STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Kalil Thomas scored 21 points to help Morehead State defeat Georgia Southern 74-71 on Wednesday night. Thomas was 8 of 9 shooting (4 for 5 from distance) for the Eagles (6-5). Mark Freeman scored 13 points while going 3 of 7 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from distance, and 6 for 6 from the line, and added five assists. Alex Gross shot 5 of 9 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line to finish with 13 points.

AL KHOR, Qatar (AP) — Kylian Mbappé vs. Lionel Messi. Soccer's latest superstar against perhaps the sport's greatest player in the World Cup final just about everyone was hoping for. France and Mbappé are headed back to the biggest game in soccer, and to a much-anticipated matchup with Argentina, after ending Morocco’s historic run at the World Cup on Wednesday.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons will have more on the line than retaining hope in the weak NFC South race as rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder makes his debut as the starter on Sunday at New Orleans. That game is the start of a four-week audition for Ridder that could help determine the Falcons' long-term plan at quarterback.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 24 points, Orlando had a franchise-record 50 points in the first quarter and the Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 135-124 on Wednesday night for their fourth straight victory. Cole Anthony finished the first period with two free throws to make it 50-22, the most points the Magic have ever scored in any quarter. Orlando has its first four-game winning streak since the first four games of the 2020-21 season.

CHICAGO (AP) — Soaked with beer and still wearing his No. 8 jersey, Alex Ovechkin held three pucks in his right hand as he posed for a picture with the rest of the jubilant Washington Capitals in the visiting locker room at the United Center. Three pucks that added up to 800.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday released running back Damien Williams, the veteran who never returned after a rib injury in his first game with the team. The release of Williams came one day after coach Arthur Smith announced rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder will start in Sunday's game at New Orleans. Marcus Mariota has been benched, leaving his status for the remainder of the season uncertain.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio State didn’t get to control its playoff destiny after losing to rival Michigan at the end of the regular season. No matter. The Buckeyes are in the postseason, and they're yearning for redemption.

Mike Leach, the gruff, pioneering and unfiltered college football coach who helped revolutionize the passing game with the Air Raid offense, has died following complications from a heart condition, Mississippi State said Tuesday. He was 61. Leach, who was in his third season as head coach at Mississippi State, fell ill Sunday at his home in Starkville, Mississippi. He was treated at a local hospital before being airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, about 120 miles away.

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. And, at 35, he could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez, leading Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia on Tuesday that set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Morocco's improbable, history-making run at the World Cup is about to get its ultimate test. Africa’s first World Cup semifinalist is playing defending champion France and its star striker Kylian Mbappé, the leader of a new wave of soccer superstars coming out of an era dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tyus Jones had 22 points and 11 assists, Dillon Brooks added 18 points and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Atlanta Hawks 128-103 on Monday night in a game in which both teams were without key starters. Santi Aldama scored 16 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 15 points and a career-best eight blocks for Memphis, which won its sixth straight and moved within a half-game of Western Conference-leading New Orleans.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Micah Parrish scored 19 points off the bench and San Diego State rolled to an 88-54 victory over Kennesaw State on Monday. Parrish was 8 of 13 shooting (3 for 7 from distance) for the Aztecs (8-3). Jaedon LeDee scored 14 points and added seven rebounds. Darrion Trammell recorded 14 points.

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons are turning to rookie Desmond Ridder at quarterback, announcing Monday that Marcus Mariota has been benched with the team still in contention for a playoff berth but struggling with four losses in its past five games. The Falcons (5-8) made the switch to Ridder to bolster an offense that is averaging just 17.6 points a game during its recent skid.

Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams was one of three Southern California players selected to The Associated Press All-America team released Monday. Offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees and defensive end Tuli Tuipulotu joined their quarterback to give USC more players on the first team than any other school. Top-ranked Georgia placed two players on the first-team defense with tackle Jalen Carter and safety Christopher Smith. Tight end Brock Bowers and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson were second-team selections.

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Tears are flowing from soccer's biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup. First it was Neymar. Then it was Cristiano Ronaldo. Could Lionel Messi be next? Momentum is building behind Messi's push to cap his career with the biggest prize in the game.

ATLANTA (AP) — A.J. Griffin hit a 6-footer on an alley-oop pass at the overtime buzzer and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 123-122 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. DeMar DeRozan sank three free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to finish with 33 points as it appeared the Bulls had the game wrapped up with less than a second remaining. But Griffin took the alley-oop pass from Jalen Johnson on the sideline and scored on a turnaround jumper with a defender nearby for the win.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Armando Bacot returned from a one-game absence to score 21 points and grab 13 rebounds, RJ Davis had 22 points and 10 rebounds and North Carolina snapped a four-game losing streak with a 75-59 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Jalen Finch's 16 points helped Georgia Southern defeat Wofford 79-57 on Saturday.

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Zach Anderson had 14 points in FGCU's 67-62 victory over Mercer on Saturday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — At a time when Heisman Trophy winners are usually on their way to being first-round picks in the NFL draft, Stetson Bennett is a contender from another era of college football.

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) — Carlos Curry’s 20 points helped Georgia Southern defeat Piedmont 91-47 on Wednesday night.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Atlanta Braves traded for former All-Star reliever Joe Jiménez on Wednesday night, sending two minor leaguers to Detroit to help restock a bullpen now minus Kenley Jansen.

NEW YORK (AP) — Though Trae Young's sneakers proclaimed him the “King of Broadway," Julius Randle was the one who ruled things inside Madison Square Garden.

MACON, Ga. (AP) — Jalyn McCreary had 25 points and Mercer beat Middle Georgia State 100-62 on Tuesday.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Tech's Miles Kelly hit another winning shot against a state rival. Terry Roberts endured a nightmarish final minute for Georgia. Kelly hit a long 3-pointer and then a drove for the game-winning floater with 23 seconds remaining as the Yellow Jackets rallied to beat Georgia 79-77 on Tuesday night.