Off the wire

BASKETBALL Akinjo immediately eligible

Arizona guard James Akinjo has been granted a waiver by the NCAA and will immediately be eligible after transferring from Georgetown. The decision announced Tuesday gives Akinjo two years of eligibility left. A 6-0 guard, Akinjo was the Big East freshman of the year in 2018-19 after averaging 13.4 points and 5.2 assists. Akinjo appeared in seven games for the Hoyas last season before opting to transfer. The Oakland, Calif., native arrived in Tucson last spring and was able to practice with the Wildcats. Akinjo could play a key role on a team that lost three freshmen who declared early for the NBA Draft.

FOOTBALL Sooners name Rattler QB

Spencer Rattler is the next man up in the Oklahoma quarterback factory. Oklahoma Coach

Lincoln Riley named Rattler the starter over Tanner Mordecai on Tuesday heading into the fifthranked Sooners’ opener Sept. 12 against Missouri State. Rattler, a redshirt freshman, is the Big 12’s Preseason Newcomer of the Year. He was the consensus No. 1 quarterback nationally in the 2019 recruiting class. The pressure on Rattler will be great. Under Riley,

Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray have won the Heisman Trophy, and Jalen Hurts was the runner-up last season. Riley believes Rattler has the tools to handle it. “I think his confidence and belief in himself and his teammates — I think that’s the thing that stands about him right now,” Riley said. “He’s never been afraid of the moment, which for young players — that’s a key thing, and I don’t know that that’s really coached. That’s some- thing that guys either have or they don’t at a young age.” Mordecai, a redshirt sophomore, was the No. 2 quarterback at the start of last season but later fell behind Rattler. Riley said Mordecai missed much of fall camp due to an undisclosed injury and couldn’t fully compete, and Rattler performed well enough to earn the job.

Browns’ LB won’t need surgery

Cleveland Browns linebacker Mack Wilson does not need surgery for his hyperextended left knee and is expected to play this season, a much-needed, positive development for a team that has been roughed up by injuries in training camp. Wilson hurt his knee while breaking up a pass on Aug. 18. He was carted off the field and there was fear the second-year linebacker from Alabama might be done for the 2020 season. But after getting a second medical opinion, an operation was ruled out. First-year Coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Tuesday that Mack will return at some point. There is no definitive timetable on when he’ll be on the field.

Decker, Lions agree to deal

Taylor Decker has agreed to a six-year, $85 million deal with the Detroit Lions that includes $37.5 million guaranteed, agent Jonathan Feinsod confirmed Tuesday. Decker joined the Lions as a firstround draft pick out of Ohio State in 2016. He became the first Detroit rookie offensive tackle to start all 16 games since 2001. In four seasons, he’s played in 55 games for the Lions. After impressing as a rookie, he missed the start of the 2017 season following shoulder surgery and played only eight games that year. He’s missed only one game over the past two seasons. Decker’s deal adds to the investment the Lions have made in their offensive line this offseason. They also acquired Halapoulivaati Vaitai in March.

GYMNASTICS Nassar review clears staff Michigan State University

mostly found no violations of campus policy in a review of roughly 20 former or current staff members who were said to have received complaints about Larry Nassar, the doctor convicted of molesting female athletes, according to a report Tuesday. The report is part of a 2019 agreement with the U.S. Education Department, which included a $4.5 million fine and MSU’s pledge to greatly change how it responds to sexual harassment and assault. The school was required to determine if employees properly handled complaints about Nassar, based on policies in place at the time of the allegation. MSU found that the evidence mostly fell in favor of staff. There’s no dispute that Nassar assaulted females with his hands, usually gymnasts, while treating them for various injuries. He’s been sentenced to decades in prison for assault and other crimes. Nassar, who also worked for USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians, was charged in 2016, but victims have insisted there were opportunities to stop him years earlier. MSU reviewed the actions of the athletic department medical staff, coaches and some faculty members. Some couldn’t recall getting complaints about Nassar, while others said they weren’t given enough details that would have alarmed them. The report noted that campus police prepared a case against Nassar in 2015 but the local prosecutor’s office declined to file charges, saying the doctor appeared to be performing a “very innovative” procedure involving a ligament. The report said psychology professor Gary Stollak failed in 2004 to report an allegation of abuse by a girl who had informed him during counseling outside his campus job. Stollak has repeatedly said he can’t remember because of the effects of a stroke. He retired in 2010 and gave up his license.

HOCKEY Flyers extend series

Scott Laughton scored on a redirect in overtime after Philadelphia blew a late two-goal lead, helping and the Flyers stave off elimination with a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. Coming off consecutive losses, Philadelphia Coach Alain Vigneault called on his top players to “put on their big boy pants” for Game 5 with the season on the line. Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk responded with their sticks, scoring their first postseason goals after New York went up 1-0 on Josh Bailey’s first-period goal. Matt Niskanen added his first playoff goal early in the third period to put the Flyers up 3-1. The scrappy Islanders made a big push late, though, tying it on goals by Brock Nelson and Derick Brassard 93 seconds apart. Laughton redirected Ivan Provorov’s at 12:20 of overtime and Carter Hart stopped 29 shots to pull the Flyers within 3-2 in the best-of-seven second-round series. Game 6 is Thursday in Toronto.

Vancouver beats Vegas

Elias Petterson scored the goahead goal early in the third period, Thatcher Demko made 42 saves in his first NHL playoff start and the Vancouver Canucks staved off elimination by beating the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 on Tuesday night in Game 5 of their second-round series. Western Conference top-seeded Vegas outshot Vancouver 43-17 and only cracked Demko once, on a highlight reel goal by defenseman Shea Theodore in the second. Brock Boeser also scored for the Canucks and got the primary assist on Pettersson’s goal by taking the shot the 21-year-old Swede deflected past Robin Lehner. Because of Demko’s dominant performance in net and timely scoring, there will be a Game 6 on Thursday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.