CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Clemson running back Will Shipley has no structural damage and won’t need surgery after a scary injury late in the team’s Gator Bowl win over Kentucky on Friday.

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney confirmed details of Shipley’s MRI through a spokesman Sunday.

Shipley looked to be seriously hurt after a 60-yard, fourth-quarter kickoff return in which he stumbled and somersaulted before hitting the ground. He came up holding his left leg and was carted off the field with a towel over his head.

But, a short time after, Shipley returned to the field with crutches to celebrate the Tigers’ 38-35 victory with his teammates.

Swinney said during his postgame session that the injury did not appear serious, but he would need an MRI to be sure.

Shipley, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior tailback from Weddington, North Carolina, has not yet announced whether he will enter the NFL draft or return to Clemson for his senior year.

Shipley finished with 827 yards rushing and five touchdowns this season.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — Riley Minix’s 34 points led Morehead State over Southeast Missouri State 83-64 on Sunday night.

Minix also contributed eight rebounds for the Eagles (10-4, 1-0 Ohio Valley Conference). Jordan Lathon scored 20 points while going 8 of 19 (3 for 9 from 3-point range), adding nine rebounds and five assists. Drew Thelwell was 3-of-10 shooting (2 for 6 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points.

Aquan Smart finished with 17 points, six assists and two steals for the Redhawks (5-9, 1-1). Southeast Missouri State also got 14 points from Rob Martin. In addition, Adam Larson finished with 11 points.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jayda Curry scored 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting, Merissah Russell scored 11 of her 12 points in the fourth quarter Sunday and No. 19 Louisville beat Miami 77-72 in a sloppy and disjointed ACC opener for both teams.

Nyla Harris had 13 points — nine in the first quarter — and 12 rebounds for Louisville (12-2), Kiki Jefferson scored 12 and Olivia Cochran finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Ja’Leah Williams hit from behind the arc to give Miami a four-point lead with 6:57 to play, Russell answered with a 3-pointer 18 seconds later. She added two more 3s and a pair of free throws before Harris made a layup with 55 seconds left to cap a 13-5 run that gave the Cardinals a 73-69 lead. Lemyah Hylton made a layup, but Nina Rickards hit a pull-up jumper from the left elbow with 13 seconds left. Williams made the second of two free throws to make it 75-72 about nine seconds later and Cochran capped the scoring with two foul shots.

Hylton led Miami (10-2) with 12 points and Williams scored eight of her 11 in the fourth quarter. Shayeann Day-Wilson, Lashae Dwyer and Jasmyne Roberts added 10 points apiece.

Louisville made 28 of 56 from the field, shot 56% (5 of 9) from 3-point range and made as many free throws (16) as Miami attempted.

The teams combined for 42 turnovers and 41 personal fouls.

Louisville returns home to face Duke on Thursday. Miami plays at Boston College on Thursday.

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MURRAY, Ky. (AP) — Jacobi Wood had 18 points in Murray State’s 75-54 win over Middle Tennessee on Saturday night.

Wood added six rebounds for the Racers (4-9). Nick Ellington scored 17 points while going 6 of 12 and 5 of 6 from the free throw line, and added eight rebounds. Rob Perry was 4 of 12 shooting, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 3 for 4 from the line to finish with 13 points, while adding five assists and three steals. The Racers broke a six-game skid.

The Blue Raiders (5-9) were led by Elias King, who recorded 16 points, six rebounds and two steals. Jacob Johnson added nine points and six rebounds for Middle Tennessee. Jared Jones also had seven points.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — Tyrone Marshall had 20 points and Khristian Lander hit a go-ahead jumper with 7 seconds left and scored 19 to rally Western Kentucky to an 86-84 victory over Abilene Christian on Saturday.

Marshall also added five rebounds for the Hilltoppers (11-3). Khristian Lander scored 19 points while going 8 of 17 (2 for 8 from 3-point range), and added six rebounds. Don McHenry finished 5 of 13 from the field to finish with 12 points, while adding eight rebounds. The Hilltoppers prolonged their winning streak to seven games.

Ali Abdou Dibba finished with 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Wildcats (5-8). Abilene Christian also got 21 points from Hunter Jack Madden. Kavion McClain also had 14 points and five assists.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Antonio Reeves scored 27 points to lead No. 8 Kentucky to a 96-70 win over Illinois State on Friday night.

