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Smith, Tilmon sign NBA deals A pair of Missouri Tigers signed summer league contracts after the conclusion of Thursday night's NBA Draft. Dru Smith signed with the Miami Heat, while Jeremiah Tilmon inked a deal with the Orlando Magic. by News Tribune Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:20am

SEC welcomes Texas and Oklahoma after boards accept invitations Oklahoma and Texas accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025 on Friday, worried that their storied athletic programs were in danger of losing ground if they stayed in the Big 12. A whirlwind week of official moves, after who knows exactly how long the schools worked behind the scenes, came to a conclusion when regents at both Texas and Oklahoma unanimously jumped at the chance to join the SEC. by Associated Press Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:06am

NCAA set to overhaul itself with college sports in flux The NCAA Board of Governors on Friday called for a constitutional convention in November, the first step toward launching dramatic reform in how the sprawling, multibillion-dollar enterprise of college sports is governed for years to come. In the wake of a stinging loss in the Supreme Court and radical changes to the way athletes can be compensated, and with College Football Playoff expansion and major conference realignment already in motion, the NCAA said it wants to "reimagine" how it manages the needs of its more than 450,000 athletes. by Associated Press Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:05am

Brady's knee feels fine after surgery A "long, arduous offseason" behind him, Tom Brady said his surgically repaired knee feels good and he's happy to be back to work with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The seven-time Super Bowl champion revealed recently he played all of last season with a torn medial collateral ligament that required surgery shortly after the Bucs dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in the NFL title game in February. by Associated Press Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:05am

'Back Together Saturday': All 32 NFL teams to open practices to fans It's not exactly everyone into the pool, or gathering around the bonfire. The NFL's "Back Together Saturday" at training camps is all about football. Well, also about having fans return to watch, with all 32 teams conducting open practices today as part of a unified effort by the league. by Associated Press Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:01am

Matsuyama in final group at halfway point of Olympic golf Coping with high expectations at home and low energy from his COVID-19 recovery, Hideki Matsuyama stayed on pace in his bid to add a gold medal in golf to his Masters green jacket. Matsuyama holed a 5-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole this morning and saved par from just off the 18th green to complete a 7-under 64 in the rain-delayed second round of the men's golf competition. by Associated Press Published Jul. 31 2021 @ 12:00am

U.S. beats Israel 8-1 in Olympic baseball opener The United States started a pitcher who was Tampa Bay's No. 12 prospect before he was dealt to Minnesota last week in the Nelson Cruz trade. Israel went with a 30-year-old who has never pitched above Double-A and brought in the director of music programming at New York's City Winery to relieve. Such is Olympic baseball. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:56pm

Joker's wild: Saunders dons mask They call her "The Hulk." On Friday, she looked more like "The Joker." Talk about an intimidating game face. Shot putter Raven Saunders, aka "The Hulk," showed up at the Olympics wearing a virus-protection mask that made her look like "The Joker," from "Batman" fame. She dyed her hair half green and half purple to match the costume, too. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:56pm

'Wow! Wow!': Ta Lou shines in women's 100 heat at Olympics The look on sprinter Marie-Josee Ta Lou's face said everything. "Wow! Wow!" she screamed, her eyes wide open and her mouth agape as she crossed the finish line first and looked over at the clock. A gold medal? No. But the opening day of track and field at the Olympics sure was a fast ride. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:55pm

Melding newcomers with vets keeps U.S. women golden The U.S. women's basketball team has won six consecutive gold medals by being able to successfully meld first-time Olympians with veterans. The Tokyo Games are no different. With six newcomers on the team, USA Basketball's latest crop of Olympic rookies is giving early indications of being more than up to sustaining the standard of excellence in the American's pursuit of a seventh straight gold medal. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:53pm

U.S. women use inside presence to beat Japan 86-69 The U.S. women's basketball team has not looked sharp in its first two wins at the Tokyo Games. Five-time Olympian Sue Bird attributes the pedestrian performances to the lack of practice time with so many new faces on the squad, and just that the rest of the world is catching up to the Americans. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:52pm

Rapinoe converts as U.S. gets past Netherlands in PKs When Megan Rapinoe stepped up to take her penalty, she was just trying to stay as calm as possible in the moment. "You can either take one and lose it, or take one and win it," she said. "It's going to go one of two ways." This one was a winner. Rapinoe converted the deciding penalty in a shootout Friday and the United States advanced to the semifinals of the women's Olympic soccer tournament 4-2 following a draw at 2 with the Netherlands. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:51pm

