FOOTBALL
Source: Miles to Kansas
Les Miles could be back in the Big 12 soon. The former Oklahoma State coach, who led LSU to the 2007 national championship before getting fired four games into the 2016 season, is in negotiations with Kansas to take over the downtrodden Jayhawks, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was not complete. There are numerous details to work out, though those are expected to be finalized in the coming days. Miles would take over for David Beaty, who was fired two weeks ago. Beaty agreed to finish out his fourth season, and was 6-30 heading into Saturday night's game at No. 6 Oklahoma. Miles has long been considered the front-runner for the job because of his close relationship with Jeff Long, the new athletic director at Kansas and a former AD at Arkansas. The two worked together at Michigan and stayed in touch over the years. Sports Illustrated first reported Friday that Long and Miles were in negotiations. Miles, who turned 65 last week, turned around Oklahoma State over the course of four years before leaving for LSU, where he inherited Nick Saban's powerhouse. He won a national title three years later, then lost to Saban and Alabama in the national championship game after- the 2011 season.
GOLF
Howell ahead by 1
Charles Howell III had a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead Saturday in the RSM Classic at St. Simons Island, Ga., along with a reminder that winning for the first time in more than 11 years won't be easy. With two quick birdies, Howell stretched his lead to five shots. By the end of the third round, his lead was down to one shot over PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore, who each shot 66 and made up ground on the back nine of the Seaside course at Sea Island. Howell was at 16-under 194 as he tries to end 332 starts on the PGA Tour without winning. Champ is trying to win for the second time this fall. Webb Simpson shot a 63 and was only three shots behind.
Thompson in control
Lexi Thompson has control of the CME Group Tour Championship at Naples, Fla., and Ariya Jutanugarn is in control of just about everything else. Thompson's 4-under 68 on Saturday pushed her to 16-under after three rounds of the LPGA's season-ending event, as she moved three shots clear of Nelly Korda and six ahead of Carlota Ciganda at Tiburon Golf Club. Korda shot her second consecutive 67 to get to 13 under, and Ciganda grinded out a 69 to get to 10 under for the week. Thompson has been nearly flawless this week. Her only dropped shot of the tournament came Saturday when she made bogey at the par-4 fourth hole, then put together five birdies over the remainder of her round. If Thompson hangs on today, she'll have her first win of the season. If Jutanugarn keeps things together, she'll leave with plenty of prizes as well.
Ancer leads by 5
Abraham Ancer shot a 7-under 65 Saturday to leave Matt Kuchar and Keegan Bradley and the rest of the field at the Australian Open at Sydney well behind after three rounds. The Mexican golfer had a five-birdie stretch mid-round, then added two late birdies to finish with a 13-under total of 203 and a five-shot lead going into today's final round at The Lakes. Japan amateur Keita Nakajima was in second place after a 70, while Bradley was tied for third with Australian veteran Marcus Fraser. They were six strokes behind after 71s. Kuchar, who trailed by a stroke after the second round, shot 73 Saturday and was tied for fifth, seven behind Ancer.
TENNIS
Zverev, Djokovic in final
Alexander Zverev denied Roger Federer a shot at a 100th career title by beating the Swiss great 7-5, 7-6 (5) at the ATP Finals in London on Saturday to advance to the championship match against Novak Djokovic. Zverev is the youngest player at 21 to reach the final since 2009 and the first from Germany since 1996. He will face five-time champion Djokovic, who defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2 to extend his semifinal win-loss record at the tournament to 7-1. Federer, 37, was seeking a record-extending seventh title, but was unable to cope with the pressure created by Zverev's power and precision at the O2 Arena.
BASEBALL
Astros acquire Diaz
The Houston Astros have acquired infielder Aledmys Diaz from the Toronto Blue Jays for minor league pitcher Trent Thornton. The trade was announced by both teams Saturday. Diaz, 28, hit .263 with 26 doubles and a career-high 18 home runs in 130 games with the Blue Jays. Thornton, 25, is a right-hander who went 9-8 with a 4.42 ERA in 24 games at Class AAA Fresno last season.
Jansen surgery set
Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen will undergo heart surgery Nov. 26 and expects to be fully recovered by spring training. The All-Star has twice experienced an atrial fibrillation episode, otherwise known as an irregular heartbeat, while the Dodgers were in the high altitude of Colorado. It most recently occurred in August, when his heart had to be shocked back into a regular rhythm. He didn't travel with the team back to Colorado in September as a precaution. Jansen underwent a heart procedure in 2012 to help the issue. He said Friday while distributing holiday turkeys that if all goes well, he would be cleared in two weeks. But if doctors find anything abnormal, Jansen said he would be down for eight weeks, although he could still do his offseason work to be ready for opening day.
MOTOR SPORTS
Reddick wins Xfinity Series championship
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Tyler Reddick opened Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s first season in retirement with a victory and closed it with a championship.
Reddick won the Xfinity Series finale Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the championship for NASCAR’s development series. Reddick was perhaps a long shot behind Christopher Bell and Cole Custer, but with team owner Earnhardt watching from his pit box, he drove away from the field.
The title for JR Motorsports is its second consecutive Xfinity championship and third in five years.
The 22-year-old opened this season with a victory at Daytona International Speedway in which he beat Elliott Sadler in the closest finish in NASCAR history. His next victory was in the final race, when everything was on the line.
The massive Xfinity championship flag got caught under his tires during Reddick’s celebratory burnout and he waved the tattered, burnt remains as he
soaked in his feat.
Custer won the pole and the
first two stages of the race but his title hopes were dashed by questionable pit strategy that cost him the lead, the victory and the title. He finished second behind Reddick in a Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. Daniel Hemric didn’t contend at Homestead and finished fourth in the race, third in the championship standings.
Bell did briefly challenge but was passed by both Reddick and then Custer in the final stage. A late flat tire dropped Bell to 11th and he finished last in the championship field. Bell won a series-high seven races this season, the most for an Xfinity regular since Earnhardt Jr. also won seven times in 1998.
The Xfinity Series is where NASCAR’s future stars are groomed and the championship field Saturday represented all three manufacturers, four different teams and four drivers in their 20s.
It was the final event for Sadler, a JR Motorsports driver who is calling it a career after 23 seasons.
Sports on 11/18/2018