ALEX MAG

Nimari Burnett scored a career-high 31 points to lead No. 2 Michigan to a 110-69 rout of Penn State in a Big Ten contest on Thursday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Burnett went 11 of 16 from the field overall and 7 of 10 from 3-point range while playing just 21 minutes. L.J. Cason, Trey McKenney and Morez Johnson each scored 12 points for Michigan (21-1, 11-1 Big Ten), which is now off to its best start in school history.

Michigan shot 60.6% from the field overall (40 of 66), including 51.7% from 3-point range (15 of 29), and held a 44-21 rebounding advantage.

Freddie Dilione V scored 19 points and Josh Reed and Melih Tunca each had 15 points in defeat for Penn State (10-13, 1-11), which shot 2 of 20 from 3-point range and 37.1% overall (23 of 62).

Going up against a bigger Michigan frontline was going to be challenging enough for Penn State, but the task got harder for the Nittany Lions at the beginning of the game when 7-foot freshman center Ivan Juric was ruled out with an illness.

Michigan dominated the first half, taking a 56-24 lead into the locker room. The Wolverines shot 21 of 32 from the field overall and made 7 of 13 shots from 3-point range in the half. Meanwhile, Penn State was 0 of 10 from the 3-point line in the first half.

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The second half wasn't much different, as Michigan built a 42-point lead on Burnett's triple that made it 76-34 with 14:40 remaining.

The Wolverines reached the 100-point mark with 3:23 left when a 3-pointer by Will Tschetter gave Michigan a 100-59 lead.

It was the eighth time this year that Michigan has scored at least 100 points in a game.

Michigan left little doubt from the start, opening the game on a 15-2 run and going up 26-10 with 8:50 remaining in the first half.

The Wolverines later went on a 9-2 run to grab a 44-18 lead with 3:38 until halftime.

--Field Level Media

The New York Knicks reportedly could be without Miles McBride until the playoffs as the guard needs sports hernia surgery,according to The Athletic's Fred Katz.

The 25-year-old McBride has played 35 games this season and is averaging 12.9 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in a little over 28 minutes per night. His pending long-term absence is one reason why the Knicks went out onacquired Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicansahead of Thursday'sNBA trade deadline.

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This isn't the first injury issue for McBride this season. He missed eight games in December with a high left ankle sprain. That same ankle has caused him to sit out the Knicks' past five games as the team awaited test results.

The Knicks have won eight straight games following Wednesday's134-127 double overtime victoryover the Denver Nuggets. At 33-18, they sit second in the Eastern Conference.

On Wednesday, the Knicks acquired Dalen Terry from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Guerschon Yabusele. That moved allowed them to flip Terry to the Pelicans for help at guard with Alvarado now that McBride is seemingly sidelined until the playoffs.

Alvarado is averaging 7.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game this season.

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Hawks remained busy before the NBA trade deadline Thursday by acquiring point guard Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for shooting guard Luke Kennard, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

Vincent adds depth at point guard in the deal, said the person, who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Wednesday night because the trade had not yet received the required league approval.

Atlanta's busy trade season began with the deal which sent All-Star point guardTrae Youngto Washington for a package including guards CJ McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker on Jan. 7. Vincent, 29, has played in 29 games, including seven starts, while averaging 4.8 points for the Lakers this season.

Kennard, 29, gives the Lakers a top 3-point shooting threat. Kennard has averaged 7.9 points in 46 games for Atlanta and leads the NBA with his 49.7% 3-point shooting.

On Wednesday, the Hawks acquired centerJock Landalefrom the Utah Jazz for cash considerations and traded centerKristaps Porzingisto Golden State in exchange for forward Jonathan Kuminga and guard Buddy Hield.

Also Thursday, Atlanta requested waivers on injured centerDuop Reathand center N'Faly Dante. Dante is out for the season with a knee injury. The Hawks acquired Reath on Sunday in a trade that sent forward Vit Krejci to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Hawks also obtained second-round draft picks in 2027 and 2030 in the deal.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

Mike Tirico doesn't have many firsts left in what has been an extraordinary broadcast career.

