AP Sports Digest
The highlights of Wednesday's AP Sports report. An up-to-the minute listing of all stories planned, including games and events, is available in Coverage Plan on AP Newsroom, https://newsroom.ap.org/coverageplan. You can also find a link to Coverage Plan on the left navigation of the Newsroom home page, https://newsroom.ap.org. Sports content can be found at http://newsroom.ap.org/page/APSports
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ADVISORIES
The Associated Press is introducing a new game recap format for NBA, NHL and college basketball games. Details can be found here.
The AP is retiring the BBA and BBN slugs for baseball coverage beginning with the 2024-25 offseason. Details can be found here.
AUDIO HEADLINES
USC football placed on 1 year of probation, fined $50,000 by NCAA for violating coaching staff rules
Hurricane-damaged Tropicana Field can be fixed for about $55M in time for 2026 season, per report
All times EST
TOP STORIES
BBW--WOMEN'S PRO BASEBALL LEAGUE
The Women’s Professional Baseball League will launch in 2026 as the first pro women’s baseball league in decades. Heightened interest in women’s sports made this an ideal time to make it happen, and co-founders Justine Siegal and Keith Stein hope to establish a solid women’s baseball culture in the U.S. to create more playing opportunities for girls in the future. By Alanis Thames. SENT: 1,050 words, photos.
FBN--BEARS-WILLIAMS
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Caleb Williams remains the Chicago Bears' starting quarterback. It's up to new offensive coordinator Thomas Brown to do what Shane Waldron couldn't and get the most out of the No. 1 overall draft pick. By Andrew Seligman. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 7 p.m.
FBN--INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Falling behind by a double-digit deficit is typically a death knell for most NFL teams. For Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, that’s the situation that makes them thrive. By Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow. SENT: 1,080 words, photos.
FBC--T25-INDIANA-PERFECT SEASON
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The signs of success can be found all around Indiana’s campus these days. Three straight home football sellouts. Fans are spinning towels inside Memorial Stadium as voices reach a crescendo. Candy-striped basketball pants are being replaced by candy-striped overalls. Even the start of basketball season at one of the sport’s true blueblood programs cannot diminish the excitement of college football’s biggest surprise. By Michael Marot. SENT: 960 words, photos.
BKN--SPURS-POPOVICH
Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich has been away from the team because he suffered a mild stroke earlier this month, the San Antonio Spurs announce. Popovich is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs and there is no timetable for his return to the sideline. The stroke happened on Nov. 2 at the team's arena, and Popovich is expected to make a full recovery. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 630 words, photo.
ANALYSIS
FBN--PRO PICKS-WEEK 11
Russell Wilson and Lamar Jackson go head to head for first place. Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes renew their rivalry. Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels start theirs. By Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi. UPCOMING: 1,000 words, photos, graphic by 7 p.m. With FBN--Commanders-Eagles Preview (sent).
FBC--T25-COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICKS
The college football season rolls into Week 12 with nothing settled in the power-conference races. One game separates first and sixth place in the SEC. The gap is the same between first and fourth in the ACC. Indiana and Oregon share the Big Ten lead with Ohio State and Penn State lurking. BYU and Colorado have the inside track to the Big 12 championship game. Three games could turn the Big 12 into a free-for-all depending on their outcomes. By College Football Writer Eric Olson. SENT: 1,120 words, photos. With FBC--T25-What To Watch (sent).
NOTABLE
BBO--RAYS-FRANCO
SAN JUAN DE LA MAGUANA, Dominican Republic — Wander Franco, the Tampa Bay Rays shortstop who awaits trial in a sexual abuse case, is granted supervised release after being arrested and charged with illegally carrying a gun in his vehicle during an altercation in a parking lot in the Dominican Republic. SENT: 300 words, photo.
GLF--CLARK-LPGA
BELLEAIR, Fla. — Caitlin Clark brought her golf game and a big buzz to the LPGA Tour when the basketball star played in a pro-am that attracted a bigger crowd than the tour often gets for its tournament rounds. SENT: 500 words, photos. Also GLF--World Tour Championship-McIlroy (sent).
