-Gs on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, in Copper Mountain, Colorado, U.S. Ski Team head coach Paul Kristofic told The Associated Press. Vonn needs some decent results to improve her long-dormant ranking so she can enter World Cup races this season under a new wild card rule. “Obviously her history speaks for itself and she’s definitely the most decorated speed skier out there and has done amazing things throughout her career,” Kristofic said Wednesday. “So it will be really, really fun and interesting to see what she can do.” It’s likely that many of the current World Cup racers will be competing alongside Vonn at Copper Mountain. Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold at the 2010 Vancouver Games.IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Cade McNamara, who started Iowa’s first eight games at quarterback, has said he will enter the transfer portal and petition the NCAA for a seventh season of eligibility. McNamara, who spent his first four seasons at Michigan and the last two at Iowa, made the announcement on social media Wednesday. “My last two years at the University of Iowa have been an incredible journey,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DDKT82bx5DT/?hl=en&amp;img_index=1" target="_blank">he wrote on Instagram.</a>&nbsp;“Through so many ups and downs, I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing people and experiences I’ve had here. I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and newfound friends.” McNamara began his career at Michigan in 2019, started the last game of the 2020 season and all 14 in 2021 as the Wolverines won the Big Ten championship and advanced to the College Football Playoff. McNamara was benched during a 34-11 loss to Georgia in the CFP semifinal at the Orange Bowl.MIAMI (AP) — A 29-point loss in Minnesota on Monday. A 41-point loss in Miami on Wednesday. Add it up, and it’s the worst two-game stretch in Los Angeles Lakers history.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-heat-score-603ce7d09f02cc6faceda89c3f60e654">The Lakers lost to the Heat 134-93</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, that loss coming two days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lakers-timberwolves-score-bf451b2a0a2cb162b086796abdb83d70">a 109-80 loss to the Timberwolves.</a>&nbsp;The 70-point margin is an all-time, two-game low for the Lakers; they were outscored by 67 over two separate two-game spans of the 2016-17 season. “It sucks, for sure, to get your (butt) whooped like that twice in a row,” Lakers star LeBron James said. “For sure.” The Lakers ran off a six-game winning streak last month to get to 10-4. They’re 2-6 since, four of those losses coming by 25 or more points. Wednesday was the low point; the 41-point loss was not only the worst of the season, but it marked only the 11th time in Lakers history — more than 6,800 games, including playoffs — that they’ve lost by more than 40. “I’m embarrassed,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “We’re all embarrassed.”LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Athletics’ move to southern Nevada is expected to take a major step forward Thursday when the 30-year lease, non-relocation and development documents are likely to be approved by the Las Vegas Stadium Authority following a rise in the estimated cost of the ballpark by $250 million to $1.75 billion. Those agreements could be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/as-athletics-vegas-stadium-oakland-f04dde29666d5f54b57ec14460a63c03">last major hurdles</a>&nbsp;before construction can begin in the spring on a Las Vegas Strip stadium projected to open for the start of the 2028 season, a ballpark in which underseat cooling is planned. Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, has maintained for several months those items would be approved and didn’t change his view this week. A backup meeting is scheduled for Dec. 12 in case the approval isn’t finalized Thursday, but Hill said he anticipated canceling that second session.WEDNESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 Creighton 76, No. 1 Kansas 63No. 9 Duke 84, No. 2 Auburn 78No. 6 Iowa State 81, No. 5 Marquette 70No. 10 Alabama 94, No. 20 North Carolina 79No. 12 Oregon 68, USC 60No. 13 Florida 87, Virginia 69No. 25 UConn 76, No. 15 Baylor 72No. 16 Memphis 81, Louisiana Tech 71Mississippi State 90, No. 18 Pittsburgh 57No. 24 San Diego State 84, Fresno State 62

Thursday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Butler Men 82 Barton 72; Butler Women 63 Barton 46

1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a>

</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639328302345.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Butler Men 82 Barton 72; Butler Women 63 Barton 46<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/vxq4vpth/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Pop Isaacs helped unranked Creighton upset No. 1 Kansas 76-63 on Wednesday night, scoring a season-high 27 points and matching his career high with six 3-pointers.

Kansas cut a 13-point deficit to one early in the second half, but Isaacs hit back-to-back 3s to rebuild the lead as the Bluejays (6-3) pulled away for their second straight win over a top-ranked opponent. They knocked off Connecticut 85-66 in Omaha in February.

The Jayhawks (7-1) lost a regular-season game against an unranked nonconference opponent for the first time in three years. Creighton had been in 16 straight Associated Press polls before dropping out this week following losses in three of its previous four games.

Students rushed the court at the final buzzer as flames shot out of the top of the goal standards.

Isaacs’ shooting display overshadowed what was supposed to be the featured matchup between two of the nation’s best big men, the 7-foot-1 Ryan Kalkbrenner and the Jayhawks’ 7-2 Hunter Dickinson.

Isaacs was 10 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 9 on 3s, and added seven rebounds and four assists in his best performance since he transferred from Texas Tech in the offseason.

Kalkbrenner, who had missed the Bluejays' previous game because of a lower-body injury, and Steven Ashworth, still feeling the effects of an ankle sprain from two weeks ago, each scored 17 points.

The Jayhawks struggled offensively and never led. Dajuan Harris had 15 points and AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo added 12 apiece for Kansas, which shot 36%.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Pop Isaacs helped unranked Creighton upset No. 1 Kansas 76-63 on Wednesday night, scoring a season-high 27 points and matching his career high with six 3-pointers.Kansas cut a 13-point deficit to one early in the second half, but Isaacs hit back-to-back 3s to rebuild the lead as the Bluejays (6-3) pulled away for their second straight win over a top-ranked opponent. They knocked off Connecticut 85-66 in Omaha in February.The Jayhawks (7-1) lost a regular-season game against an unranked nonconference opponent for the first time in three years. Creighton had been in 16 straight Associated Press polls before dropping out this week following losses in three of its previous four games.Students rushed the court at the final buzzer as flames shot out of the top of the goal standards.Isaacs’ shooting display overshadowed what was supposed to be the featured matchup between two of the nation’s best big men, the 7-foot-1 Ryan Kalkbrenner and the Jayhawks’ 7-2 Hunter Dickinson.Isaacs was 10 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 9 on 3s, and added seven rebounds and four assists in his best performance since he transferred from Texas Tech in the offseason.Kalkbrenner, who had missed the Bluejays' previous game because of a lower-body injury, and Steven Ashworth, still feeling the effects of an ankle sprain from two weeks ago, each scored 17 points.The Jayhawks struggled offensively and never led. Dajuan Harris had 15 points and AJ Storr and Zeke Mayo added 12 apiece for Kansas, which shot 36%.

