Chris Paul says the Los Angeles Clippers are sending him home from their road trip. The decision puts a shocking twist on what is expected to be the veteran point guard’s final NBA season. The struggling Clippers are in Atlanta for a road game against the Hawks on Wednesday night. Los Angeles lost at Miami on Monday night to fall to 5-16 in a wildly disappointing season. The 40-year-old Paul is playing his 21st NBA season, and he strongly hinted last month that it will be his last. The 12-time All-Star has earned four All-NBA first team selections, and he has the second-most assists in NBA history.
Ole Miss lost a coach but gained in the College Football Rankings, moving up a spot to No. 6 despite the sudden departure of Lane Kiffin to LSU. Undefeated Ohio State and Indiana remained at 1 and 2 in the rankings, while Georgia moved to third and Texas Tech rose to No. 4. The rest of the top 12: Oregon, Mississippi, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Notre Dame, BYU and Miami. The final rankings come out Sunday, the day after a slate of conference title games determines the five automatic qualifiers for the 12-team bracket.
The White House and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have each lent support for a bill designed to regulate college sports that has been criticized by opponents as a giveaway to the NCAA and its most powerful schools. The House is expected to vote on the SCORE Act later this week. The NCAA-backed legislation has broad support from Republicans but is widely disliked by Democrats, who would need to provide at least seven votes for it to pass in the Senate.
Host Australia and three-time champion New Zealand have been drawn into the same group at the expanded Rugby World Cup in 2027, with the winner likely to face defending champion South Africa in the quarterfinals. No. 2-ranked New Zealand was the last team pulled out in the draw in Sydney by World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson on Wednesday. Australia had already been placed into Pool A from the second band of teams that were ranked from seventh to 12th. South Africa was drawn into Pool B with Italy, Georgia and Romania. England, winners of the last Rugby World Cup staged in Australia in 2003, was drawn into Pool F with Wales, Tonga and Zimbabwe.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza each have one prize in mind for their showdown this weekend in Indianapolis: a Big Ten championship. Their worthiness for a Heisman Trophy will consume most of next week's debate. The two first-year starters at their respective schools each played their way into frontrunner status by leading their teams to unbeaten regular seasons, posting outstanding numbers and delivering when the stakes have been highest. They get final chances to pad those Heisman resumes when No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana square off in the Big Ten title game.
PROVO, Utah (AP) — Kalani Sitake will remain BYU’s head football coach after agreeing to a new long-term contract extension on Monday. Sitake is 83-44 since taking over at BYU in 2016. The Cougars have won 11 games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2006 and 2007. Penn State made Sitake a top candidate in its search to replace James Franklin, who was fired earlier this season after a 0-3 start in Big Ten play. Sitake had conversations with Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft and received an offer reportedly worth eight figures annually to become the next coach at Penn State. BYU made retaining Sitake a top priority and put together a contract extension that swayed him to stay at the school where he played.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner, has outlined the financial struggles facing NASCAR teams. He testified Tuesday in a federal antitrust trial against NASCAR, saying his team spent over $700,000 in fees to the series in 2022. The trial began Monday, brought by 23XI Racing, co-owned by Hamlin and Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports. They argue NASCAR's revenue model is unfair. Hamlin said losing a single sponsor could erase profits. He also criticized a TV deal that favors streaming over traditional sponsors. The trial is expected to last two weeks. NASCAR denies any wrongdoing.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Carter Hart made his first NHL appearance in nearly two years, playing for the Vegas Golden Knights against the Chicago Blackhawks. On Tuesday night, fans welcomed Hart, who was one of five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players acquitted of sexual assault in July. He made 27 saves, helping Vegas secure a 4-3 shootout victory. Hart expressed gratitude for the support and reflected on his challenging journey back to the NHL. The Golden Knights could use his help in net, with starting goalie Adin Hill on injured reserve. Hart signed a two-year contract and had been working with the team's AHL affiliate.
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Duke's Isaiah Evans hit the winning 3-pointer in the final minute to help the fourth-ranked Blue Devils beat No. 15 Florida 67-66 in the ACC/SEC Challenge. That came after he had started 0 for 7 from 3-point range. Evans said afterward he focused on contributing defensively to stay in the game. He finished with a career-high five blocked shots as a 6-foot-6 wing. Coach Jon Scheyer says Evans showed “great growth” in hanging in the game until hitting the winning 3 with 19.7 seconds left.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — UConn fans have been eagerly awaiting Braylon Mullins' debut, and he delivered when it mattered the most Tuesday night. The five-star freshman scored 17 points, including three 3-pointers, and blocked a crucial layup to help fifth-ranked UConn secure a 61-56 win over No. 21 Kansas inside raucous Allen Fieldhouse. It was a breakout performance for Mullins, who had been dealing with an ankle injury. UConn coach Dan Hurley praised Mullins, saying he put the team in position to win. The Huskies now boast three wins over ranked teams this season, despite missing big man Tarris Reed Jr. against the Jayhawks.
Finals
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final N-Y Islanders 2 Tampa Bay 1
Final Ottawa 5 Montreal 2
Final Detroit 5 Boston 4
Final OT N-Y Rangers 3 Dallas 2
Final Toronto 4 Florida 1
Final Nashville 5 Calgary 1
Final Colorado 3 Vancouver 1
Final Minnesota 1 Edmonton 0
Final SO Vegas 4 Chicago 3
Final Washington 3 Los Angeles 1
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)Purdue 81 Rutgers 65
Final (4)Duke 67 (15)Florida 66
Final (5)UConn 61 (21)Kansas 56
Final (7)Michigan State 71 Iowa 52
Final Syracuse 62 (13)Tennessee 60
Final (16)North Carolina 67 (18)Kentucky 64
Final (24)USC 82 Oregon 77