Memphis fights off No. 2 UConn in OT in Maui Invitational thrillerNoneWisconsin at Nebraska: How we see the game playing out, and over/under picksCollege Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta. Alabama left out of playoff as committee rewards SMU's wins over Crimson Tide's strong schedule The College Football Playoff committee took wins over strength of schedule, taking SMU over Alabama for the final at-large spot in the field. The field was expanded from four to 12 teams this season, but that didn’t save the committee from controversy. SMU showed it could compete against a traditional power, losing to Clemson 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal in the ACC title game on Saturday. Alabama had some ups and downs in its first season under coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide had quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina, but lost at Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Big Ten wins playoff selection derby, followed by SEC despite notable Alabama omission College football’s conference shakeup left concerns about two super conferences dominating the playoff field. They weren’t totally unfounded, or 100% born out. The Big Ten, not the Southeastern Conference, was the biggest winner. The ACC scored, too. The Big Ten led the initial 12-team playoff field with four making the cut, topped by a No. 1 Oregon team that was part of the Pac-12 exodus. Then came the SEC — and one notable omission. ACC runner-up SMU got the nod over college football blue-blood Alabama, another blemish in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as Nick Saban’s championship-or-bust successor. Darnold delivers for Vikings with career-high 347 yards and 5 TDs to beat Falcons, Cousins 42-21 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 for their sixth straight victory. Darnold added another highlight to his brilliant first season with the Vikings following Cousins' departure in free agency to Atlanta with a 22-for-28 performance and no turnover-worthy plays despite heavy first-half pressure. Jordan Addison had eight catches for 133 yards and three scores and Justin Jefferson racked up seven receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Cousins threw two more interceptions without a touchdown in his return to Minnesota. Saquon Barkley sets Eagles season rushing record and has Dickerson's NFL mark in his sights PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley has broken LeSean McCoy's Eagles franchise record for rushing yards in a season. Barkley has 1,623 yards. He surpassed McCoy's mark of 1,607 yards with a 9-yard run in Sunday's 22-16 win over Carolina. Barkley finished the game with 124 yards, within a yard of his season average. He has four games left and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old NFL record of 2,105 yards. Dickerson set that record in a 16-game season and Barkley has one more game. Eagles fans serenaded Barkley with “MVP!” chants and McCoy congratulated him on social media. Saints QB Derek Carr injures left hand on dive in 4th quarter of win over Giants EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr injured his left hand late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 14-11 victory over the New York Giants when he went airborne while trying for a first down and crashed to the turf. Carr tried to leap over a Giants tackler and landed at the New Orleans 39-yard line, extending his non-throwing hand to break his fall. He was on the turf for a minute or two before walking to the medical tent. He was examined and slowly walked to an area where X-rays are done. The injury could hurt the already slim playoff hopes of the Saints. Tamar Bates scores 29 points to help Missouri beat No. 1 Kansas 76-67 COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Tamar Bates had 29 points and five steals to help Missouri beat Hunter Dickinson and No. 1 Kansas 76-67. Mark Mitchell scored 17 points in Missouri’s first win over Kansas since a 74-71 victory on Feb. 4, 2012. Anthony Robinson II had 11 points and five steals for the 8-1 Tigers. Dickinson had 19 points and 14 rebounds, but he also committed seven turnovers. The 7-2 Jayhawks have lost two straight on the road after falling 76-63 against Creighton on Wednesday night. Scottie Scheffler ends his big year in the Bahamas with his 9th victory NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler ended his biggest year with another victory. Scheffler was coming off a two-month break and looked as good as ever. He shot 63 in the Hero World Challenge and set tournament records at Albany with a 72-hole total of 263 and a six-shot victory. Tom Kim was the runner-up and Justin Thomas finished third. Scheffler ends his year with nine victories in 21 tournaments. That includes the holiday tournament in the Bahamas and the Olympic gold medal in Paris. It's the third-highest winning percentage in the last 40 years. Tournament host Tiger Woods had two better years. Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive in ski racing return at age 40 COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive again in her ski racing return at 40 years old. Vonn is still getting her ski equipment dialed in and getting used to going full speed again on her new titanium knee. That’s why all that she's reading into being more than two seconds behind in a pair of lower-level super-G races Sunday is that she’s right there. This after nearly six years away from ski racing and an abbreviated prep period. She was 2.19 seconds behind in the first race and 2.06 in the second. Both were won by her American teammate Lauren Macuga. Plane circles MetLife Stadium with message to co-owner John Mara to fix the Giants' 'dumpster fire' EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A small plane circled MetLife Stadium roughly 90 minutes before New York was to play host to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, asking Giants co-owner John Mara to overhaul the team that has made the playoffs twice since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012. “Mr. Mara, enough. Please fix this dumpster fire!” the message read as it was towed behind the rear of a small plane.
