College Basketball
It’s been 15 years since Muffet McGraw and Notre Dame were No. 1 in the poll.
The Irish earned the top spot in The Associated Press women’s basketball Tuesday as they received 14 first place votes from a 33-member national media panel to earn the top ranking in the preseason. Notre Dame last held the No. 1 ranking on March 5, 2001. McGraw returns most of the core back from a team that went 33-2 last season.
She was happy for the compliment, but found the ranking a little high considering her team was coming off one of its most disappointing seasons in a few years, not reaching the Final Four for the first time in six years.
Baylor was a close second, four points behind the Irish. The Lady Bears garnered 12 first place votes.
UConn, which has won 75 consecutive games and four consecutive national championships, was third. The Huskies had been the No. 1 team for the last 24 weeks.
College Football
Texas A&M was ranked fourth behind Alabama, Clemson and Michigan in the season’s first College Football Playoff rankings.
The Aggies (7-1) were surprisingly a spot ahead of unbeaten Washington on Tuesday in the first of six selection committee rankings. The Crimson Tide (8-0), Tigers (8-0), Wolverines (8-0) and Huskies (8-0) are the only remaining undefeated teams from Power Five conferences and hold the top four spots in the latest Associated Press poll.
Colorado came in at No. 15.
The final rankings will be released Dec. 4, with the top four teams moving on to the College Football Playoff semifinals on Dec. 31 at the Fiesta and Peach bowls.
Golf
Tiger Woods says he will be playing in his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first week of December.
In a news release Tuesday announcing the 18-man field, Woods says he is excited to be making his return Dec. 1-4 at Albany Golf Club. He is the tournament host of the unofficial event that awards world ranking points but is not part of any tour.
Woods committed to play in the Safeway Open last month, only to withdraw three days later because he said his game was not ready.
NBA
MIAMI – Ray Allen announced his retirement from the NBA on Tuesday, ending a career that saw him make more 3-pointers than any player in league history and win championships with Boston and Miami.
Allen last played with the Heat in 2014. He entertained some ideas about coming back since, then announced his decision.
Allen spent 18 seasons in the league with Milwaukee, Seattle, the Celtics and then the Heat. He made 2,973 3-pointers, 413 more than anyone else has to date.
NHL
DENVER – Craig Smith scored twice, Pekka Rinne stopped 28 shots and the struggling Nashville Predators routed the Colorado Avalanche 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Ryan Johansen and Matt Irwin each scored his first goal of the season, while Roman Josi added an insurance goal late for the Predators, who won their first road game of the season.
Jarome Iginla scored NHL goal No. 613. He’s 12 behind Colorado Hall-of-Famer-turned-GM Joe Sakic for 15th place on the all-time scoring list.
Associated Press
