Nick Kern came off the bench for 20 points and 13 rebounds as Penn State remained unbeaten with an 85-66 thumping of Fordham in a semifinal of the Sunshine Slam on Monday in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Nittany Lions (6-0), who will play either San Francisco or Clemson for the tournament title on Tuesday, put four other players in double figures. Zach Hicks scored 16 points, while Puff Johnson added 15. Ace Baldwin and Yanic Konan Niederhauser each chipped in 12 points. Penn State sank nearly 53 percent of its field goal attempts and earned a 38-30 advantage on the boards, more than enough to offset missing 12 of its 32 foul shots. Four players reached double figures for the Rams (3-4), led by 15 points apiece from Jackie Johnson III and reserve Joshua Rivera. Romad Dean and Jahmere Tripp each added 13. Fordham was as close as 56-49 after Tripp made a layup with 14:25 left in the game. But the Nittany Lions responded with a 16-1 run, capped with a layup by Kern for a 22-point lead at the 9:33 mark, and they never looked back. The main storyline prior to tipoff was whether Penn State could continue its torrid early start that saw it come into the day leading Division I in steals and ranked second in scoring at 98.2 points per game. The Nittany Lions certainly played to their billing for most of the first half, establishing a 21-8 lead at the 10:08 mark via Hicks' three-point play. Fordham predictably struggled early with the pressure defense, committing four turnovers in the first four minutes. But the Rams got their bearings over the last 10 minutes and made some shots. They got as close as four on two occasions late in the half before Penn State pushed the lead to 42-34 at the half. The officials were busy in the half, calling 23 fouls and administering 27 free throws. --Field Level Media
A United Kingdom television host has accidentally announced he was “bisexual” in an awkward on-air blunder when he meant something entirely different. Channel 5′s Jeremy Vine was interviewing etiquette expert William Hanson about politeness when the conversation very quickly derailed after he got confused during the discussion. Hanson began the interaction describing how etiquette has changed over the years, saying: “I think that etiquette has to evolve. It would be ridiculous if people like me were to try and get people to do really antiquated things”. Turning to Vine, he explained: “You are left handed. (I) noticed when you were doing your drawing.” But that’s when the host dropped a clanger and hilariously confused his words.Fresh plea in SC seeks probe into US indictment of Gautam Adani
India's former PM Manmohan Singh dies aged 92The Ducks were on to Ottawa, rambling by rail to face the Senators on Wednesday after picking up a point from a shootout loss in Montreal on Monday. They’ll remain in the province of Ontario on Thursday for the final leg of a two-games-in-two-nights challenge that’ll pit them against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite Monday’s debut of trade acquisition Jacob Trouba (five hits, one shot on goal), the Ducks have been winless in their past three games and gone 2-4-2 since their best five-game stretch of the year (4-1-0). They nearly slammed the brakes on their current skid in a tightly contested battle with Montreal that gave way to a lopsided shootout in which the Habs went two-for-two while the Ducks failed to score at all. Troy Terry’s attempt was stopped to cement the result, and he also pinged the crossbar late in overtime after scoring his team-topping seventh and eight goals of the season in regulation. “I felt good tonight so I was hoping that I could get it done,” Terry told reporters, before he praised the Ducks’ overarching effort in a game as lively as its Original-Six atmosphere. “That’s just kind of the way it goes.” The way it’s gone for the Ducks, again, is that their schedule has been packed with white-knuckled, bitten-nail affairs. Exactly half of their 108 outings under second-year coach Greg Cronin have been either one-goal games or matches that had a one-goal margin late before an empty-netter or two was tacked onto the score. Half of their 16 defeats this season have come by just one goal, including four in either overtime or a shootout. They’ve also won eight games either by one goal or after leading by a goal before finding the back of an empty net. Last season, 38 of their outcomes were determined either by one goal or that margin plus an empty-net tally (or, as in the case of their win over Carolina, two empty-netters). They dropped 24 decisions by either a goal or two goals with a late empty-netter, while winning only 14 such contests en route to a franchise record 50 regulation defeats. Their next overtime loss will already equal their total from all of last season (five). While the Ducks have found a way to win – and somehow also play in – more tight games this season, the number of close losses highlights their lack of offensive pop as well as the sporadic quality of their overall game. Stretches and periods have been nearly ideal, but seldom has a full hour of game action gone smoothly. “The first period was one of the best periods we’ve played,” Cronin told reporters after the Montreal game. “It kind of resembled the way we’ve been playing when we’re winning.” The Ducks have hardly been alone in trying to create consistent momentum. Ottawa was one of eight teams in the Eastern Conference that’s within two points of .500, in one direction or the other, entering Tuesday’s schedule. After losing five straight games, the Senators reeled off a 4-1-1 spurt that included a shootout loss to the Ducks at Honda Center on Dec. 1. Most recently, they lost 4-2 to the New York Islanders. Tim Stützle leads the Sens in assists (24) and points (34), while captain Brady Tkachuk’s 13 goals, including two against the Ducks, kept him atop the team leaderboard. Mitch Marner tops Toronto (16-9-2) in scoring by a full 10 points, in part because Auston Matthews missed nearly a month with an upper-body injury for which he sought treatment in Germany. Matthews has three goals and seven points in four games since returning to the Leafs’ lineup. Ducks at Ottawa When: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday Where: Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, Ontario How to watch: Victory+, KCOP (Ch. 13) Ducks at Toronto When: 4 p.m. Thursday Where: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario How to watch: Victory+