CJ Media, in partnership with Beck Motor Company, recognizes teachers every month during the school year in the Amazing Teacher of the Month and Amazing Teacher of the Year Awards. We came up with this idea, and Beck Motors Company fully supports it, that teachers play such a critical role in a child's development that they should be recognized as much as possible. They are true unsung heroes. When we think about a child’s growth and development, we often focus on things like family, friends, or the environment. But there’s one major factor that can’t be overlooked: teachers. Whether they’re in a classroom, a daycare center, or even coaching a sports team, teachers play an essential role in shaping who a child becomes. The impact they have goes far beyond just academic knowledge – they help kids grow emotionally, socially, and even physically. Here’s why teachers are so important to a child’s development. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.Kingsview Wealth Management LLC Acquires New Shares in Invesco S&P 100 Equal Weight ETF (NYSEARCA:EQWL)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Jalen Jackson scored 23 points as Purdue Fort Wayne beat Robert Morris 82-77 on Sunday. Jackson had six rebounds and three steals for the Mastodons (6-4, 1-1 Horizon League). Corey Hadnot II scored 13 points, shooting 4 of 11 from the field and 5 for 6 from the free-throw line. Rasheed Bello went 4 of 11 from the field (2 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 12 points. Alvaro Folgueiras finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two steals for the Colonials (6-5, 0-2). Robert Morris also got 19 points, four assists and four steals from Kam Woods. Ryan Prather Jr. finished with 14 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Rutgers blows chance for upset after icing Illinois kicker backfires with go-ahead touchdownRutgers blows chance for upset after icing Illinois kicker backfires with go-ahead touchdown
InspireMD Announces Appointment of Accomplished Medical Technology Executive Scott R. Ward to its Board of Directors
Garrett Crochet was relieved on Wednesday, when after months of speculation about where the Chicago White Sox might trade him, he finally found a new home in Boston. The Red Sox sent four prospects to Chicago in exchange for the 25-year-old left-hander, one of the best young starters in baseball. “There was definitely a lot of relief when it finally came to fruition,” Crochet said via Zoom on Friday. “A lot of people might view the trade as adding some chaos into your life, but for me, it felt like all the chaos was stripped away. Worrying about it for eight months on end, knowing the writing on the wall. It’s nice just being able to put it behind me and look forward to the season.” Advertisement As far back as the trade deadline, the Red Sox had been pursuing Crochet but a deal never materialized at the time. They were far from the only team vying for the lefty, who pitched one of the most dominant seasons in baseball last season and doesn’t hit free agency for two more years. Crochet posted a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts over 146 innings with a 35.1 percent strikeout rate and 5.5 percent walk rate, a lone bright spot on a 121-loss White Sox team. Among pitchers with at least 100 innings, Crochet’s 35.1 percent strikeout rate was No. 1 in baseball. He led all American League starters with six starts of 10 or more strikeouts. His 97.2 mph fastball ranked in the top 10 percent in the league. He allowed three runs or fewer in 15 consecutive starts in the first half. Garrett Crochet, 99mph Fastball and 95mph Cutter, Overlay. pic.twitter.com/jLAuBNMa39 — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 2, 2024 His 2024 season was even more impressive in that it marked the first year Crochet was a full-time starter in the majors. Drafted in the first round in 2020, Crochet skipped the minors and debuted in September of that season with the White Sox, becoming the first pitcher since Brandon Finnegan in 2014 to make his big-league debut the year he was drafted. The White Sox used Crochet out of the bullpen in 2020 and throughout 2021 with an intent to build him out as a starter, but at the start of 2022, he landed on the injury list with elbow inflammation leading to Tommy John surgery. He missed all of 2022 and most of 2023. Crochet made 32 starts in 2024, but after pitching five or more innings in his first 18 starts, the White Sox limited his innings in the second half. Over the final three months, he pitched no more than four innings a start but took the mound every five days, marking an important step in building out his endurance as a starter, even if he pitched fewer innings. Advertisement He stayed healthy the entire year and because of the purposeful pitching plan, but envisions going much deeper into starts in 2025. “It was frustrating in a lot of ways, but at the same time, I understood the usage concerns,” he said. “Going from 12 to 100 (innings) would be seen as a big jump and just even being that close to 150 (innings) is a lot greater. There were a lot of things I was working on in the second half that I felt like I could have expanded had the innings been a little bit more normal. “In terms of how long my leash will be, I hope to not even be wearing a collar come the second half next year,” he added. Crochet noted his excitement in working with pitching Andrew Bailey who had worked alongside Crochet’s former White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz when both were in San Francisco. Though Crochet is coming off an excellent season, he’s still just 25 with one full season as a starter and has plenty to learn as he enters the Red Sox ’s pitching program. Garrett Crochet, Unfair Behind-the-Back Leg Slider. 