However, this isn't a normal February for Tirico.

On Sunday, Tirico will call his firstSuper Bowl. Immediately following the conclusion of theSeattle-New Englandgame, Tirico will transition to his role as NBC's primetime host for Olympic coverage. That will make Tirico the first to call a Super Bowl and serve as the mainOlympichost in the same year.

"Nothing can match this winter. You don't even think about dreaming of doing something like this because it's stupid to think that this is reality. But I'm so excited for it and very blessed to be a part of it," Tirico said.

Tirico's unique February began Sunday, when he called a Los Angeles Lakers-New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden to launch NBC's "Sunday Night Basketball" package. The NBA returned to NBC this season for the first time since 2022.

It is the third time NBC has had the Winter Games and the Super Bowl in the same year, but only the second time both have overlapped on the same Sunday.

When the Patriots faced the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 52, the opening ceremony for the PyeongChang Games was five days away. Tirico did a remote hit from South Korea during the Super Bowl pregame show.

Tirico was the Super Bowl pregame host in 2022 when the game was in Los Angeles. After the presentation of the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Rams, he did the Olympic primetime show from a set outside the stadium.

"For him to have this moment in time where he's going to do the Super Bowl, he's going to be the lead voice in the Olympics, he's going to be the lead voice in the NBA — I can barely keep these two teams straight in my mind. How he keeps all of that inside that computer brain of his, I have no idea, but there's nobody like him," said Cris Collinsworth, who will be doing his sixth Super Bowl as an analyst.

Super Sunday milestone

Tirico becomes the 13th announcer to handle play-by-play duties for a Super Bowl, and the fourth to do it for NBC. Dick Enberg called eight of NBC's 20 previous Super Bowls, while Curt Gowdy did seven, and Al Michaels called the last five.

One reason Tirico left ESPN for NBC in 2016 was the chance to eventually do a Super Bowl. Tirico was the voice of "Monday Night Football" from 2006 through '15, but it wasn't until the NFL's current broadcast contracts began in 2023 that ESPN joined the rotation of Super Bowl broadcasters. ESPN will have next year's game.

Sunday will be Tirico's 290th NFL game, excluding preseason, according to NBC.

"I think if you call one (NFL game), you hope that this is one that you get to call eventually, and that opportunity is not lost on me. I'm extraordinarily grateful to all the people who've helped me get to this point," he said. "We all work towards things in life, and maybe once we get there, we don't appreciate the view. So just try to be part of this in a different, more magnetic way to make sure that these images, these days, stick. Just to enjoy it."

Even with extra time to prepare, Tirico has used the same approach as always. As soon as Seattle defeated San Francisco in the NFC championship game on Jan. 25, he was in his office, getting his game charts together and analyzing the backup quarterbacks.

Tirico will have plenty of storylines for Sunday, from Mike Vrabel turning around the Patriots in his first year as coach to quarterback Sam Darnold leading Seattle to the Super Bowl after signing as a free agent from Minnesota.

No matter how the game goes, producer Rob Hyland is confident Tirico will paint the perfect picture. Hyland pointed to Tirico telling the story of Baltimore rookie kicker Tyler Loop leading into a last-minute kick during the regular-season finale at Pittsburgh, without videotape, as evidence of Tirico's performance.

"I think Mike has become, in my opinion, the best storyteller in live television. He told that kicker story in 25 seconds, and you really understood a lot about him, a lot about the Ravens organization, why they moved on from Justin Tucker," Hyland said. "I think Mike's ability to tell stories has only gotten better every single year since he's been a part of NBC, and I think that's an area where he is the best at what he does."

Off to Milan

As soon as Sunday night's Olympic show ends, Tirico will join a group of NBC personnel on a plane from Northern California to Italy. He is expected to begin reporting from Milan during Tuesday's daytime coverage.

Besides Tirico, Gowdy, Greg Gumbel, and Jim Nantz have also done the Super Bowl and served as Olympic primetime hosts. The other three, though, didn't do it the same year.

