Trevon Brazile scored 21 points to lead five Arkansas players in double figures as the 25th-ranked Razorbacks built a big lead and held off No. 6 Louisville 89-80 on Wednesday night. Darius Acuff Jr. and Meleek Thomas added 17 points apiece for Arkansas, which made 27 of 35 free throws (77%) and outrebounded the Cardinals 46-36. The loss was the first this season for Louisville, which never led in the game.
Knicks maintain home-court dominance in 119-104 win over Hornets
The Knicks extended their home winning streak to four games on Wednesday night, overcoming some lulls on offense and defense to beat the Hornets, 119-104, at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways...
-- It didn't take long for Karl-Anthony Towns to assert dominance in the paint. He contributed a team-high 10 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter, more than half the production he delivered against the Hornets down in Charlotte just a week ago (19 points, 10 rebounds). The Knicks' lead reached an effortless 15 points after 12 minutes, and with tough defense that forced six turnovers, they held the Hornets to a measly 12 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Interestingly enough, the Knicks couldn't buy a bucket behind the arc in the first -- they made just one, via Mikal Bridges, on nine attempts. The effort was far worse from the Hornets, however -- they started an unacceptable 2-of-14 from three.
-- The Knicks' offense was anything but aesthetically pleasing in the second quarter. A lead that extended to 20 points with 7:46 remaining was cut in half just three minutes later, and that quick 14-3 run from the Hornets forced the Knicks to burn a timeout. The message from head coach Mike Brown didn't seem to translate either, as the Hornets took advantage of Knicks mistakes by cutting their deficit down to three, 50-47, just a minute before halftime. The praise for strong first-quarter defense was premature -- the Knicks gave up 35 second-quarter points.
-- While the first half ended on a three-point buzzer-beater from Jalen Brunson, extending the Knicks' lead to 53-47, they struggled to correct their efficiency issues early in the third quarter. Call it lucky timing, as the Hornets weren't equipped for any exploitation. Steadily, the Knicks regained composure on both ends of the floor and pushed their lead back up to 18, midway through the period. After three, they led 90-75 behind more flexing from both Towns and Brunson around the perimeter.
-- Fears of the Knicks wasting another comfortable lead seemed to disappear when the fourth quarter began. They opened the period on a 7-0 run, stretching the margin to a game-high 22 with 9:28 left, and by the 7:03 mark, all five Knicks starters reached double-digit points. Much to the Hornets' credit, they kept on buzzing. Lamelo Ball commanded the rallying effort, reaching 31 points midway through the final quarter and making the Knicks sweat. But the stark difference in talent kept the Knicks from further stress, as Towns and Brunson flipped the switch back on and bumped the lead back to 16 with 1:36 to go. The closing seconds were sloppy, but harmless.
-- The spotlight naturally belonged to Towns and Brunson, who combined for 61 points on 22 of 39 shooting. But it was Josh Hart who flirted with a triple-double, posting 15 points with eight rebounds and assists apiece in yet another start. Miles McBride, filling in for an injured OG Anunoby, also contributed 15 points on 4 of 9 shooting. Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson added six points each off the bench.
-- While the Knicks committed one more foul (19) than the Hornets (18) overall, they weren't whistled for the first 17:09 of the game, a new NBA record this season. They were charged for their sixth foul midway through the third quarter. Ironically, the Knicks still had a player foul out -- bench man Ariel Hukporti hacked six in just 13 minutes of action. He'll remember blocking two shots, though.
Game MVP: Karl-Anthony Towns
The Knicks' big man recorded his 16th double-double of the season, finishing with a stout 35 points, 18 boards, and five assists in 39 minutes. It was also his seventh 30-10-5 performance with the team.
Highlights
How the first quarter is going so far for the Knicks pic.twitter.com/skKDidIVIW
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
Jalen Brunson knocks down the buzzer beater triple to end the first half pic.twitter.com/1MS0s9WEKn
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
KAT 👌 pic.twitter.com/EiQ8lWx2fL
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
Josh Hart with the rejection! pic.twitter.com/mNTYTt7uIS
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 4, 2025
What's next
The Knicks (14-7) will continue their three-game homestand on Friday night, with a matchup against the Utah Jazz (7:30 tip-off).