😯 pic.twitter.com/nVCyMAm84X — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 7, 2024 As a reliever, Crochet relied almost exclusively on his sweeper and four-seamer. Last season, he added a cutter and sinker while incorporating his changeup more judiciously. “I felt like I was utilizing the changeup a lot more effectively and learned the situations to throw it based on hitters’ reactions or just setting it up in general,” he said as he dug into his pitch mix and how he learned to use different pitches in different situations. “The sweeper was a pitch that at the beginning of the year, I was doing exactly what I wanted to with it, in terms of throwing it for strikes at a higher clip, using it early, using it late,” he said. “Adding the cutter, which I really didn’t do until spring training, was where the real growth started to set in. I felt like that was huge for my game, as a whole. It was kind of protecting the sweeper and protecting the four-seam all at the same time. Advertisement “Throughout the year, as hitters began to adjust to me, I felt that adding a sinker maybe wasn’t necessary, but I saw it as very beneficial after seeing how the cutter panned out. Just being a pitch that breaks to my glove side, and I could throw hard like a fastball. I kind of wanted to pair that with another pitch that broke arm-side that I could throw hard like a fastball.” Crochet said he wasn’t necessarily surprised with how well he pitched last season but was relieved with how well the year went after missing much of the previous two. In a funny turn of events, if Crochet’s history of uniform numbers is any indication of future success in Boston, he’s in good company. The newest Red Sox starter wore No. 45 for the White Sox the past four seasons, but quickly realized Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez ’s “45” was a retired jersey in Boston. Crochet wore No. 34 at the University of Tennessee but realized that number, of course, was also retired, belonging to Hall of Famer David Ortiz. So he went back even further and landed on the No. 14 that he wore in high school in Mississippi, only to learn that Hall of Famer Jim Rice wore “14” and that too sits on the facade in right field among Red Sox retired numbers. Crochet settled on No. 35. Crochet, who pitched with Lucas Giolito and Liam Hendriks in Chicago and met Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran at the All-Star Game, is excited to call Fenway Park home. “It’s an electric atmosphere and the fans are knowledgeable about baseball, and not every fanbase can say that,” he said. “That along with, they expect you to win and they expect you to be great because they’ve seen it before. And that’s the main thing I’m looking forward to.” (Photo: Denis Poroy / Getty Images)STERIS plc (NYSE:STE) Shares Sold by Avior Wealth Management LLCEquinox Gold Corp ( CVE:EQX – Get Free Report ) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eight ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$9.76. Several equities analysts recently issued reports on EQX shares. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their price target on Equinox Gold from C$11.00 to C$10.00 in a research note on Monday, October 21st. CIBC cut their target price on Equinox Gold from C$9.50 to C$8.80 in a research note on Friday, October 4th. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Equinox Gold from C$8.50 to C$8.75 in a research note on Thursday, November 21st. Finally, Haywood Securities dropped their price objective on shares of Equinox Gold from C$12.75 to C$11.50 in a research note on Friday, August 9th. View Our Latest Report on EQX Insider Buying and Selling Equinox Gold Stock Performance CVE:EQX opened at C$7.88 on Monday. The firm’s 50-day moving average is C$7.88 and its 200-day moving average is C$7.88. The company has a market cap of C$892.46 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -43.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 64.28, a quick ratio of 1.11 and a current ratio of 1.94. Equinox Gold has a 52-week low of C$4.25 and a 52-week high of C$8.90. About Equinox Gold ( Get Free Report Equinox Gold Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral deposits. The company's principal properties include the Aurizona project covering a total land package of approximately 223,160 hectares located in Maranhão State, Brazil; and the Castle Mountain property situated in California, the United States. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for Equinox Gold Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Equinox Gold and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .