NBA:
In the NBA, Chicago beat Boston 101-92, Atlanta bested Philadelphia 126-98, Houston topped Utah 103-94, and it was Sacramento over the Lakers 118-115.
The NBA has suspended Houston guard Ty Lawson for three games without pay for a drunken-driving case in California last year. He'll be eligible to return for the Jan. 13 game against Minnesota. The incident in Los Angeles happened in July, about the time Lawson was traded from Denver to the Rockets.
NHL:
In the NHL, Washington topped the Islanders 4-1, Florida edged Ottawa 3-2, Philadelphia slid past Minnesota in overtime 4-3, Dallas beat Winnipeg in a shootout 2-1, Arizona skated by Calgary 2-1, Detroit edged San Jose 2-1, and it was Los Angeles over Toronto 2-1.
NCAA:
In college men's basketball, Siena downed Fairfield 91-76 last night. Brett Bisping scored a career-high 28 points for Siena. Fairfield was led by Marcus Gilbert with 24 points and five rebounds. Tyler Nelson had 17 points, and Curtis Cobb added 11.
Notre Dame beat Boston College 82-54 last night. Demetrius Jackson scored eight of his 17 points during a 21-4 key run in the first half for Notre Dame. Eli Carter and Dennis Clifford led Boston College with 13 points apiece.
Mount Saint Mary's pulled away steadily in the final 20 minutes of a 73-62 win over Central Connecticut State last night. Mustafa Jones scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Central Connecticut State. Jahlil Nails added 12 points off the Blue Devils bench, and Khalen Cumberlander added 10.
SMU is still one of two undefeated Division I men's basketball teams -- barely. The 15th-ranked Mustangs improved to 14-0 by rallying to beat Cincinnati 59-57 on Jordan Tolbert's tip-in with 28 seconds left. South Carolina is the other undefeated major college men's team.
In college football, Boston College has hired Jim Reid as defensive coordinator. Reid spent the last three years coaching linebackers at Iowa. He will also coach linebackers at BC. He's a native of suburban Medford, Massachusetts. He was also the defensive coordinator in Chestnut Hill under Dan Henning in 1994.
NFL:
In the NFL playoffs, on Saturday, Kansas City will face Houston at 4:20 p.m., Pittsburgh will take on Cincinnati 8:15 p.m.
On Sunday, Seattle will see Minnesota at 1:05 p.m. and then Green Bay takes on Washington at 4:40 p.m.
The New York Giants have interviewed a pair of defensive coordinators for their vacant head coaching job. The Giants interviewed defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo yesterday morning and talked with Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin in the afternoon. New York talked with offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo on Tuesday, the day Tom Coughlin said goodbye to the team.
The Denver Broncos are turning things back over to Peyton Manning for the playoffs. Coach Gary Kubiak says Manning will get the start in Denver's Jan. 17 playoff game, replacing Brock Osweiler who did a good job stepping in for Manning while he was recovering from a left foot injury.
New York Jets center Nick Mangold has been added to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for the injured Mike Pouncey of the Miami Dolphins. It will be the seventh Pro Bowl appearance for Mangold, who was chosen as a first alternate when rosters for the January 31st game in Hawaii were announced last month.
Beyonce is returning to the Super Bowl halftime show. Pepsi confirmed to The Associated Press that the 34-year-old singer will perform at the Feb. 7 show at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
NFL – Hall of Fame:
Brett Favre is one step away from entering the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The quarterback who left the NFL after the 2010 season as the leader in most career passing categories, is among three first-time eligibles to make the list of 15 finalists. Receiver Terrell Owens and guard Alan Faneca, also in their initial year of eligibility, made the cut.
The class of 2016 will be decided on Feb. 6, the day before the Super Bowl, with inductions scheduled for August. Also making the cut to 15 are Morten Andersen, Steve Atwater, Don Coryell, Terrell Davis, Tony Dungy, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison, Joe Jacoby, Edgerrin James, John Lynch, Orlando Pace and Kurt Warner.
Tennis:
The WTA Tour says French Open finalist Lucie Safarova has withdrawn from the Australian Open because of the lingering effects of a bacterial infection she picked up last year. The 28-year-old Czech is the ninth-ranked women's player in the world.
PGA:
Patrick Reed had one eagle in his round of 8-under 65 and has a one-shot lead over Jordan Spieth (SPEETH) in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the opening event of the PGA Tour season. Reed is the defending champion at Kapalua and has top 10s in his last six tournaments around the world.
MLB:
New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has made his first public appearance since collapsing during a news conference two months ago and later announcing he was undergoing cancer treatment. Alderson attended yesterday's Hall of Fame news conference featuring former New York star Mike Piazza and Ken Griffey Jr., who were elected to Cooperstown a day earlier.
Ken Griffey Jr. will go into the Hall of Fame with a Seattle Mariners' cap and Mike Piazza will have a New York Mets' hat. The pair made their announcements a day after they were elected by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Griffey spent a lengthy period of his career with Cincinnati, and Piazza reached the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Griffey is the first Mariners' player in the Hall. Induction ceremonies will be held in Cooperstown on July 24.
FIFA:
Michel Platini's dream of becoming the next FIFA president is over. The head of European soccer has told The Associated Press he's withdrawing from the race to succeed his mentor Sepp Blatter while Platini fights to have his eight-year ban overturned. Platini says the deadline for the Feb. 26 election is too short and renders his candidacy impossible.
©2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.