Labaron Philon scores 29 points and propels No. 12 Alabama past Clemson 90-84 in ACC/SEC
Labaron Philon tied his career high with 29 points, Amari Allen added 20 points and 11 rebounds and No. 12 Alabama beat Clemson 90-84 on Wednesday night in the ACC/SEC Challenge. The Crimson Tide (6-2) led by 19 and then had to rally down the stretch after Clemson (7-2) took a two-point lead with 2:41 to play. RJ Godfrey led the Tigers with 19 points.
SEC punches back in ACC-SEC challenge with Arkansas’ upset of No. 6 Louisville after ACC’s 6-3 start
A day after the ACC secured a 6-3 lead with some high-profile wins in the ACC-SEC challenge, the SEC punched back with the upset of the event's second day.
Minnesota upsets No. 22 Indiana 73-64 in Big Ten debut for Medved as DeVries suffers first loss
Cade Tyson had 17 points and eight rebounds to help Minnesota upset No. 22 Indiana 73-64 on Wednesday in the Big Ten debut for both head coaches, the Gophers' Niko Medved and the Hoosiers' Darian DeVries. Langston Reynolds scored 17 points and Isaac Asuma added 15 for the Gophers (5-4, 1-0), who used a 40-25 rebounding advantage to hand the Hoosiers (7-1, 0-1) their first loss under DeVries and hold them to a season-low score after they were averaging nearly 90 points entering the game.
Potential Knicks trade target Giannis Antetokounmpo out 2-4 weeks with right calf strain: report
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo left Wednesday's game against the Pistons with what the team is calling a right calf strain.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Greek Freak is expected to be sidelined for two-to-four weeks.
The former MVP played just three minutes when he made a pass to guard A.J. Green from behind the basket. After Green made the layup, Antetokounmpo fell to the floor with a non-contact injury.
Antetokounmpo hobbled to the bench, where he sat for a few minutes before heading to the locker room.
Giannis down... pic.twitter.com/vJunYwplII
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) December 4, 2025
The Antetokounmpo injury came just hours after trade rumors swirled around the forward.
Charania reported early Wednesday that the Bucks and Antetokounmpo have started to discuss his future with the team after a tough start to the season.
Of course, Antetokounmpo named the Knicks as a trade destination over the summer and SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley reported in October that the Bucks and Knicks had cursory talks involving Antetokounmpo.
Begley noted on Wednesday that "nothing has changed" for the Knicks on the Antetokounmpo front and there are still "big hurdles to clear."
Surviving signing day without a coach: How UCLA football stayed afloat
UCLA hasn't had a permanent coach in months and didn't have one ready to open early signing perion, yet it avoided disaster.
Mixed results for UCLA on early signing day
After a few defections, UCLA was left with a 12-player class that general manager Khary Darlington said could grow a bit.
Phoenix's Devin Booker to be out at least a week with groin strain
Devin Booker went back to the locker room with a couple of minutes to go in the first quarter Monday night against the Lakers, and when he came back out to the bench for the second half, he was in street clothes and did not set foot on the court again.
Booker is going to be in street clothes for at least another seven days, with the team announcing he suffered a groin injury and will be re-evaluated in a week. That means he will miss games against Houston and Minnesota, but the game to circle on the calendar is Dec. 10, one week away, when the Suns take on the Thunder in the NBA Cup quarterfinals, a knockout round game with a trip to Las Vegas for the semi-finals on the line. Booker might want to return for that game, but Phoenix's medical staff will want to protect him from himself if he is not ready.
Booker has a history of nagging groin injuries that goes back a few seasons. It's not exactly clear when Booker suffered this latest injury, though postgame Suns coach Jordan Ott said he thought it happened when Booker drove into and tried to finish over Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes.