This will be Tirico's fifth Olympics as primetime host and his third for a Winter Games. Before joining NBC, he covered the FIFA World Cups and UEFA European Championships for ESPN. Those month-long events helped shape how he approaches the hectic pace of the 16 days of the Olympics.

"Usually when I get to Olympics or World Cups, I've found myself on a really good schedule, getting your daily routine dialed in and just maintaining that because I think it maintains your sanity. Your sleep isn't too long, but it's quality sleep, you get a workout, and you get good meals, and you find the comforts that you need, and you make your way through it."

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis has been tabbed to replace injured Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Pointer on Team Canada in the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Point, 29, has not played since suffering a lower-body injury on Jan. 12 in Tampa Bay's 5-1 win at Philadelphia. He scored a power-play goal in the second period and Flyers defenseman Cam York fell on Point's right leg on the play. Point had to be helped off the ice by teammates and did not return.

The Lightning placed him on injured reserve Jan. 16 and long-term IR this week. He participated in the team's optional morning skate before Thursday's game against Florida but will miss his 10th consecutive game.

Point has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists), a plus-4 rating, eight penalty minutes, 13 blocks and four hits in 37 games this season.

For his career, Point owns 665 points (317 goals, 348 assists), a plus-81 rating, 157 penalty minutes, 345 blocks and 301 hits in 694 regular-season games in 10 seasons in Tampa Bay. He was an All-Star in 2018.

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He also has 89 points (44 goals, 45 assists) in 92 playoff games, including Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.

Jarvis, who turned 24 on Sunday, has 43 points (25 goals, 18 assists), a plus-10 rating, six penalty minutes, 21 blocks and 69 hits in 48 games for Carolina.

The fifth-year pro has collected 256 career points (121 goals, 135 assists), a plus-66 rating, 66 penalty minutes, 193 blocks and 419 hits in 352 regular-season games. Jarvis also has 43 points (19 goals, 24 assists) in 55 postseason games. Jarvis and Point both earned a gold medal with Team Canada in last year's 4 Nations Face-off.

The NHL's break for the Winter Games begins Friday. Team Canada, whose head coach is Lightning coach Jon Cooper, plays its first game against Czechia on Thursday, Feb. 12.

--Field Level Media

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — WhenJon Hammfirst attended theNFL Honors,the league's annual awards show was still finding its footing. It was a relatively new addition to Super Bowl week that had yet to fully define what it would become.

Now, the Emmy-winning actor will take the stage as host as the NFL Honors mark their 15th anniversary on Thursday night in San Francisco. The show, airing on NBC and NFL Network, will serve as a capstone to the season just days before theSuper Bowl.

"They didn't really know what it was going to be, but it was fun," Hamm said Wednesday after rehearsals at the Palace of Fine Arts. The actor said he enjoyed watching Alec Baldwin host the first-ever ceremony in 2012.

Hamm brings an extensive hosting experience to the role, having previously led shows ranging fromSaturday Night Liveto the ESPYs. But he said the NFL Honors require a specific approach.

"We're not trying to break new ground in comedy or make anything that's going to offend anybody," said Hamm, who won a 2015 Primetime Emmy for his portrayal of Don Draper on AMC's "Mad Men." He's also appeared in projects including "30 Rock," "The Morning Show" and now the Apple TV Plus series "Your Friends & Neighbors."

"We're here to celebrate the players and their season and then push everybody into a good mood ... I think it's going to be a pretty good Super Bowl," he said.

Hamm said the NFL Honors have grown into something meaningful for players across the league, especially those whose accomplishments are not always tied to postseason success. He pointed to standout individual achievements that still deserve recognition.

"You got guys like Myles Garrett breaking the sack record," Hamm said. "He ain't sniffing the Super Bowl, but it's still something to be celebrated, right?"

The NFL Honors have evolved into a night players anticipate, Hamm said, in part because of the rare opportunity it gives them to gather in one place.

"They're in a room with their peers. Everybody knows everybody," he said. "They only play 17, 18 games. … It's nice for them to get celebrated the way they should."

