IRVING, Texas (AP) — The Big 12 Conference has fined UCF $100,000 for derogatory chants by football fans aimed at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a game against BYU. It’s the latest fine against a Big 12 school over fan treatment of BYU, the flagship school for what’s widely known as the Mormon church. Video shared on social media showed UCF fans making the chants prior to kickoff on Saturday. University security then removed some fans from the game, won by UCF in overtime. The league also announced it has established a conference-wide policy addressing such behavior, which it says “has no place in the Big 12.”
UNDATED (AP) — College football is seeing a surge in close games, with 30 one-score contests in conference play last week alone. This trend is the highest since at least 1973, according to Sportradar. So far this season, 128 conference games have been decided by eight points or fewer, with an average point differential of 13.9. The Power Four conferences have seen 69 one-score games, making for exciting matchups. This weekend's games include Miami at North Carolina, Ohio State at Southern California, and Florida at Georgia.
CLEVELAND (AP) — AJ Dybantsa made a strong debut for the Washington Wizards. On Wednesday night, No. 1 pick scored 19 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers. This is the most points by a Wizards rookie in their debut since 1992. Dybantsa, who was sidelined for four games due to an ankle injury, played 27 minutes. Coach Brian Keefe praised his ability to get to the basket and his defensive activity. Dybantsa started at shooting guard and scored nine points in the first quarter. The Wizards lost 121-111 but showed promise with their new lineup.
UNDATED (AP) — Women’s college basketball never fails to disappoint, with marquee matchups way before March Madness begins. The most anticipated early season game is a Nov. 24 rematch between preseason No. 1 South Carolina and second-ranked UConn from their Final Four matchup last season. Many people remember UConn coach Geno Auriemma’s meltdown in the handshake line when he yelled at South Carolina’s Dawn Staley. The two seem to have patched things up publicly after that incident. There’s no doubt that the rematch at Mohegan Sun two days before Thanksgiving will have a lot of eyes on the pregame and postgame handshakes.
UNDATED (AP) — Arizona is making waves in the Big 12, winning titles and reaching the Final Four last season. Now, they're picked to win the league again with a strong roster. Key players like Motiejus Krivas and Ivan Kharchenkov return, while top freshman Caleb Holt joins the team. The league is competitive, with teams like Houston, Kansas, and Iowa State also in the mix. Transfers and new freshmen are adding excitement. Coaching changes include Randy Bennett at Arizona State.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Dave Hakstol left his job as an NHL assistant coach during the season to lead a college hockey program still reeling from the collapse of a player during an outdoor workout. Hakstol’s approach in the 12 days since he took the job at Arizona State has been the same as previous stops during career spanning more than three decades coaching in the NHL and college. He left the stability of serving as an assistant with the Colorado Avalanche to take over program still investigating the collapse of defenseman Matthew Mayich during an outdoor workout on Aug. 20.
CINCINNATI (AP) — No. 6 Utah holds the nation's longest active winning streak and leads the Big 12 after defeating Houston last week. Coach Morgan Scalley warns his players about the "letdown effect" as they prepare to face Cincinnati on Saturday. The Utes are 7-0 for the first time since 2010. Cincinnati, coming off a big win against Texas Tech, poses a significant challenge. The Bearcats rushed for 255 yards and had four touchdown passes in their last game. Utah's quarterback, Devon Dampier, has been impressive, but the team must avoid turnovers against Cincinnati's strong defense.
UNDATED (AP) — Deion Sanders downplays comments about offering $50,000 to silence critics. On Tuesday, Sanders clarified that the remark was a joke. Christopher Neely, a YouTube content creator known as "Uncle Neely," mentioned the offer during a roundtable discussion. Sanders was confused when asked about the comment and explained it was misinterpreted. He said it was a joke about people profiting off his name. Sanders emphasized he's faced criticism throughout his life and would never pay someone to stop talking about him. He added that he's always been respectful.