"He fell, and I don't think it was right away," Ott said after the Suns' win. "He mentioned it might have been a couple of plays after. You could obviously see him trying to stretch it. At that point, we kind of know where these things are headed."
Booker is averaging 25 points and 6.7 assists a game this season and has been at the heart of the Suns' surprising 13-9 start. Expect Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie (who torched the Lakers with 28 points), and Jordan Goodwin to get more run with Booker out.
Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Provides Injury Updates On Key Players
For the first time in a while, there is now some clarity on the Pittsburgh Penguins' injury situation.
On Wednesday's GM Show, Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas provided some clarity on the statuses of forwards Justin Brazeau, Noel Acciari, and Rickard Rakell. Brazeau and Acciari made the trip to Tampa Bay with the Penguins, as they play the Lightning Thursday then head to Dallas to take on the Stars Sunday.
However, that doesn't mean they'll hit the ice in the next two games. Dubas told Josh Getzoff on the GM Show that Brazeau and Acciari should be out roughly another seven to 10 days, while Rakell will still be out another three to four weeks.
Brazeau, 27, and Acciari, 34, both missed all of November with upper-body injuries. Brazeau had six goals and 12 points in 12 games prior to his injury, while Acciari had led Penguins' forwards in hits and blocked shots at the time of his injury.
Rakell, 32, was injured in an Oct. 25 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets when a shot block hit his left hand, which required surgery to repair the break. He had three goals and eight points in nine games at the time, and he was playing on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust.
Two Penguins Forwards Returned To Practice On Wednesday Two Pittsburgh Penguins forwards returned to practice on Wednesday.Since all three players went down, the Penguins had a 4-5-3 in the month of November after getting off to an 8-2-2 start. However, they have won three out of their last four games and have gotten some reinforcements in Rutger McGroarty and Boko Imama, both of whom were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) prior to Monday's win against the Philadelphia Flyers.
After Dallas on Sunday, the Penguins return home to face the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday and begin a five-game homestand.
Takeaways: Penguins Put Forth Dominant Effort In 5-1 Win Over FlyersFor the first time in weeks, it felt like a winning result for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> was never really in doubt throughout the game.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
World Series hero Miguel Rojas agrees to return to Dodgers on one-year deal
This past postseason, Miguel Rojas announced that 2026 would be the last year of his MLB career.
On Wednesday, he and the Dodgers ensured he would go out in Los Angeles.
Barely a month removed from Rojas’ heroics in this year’s World Series, he and the Dodgers agreed to a one-year, $5.5-million contract for next season, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
The move marks the Dodgers’ first signing of this offseason, bringing back the 12-year veteran and utility infielder in the club’s quest for a third consecutive World Series title.
Read more:Plaschke: Thanks for the ride! 13 moments that defined the Dodgers' 2025 World Series title run
After retiring at the end of next season, Rojas will also stay with the organization in a player development role.
El Extrabase first reported the signing.
Back at the beginning of his career, Rojas first broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 2014 before being traded to the Marlins. After eight seasons in Miami, Rojas was traded back to the Dodgers before the start of the 2023 season, and has become a key veteran voice in the team’s clubhouse since.
On the field, Rojas has remained a productive presence, hitting .259 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs over the last three years. He has also provided value defensively, playing second base, third base and shortstop — and becoming a finalist for the National League’s utility player Gold Glove award last season.
No contributions, of course, were more important than what Rojas did in the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
After being drawn back into the lineup for Game 6 of the series, he helped complete a game-sealing double-play by picking a throw from Kiké Hernández at second base.
Then in Game 7, he hit a season-saving, game-tying home run in the top of the ninth inning, before throwing out a potential winning Blue Jays run at home plate in the bottom half of the inning.
Read more:Shohei Ohtani to participate in World Baseball Classic, but will the Dodgers star pitch?
He did it all while playing though an injury, too, having aggravated an intercostal problem in the team’s celebration after Game 6.
