Sports

COLUMBUS (AP) — Bruce Thornton had 24 points, Jamison Battle scored 22 and made six 3-pointers, and Ohio State held off Rutgers 76-72 on Wednesday night.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Third baseman Jeimer Candelario gets a $3 million signing bonus as part of his $45 million, three-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds, a deal that includes a 2027 team option — and could be worth $60 million over four seasons.

BEREA (AP) — Joe Flacco is ending the season where he started it — off to the side.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Browning reignited playoff hopes after star quarterback Joe Burrow was injured, but the Cincinnati Bengals had too many other weaknesses in 2023 to earn another trip to the postseason.

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Browns are in both the playoffs and an unusual spot: They can treat their regular-season finale like a preseason game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — One year after Kansas City ended Cincinnati’s season in a dramatic AFC championship game at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs ended the Bengals’ postseason hopes entirely — in the exact same place on a cold New Year’s Eve.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have grown accustomed to wrapping up the AFC West by the middle of December.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Roddy Gayle Jr. scored a career-high 32 points, Jamison Battle added 17 points and nine rebounds, and Ohio State held on to beat West Virginia 78-75 in overtime on Saturday night at the Legends of Basketball Showcase.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — All-America running back Cody Schrader bulled through two defenders to open the fourth quarter with ninth-ranked Missouri’s first score in the Cotton Bowl.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Antonio Reeves scored 27 points to lead No. 8 Kentucky to a 96-70 win over Illinois State on Friday night.