Unranked Creighton knocks off No. 1 Kansas behind Isaacs'  27 points

Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday.

The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law.

The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open this year by one shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hailey-davidson-transgender-lpga-qualifying-usga-65a27dd4b4db5c9f519ce0396f0bc9a8">and came up short in LPGA Q-school</a>.

Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA’s previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth.

“Can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”

By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA.

The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition.

The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty.

“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lpga-commissioner-mollie-marcoux-samaan-resign-3982ea6679cb4a56e77a0d0db70c5cf2">resigning in January</a>. “The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”

Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports.

“It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line.

“We needed to be able to walk into any women’s event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.”

The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part.

“Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.”

The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours.

Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels.

The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733343421282.png" alt="FILE - LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan speaks to the gallery after the final round of the LPGA Ford Championship tournament on March 31, 2024 in Gilbert, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan speaks to the gallery after the final round of the LPGA Ford Championship tournament on March 31, 2024 in Gilbert, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)</figcaption>
 </figure>Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday.The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law.The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women’s Open this year by one shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hailey-davidson-transgender-lpga-qualifying-usga-65a27dd4b4db5c9f519ce0396f0bc9a8">and came up short in LPGA Q-school</a>.Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA’s previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth.“Can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA.The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition.The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty.“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lpga-commissioner-mollie-marcoux-samaan-resign-3982ea6679cb4a56e77a0d0db70c5cf2">resigning in January</a>. “The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports.“It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line.“We needed to be able to walk into any women’s event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.”The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part.“Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.”The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours.Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels.The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.

LPGA and USGA set new gender policies for female golfers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals announced Tuesday they have a reached an agreement with Diamond Sports Group to continue broadcasting their games next season.

The Royals are one of four Major League Baseball franchises that are part owners of their regional sports network.

Games will air on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City. FanDuel took over naming rights for Diamond’s 16 regional sports networks last month after Diamond had an agreement with Bally since March 2021.

The Royals and Diamond offered a streaming package last season that saw more than 40,000 subscribers.

Diamond Sports Group, which had its bankruptcy reorganization plans approved last month, has agreements with seven teams for the 2025 season. Besides the Royals, Diamond will broadcast the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.

The Texas Rangers, whose deal expired in October, are assessing their options for next season after they announced they would not be partnering with Diamond.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals announced Tuesday they have a reached an agreement with Diamond Sports Group to continue broadcasting their games next season.The Royals are one of four Major League Baseball franchises that are part owners of their regional sports network.Games will air on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City. FanDuel took over naming rights for Diamond’s 16 regional sports networks last month after Diamond had an agreement with Bally since March 2021.The Royals and Diamond offered a streaming package last season that saw more than 40,000 subscribers.Diamond Sports Group, which had its bankruptcy reorganization plans approved last month, has agreements with seven teams for the 2025 season. Besides the Royals, Diamond will broadcast the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays.The Texas Rangers, whose deal expired in October, are assessing their options for next season after they announced they would not be partnering with Diamond.

Kansas City Royals reach agreement with Diamond Sports Group to continue airing games

The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association announced its preseason rankings on Tuesday. Below are the girls rankings.

Class 6A 1. Blue Valley North 2. Washburn Rural 3. Wichita Heights 4. Shawnee Mission NW 5. Shawnee Mission South 6. Olathe South 7. Olathe West 8. Derby 9. Blue Valley 10. Liberal

Class 5A 1. Topeka Seaman 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Andover 4. Maize South 5. St. James Academy 6. Bishop Carroll 7. DeSoto 8. Emporia 9. Hays 10. KC Piper

Class 4A 1. Wellington 2. Bishop Miege 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Clay Center 5. McPherson 6. Wamego 7. Andale 8. Ottawa 9. Eudora 10. St. George-Rock Creek

Class 3A 1. Hesston 2. Silver Lake 3. Halstead 4. Cheney 5. Nemaha Central 6. Haven 7. Goodland 8. Beloit 9. Osage City 10. Girard

Class 2A 1. Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan 2. Hillsboro 3. Hoxie 4. Valley Heights 5. Eureka 6. Rossville 7. Leoti-Wichita County 8. Moundridge 9. Smith Center 10. Doniphan West

Class 1A-I 1. Little River 2. Centralia 3. Clifton-Clyde 4. St. John-Hudson 5. South Gray 6. Central Plains 7. Atwood-Rawlins County 8. Frankfort 9. Spearville 10. Olpe

Class 1A-II 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Sharon Springs-Wallace County 4. Beloit-St. John's/Tipton 5. Bucklin 6. Marais des Cygnes Valley 7. Hutchinson Central Christian School 8. Ingalls 9. South Haven 10. Attica

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712064660369.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association announced its preseason rankings on Tuesday. Below are the girls rankings.Class 6A 1. Blue Valley North 2. Washburn Rural 3. Wichita Heights 4. Shawnee Mission NW 5. Shawnee Mission South 6. Olathe South 7. Olathe West 8. Derby 9. Blue Valley 10. LiberalClass 5A 1. Topeka Seaman 2. St. Thomas Aquinas 3. Andover 4. Maize South 5. St. James Academy 6. Bishop Carroll 7. DeSoto 8. Emporia 9. Hays 10. KC PiperClass 4A 1. Wellington 2. Bishop Miege 3. Topeka Hayden 4. Clay Center 5. McPherson 6. Wamego 7. Andale 8. Ottawa 9. Eudora 10. St. George-Rock CreekClass 3A 1. Hesston 2. Silver Lake 3. Halstead 4. Cheney 5. Nemaha Central 6. Haven 7. Goodland 8. Beloit 9. Osage City 10. GirardClass 2A 1. Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan 2. Hillsboro 3. Hoxie 4. Valley Heights 5. Eureka 6. Rossville 7. Leoti-Wichita County 8. Moundridge 9. Smith Center 10. Doniphan WestClass 1A-I 1. Little River 2. Centralia 3. Clifton-Clyde 4. St. John-Hudson 5. South Gray 6. Central Plains 7. Atwood-Rawlins County 8. Frankfort 9. Spearville 10. OlpeClass 1A-II 1. Hanover 2. Lebo 3. Sharon Springs-Wallace County 4. Beloit-St. John's/Tipton 5. Bucklin 6. Marais des Cygnes Valley 7. Hutchinson Central Christian School 8. Ingalls 9. South Haven 10. Attica

KBCA girls' basketball rankings (Dec. 3)

The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association announced its preseason rankings on Tuesday. Below are the boys' rankings.

Class 6A 1. Shawnee Mission NW 2. Wichita Heights 3. Mill Valley 4. Olathe North 5. Wichita NW 6. Shawnee Mission South 7. Blue Valley NW 8. Blue Valley North 9. Olathe South 10. Junction City

Class 5A 1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2. Topeka-Highland Park 3. Shawnee Heights 4. Andover 5. Great Bend 6. KC-Piper 7. St. Thomas Aquinas 8. Basehor-Linwood 9. Topeka West 10. Maize South

Class 4A 1. McPherson 2. Baldwin 3. Hugoton 4. Ottawa 5. Atchison 6. St. George-Rock Creek 7. Bishop Miege 8. Fort Scott 9. Pratt 10. Eudora

Class 3A 1. Wichita Collegiate 2. Goodland 3. Wellsville 4. Cheney 5. Hesston 6. Beloit 7. Southeast of Saline 8. Lakin 9. Ellsworth 10. Holcomb

Class 2A 1. Moundridge 2. Sterling 3. Salina-Sacred Heart 4. Conway Springs 5. Medicine Lodge 6. Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan 7. Bennington 8. Plainville 9. Lyndon 10. Hillsboro

Class 1A-I 1. South Gray 2. South Central 3. Olpe 4. Oxford 5. Macksville 6. Clifton-Clyde 7. Central Plains 8. La Crosse 9. Jetmore-Hodgeman County 10. Central Burden

Class 1A-II 1. Cunningham 2. Axtell 3. Dighton 4. McPherson-Elyria Christian 5. Hanover 6. Lebo 7. Weskan 8. Bucklin 9. Amena-Northern Valley 10. Logan-Palco

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700783607464.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas Basketball Coaches Association announced its preseason rankings on Tuesday. Below are the boys' rankings.Class 6A 1. Shawnee Mission NW 2. Wichita Heights 3. Mill Valley 4. Olathe North 5. Wichita NW 6. Shawnee Mission South 7. Blue Valley NW 8. Blue Valley North 9. Olathe South 10. Junction CityClass 5A 1. Kapaun Mt. Carmel 2. Topeka-Highland Park 3. Shawnee Heights 4. Andover 5. Great Bend 6. KC-Piper 7. St. Thomas Aquinas 8. Basehor-Linwood 9. Topeka West 10. Maize SouthClass 4A 1. McPherson 2. Baldwin 3. Hugoton 4. Ottawa 5. Atchison 6. St. George-Rock Creek 7. Bishop Miege 8. Fort Scott 9. Pratt 10. EudoraClass 3A 1. Wichita Collegiate 2. Goodland 3. Wellsville 4. Cheney 5. Hesston 6. Beloit 7. Southeast of Saline 8. Lakin 9. Ellsworth 10. HolcombClass 2A 1. Moundridge 2. Sterling 3. Salina-Sacred Heart 4. Conway Springs 5. Medicine Lodge 6. Pittsburg-St. Mary's Colgan 7. Bennington 8. Plainville 9. Lyndon 10. HillsboroClass 1A-I 1. South Gray 2. South Central 3. Olpe 4. Oxford 5. Macksville 6. Clifton-Clyde 7. Central Plains 8. La Crosse 9. Jetmore-Hodgeman County 10. Central BurdenClass 1A-II 1. Cunningham 2. Axtell 3. Dighton 4. McPherson-Elyria Christian 5. Hanover 6. Lebo 7. Weskan 8. Bucklin 9. Amena-Northern Valley 10. Logan-Palco

KBCA boys' basketball rankings (Dec. 3)

- New Great Bend Lady Panther basketball coach Jade Winter who will preview Friday night's season opener at home against Salina South. She will be joined in studio by Senior's Jillian Reimer and Jordyn Harbaugh.

- Former Central Plains Oiler Myles Menges will join the show to recap his stellar career at Fort Hays State that culminated in him being named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Wednesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c1x-hlI-pck?si=aIc-fWkDrlasvvwK" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- New Great Bend Lady Panther basketball coach Jade Winter who will preview Friday night's season opener at home against Salina South. She will be joined in studio by Senior's Jillian Reimer and Jordyn Harbaugh.- Former Central Plains Oiler Myles Menges will join the show to recap his stellar career at Fort Hays State that culminated in him being named MIAA Defensive Player of the Year.- Wednesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Wednesday on Sports Day(Watch)

Miami's playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama's got a boost Tuesday night in&nbsp;<a href="https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2024/12/3/cfp-rankings-241203.aspx">the last rankings</a>&nbsp;before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend.

The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected bracket after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide (9-3), who won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11, where they are projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference.

To make things worse for the ’Canes, selection committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said there was no way for them to leapfrog Alabama since neither team plays next weekend. The odds of them moving up based on lopsided results in the weekend's conference title games are virtually zero.

The Miami-Alabama sorting was the strongest indication yet that the selection committee is looking at more than mere wins and losses, but also at strength of schedule and other factors that appear to give the SEC an edge.

“We still think Miami is a very strong team,” Manuel said. “It came down to a difference in their body of work ... not just wins, not just losses but the totality of the season and how those teams performed.”

He mentioned three key data points: Alabama was 3-1 against current Top 25 teams and Miami is 0-1; Alabama is 6-1 against winning teams while Miami is 4-2; and Miami has lost two of its last three games.

Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday's Big Ten title game against Penn State as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.

The pairings for college football's first 12-team playoff will be set Sunday, the day after the conference title games. The playoffs start Dec. 20, with the title game set for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Ohio State moved down four spots to No. 6 after its loss to Michigan.

That bumped Texas up a spot to No. 2, Penn State to No. 3, Notre Dame to No. 4 and Georgia to No. 5.

The selection committee all but designated the Big 12 as a one-bid league, moving Arizona State and Iowa State up only one spot each to Nos. 15 and 16.

The top five ranked conference champions are guaranteed bids, which means the winner of the Big 12 title game is in even it doesn't reach the top 12 — another factor in Miami's likely ouster.

SMU, on a nine-game winning streak, moved up a notch to No. 8 and is the Atlantic Coast Conference’s highest-ranked team, but is still potentially vulnerable if it loses the title game to No. 17 Clemson.

The crux of this week’s drama comes from — where else? — the SEC.

Alabama is only two weeks removed from an ugly 24-3 loss at Oklahoma. The Tide still got better treatment than Miami, which fell 42-38 at Syracuse last week with a spot in the ACC title game at stake.

Also in the SEC, Mississippi was ranked 13th and South Carolina 14th — answering a question of just how deep into the SEC pool the committee was willing to go. Neither team has another chance to build its resume.

Other rankings: No. 7 Tennessee, No. 9 Indiana and No. 10 Boise State. The projected bracket includes four teams each from the Big Ten and SEC and one each from the ACC, Mountain West and Big 12, plus independent Notre Dame.

SEC: This will be awkward for the loser of Texas vs. Georgia. The Longhorns are perched too high to miss the playoff, though a loss would make them 0-2 vs. Georgia and 11-0 against everyone else, and they also have the conference’s easiest schedule. For Georgia, it would be a third loss, but the committee doesn’t seem likely to punish the Bulldogs for playing in the title game.

Big 12, Mountain West: The winner of ASU-Iowa State is still likely outside of the group of four conference champs that receive first-round byes unless UNLV upsets Boise State.

ACC: If Clemson beats SMU, it puts the 17th-ranked team in the bracket and makes the ACC a potential snub for the second straight year. (Remember Florida State last season?)

Based on this week’s rankings. Teams listed by seed.

No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Penn State: This game between two teams nobody wants to play right now highlights the obvious benefits of avoiding the first round — which is still possible for both.

No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State: What could be worse for Ohio State fans than hearing “Rocky Top” blaring through their home stadium after a loss?

No. 11 Alabama at No. 6 Notre Dame: Bear Bryant went 0-4 vs. the Fighting Irish. Alabama won both 21st-century matchups in the playoffs.

No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Georgia: The Hoosiers' welcome to the big time would come between the hedges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733323431059.png" alt="Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (7) walks off the field after an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)" />
 <figcaption>Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo (7) walks off the field after an NCAA college football game against Wake Forest, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)</figcaption>
 </figure>Miami's playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama's got a boost Tuesday night in&nbsp;<a href="https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2024/12/3/cfp-rankings-241203.aspx">the last rankings</a>&nbsp;before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend.The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected bracket after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide (9-3), who won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11, where they are projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference.To make things worse for the ’Canes, selection committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said there was no way for them to leapfrog Alabama since neither team plays next weekend. The odds of them moving up based on lopsided results in the weekend's conference title games are virtually zero.The Miami-Alabama sorting was the strongest indication yet that the selection committee is looking at more than mere wins and losses, but also at strength of schedule and other factors that appear to give the SEC an edge.“We still think Miami is a very strong team,” Manuel said. “It came down to a difference in their body of work ... not just wins, not just losses but the totality of the season and how those teams performed.”He mentioned three key data points: Alabama was 3-1 against current Top 25 teams and Miami is 0-1; Alabama is 6-1 against winning teams while Miami is 4-2; and Miami has lost two of its last three games.Oregon stayed at No. 1 for the fifth straight week and will head into Saturday's Big Ten title game against Penn State as the only undefeated team in big-time college football.The pairings for college football's first 12-team playoff will be set Sunday, the day after the conference title games. The playoffs start Dec. 20, with the title game set for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.Ohio State moved down four spots to No. 6 after its loss to Michigan.That bumped Texas up a spot to No. 2, Penn State to No. 3, Notre Dame to No. 4 and Georgia to No. 5.The selection committee all but designated the Big 12 as a one-bid league, moving Arizona State and Iowa State up only one spot each to Nos. 15 and 16.The top five ranked conference champions are guaranteed bids, which means the winner of the Big 12 title game is in even it doesn't reach the top 12 — another factor in Miami's likely ouster.SMU, on a nine-game winning streak, moved up a notch to No. 8 and is the Atlantic Coast Conference’s highest-ranked team, but is still potentially vulnerable if it loses the title game to No. 17 Clemson.The crux of this week’s drama comes from — where else? — the SEC.Alabama is only two weeks removed from an ugly 24-3 loss at Oklahoma. The Tide still got better treatment than Miami, which fell 42-38 at Syracuse last week with a spot in the ACC title game at stake.Also in the SEC, Mississippi was ranked 13th and South Carolina 14th — answering a question of just how deep into the SEC pool the committee was willing to go. Neither team has another chance to build its resume.Other rankings: No. 7 Tennessee, No. 9 Indiana and No. 10 Boise State. The projected bracket includes four teams each from the Big Ten and SEC and one each from the ACC, Mountain West and Big 12, plus independent Notre Dame.<h2>This week's key games</h2>SEC: This will be awkward for the loser of Texas vs. Georgia. The Longhorns are perched too high to miss the playoff, though a loss would make them 0-2 vs. Georgia and 11-0 against everyone else, and they also have the conference’s easiest schedule. For Georgia, it would be a third loss, but the committee doesn’t seem likely to punish the Bulldogs for playing in the title game.Big 12, Mountain West: The winner of ASU-Iowa State is still likely outside of the group of four conference champs that receive first-round byes unless UNLV upsets Boise State.ACC: If Clemson beats SMU, it puts the 17th-ranked team in the bracket and makes the ACC a potential snub for the second straight year. (Remember Florida State last season?)<h2>Projected first-round matchups</h2>Based on this week’s rankings. Teams listed by seed.No. 12 Arizona State at No. 5 Penn State: This game between two teams nobody wants to play right now highlights the obvious benefits of avoiding the first round — which is still possible for both.No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State: What could be worse for Ohio State fans than hearing “Rocky Top” blaring through their home stadium after a loss?No. 11 Alabama at No. 6 Notre Dame: Bear Bryant went 0-4 vs. the Fighting Irish. Alabama won both 21st-century matchups in the playoffs.No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Georgia: The Hoosiers' welcome to the big time would come between the hedges.

Miami's playoff hopes nosedive as Alabama rises in the latest College Football Playoff rankings

Miami’s playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama’s got a boost Tuesday night in&nbsp;<a href="https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2024/12/3/cfp-rankings-241203.aspx" target="_blank">the last rankings</a>&nbsp;before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected bracket after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide (9-3), who won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11, where they are projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference. To make things worse for the ’Canes, selection committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said there was no way for them to leapfrog Alabama since neither team plays next weekend. The odds of them moving up based on lopsided results in the weekend’s conference title games are virtually zero. The Miami-Alabama sorting was the strongest indication yet that the selection committee is looking at more than mere wins and losses, but also at strength of schedule and other factors that appear to give the SEC an edge.

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 12 points and Ian Schieffelin had 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Clemson shut down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 victory Tuesday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Tigers (8-1) held the Wildcats (7-1) to 30 points fewer than their average of 96.7 per game coming in, which led the country. Clemson took the lead for good, 53-52, with 10:08 remaining on Del Jones’ layup that started a 10-2 run. Kentucky got to 68-66 on Lamont Butler’s 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left, but Chase Hunter followed with two foul shots to seal it. Otega Oweh had 17 points to lead Kentucky. Amari Williams added nine points and 10 rebounds.

STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Freshman Sarah Strong scored 22 points and No. 2 UConn outscored Holy Cross by 30 points in the second half of an 88-52 victory on Tuesday night. Kaitlyn Chen scored 14 points and Paige Bueckers added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists for UConn (7-0), which led 33-27 at the break and shot 7 for 12 from 3-point distance in the second half. Lindsay Berger scored 12 points and Kaitlyn Flanagan added 10 points for Holy Cross (4-4). Azzi Fudd made her first start of the season for UConn after missing the first three games of the season as she recovered from a knee injury that limited her to just two games during the 2023-24 season. Fudd scored seven points in 18 minutes.

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naeher ended her national team career with one last win. The stalwart goalkeeper made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Tuesday. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about it during the game, just wanted to win the game and do what I could to come away with the ‘W’ for us to close out the year,” Naeher said. Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute for the U.S.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-uswnt-marta-brazil-9c90483b76a3a67df35d6058af748c04">which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer</a>&nbsp;and wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European exhibitions would be her final matches. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts.

TUESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 No. 3 Tennessee 96, Syracuse 70

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714991701059.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Miami’s playoff hopes took an all-but-final nosedive while Alabama’s got a boost Tuesday night in&nbsp;<a href="https://collegefootballplayoff.com/news/2024/12/3/cfp-rankings-241203.aspx" target="_blank">the last rankings</a>&nbsp;before the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is set next weekend. The Hurricanes (10-2) moved down six spots to No. 12 — the first team out of the projected bracket after suffering their second loss of the season. They are one spot behind the Crimson Tide (9-3), who won last week and moved up two spots to No. 11, where they are projected as the last team in and the fourth from the Southeastern Conference. To make things worse for the ’Canes, selection committee chair and Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said there was no way for them to leapfrog Alabama since neither team plays next weekend. The odds of them moving up based on lopsided results in the weekend’s conference title games are virtually zero. The Miami-Alabama sorting was the strongest indication yet that the selection committee is looking at more than mere wins and losses, but also at strength of schedule and other factors that appear to give the SEC an edge.CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Chauncey Wiggins scored 12 points and Ian Schieffelin had 11 points and a career-high 20 rebounds as Clemson shut down No. 4 Kentucky for a 70-66 victory Tuesday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. The Tigers (8-1) held the Wildcats (7-1) to 30 points fewer than their average of 96.7 per game coming in, which led the country. Clemson took the lead for good, 53-52, with 10:08 remaining on Del Jones’ layup that started a 10-2 run. Kentucky got to 68-66 on Lamont Butler’s 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left, but Chase Hunter followed with two foul shots to seal it. Otega Oweh had 17 points to lead Kentucky. Amari Williams added nine points and 10 rebounds.STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Freshman Sarah Strong scored 22 points and No. 2 UConn outscored Holy Cross by 30 points in the second half of an 88-52 victory on Tuesday night. Kaitlyn Chen scored 14 points and Paige Bueckers added 11 points, seven rebounds and five assists for UConn (7-0), which led 33-27 at the break and shot 7 for 12 from 3-point distance in the second half. Lindsay Berger scored 12 points and Kaitlyn Flanagan added 10 points for Holy Cross (4-4). Azzi Fudd made her first start of the season for UConn after missing the first three games of the season as she recovered from a knee injury that limited her to just two games during the 2023-24 season. Fudd scored seven points in 18 minutes.THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naeher ended her national team career with one last win. The stalwart goalkeeper made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Tuesday. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about it during the game, just wanted to win the game and do what I could to come away with the ‘W’ for us to close out the year,” Naeher said. Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute for the U.S.,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-uswnt-marta-brazil-9c90483b76a3a67df35d6058af748c04">which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer</a>&nbsp;and wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European exhibitions would be her final matches. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts.TUESDAY SCORES NCAA MEN TOP 25 No. 3 Tennessee 96, Syracuse 70Clemson 70, No. 4 Kentucky 66Michigan 67, No. 11 Wisconsin 64Villanova 68, No. 14 Cincinnati 60No. 21 Oklahoma 76, Georgia Tech 61No. 22 Texas A&amp;M 57, Wake Forest 44No. 23 Ole Miss 86, Louisville 63

Wednesday's Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Smoky Hills PBS (SHPBS) announced the broadcast of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Football Championships, featuring the top teams in the 8-Player DI &amp; DII classifications, 6-Player, and Class 5A.

The games, originally played on Nov. 30, will air on Dec. 7 and 8, bringing the excitement of Kansas high school football directly to viewers across western and central Kansas.

*Games previously played on Nov. 30

DATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Saturday, Dec. 7 TIME:&nbsp; 11 a.m.

8-Player DII –&nbsp;Axtell vs. Victoria

DATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Sunday, Dec. 8 TIME: 11 a.m.

8-Player DI –&nbsp;Hoxie vs. Central Plains

Class 5A –&nbsp;St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Hays High School

“We are thrilled to bring the excitement of Kansas high school football championships to homes across our viewing area.” said Betsy Schwien General Manager at Smoky Hills PBS. “This initiative not only supports local sports but highlights our commitment to providing local programming to our viewers.”

Smoky Hills PBS (SHPBS) announced the broadcast of the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) Football Championships, featuring the top teams in the 8-Player DI &amp; DII classifications, 6-Player, and Class 5A.The games, originally played on Nov. 30, will air on Dec. 7 and 8, bringing the excitement of Kansas high school football directly to viewers across western and central Kansas.Details of the coverage:*Games previously played on Nov. 30DATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Saturday, Dec. 7 TIME:&nbsp; 11 a.m.8-Player DII –&nbsp;Axtell vs. Victoria6-Player –&nbsp;Cunningham vs. WeskanDATE:&nbsp;&nbsp;Sunday, Dec. 8 TIME: 11 a.m.8-Player DI –&nbsp;Hoxie vs. Central PlainsClass 5A –&nbsp;St. Thomas Aquinas vs. Hays High School“We are thrilled to bring the excitement of Kansas high school football championships to homes across our viewing area.” said Betsy Schwien General Manager at Smoky Hills PBS. “This initiative not only supports local sports but highlights our commitment to providing local programming to our viewers.”

PBS re-broadcasts of State football championship games

- The "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif reacts to the Cougar Men having their 35-game winning streak snapped at home against Cowley Saturday. He'll also talk about how they start another one on Wednesday at Butler.

- We'll preview the Great Bend Panthers Boys and Girls basketball seasons that begin Friday at home against Salina South.

- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther sports with Great Bend wrestling coach Lars Lueders who will preview the 2024-25 seasons for the Boys and Girls.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dw__yBCeILI?si=6C6DvQTG3DNB_h3p" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- The "Voice of the Cougars" Cole Reif reacts to the Cougar Men having their 35-game winning streak snapped at home against Cowley Saturday. He'll also talk about how they start another one on Wednesday at Butler.- We'll preview the Great Bend Panthers Boys and Girls basketball seasons that begin Friday at home against Salina South.- Mike Courson goes "On the Prowl" for Panther sports with Great Bend wrestling coach Lars Lueders who will preview the 2024-25 seasons for the Boys and Girls.- Tuesday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Tuesday on Sports Day(Watch)

Kansas held off Auburn for the No. 1 ranking in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll</a>&nbsp;on Monday as Southeastern Conference teams grabbed three of the top four spots and two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at the Maui Invitational.