Injuries have been a recurring problem for Rojas, dealing with forearm, hamstring and hernia injuries in recent years.
However, his value on and off the field made him a likely candidate to be re-signed this winter.
On Wednesday, he and the team made the reunion official.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin expected to miss rest of NHL season with a torn ACL
Dec 2, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) helped off the ice by Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz (24) and Dallas Stars defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin (46) in the game against the New York Rangers during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
NEW YORK — Tyler Seguin is expected to miss the rest of the NHL season with a torn ACL in his right knee, another major injury blow to the already-shorthanded Dallas Stars.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said Wednesday that Seguin would be out a significant amount of time. The 33-year-old forward was injured Tuesday night at the New York Rangers.
“It’s not just us, it’s the league, and it’s very unfortunate,” Gulutzan said. “It’s a tough day for us today with the news. Other guys now have to step in and play.”
Seguin got tangled up with Rangers defenseman Vladislav Gavirkov in the first period. Seguin went down in pain, could not skate and needed help from multiple teammates and an athletic trainer to get off the ice and more assistance to get down the tunnel to the visiting locker room area at Madison Square Garden.
Gulutzan said the team did not get positive news about Seguin’s knee after it was looked at more closely.
“There’s lots of injuries piling up and lots of games, so we just got to keep moving forward,” Gulutzan said. “There’s lots of guys that their opportunity is born from some of this misfortune. We just have to take that away: It’s next guy up, next guy’s opportunity and run with it. That’s what good teams do is they just keep pushing forward with the players that they have.”
Seguin missed the vast majority of last season after undergoing hip surgery. He returned for the finale and the Stars' playoff run to the Western Conference final. He has been with Dallas since joining in a trade from Boston in 2013.
“I didn’t live it with him last year, but I did talk to our leadership group here and what I did know is just how hard he (worked) and the effort that he put in to come back last year and how diligent he was,” Gulutzan said. “He’s a great leader for us, and he’s a great pro and he’s been a guy, quite frankly, that I’ve been maybe the most impressed with - just his leadership ability when I’ve come in here.”
Nathan Bastian was expected to take Seguin's spot in the lineup Tuesday night at the New Jersey Devils. Long term, the team hopes center Matt Duchene is able to help fill the void once he returns from his injury.
That could come “sooner than later” if Duchene's current progress continues, according to Gulutzan.
“You’re going to have to have other guys step up,” Gulutzan said. “If Duchy comes back, he’s going to have to take some of that. (Mavrik Bourque is) going to get more opportunity. There’s going to be more opportunity for more guys, and then you’re going to see who takes it. So, you’re not really pigeonholing anybody. You’re just seeing who grabs it.”
Cease's $210 million deal with Blue Jays includes $64 million in deferred money payable through 2046
NEW YORK — Dylan Cease will wait until 2046 to receive the final payment from his $210 million, seven-year contract with the American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, which includes $64 million in deferred salaries.
A right-hander who turns 30 on Dec. 28, Cease gets a $23 million signing bonus payable on Jan. 15, according to contract terms obtained by The Associated Press.
Under the deal announced Tuesday, he receives salaries of $22 million next year, $30 million in 2027, $29 million in 2029, $28 million in 2029, $27 million in 2030, $26 million in 2031 and $25 million in 2032.
Toronto's deferred payments are due each Nov. 1 from 2033-46, with $10 million deferred from next year's salary and $9 million annually for the remainder of the contract. Cease gets $5 million payments in 2033 and '34 and $4.5 million each year from 2035-46.
He has a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block being sent without his consent to eight teams.
Deferred money in contracts this offseason will be discounted by 3.87% for luxury tax payrolls, up from 3.7% last offseason, and by 8% for MLB’s regular payroll calculations, down from 9% for the 2024-25 offseason. The players' association has used a 5% discount rate for its figures.
Cease went 8-12 with a 4.55 ERA in 32 starts this year for San Diego, striking out 215 and walking 71 in 168 innings. Cease spent his first five years with the Chicago White Sox, going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA in 2022 despite leading the major leagues in walks. He finished second in AL Cy Young Award balloting.
He was traded to the Padres in March 2024 and went 14-11 with a 3.47 ERA that season, pitching a no-hitter and finishing fourth in NL Cy Young voting. Cease is 65-58 with a 3.88 ERA and 1,231 strikeouts in 188 starts over seven big league seasons.
Toronto won the AL East this year for the first time since 2015 and came within two outs of its first World Series title since 1993, losing Game 7 to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 in 11 innings.
Cease joins a top-notch rotation projected to include Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber and José Berríos.
Colorado Rockies hire Josh Byrnes as general manager to turn around franchise
The Colorado Rockies brought in Josh Byrnes from the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to become their general manager and turn around a floundering franchise.
Byrnes will team again with Paul DePodesta, who was hired Nov. 7 as the Rockies' president of baseball operations. The two joined forces in Cleveland in the 1990s, before DePodesta went to the Oakland Athletics and Byrnes joined the Rockies to work with then-GM Dan O'Dowd.
"I’m incredibly excited to be able to bring Josh into our group,” DePodesta said in a statement Wednesday. “Few executives in baseball share his combination of intellectual curiosity, breadth of experience, and on-field successes. We are extremely fortunate to add him, as he immediately strengthens our entire baseball operation.”
Byrnes joins a team coming off a third straight 100-loss season. He's fresh off winning a World Series with the Dodgers for a second straight season. He also was with the Dodgers when they won in 2020.
The 55-year-old Byrnes takes over for Bill Schmidt, who stepped down after the season and following a long tenure with the team in a variety of roles.
“I’m thrilled to be returning to the Rockies organization, especially at such an exciting time for the future of the franchise,” Byrnes said. “Working alongside Paul again is an incredible opportunity and I’m eager to join him and the rest of the group as we work to bring championship caliber baseball to the Rockies.”
Byrnes knows the NL West well having also been in the front offices with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the San Diego Padres. He broke into the business as an advanced scout in Cleveland. Byrnes was with Boston as an assistant GM when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.
Colorado missed the playoffs for a seventh straight season. The Rockies finished 43-119 this year as they narrowly avoided becoming the team with the worst record since the 162-game schedule started in 1961.
Among the first moves by DePodesta was the promotion of Warren Schaeffer to full-time manager. Schaeffer assumed the role on an interim basis after the Rockies fired Bud Black - the winningest manager in franchise history - in May following a 7-33 start.
Colorado boasts a young nucleus that includes All-Star catcher Hunter Goodman and shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. The team also drafted Ethan Holliday with the No. 4 pick last summer. His father, Matt, is Rockies royalty after helping spark 2007's “Rocktober” run that led to the franchise’s only World Series appearance, in which they were swept by Boston.
A chunk of Colorado's payroll is tied up in the contract of often-injured slugger Kris Bryant, who’s played in only 170 big league games since signing a $182 million, seven-year deal before the 2022 season.
Report: White Sox add LHP Anthony Kay with 2-year, $12 million contract
CHICAGO — Anthony Kay is returning to the major leagues, agreeing to a $12 million, two-year contract with the Chicago White Sox.
The deal for the left-hander includes a mutual option for 2028, according to a person who confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity because it was pending a physical.
The 30-year-old Kay pitched in Japan for the past two years. He last appeared in a big league game on Oct. 1, 2023, with the New York Mets.
The White Sox finished last in the AL Central this year with a 60-102 record, but that was a 19-game improvement from the previous season. They are hoping to take another step forward in 2026 behind a promising group of young players that includes Colson Montgomery, Kyle Teel and Chase Meidroth.
Kay joins a bullpen that had a 4.16 ERA and a major league-high 48 losses this year.
Kay was selected by the Mets in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft out of the University of Connecticut. He is 4-2 with a 5.59 ERA in 44 major league games, also playing for Toronto and the Chicago Cubs.
FanSided.com first reported Kay's contract with the White Sox.