A lifelong football fan, Hamm grew up in St. Louis following the Cardinals and Rams before later rooting for theKansas City Chiefs. Hosting the ceremony, he said, means stepping back from team allegiances.

"It's not about one team," Hamm said. "It's about honoring the season."

Beyond football, Hamm said Super Bowl week reflects a larger cultural moment, including the rise of global music stars such asBad Bunny,who is set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show after coming off a major Grammys night — where his project"Debí Tirar Más Fotos"wonalbum of year. It's thefirst time an all Spanish-language albumhas taken home the top prize.

"I was happy to see his success at the Grammys," said Hamm, who attended Bad Bunny's historic residency in 2025. He and the Puerto Rican superstar have become friends and even share the same birthday.

"He was beautifully eloquent. … He's a very intelligent guy. He's a wonderful artist, number one streamed artist in the world for a reason," he said. "He's smart enough to realize that engagement is the key. So I applaud him as an artist and as a fellow Pisces and a fellow March 10 birthday man. He's a good dude."

As the NFL Honors celebrate their milestone year, Hamm said the night is ultimately about bringing people together before the Super Bowl matchup between theSeattle SeahawksandNew England Patriots.He said the ceremony is a gathering point during the week.

"The appetizer," he said. "That's what it is."

For more on the Super Bowl, visithttps://apnews.com/hub/nfl.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — There wasn't one specific thing coach Mark Few could point to in trying to explain Gonzaga's struggles against Portland.

It all went wrong.

"Just outplayed us, outexecuted us, outshot us," Few said. "When they got open shots, they made them. And we didn't. Literally every phase of the game."

Sixth-ranked Gonzagalost 87-80 to the Pilotson Wednesday night, snapping a 15-game winning streak.

Favored by 21 1/2 points according to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Bulldogs (22-2, 10-1 West Coast Conference) had won 20 straight against Portland — and 19 of those were by double digits. The Pilots' previous victory over the Zags came on Jan. 9, 2014, an 82-73 win in Portland. Gonzaga was ranked No. 18 in that game.

The Pilots had never defeated a team in the top 10. That win over the Bulldogs in 2014 was their last victory against a ranked opponent.

Portland led by as many as 15 points, but Gonzaga closed the gap in the final two minutes, coming as close as 84-80 with 30 seconds left. Portland, riding both its own momentum and the cheers of its home crowd, held on for the win and the fans rushed the court.

"I think when you have a program like ours, and we're having a season like we're having, I think you always feel like you've got to respond — but then you've got to respond. You can't be talking about it," Few said about the expectation that Gonzaga would eventually pull out the win. "You've got to bear down and get stops on defense."

Graham Ike had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Zags. The 6-foot-9 forward was coming off a 30-point performance in a win against rival Saint Mary's at home on Saturday and had earned his fourth WCC player of the week award. Before that, he missed three games with a sore right ankle.

"They had more effort, more energy than us tonight," Ike said. "Kudos to them, but we've got to flush it. ... Got to be better."

The Bulldogs are still without forward Braden Huff because of a knee injury.

Gonzaga's only other loss this season came in December to then-No. 7 Michigan, 101-61, at the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.

The Pilots (11-14, 4-8) were coming off a 104-74 loss at Washington State and a 74-51 loss at Pacific before that. So it's no wonder they were heavy underdogs to Gonzaga.

"Everything has to happen right in a game like that," Portland coach Shantay Legans said. "They have to miss some key shots and some key free throws. And our guys played with a lot of confidence and kept their cool and kept their composure. And I think it helped playing at home. We've been pretty good at home. But every game we've been in, we've had a turnover here, or something like that. Tonight, it all came together."

Joel Foxwell led Portland with 27 points and eight assists. The Pilots hit 59% of their shots from the field, compared to 40% for the Zags.

Gonzaga will look to rebound Saturday against Oregon State, a team the Bulldogs will join next season in the rebuilt Pac-12 Conference.

Said Ike: "I can promise it won't happen again."

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