The Jayhawks earned 35 of 61 first-place votes in the poll, while the Tigers got the remaining 26 and climbed two spots to No. 2 after wining the Maui title. The Huskies fell all the way to No. 25, barely avoiding becoming only the second team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week in nearly four decades.

It was part of a turbulent week with holiday-week tournaments, leading to six new teams entering the rankings headlined by No. 12 Oregon and No. 16 Memphis.

Kansas (7-0), which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-duke-basketball-score-19ef64a030f58f6ed7428470c54f9b48#:~:text=LAS%20VEGAS%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Dajuan,Vegas%20Showdown%20on%20Tuesday%20night.">beat Duke last week</a>, had increased its margin on the No. 2-ranked team each week since the preseason poll and had a 107-point margin on the Huskies last week. But with the Tigers — ranked No. 1 in KenPom’s metrics — beating ranked Iowa State and North Carolina teams in the Maui title run, that margin is just nine points this week.

Auburn was joined by fellow SEC schools No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky, with each team climbing four spots. Marquette was next at No. 5, followed by Iowa State, Gonzaga, Purdue, Duke and Alabama to round out the top 10.

The Huskies (5-3) had won 17 straight games entering the Maui Invitational, but things quickly went awry with an opening-round overtime&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-uconn-score-maui-invitational-e105477ada6054a1c5da2626d51a662a">loss to Memphis</a>&nbsp;in a game that had coach Dan Hurley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-maui-invitational-dan-hurley-92d757440da71dd18839b65f34989a47">fuming about officiating</a>. UConn lost the next day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-colorado-score-maui-invitational-c5e5dcaa07b41d4a0be5781734dcf4e1">to Colorado</a>, then lost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-dayton-score-8e4fd4e0d61893c20fb176f64e9d8ad8#:~:text=LAHAINA%2C%20Hawaii%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,2%201%2F2%20minutes%20left.">to Dayton</a>&nbsp;in the seventh-place game to finish last in the prestigious tournament.

It was reminiscent of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-top-25-mens-college-basketball-poll-928a506365564efeabe56e1b36446159">No. 2 Arizona’s 0-3 crash</a>&nbsp;at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in November 2017. But the Huskies avoided the same poll fate as the Wildcats, who became the first team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week since Louisville in November 1986 after its tournament flop in the Great Alaska Shootout.

While Oregon jumped 26 spots to enter the AP Top 25, Marquette, Purdue and No. 13 Florida had the week’s biggest climbs within the poll, each rising five spots. No. 11 Wisconsin joined Tennessee and Kentucky with four-spot jumps as 10 teams rose from their spots in last week’s poll.

In all, seven teams fell from last week’s poll.

While UConn’s tumble stood out, No. 17 Houston fell 11 spots after losses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-houston-score-67e7acafbe90811ef67eea341641f93b">to Alabama</a>&nbsp;and now-No. 24&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-diego-houston-score-top-25-ba3247ef0a350b606a0bd388e1514c70">San Diego State</a>&nbsp;in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.

North Carolina also had a big fall, sliding eight spots to No. 20 after losses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auburn-north-carolina-basketball-score-maui-invitational-5d77a23ca550816e3ab301c080cc138a">to Auburn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-michigan-state-score-0f6e6c7387f1d7538d1b599f622f5681#:~:text=Michigan%20State%20holds%20off%20No,AP%20News">Michigan State</a>&nbsp;in Maui. Gonzaga tumbled four spots to seventh after losing its Battle 4 Atlantis opener&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-gonzaga-top-25-score-35a9af5e9bfa81def40203ac26f0670b">to West Virginia</a>.

No. 23 Mississippi joined Kansas as the only teams to hold their position from last week.

Oregon led the week’s six new teams after beating Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-oregon-score-76d987ad675426185ea66fe23ae981b0">to win the Players Era Festival</a>&nbsp;championship, followed by Memphis after finishing second to Auburn in Maui.

No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 19 Illinois, No. 21 Oklahoma – which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-louisville-score-f0d61e0eed79e0bda5c7982a96369a8d#:~:text=NASSAU%2C%20Bahamas%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,win%20the%20Battle%204%20Atlantis.">won the Atlantis title</a>&nbsp;– and San Diego State were the week’s other new additions.

Indiana (No. 14), Arkansas (No. 19), Creighton (No. 21), Xavier (No. 22), Arizona (No. 24) and Mississippi State (No. 25) fell out of the poll.