Playing its first game since a 95-76 win over rival Louisville on Dec. 21, Kentucky (10-2) made 11 3-pointers — four by Reeves — and got 36 points from its bench. Reeves scored 30 points in Kentucky’s win over Louisville.

“Just being able to play with them on the same floor is just everything for me, being able to go out there for the last year and play against our teammates. It’s just it’s a great feeling,” he said.

Reeves began his career at Illinois State where he scored 1,195 points from 2019-22. He scored 12 points in the first half and his 3-pointer at the 5:35 mark of the first half gave the Wildcats their first double-digit lead, one that held for the remainder of the contest.

“Antonio didn’t just shoot it — he got to the rim when we needed it,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said.

Calipari also praised Reeves’ performance on the defensive end.

“He was guarding their best player,” Calipari said. “Last year, he would guard their worst player and we hoped he had black socks on that guy, because now he’s our best perimeter defender.”

Rob Dillingham followed Reeves with 16 points, D.J. Wagner scored 14 and Reed Sheppard finished with 11.

Calipari wasn’t happy with his team’s rebounding. Despite being outsized in the post, the Redbirds outrebounded the Wildcats 45-40 and grabbed 24 offensive rebounds.

“(We did) a lot of good, but (giving up) 24 offensive rebounds, you’re not going to win games in our league … I can’t remember one of my teams in 15 years giving up 24 offensive rebounds,” Calipari said. “We didn’t go get any balls. We got a few, but not like they did. That’ll concern me. But we got time.”

The Wildcats were without sophomore Adou Thiero who sat out because of “general soreness” in his back and is listed as day-to-day. Freshman center Zvonomir Ivisic, awaiting clearance from the NCAA on his eligibility, returned to Croatia during the Christmas break and was granted extra time to spend with his family.

Myles Foster led Illinois State (8-5) with 20 points. Malachi Poindexter and Darius Burford each had 13 and Dalton Banks finished with 11.

BIG PICTURE

Kentucky: Since dropping an 80-73 decision to UNC-Wilmington on Dec. 2, the Wildcats have reeled off four straight victories and will open the Southeastern Conference schedule at Florida on Jan. 6. Calipari moved to within three wins of clinching his 400th victory as coach of the Wildcats.

Illinois State: The Redbirds will shift focus to the Missouri Valley Conference schedule. They won their first two league contests with wins over Northern Kentucky and Murray State. Illinois State fell to 0-2 in games played against the Wildcats.

NEXT UP

Kentucky at Florida on Jan. 6.

Illinois State at Drake on Tuesday.

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Fletcher Loyer scored 14 points and Zach Edey had 13 points to help No. 1 Purdue rout Eastern Kentucky 80-53 on Friday night.

Mason Gillis and Trey Kaufman-Renn each added 10 points for the Boilermakers (12-1). Gillis also had nine rebounds. Braden Smith finished with eight assists.

“I try to prepare every game the same, some nights it’s a better game than other nights,” Gillis said. “I try to keep my mentality the same. I know what my role is. I know what my job is. I preach to our guys that if we do our job we’re easily the best team in the country. If I’m preaching that. I have to embody it. My job every game is chase rebounds and be ready to shoot.”

Purdue coach Matt Painter praised Gillis’ contributions.

“Mason was great and got some rebounds, just made some second effort plays,” Painter said. “That’s what we need from everybody, to keep going after the ball. Mason really gave us some positive play.”

Devontae Blanton led the Colonels (4-9) with 14 points. Leland Walker had 12.

Edey had just three points in the first half but extended his streak of scoring in double figures to 64 games. He was 5 of 7 from the field.

Purdue led by 35 points at 77-42 before going deep into its bench. The Boilermakers held a 46-25 rebounding edge.

Loyer had 12 of his points in the first half.

“I think what’s it’s been is doing whatever it takes to help the team win,” Loyer said. “For this team to make a power run in March and Big Ten, they need me to be aggressive some nights. I think we everyone to be aggressive.”

Purdue started off sluggish offensively before picking it up. The Boilermakers outscored the Colonels 23-13 in the final 10 minutes of the opening half to take a 43-24 lead.

The Boilermakers shot 57% in the first half, while Eastern Kentucky shot 37%. Purdue held a 21-12 rebounding edge in the opening half. For the game, the Boilermakers shot 52%, and the Colonels 37%

Purdue (1-1 in the Big Ten) plays at Maryland on Tuesday night.

