LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Chiefs are underdogs heading into the Super Bowl against San Francisco, a situation they have rarely experienced in the six years that Patrick Mahomes has been their starting quarterback. But it turns out they kind of like it. They no longer have to manufacture a chip on their shoulder, instead relishing the opportunity to prove naysayers wrong. That was the case when they beat Buffalo in the divisional round, and again when they beat Baltimore in the AFC title game. On Sunday in Las Vegas, they will try to become the sixth team since 2000 to win the Super Bowl as underdogs in their last three games.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Minutes after the San Francisco 49ers finished off a stunning comeback to win the NFC championship, star defender Nick Bosa pulled aside quarterback Brock Purdy and marveled at his journey. Purdy has undergone a meteoric rise from “Mr. Irrelevant” as the final pick of the 2022 draft to MVP finalist and starting quarterback in the Super Bowl in a span of less than 22 months. It’s been one of the most improbable draft success stories in recent memories and seems to shock just about everyone other than Purdy, who had the steadfast confidence that he could make it as long as someone gave him a chance.
HOUSTON (AP) — Jamal Shead scored 23 points, Emanuel Sharp added 16 points and No. 5 Houston beat Oklahoma State 79-63. The Cougars played most of the second half without coach Kelvin Sampson, who got two technical fouls and was ejected with 15:08 remaining. Sampson stormed to the other end of the court and started yelling at the officials for not calling fouls against Oklahoma State. Shead had 17 points in the first half as Houston built a 40-21 halftime lead. Javon Small scored 18 points and John-Michael Wright added 13 points for Oklahoma State.
WACO, Texas (AP) — RayJ Dennis scored 21 points, 7-foot Baylor freshman Yves Missi had 17 points with some impressive dunks, and the 13th-ranked Bears beat No. 23 Texas Tech 79-73. It was the Red Raiders' third consecutive loss. Jayden Nunn added 14 points for the 17-5 Bears, including seven in the 13-0 run that put them ahead to stay. Joe Toussaint had 18 points and six assists for 16-6 Texas Tech.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Javian McCollum scored 20 points, including 15 in the second half, and Oklahoma beat No. 21 BYU 82-66 on Tuesday night. Milos Uzan had 16 points and Rivaldo Soares added 12 for Oklahoma, which dropped out of the AP Top 25 for the first time in 10 weeks on Monday. Fousseyni Traore led BYU with 21 points and Dallin Hall finished with 17 for the Cougars, who had won two straight. McCollum converted six free throws down the stretch and made a 3-pointer with 46 seconds remaining to seal the win for the Sooners.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 13 points and No. 14 Iowa State held off a furious Texas rally over the final 10 minutes to earn a 70-65 win. The Cyclones led by 18 points in the second half only to see Texas claw its way back behind Dylan Disu, who scored 28 points, including 16 in a row in the second half. Iowa State closed out the win on Tamin Lipsey's 3-pointer and a dunk by Tre King with 15 seconds left.
WACO, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 has fined Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades $25,000 for his criticism of officials after the 13th-ranked Bears’ victory over Iowa State when coach Scott Drew was ejected for getting two technical fouls. Rhoades was also given a public reprimand Tuesday. That and the fine were in accordance to Big 12 sportsmanship policies. Drew was ejected for the first time in his 21 seasons as Baylor’s coach with about 11 1/2 minutes left in Saturday’s 70-68 win. The Bears bench was assessed another technical right after that. Rhoades, after the game, called the officiating an embarrassment for the league.
UNDATED (AP) — A judge has kept in place NCAA rules prohibiting name, image and likeness compensation being used as a recruiting inducement, denying a request for a temporary restraining order by the states of Tennessee and Virginia. The attorneys general of those states filed a federal antitrust lawsuit in the Eastern District of Tennessee last week that challenged the NCAA’s NIL rules, after it was revealed the University of Tennessee was under investigation by the association for potential infractions. The states argued that immediate action was needed to keep the NCAA from standing in the way of recruits monetizing their fame.
UNDATED (AP) — ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery announced plans on Tuesday to launch a sports streaming platform in the fall that will include offerings from at least 15 networks and all four major professional sports leagues. A one-stop app to view most sports should be a welcome sight for fans, who continue to navigate rising costs by subscribing to multiple services. The three companies will each share one-third ownership in the joint venture. A name for the service and pricing will be announced at a later date.
UNDATED (AP) — José Altuve and the Houston Astros have agreed to a $125 million, five-year contract that covers 2025-29. Houston announced a new multiyear deal for Altuve on Tuesday without disclosing financial details. Altuve has a $26 million salary for 2024 in the final season of a $163.5 million, seven-year deal. The eight-time All-Star second baseman would have been eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series. His new agreement includes a $15 million signing bonus, payable upon the contract’s approval by Major League Baseball, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because those details were not announced.
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP) — The obnoxious money ruining golf was sure to create trust issues with the leadership. That hasn't gone away even after the PGA Tour got a $3 billion deal with a minority investor. But now it might be a question of who needs to regain trust. One is PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. The other is Rory McIlroy. McIlroy was once the loudest critic of LIV Golf. Now he has come full circle and players aren't sure what to make of him. McIlroy raised eyebrows at Pebble Beach by saying LIV players should be able to return to the PGA Tour without any punishment.
BOSTON (AP) — A ruling that gives the Dartmouth basketball team the right to unionize has far-reaching implications for all of college sports — from the quaint, academically oriented Ivy League to the big-money football factories like Michigan and Alabama. But it’s not time to cut down the nets just yet. Although Monday’s ruling by a National Labor Relations Board official put the players on the path toward a union, they have a long way to go. It could be years before they are able to sit down with the school and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. Only then would the two sides sit down and decide what the players are worth. And others around collegiate sports will be watching.
TUESDAY SCORES
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final (1)UConn 71 Butler 62
Final Clemson 80 (3)North Carolina 76
Final (5)Houston 79 Oklahoma St. 63
Final (13)Baylor 79 (23)Texas Tech 73
Final (14)Iowa St. 70 Texas 65
Final (15)South Carolina 68 Mississippi 65
Final (17)Kentucky 109 Vanderbilt 77
Final (18)Dayton 94 Saint Joseph's 79
Final Oklahoma 82 (21)BYU 66
Final Nevada 77 (22)Utah St. 63
Final (24)San Diego St. 77 Air Force 64
Final (25)New Mexico 91 Wyoming 73
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 132 Houston 129
Final New York 123 Memphis 113
Final Miami 121 Orlando 95
Final Dallas 119 Brooklyn 107
Final OT Chicago 129 Minnesota 123
Final Utah 124 Oklahoma City 117
Final Phoenix 114 Milwaukee 106
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Vancouver 3 Carolina 2
Final Philadelphia 2 Florida 1
Final Pittsburgh 3 Winnipeg 0
Final Montreal 5 Washington 2
Final Calgary 4 Boston 1
Final Dallas 2 Buffalo 1
Final New Jersey 5 Colorado 3