Kansas held off Auburn for the No. 1 ranking in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll">The Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll</a>&nbsp;on Monday as Southeastern Conference teams grabbed three of the top four spots and two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at the Maui Invitational.The Jayhawks earned 35 of 61 first-place votes in the poll, while the Tigers got the remaining 26 and climbed two spots to No. 2 after wining the Maui title. The Huskies fell all the way to No. 25, barely avoiding becoming only the second team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week in nearly four decades.It was part of a turbulent week with holiday-week tournaments, leading to six new teams entering the rankings headlined by No. 12 Oregon and No. 16 Memphis.Kansas (7-0), which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-duke-basketball-score-19ef64a030f58f6ed7428470c54f9b48#:~:text=LAS%20VEGAS%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Dajuan,Vegas%20Showdown%20on%20Tuesday%20night.">beat Duke last week</a>, had increased its margin on the No. 2-ranked team each week since the preseason poll and had a 107-point margin on the Huskies last week. But with the Tigers — ranked No. 1 in KenPom’s metrics — beating ranked Iowa State and North Carolina teams in the Maui title run, that margin is just nine points this week.Auburn was joined by fellow SEC schools No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky, with each team climbing four spots. Marquette was next at No. 5, followed by Iowa State, Gonzaga, Purdue, Duke and Alabama to round out the top 10.<h2>UConn’s slide</h2>The Huskies (5-3) had won 17 straight games entering the Maui Invitational, but things quickly went awry with an opening-round overtime&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/memphis-uconn-score-maui-invitational-e105477ada6054a1c5da2626d51a662a">loss to Memphis</a>&nbsp;in a game that had coach Dan Hurley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-maui-invitational-dan-hurley-92d757440da71dd18839b65f34989a47">fuming about officiating</a>. UConn lost the next day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-colorado-score-maui-invitational-c5e5dcaa07b41d4a0be5781734dcf4e1">to Colorado</a>, then lost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uconn-dayton-score-8e4fd4e0d61893c20fb176f64e9d8ad8#:~:text=LAHAINA%2C%20Hawaii%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,2%201%2F2%20minutes%20left.">to Dayton</a>&nbsp;in the seventh-place game to finish last in the prestigious tournament.It was reminiscent of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ap-top-25-mens-college-basketball-poll-928a506365564efeabe56e1b36446159">No. 2 Arizona’s 0-3 crash</a>&nbsp;at the Battle 4 Atlantis in the Bahamas in November 2017. But the Huskies avoided the same poll fate as the Wildcats, who became the first team to go from No. 2 to unranked in a week since Louisville in November 1986 after its tournament flop in the Great Alaska Shootout.<h2>Rising and falling</h2>While Oregon jumped 26 spots to enter the AP Top 25, Marquette, Purdue and No. 13 Florida had the week’s biggest climbs within the poll, each rising five spots. No. 11 Wisconsin joined Tennessee and Kentucky with four-spot jumps as 10 teams rose from their spots in last week’s poll.In all, seven teams fell from last week’s poll.While UConn’s tumble stood out, No. 17 Houston fell 11 spots after losses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-houston-score-67e7acafbe90811ef67eea341641f93b">to Alabama</a>&nbsp;and now-No. 24&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-diego-houston-score-top-25-ba3247ef0a350b606a0bd388e1514c70">San Diego State</a>&nbsp;in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas.North Carolina also had a big fall, sliding eight spots to No. 20 after losses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auburn-north-carolina-basketball-score-maui-invitational-5d77a23ca550816e3ab301c080cc138a">to Auburn</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-michigan-state-score-0f6e6c7387f1d7538d1b599f622f5681#:~:text=Michigan%20State%20holds%20off%20No,AP%20News">Michigan State</a>&nbsp;in Maui. Gonzaga tumbled four spots to seventh after losing its Battle 4 Atlantis opener&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-virginia-gonzaga-top-25-score-35a9af5e9bfa81def40203ac26f0670b">to West Virginia</a>.<h2>Status quo</h2>No. 23 Mississippi joined Kansas as the only teams to hold their position from last week.<h2>Welcome</h2>Oregon led the week’s six new teams after beating Alabama&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alabama-oregon-score-76d987ad675426185ea66fe23ae981b0">to win the Players Era Festival</a>&nbsp;championship, followed by Memphis after finishing second to Auburn in Maui.No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 19 Illinois, No. 21 Oklahoma – which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-louisville-score-f0d61e0eed79e0bda5c7982a96369a8d#:~:text=NASSAU%2C%20Bahamas%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94,win%20the%20Battle%204%20Atlantis.">won the Atlantis title</a>&nbsp;– and San Diego State were the week’s other new additions.<h2>Farewell (for now)</h2>Indiana (No. 14), Arkansas (No. 19), Creighton (No. 21), Xavier (No. 22), Arizona (No. 24) and Mississippi State (No. 25) fell out of the poll.<h2>Conference watch</h2>

Kansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games Tuesday for repeated violations of player safety rules following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-trevor-lawrence-8637329cfc139261d5a0e292fd6fca95">his violent hit to the head</a>&nbsp;of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.

Al-Shaair's punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons.

Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-jaguars-score-bd1b152584020ee1dcdda469cc9b526b">23-20 win</a>&nbsp;on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.

In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan called the hit “unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules.”

“Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide," Runyan wrote. “You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact.”

Al-Shaair is appealing the suspension, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the appeal is pending.

If the suspension is upheld, Al-Shaair won't be eligible to return to Houston’s active roster until after the team’s Christmas Day game against the Baltimore Ravens. Al-Shaair has a base salary of $1.5 million this season, meaning it will cost him about $265,000 if the three-game suspension is upheld.

Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair in what escalated into a brawl.

As Al-Shaair was leaving the field after being ejected, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.

Runyan also outlined Al-Shaair's behavior after the hit in announcing the suspension.

“After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask,” he wrote. “After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone.”

This is the third time this season Al-Shaair has been punished by the league. Last week, he was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard.

He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan told Al-Shaair in the letter. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”

Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/A_train2_/status/1863572522354020768">in a long post on X Monday</a>, where he said first said he didn’t see Lawrence sliding until “it was too late” and that it happened “in the blink of an eye” before saying he was sorry for the hit.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Sunday it was a play that ”really has no business being in our league," and said Monday that the team is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-trevor-lawrence-concussion-analysis-ec94cde995c826b509b0cef23ee4d9a0">shutting Lawrence down for the season</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733242780661.png" alt="Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. (AP Photo/John Raoux)" />
 <figcaption>Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. (AP Photo/John Raoux)</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Houston's Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games Tuesday for repeated violations of player safety rules following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-trevor-lawrence-8637329cfc139261d5a0e292fd6fca95">his violent hit to the head</a>&nbsp;of Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.Al-Shaair's punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons.Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-jaguars-score-bd1b152584020ee1dcdda469cc9b526b">23-20 win</a>&nbsp;on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan called the hit “unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules.”“Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide," Runyan wrote. “You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact.”Al-Shaair is appealing the suspension, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the appeal is pending.If the suspension is upheld, Al-Shaair won't be eligible to return to Houston’s active roster until after the team’s Christmas Day game against the Baltimore Ravens. Al-Shaair has a base salary of $1.5 million this season, meaning it will cost him about $265,000 if the three-game suspension is upheld.Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair in what escalated into a brawl.As Al-Shaair was leaving the field after being ejected, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.Runyan also outlined Al-Shaair's behavior after the hit in announcing the suspension.“After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask,” he wrote. “After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone.”This is the third time this season Al-Shaair has been punished by the league. Last week, he was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard.He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan told Al-Shaair in the letter. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/A_train2_/status/1863572522354020768">in a long post on X Monday</a>, where he said first said he didn’t see Lawrence sliding until “it was too late” and that it happened “in the blink of an eye” before saying he was sorry for the hit.Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Sunday it was a play that ”really has no business being in our league," and said Monday that the team is considering&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jaguars-trevor-lawrence-concussion-analysis-ec94cde995c826b509b0cef23ee4d9a0">shutting Lawrence down for the season</a>.

Texans' Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Lawrence

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Dana Dimel, who spent 20 years as a part of Bill Snyder’s K-State coaching staff, passed away Tuesday at the age of 62, his family announced. He is survived by his wife, Julie, and children, Winston and Josey.

Dimel, who spent the 2024 season on former Wildcat assistant Bret Bielema’s staff at Illinois, served three stints on Snyder's staff at K-State following an All-America playing career as an offensive tackle for the Wildcats from 1984-86.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in Manhattan in 1987-88 leading into eight seasons (1989-96) as an assistant coach. He returned to K-State for one season in 2005 and then returned to K-State for the third time and spent nine seasons (2009-17) as the program's offensive coordinator and running backs/tight ends coach.