South African sets world swim record; Aussies add sixth gold South Africa's Tatjana Schoenmaker was the star of the day, setting the first individual swimming world record at the Tokyo Olympics. Others shined, too. Evgeny Rylov completed a backstroke double for Russia, Emma McKeon gave the Aussie women another gold, and China earned a return trip to the top of the medal podium. The mighty Americans? For the first time in the meet, they spent the entire session Friday watching others win gold. by Associated Press Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:50pm

St. Joseph beats Sedalia 12-2, wins seventh MINK League title The St. Joseph Mustangs did not enter the MINK League playoffs as the favorite, but they played like it. St. Joseph closed out the MINK League championship series Friday night with a 12-2 win in seven innings, sweeping the best-of-3 series against the Sedalia Bombers at Phil Welch Stadium. by News Tribune Published Jul. 30 2021 @ 11:45pm

Royals blank White Sox on a hot Thursday afternoon Carlos Hernandez pitched six scoreless innings, Salvador Perez homered again and the Kansas City Royals beat the A.L. Central-leading Chicago White Sox 5-0 on a blistering Thursday afternoon. Perez put the Royals ahead with his 25th homer, a two-run shot in the first inning off Carlos Rodon (8-5). The Royals catcher hit a game-tying solo shot in the ninth Wednesday night before they won in 10 innings. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:09pm

Dodgers get Duffy from Royals for playoff push The Los Angeles Dodgers got Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy in a trade Thursday as the World Series champions boosted their rotation for a playoff push. The Royals sent their longtime staff member and cash to the Dodgers for a player to be named. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:08pm

SEC invites Oklahoma and Texas to join conference in four years Southeastern Conference university presidents voted Thursday to invite Texas and Oklahoma to the league and create a 16-team powerhouse on the field and at the bank. But how soon? The latest step in a move that has potential to help reshape college sports came two days after Texas and Oklahoma requested to join the SEC in 2025. That's when the schools' media rights agreement with the Big 12 Conference expires. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:06pm

Lakers getting Westbrook from Wizards The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards for three players and the rights to first-round pick Isaiah Jackson. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:04pm

Pistons grab Cunningham at No. 1 in NBA draft Cade Cunningham sure looked like the No. 1 overall draft pick all year at Oklahoma State with his fluid game, scoring ability and passing — all in a 6-foot-8 frame. So it was no surprise the Detroit Pistons would grab the freshman All-American with the top pick as they did to open the draft Thursday night in New York. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:03pm

Blues sign Saad to five-year contract The St. Louis Blues signed Brandon Saad to a five-year contract and the Tampa Bay Lightning agreed to terms with Corey Perry for two years Thursday as the two recent Stanley Cup champions brought in more winning experience on the second day of free agency. The 28-year-old Saad spent last season with Colorado, putting up 24 points during the regular season and scoring seven goals in 10 playoff games. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 11:02pm

Biles told her replacement to 'have fun,' and she did Before American gymnast Jade Carey took the floor for her unexpected performance in the women's Olympic all-around final on Thursday, she talked to her teammate, Simone Biles, whose exit from the competition meant Carey got the chance to fill her spot. "She told me, 'Good luck,' and go out there, do the best I can and have fun," Carey said. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 10:30pm

American gymnast Lee wins Olympic all-around title Sunisa Lee wanted to quit during quarantine. It all had become too much. The lingering pain from a broken foot. The deaths of two family members from COVID-19. Her father's slow recovery from an accident that left him paralyzed. The urge eventually passed. It always does. Still, less than two months ago the 18-year-old gymnast hobbled around the podium at the U.S. championships, getting by more on grit than anything else. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 10:30pm

Lee's gold sparks joy at home in Minnesota There were cheers and screams and "happy tears" for one of their own, and unending delight for what many saw as an "Only in America" story. Sunisa Lee captured the women's all-around gold medal Thursday at the Tokyo Olympics, a triumph that wowed all of Minnesota but carried special resonance in the state's close-knit Hmong American community, one of the largest in the United States. by Associated Press Published Jul. 29 2021 @ 10:30pm