Washington : He’s sold everything from steaks and sneakers, to Make America Pray Again bibles. Now, Donald Trump is seeking to profit off the assassination attempt on his life with a new fragrance called Fight, Fight, Fight. First Lady Jill Biden talks to President-elect Donald Trump at reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Credit: AP In the latest example of ethics being tested in politics, the new perfume range for men and women hit the market this week, giving fans the chance to smell the scent of victory for the cool price of $US199 ($312). Trump announced his latest business venture in a Truth Social post on Sunday, sharing a picture of himself having a pleasant exchange with First Lady Jill Biden at the grand reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris with the humorous caption: “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist.” “Here are my new Trump Perfumes & Colognes! I call them Fight, Fight, Fight, because they represent us WINNING,” he wrote. “Great Christmas gifts for the family... Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!” The iconic image of Donald Trump urging supporters to “fight, fight, fight” after surviving an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania in July. Credit: AP According to the perfume website, the new fragrances have been “curated to capture the essence of success and determination” and are essentially a “rallying cry in a bottle”. Their name, of course, has been taken from the now historic words Trump shouted as he pumped his fist in the air after his near-death experience in July when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Crooks tried to kill the former president as he stood on stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Since then, that iconic image has appeared on everything from T-shirts to mugs and posters that Trump – as well as third parties selling merchandise at his rallies – have used to make a quick buck. “Crafted for those who stand tall, this bold scent delivers rich, robust notes that leave a lasting impression,” says the website where fans can now buy his latest perfume range. “It’s not just a cologne – it’s a symbol of resilience. Inspired by Trump’s relentless drive, wear it with pride and confidence.” While Trump is no stranger to trading off his famous name, his transition team has declined to say whether he will continue to do so after he is sworn in as America’s 47th president on January 20, which would potentially raise further ethical questions for the billionaire businessman turned politician and convicted felon. The company listed as the contact for the fragrance is 45Footwear LLC, the same group affiliated with Trump’s sneaker brand. Records suggest it is based in Wyoming but its ownership has not been disclosed, making its financial dealings hard to trace. Gary Nordlinger, a public policy expert at George Washington University said Trump’s latest fragrance venture was “tacky, ethically dubious and demeaning of the office of the president” - but hardly surprisingly. Citing the membership fees at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort as an example – whereby individuals seeking access or influence now pay $1 million to be part of Trump’s private club in Florida – Nordlinger added: “Trump has always been able to get other people to pay for his lifestyle, but it apparently doesn’t seem to bother millions who voted for him. So the challenge for people like me, and for the Democrats, is not just to criticise the man, but to understand what makes him so special to so many.” The perfumes are the latest in a long time of items the 78-year-old Republican has hawked. Last year, for example, he sold a new collection of digital trading cards (NFTs) featuring various portraits of the then Republican candidate, which generated almost $5 million within days of release. “These cards show me dancing and even me holding some bitcoin!” Trump said in a promotional video posted in August. Donald Trump holds gold Trump sneakers at Sneaker Con Philadelphia, an event popular with sneaker lovers. Credit: AP In March, he also lent his name to a new $US60 “God Bless The USA” bible inspired by the Lee Greenwood song of the same name, which is played every time Trump takes the stage at a rally or event. The ad for Trump’s new fragrance. Credit: TruthSocial “Happy Holy Week! Let’s Make America Pray Again!” Trump wrote as he encouraged supporters to buy the book in time for Easter. And in February, he also made a somewhat unusual campaign stop at Sneaker-Con in Philadelphia, one of the largest sneaker gatherings in the world, where he spruiked a pair of shiny gold high tops with a retail value of $US399. The move came immediately after a judge in New York ordered Trump to pay $454 million after he was found liable of fraudulently inflating the value of his properties for financial gain. Trump sought to have that claim dismissed after his election victory against Vice President Kamala Harris last month, but New York attorney general Letitia James’ office refused, telling Trump’s lawyers on Tuesday that there was “no basis” to do so. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here .
Michiganders Rick and Marty Lagina might be closer than ever to answers about buried treasure in a new episode of “ The Curse of Oak Island .” Season 12 of the hit series continues Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 9 p.m. ET on History Channel . Stream the new episode for free with a trial on Philo . Nova Scotia’s tree-covered Oak Island has intrigued treasure hunters for more than two centuries. Legend has it that somewhere, one of the greatest treasures is still in hiding, waiting for someone to find it. That’s where Michigan brothers Rick and Marty Lagina come in. They’ve bought the rights to most of the island, hoping to solve the mystery themselves. Using modern technology, they’ve started an expensive and dangerous search. It’s the same search that many have died on – inspiring the show’s curse namesake. In tonight’s new episode “ Hide and Seek ,” the team hits more wood deep in the Money Pit area where radar results detected a possible offset chamber. The Fellowship is increasingly convinced, more than ever, that their search for answers will pay off soon. Watch the search continue tonight, Dec. 17, at 9/8c on History Channel .
Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’
The Memphis Tigers made two technical free throws in the final minute of their overtime victory over UConn Huskies. The Memphis Tigers won the game by, well, two points in a 99-97 final. But UConn head coach Dan Hurley doesn't believe his technical foul cost his team the game. "I think it was the s--ty calls," he said, per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. "I would expect to come to play in an event, and I don't know too many back-to-back national championship teams that get that type of a whistle." He also said he believes the technical was issued because he fell to the ground protesting an over-the-back call on an offensive rebound, adding "what I gave the cameras today was Oppenheimer" when discussing how he comes across on camera. "That was a joke," Hurley said of the technical, per Brendan Marks of The Athletic. "I mean, I just watched it ... I had a lot of issues with what went on in the game ... For that call to be made at that point in the game is a complete joke." He didn't stop there when complaining about the whistle: This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis. For more from Bleacher Report on this topic and from around the sports world, check out our B/R app , homepage and social feeds—including Twitter , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok .AP Business SummaryBrief at 6:28 p.m. EST