Overall Dimel was a part of 12 bowl teams during 19 seasons in Manhattan. The Wildcats posted an 11-win season (2012) with a Big 12 Championship, two 10-win campaigns (1995 and 2011) and five nine-win seasons (1993, 1994, 1996, 2014, and 2016) during that span, and finished in the top-25 of the BCS and CFP rankings on three occasions – 2011 (No. 8 BCS), 2012 (No. 5 BCS), and 2014 (No. 11 CFP).

Dimel, a Columbus, Ohio, native, compiled the most wins of any active offensive coordinator in college football from 2011-17 (61) and was a part of eight straight bowl appearances. Overall, in his 32 seasons as a head or assistant coach, Dimel mentored 37 players who went on to play in the NFL.

In addition to his time at K-State, Dimel had successful head coaching stops at Wyoming (1997-1999), Houston (2000-2002) and UTEP (2018-2023).

“Obviously, we are very saddened by the passing of Dana," said former Wildcat coach Bill Snyder. "He was a special friend and coaching companion. I admired his passion for helping his players and fellow coaches. He was a big part of the development of the Kansas State football program, and along with his wife Julie, very meaningful in the Manhattan community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1733242304015.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Dana Dimel, who spent 20 years as a part of Bill Snyder’s K-State coaching staff, passed away Tuesday at the age of 62, his family announced. He is survived by his wife, Julie, and children, Winston and Josey.Dimel, who spent the 2024 season on former Wildcat assistant Bret Bielema’s staff at Illinois, served three stints on Snyder's staff at K-State following an All-America playing career as an offensive tackle for the Wildcats from 1984-86.He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in Manhattan in 1987-88 leading into eight seasons (1989-96) as an assistant coach. He returned to K-State for one season in 2005 and then returned to K-State for the third time and spent nine seasons (2009-17) as the program's offensive coordinator and running backs/tight ends coach.Overall Dimel was a part of 12 bowl teams during 19 seasons in Manhattan. The Wildcats posted an 11-win season (2012) with a Big 12 Championship, two 10-win campaigns (1995 and 2011) and five nine-win seasons (1993, 1994, 1996, 2014, and 2016) during that span, and finished in the top-25 of the BCS and CFP rankings on three occasions – 2011 (No. 8 BCS), 2012 (No. 5 BCS), and 2014 (No. 11 CFP).Dimel, a Columbus, Ohio, native, compiled the most wins of any active offensive coordinator in college football from 2011-17 (61) and was a part of eight straight bowl appearances. Overall, in his 32 seasons as a head or assistant coach, Dimel mentored 37 players who went on to play in the NFL.In addition to his time at K-State, Dimel had successful head coaching stops at Wyoming (1997-1999), Houston (2000-2002) and UTEP (2018-2023).“Obviously, we are very saddened by the passing of Dana," said former Wildcat coach Bill Snyder. "He was a special friend and coaching companion. I admired his passion for helping his players and fellow coaches. He was a big part of the development of the Kansas State football program, and along with his wife Julie, very meaningful in the Manhattan community.”

Longtime K-State coach Dana Dimel passes away

Promoting good sportsmanship at all Kansas State High School Activities Association events continues to be a priority for the KSHSAA and its member schools. Maintaining focus on the student-athlete remains an important focus as participation in the interscholastic activity program teaches important life lessons and holds the students accountable to academic, attendance, and behavior standards.&nbsp;

Starting this basketball season, the KSHSAA will recognize a League Sportsmanship Champion which is inclusive of the girls’ and boy’ teams (players and coaches), spirit squads, pep bands and spectators based upon regular season basketball contests as evaluated by the adopted sportsmanship rubric. Each high school League/Conference Champion will be awarded a championship trophy.&nbsp;

“Sportsmanship expectations remain a priority as school leaders understand appropriate behavior and sportsmanship demonstrated by participants will extend well beyond the playing court”, said Bill Faflick, KSHSAA Executive Director.&nbsp; “While student-athletes earn the right to represent their school based upon their on their performance in the classroom and skill on the court, they preserve that opportunity through positive sportsmanship while playing the game they love.”&nbsp;

Since 1970, the KSHSAA has awarded State Basketball Sportsmanship Awards for those schools that met a qualified mark after participating in the state tournament. The KSHSAA is taking a necessary step to put more emphasis on sportsmanship year-round for every school, not just those that qualify for the state tournament. The traditional sportsmanship award held its rightful place for over 50 years and the KSHSAA is grateful for the many judges that took their task seriously each year making a positive impact on the state tournaments.

The new KSHSAA League Sportsmanship award will be able to influence more students and school communities.&nbsp; This award allows each league/conference to identify a KSHSAA Basketball Sportsmanship League/Conference Champion.&nbsp;As the basketball regular season concludes, member schools will select their League Sportsmanship Champion.

There are currently 38 leagues within the KSHSAA membership.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715279210230.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Promoting good sportsmanship at all Kansas State High School Activities Association events continues to be a priority for the KSHSAA and its member schools. Maintaining focus on the student-athlete remains an important focus as participation in the interscholastic activity program teaches important life lessons and holds the students accountable to academic, attendance, and behavior standards.&nbsp;Starting this basketball season, the KSHSAA will recognize a League Sportsmanship Champion which is inclusive of the girls’ and boy’ teams (players and coaches), spirit squads, pep bands and spectators based upon regular season basketball contests as evaluated by the adopted sportsmanship rubric. Each high school League/Conference Champion will be awarded a championship trophy.&nbsp;“Sportsmanship expectations remain a priority as school leaders understand appropriate behavior and sportsmanship demonstrated by participants will extend well beyond the playing court”, said Bill Faflick, KSHSAA Executive Director.&nbsp; “While student-athletes earn the right to represent their school based upon their on their performance in the classroom and skill on the court, they preserve that opportunity through positive sportsmanship while playing the game they love.”&nbsp;Since 1970, the KSHSAA has awarded State Basketball Sportsmanship Awards for those schools that met a qualified mark after participating in the state tournament. The KSHSAA is taking a necessary step to put more emphasis on sportsmanship year-round for every school, not just those that qualify for the state tournament. The traditional sportsmanship award held its rightful place for over 50 years and the KSHSAA is grateful for the many judges that took their task seriously each year making a positive impact on the state tournaments.The new KSHSAA League Sportsmanship award will be able to influence more students and school communities.&nbsp; This award allows each league/conference to identify a KSHSAA Basketball Sportsmanship League/Conference Champion.&nbsp;As the basketball regular season concludes, member schools will select their League Sportsmanship Champion.There are currently 38 leagues within the KSHSAA membership.