Nuggets coach Karl earns 900th victory (AP)
Clutching two paper cups of cola, Denver coach George Karl planned to celebrate New Year’s Eve, and his 900th career victory, with something stronger but not bubblier. “I’m not a champagne guy,” Karl said. “I’m a beer guy and some red wine, but I think it’s Coors Light tonight. Beer after a win tastes like champagne.” Nene scored 21 points, Carmelo Anthony added 20 and the Nuggets beat the Toronto…
Browns interview Patriots’ Pioli for GM (AP)
The Cleveland Browns ended the year talking to candidates they hope will make it a better 2009. Browns owner Randy Lerner interviewed Scott Pioli, New England’s vice president of player personnel, on Wednesday to be his new general manager. It is not known whether or not Lerner offered the job to Pioli, who has been Bill Belichick’s right-hand man with the Patriots for the past nine years.
Burns’ OT goal lifts Wild past Sharks (AP)
The Minnesota Wild saved its much-needed best game of the month for last. Brent Burns scored at 1:38 of overtime to give the Wild a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night. Burns took a cross-ice pass from Mikko Koivu and beat Evgeni Nabokov over the left shoulder. Owen Nolan also scored in his return to the Minnesota lineup, and Krystofer Kolanos added a goal to help the Wild…
UNLV stuns No. 18 Louisville 56-55 (AP)
UNLV’s Oscar Bellfield saw Louisville’s Samarado Samuels step out to guard him and figured the only way to get it over the 6-foot-9 center was to flip it up in the air and let the laws of physics go to work. “I wanted to go right (and) the big man came at me,” Bellfield said. “I had to duck under him and get it high off the board.
No. 22 Xavier easily avoids another loss (AP)
After a couple of disorienting losses, No. 22 Xavier got its balance back. Jason Love scored a career-high 15 points as Xavier took advantage of its size advantage, and freshman guard Brad Redford scored a career-high 15 points from behind the arc Wednesday night, leading the Musketeers to a 78-57 victory over Robert Morris.
Vandy records first bowl win since 1955 (AP)
Vanderbilt used to be called the worst team in the Southeastern Conference. Cellar dwellers. The private school that just didn’t belong in a power football league. No more. Vanderbilt won a bowl game for the first time in exactly 53 years, with Bryant Hahnfeldt kicking a 45-yard field goal with 3:26 left Wednesday for a 16-14 win over Boston College in the Music City Bowl.
Album sales plunge, digital downloads up (AP)
AP – Music sales have continued to slump in 2008 as the increased number of downloads of digital tracks failed to make up for a plunge in the sale of compact discs.
Street looks to ‘09 with relief after terrible ‘08 (AP)
AP – The last trading day of 2008 on Wall Street provided a merciful end to an abysmal year the worst since the Great Depression, wiping out $6.9 trillion in stock market wealth. Six years of stock gains disappeared as the economy crumbled and markets crashed around the globe, shaking the confidence of professional and individual investors alike.
Diebler helps Ohio State hold off Iowa (AP)
Jon Diebler may be the streakiest shooter in college basketball. Fortunately for No. 24 Ohio State, in the Buckeyes’ Big Ten opener he was on a good streak instead of a bad one. Diebler scored a career-high 27 points and Evan Turner hit three late free throws to lead the Buckeyes past Iowa 68-65 Wednesday.
Oregon State beats Pitt 3-0 at Sun Bowl (AP)
Three points, 20 punts and 10 sacks. Go ahead and say it was unsightly, but Oregon State coach Mike Riley saw nothing short of a masterpiece. In the lowest-scoring major bowl game in a half-century, the 24th-ranked Beavers shut down No. 18 Pittsburgh 3-0 Wednesday in the Sun Bowl on Justin Kahut’s 44-yard field goal.