SPORTS SHORTS

NCAA: Minnesota fires football coach

Minnesota fired coach Tracy Claeys on Tuesday, just over two weeks after the football program became embroiled in a standoff with the administration over the suspension of 10 players in connection with allegations of sexual assault, two people with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press. The Golden Gophers beat Washington State 17-12 in the Holiday Bowl after a threatened boycott of the bowl by the entire team was called off.

Svi Mykhailiuk went the length of the court and threw in a finger-tip layup as the buzzer sounded to give No. 3 Kansas a 90-88 victory over Kansas State on Tuesday night in Lawrence, Kan. Josh Jackson matched a career high with 22 points to go with nine rebounds and six assists, and Landen Lucas added 18 points and 12 rebounds, as the Jayhawks pushed their home winning streak to 50 in one of the closest games during that incredible streak.

In Clemson, S.C., Kennedy Meeks scored with 1:12 left in overtime put No. 14 North Carolina ahead for good as the Tar Heels defeated Clemson 89-86.

NHL: Blue Jackets run streak to 16 Cam Atkinson and William Karlsson scored power-play goals and the Blue Jackets beat the Oilers 3-1 in Columbus, Ohio, to extend their winning streak to 16 games — one away from the longest ever in the NHL. Columbus can tie the 1992-93 Penguins with a victory Thursday night at Washington. ETC.: LaDainian leads new Fame finalists First-year eligibles LaDainian Tomlinson, Jason Taylor and Brian Dawkins are among 15 modern- era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Also making the finals were Morten Andersen, Tony Boselli, Isaac Bruce, Don Coryell, Terrell Davis, Alan Faneca, Joe Jacoby, Ty Law, John Lynch, Kevin Mawae, Terrell Owens and Kurt Warner.

Serena Williams ended four months on the sideline with a 6-3, 6-4 win Tuesday over Pauline Parmentier at the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Her sister, Venus Williams, withdrew before her scheduled second-round match Wednesday against Japan’s Naomi Osaka due to an arm injury.

Top-ranked Andy Murray extended his winning streak to a career-best 25 matches by defeating Jeremy

Chardy of France 6-0, 7-6 (2) in his first match of the year at the Qatar Open.

The Athletics reached a one-year deal worth $6 million with outfielder Rajai Davis.

In Philadelphia, Robert Covington made a fallaway shot off an inbounds pass with 0.2 seconds left to give the 76ers a 93-91 win over the Timberwolves after nearly blowing a 26-point lead.