AP National Sports

SAINT PAUL, Minn. — Led by Parker Bjorklund’s 19 points, the Saint Thomas Tommies defeated the North Dakota State Bison 78-68 on Wednesday. The Tommies improved to 11-4 with the victory and the Bison fell to 3-11.

RUSTON, La. — Led by Dravon Mangum’s 22 points, the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs defeated the Jarvis Christian Bulldogs 108-52 on Wednesday. The Bulldogs moved to 7-5 with the victory.

By DORIAN COLBERT RosterWatch With temperatures dropping, these players will continue to bring the heat to fantasy lineups. Here are the best bets to score in Week 16 of the NFL season.

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears’ practice facility was briefly on lockdown Wednesday because of a suspicious package. Team spokesman Brandon Faber says police were called. No one was allowed to leave or enter the team’s suburban campus for about an hour. The Bears practice about 30 miles north of Soldier Field. Chicago

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Veteran outfielder Michael Brantley has signed a one-year, $12 million deal  to remain with the Houston Astros after missing more than half of last season with a shoulder injury. The 2023 season will be Brantley’s fifth with the Astros. Last season he hit .288 with 14

By The Associated Press Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Dungy and Jerome Bettis are among those mourning the death of Franco Harris. The Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back died this week at the age of 72 just before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception that forever earned him a spot in

By ANTHONY ANDERSON Associated Press SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Maddy Westbeld scored 10 points in four minutes and No. 5 Notre Dame started the second half on a 17-0 spree en route to a 85-57 win over Western Michigan. The 10-1 Fighting Irish led 38-30 at the half, but scored on seven of their

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Shyanne Sellers scored 18 points, Diamond Miller had 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and four blocks and No. 15 Maryland beat Purdue Fort Wayne 88-51 in the final non-conference matchup for the Terps. The game featured sisters Shyanne and Shayla Sellers. They played together at Aurora High School in

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi has hired former Auburn athletic director Allen Greene as an administrator. Greene will be the department’s senior deputy athletic director, vice chancellor for intercollegiate athletics Keith Carter announced on Wednesday. Greene will serve as the Rebels’ chief operating officer, oversee the department’s external operations and maintain oversight of the football

By AARON BEARD AP Basketball Writer Women’s college basketball has long had players stick around compared to men’s players making frequent early exits to the pros. Now there are more fifth- and sixth-year players thanks to extra eligibility granted because of the pandemic. No. 11 UCLA had the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class headlined by point

By TERESA M. WALKER AP Pro Football Writer NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee rookie Malik Willis appears closer to making the third start this season with the Titans signing Joshua Dobbs off the Detroit practice squad Wednesday. Veteran Ryan Tannehill proved his toughness taping up his sprained right ankle yet again after being carted to

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars ruled out two defensive starters — linebacker Travon Walker and nose tackle Foley Fatukasi — for Thursday night’s game at the New York Jets. Walker (ankle) and Fatukasi (ankle) won’t make the trip to New Jersey for the primetime game that has AFC playoff implications for the Jaguars

By FREIDA FRISARO Associated Press FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — No charges will be filed against former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown following an apparent domestic incident at a Tampa, Florida, home in late November, prosecutors said Wednesday. Investigators completed a review of all available evidence and decided to drop the misdemeanor battery charges, the

By PAUL NEWBERRY AP National Writer Deion Sanders was the star attraction in this year’s class of new Black coaches taking over major college programs. Of course, he didn’t have a lot of competition. Sanders, who left Jackson State for Colorado of the Pac-12 Conference, was one of just three Black head coaches hired by

By JAY COHEN AP Baseball Writer CHICAGO (AP) — All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson has joined the Chicago Cubs, finalizing a $177 million, seven-year contract. The addition of Swanson is the biggest of three major moves by the Cubs since the end of the season. Right-hander Jameson Taillon signed a $68 million, four-year contract, and 2019

By The Associated Press Air Force is making its sixth appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl to play Baylor. The 9-3 Falcons have won in that game only once, but ended this regular season with a four-game winning streak and have won their last three bowls overall since losing to California in the 2015 Armed

By KRISTIE RIEKEN AP Sports Writer HOUSTON (AP) — Veteran outfielder Michael Brantley has signed a one-year deal to remain with the Houston Astros after missing more than half of last season with a shoulder injury. Terms of the deal weren’t announced. The 2023 season will be Brantley’s fifth with the Astros. Last season he

By TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer Mat Ishbia’s career basketball statistics at Michigan State went like this: He averaged 0.6 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Not exactly record-setting numbers. But this is the number he’s about to be known by in the game — $4 billion. Ishbia’s offer to buy the majority

By WILL GRAVES AP Sports Writer PITTSBURGH (AP) — Franco Harris, the Hall of Fame running back whose heads-up thinking authored the “Immaculate Reception,” considered the most iconic play in NFL history, has died. He was 72. Harris’ son, Dok, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his father died overnight. No cause of death

MONACO (AP) — Russian 400-meter hurdler Natalya Antyukh will lose her gold medal from the 2012 London Games because of doping. It puts American Lashinda Demus in position to be named the champion more than a decade after the race. The Athletics Integrity Unit says Antyukh did not appeal a penalty handed down two months