TEN--ATP FINALS
TURIN, Italy — Carlos Alcaraz had his drop shot working and overcame physical issues to claim a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals. The win put Alcaraz back into contention for a spot in the semifinals of the year-ending tournament for the top eight players. He had been beaten by Casper Ruud in straight sets in his opener. Alexander Zverev will face Ruud in the same group later. By Andrew Dampf. SENT: 350 words, photos. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Zverev-Ruud starts no earlier than 2:30 p.m.
FBC--ACC-CFP CONCERNS
The Atlantic Coast Conference finds itself fighting for respect from the College Football Playoff selection committee. Miami was the only ACC team inside the coveted top 12 during the latest CFP rankings even though SMU is in first place with three weeks to go in the regular season. Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee says the rankings in general don’t make much sense. By Will Graves. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
FBC--SEC-NIL-RECRUITING
ATHENS, Ga. -- NIL money has added a new variable to the long-held practice of college football coaches trying to flip recruits who have given verbal commitments to other schools. When the recruiting spotlight is on a top recruit, millions of dollars are on the line. By Charles Odum. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos by 5 p.m. With FBC--T25-Texas-Arkansas-Rivalry Renewed (sent).
BKL--DREAM-SMESKO
The Atlanta Dream managed to do what many other teams have tried over the years: They lured Karl Smesko away from Florida Gulf Coast. Smesko was announced Wednesday as the new head coach of the Dream. He built FGCU into a perennial NCAA Tournament team and went 611-112 in his 23 years as the school’s first and until now only coach. By Basketball Writers Doug Feinberg and Tim Reynolds. SENT: 720 words, photos.
BOX--TYSON-PAUL
IRVING, Texas — YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson hold their final news conference ahead of their much-anticipated fight on Friday night. By Schuyler Dixon. UPCOMING: 300 words, photos developing from 7 p.m. news conference.
SOC--WOMEN’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUNDUP
Lyon and Chelsea are in action among four games in the Women’s Champions League. By Graham Dunbar. UPCOMING: 450 words, photos. Celtic-Chelsea starts at 3 p.m.
MOVING TOMORROW
SOC--FRANCE-ISRAEL-SECURITY
PARIS — There will be a heavy police presence at Thursday’s soccer match between France and Israel in the Nations League with authorities on high security alert amid an increasingly tense political climate. Some 4,000 police officers and security staff will be deployed around the Stade de France stadium, one week after violence against Israeli fans in Amsterdam around a Europa League soccer game.
FBN--COMMANDERS-EAGLES
PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Eagles put their five-game winning streak on the line on Thursday night against Washington in a matchup of the top two teams in the NFC East. Game starts at 8:15 p.m.
BOX--TYSON-PAUL-PREVIEW
IRVING, Texas — YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson have sparred verbally and now they’re ready to finally enter the ring for a bout delayed several months by Tyson’s health. By Schuyler Dixon.
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Wednesday's EST Time Schedule
NBA
Indiana at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Boston at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago at New York, 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
New Orleans at Oklahoma City, 7:30 p.m.
Detroit at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
LA Clippers at Houston, 8 p.m.
Washington at San Antonio, 8 p.m.
Memphis at LA Lakers, 10 p.m.
Minnesota at Portland, 10 p.m.
Phoenix at Sacramento, 10 p.m.
NHL
Detroit at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.
Toronto at Washington, 7:30 p.m.
Carolina at Utah, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles at Colorado, 10 p.m.
Vegas at Anaheim, 10 p.m.
TOP 25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 3 UConn vs. Le Moyne, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Auburn vs. Kent State, 8 p.m.
No. 8 Houston vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 8 p.m.
No. 11 Tennessee vs. Montana, 7 p.m.
No. 14 Creighton vs. Houston Christian, 9 p.m.
No. 18 Arkansas vs. Troy, 8 p.m.
No. 22 St. John’s vs. Wagner, 6:30 p.m.
TOP 25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
No. 4 Texas vs. Lamar, 8 p.m.
No. 6 Notre Dame vs. James Madison, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Oklahoma vs. Western Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
No. 11 Maryland at Syracuse, 7 p.m.
No. 22 Alabama vs. Norfolk State, 7 p.m.
No. 24 Stanford vs. UC Davis, 10 p.m.