“We still haven’t won a road game and we’re going into a beehive where they didn’t lose in the Big Ten last season,” Painter said. “I feel like we’ve made strides. We have experience. We have some guys who went through some things. We have different guys off the bench that play off the bench, depending how the night unfolds.”

Although Purdue was 6 of 21 from 3-point range against the Colonels, Painter said the team has shown a balance playing off the interior game and then able to knock down shots. Purdue was shooting 39% from 3-point range entering the game.

Keeping turnovers low has also been a key in the first 13 games.

“We had 11 turnovers tonight,” Painter said. “We’re averaging around 12 1/2 per game. If we can keep our turnovers around 10, we put ourselves in really good position.”

BIG PICTURE

Eastern Kentucky: The Colonels’ biggest problem was Purdue’s advantage in the paint. The Boilermakers outscored the Colonels 46-18 in the paint.

Purdue: The Boilermakers should retain its No. 1 spot. They won their 35th consecutive regular-season, nonconference game.

UP NEXT

Eastern Kentucky: Hosts Lipscomb on Thursday night.

Purdue: At Maryland on Tuesday night.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Jalen Jackson had 17 points in Purdue Fort Wayne’s 73-60 victory against Northern Kentucky on Friday night.

Jackson was 4 of 8 shooting, including 2 for 3 from 3-point range, and went 7 for 7 from the line for the Mastodons (12-2, 3-0 Horizon League). Quinton Morton-Robertson scored 15 points while going 5 of 12 (5 for 10 from 3-point range). Anthony Roberts shot 6 for 14, including 1 for 3 from beyond the arc to finish with 13 points, while adding nine rebounds.

The Norse (7-7, 2-1) were led in scoring by Marques Warrick, who finished with 17 points and six rebounds. Michael Bradley added 10 points and three steals for Northern Kentucky. In addition, Trey Robinson finished with nine points and nine rebounds.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Clemson finished the Gator Bowl on Friday just like it did the season: with a flourish.

Phil Mafah ran for four touchdowns, including a 3-yarder with 17 seconds to play, and the Tigers rallied to beat Kentucky 38-35 in one of the wildest Gator Bowls to date and ended the year with a five-game winning streak.

Mafah scored three times in a back-and-forth final quarter that included five turnovers, four touchdowns and five lead changes. Clemson (9-4) outscored Kentucky 28-14 over the last 15 minutes.

“You saw who we are tonight,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Those guys, they finished.”

Cade Klubnik made the play of the game when he connected with Troy Stellato for 16 yards on third-and-18 to set up Mafah’s fourth-down run that moved the chains. Mafah scored three plays later to put the Tigers up for good.

Kentucky (7-6) had a final chance, but Devin Leary’s first-down pass was intercepted by Justin Mascoll.

“A very difficult loss. Terrific football game,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. “We faced a lot of adversity and overcame it. Mistakes and turnovers, penalties, there was a lot of things that you’re not very proud of.”

Mafah finished with 71 yards on 11 carries. Klubnik completed 30 of 41 passes for 264 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. He completed 8 of 9 passes on the winning drive.

Clemson trailed 21-10 after Kentucky’s Barion Brown, who scored three touchdowns three different ways, returned the second-half kickoff 100 yards. The Wildcats looked like they would roll from there, but they turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions in the fourth.

Clemson took advantage and grabbed a 27-21 lead on Mafah’s third TD run.

Brown responded with a 60-yard TD catch that put UK back out front 28-27. It was short-lived because Will Shipley returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to set up Jonathan Weitz’s field goal — a 52-yarder that hit the crossbar and bounced over.

“He kicked it 52 yards and one inch,” Swinney said.

The Wildcats answered, though. Leary connected with Jordan Dingle for 72 yards on the next play, setting up Ray Davis’ 1-yard scoring run.

“I’m proud to have played that game,” said Davis, who played despite turning pro. “The rest of my life I’m going to be able to remember that and be able to know that I was part of a very historical game in a sense of just back and forth and ups and downs, highs and lows and knowing whenever adversity struck, we stepped up to the plate.”

Clemson rallied again in the end and ended up celebrating on the field afterward.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been a part of that in a quarter before,” Swinney said. “It was special, and these guys know that.”

SHIPLEY INJURED

Shipley flipped head over heels out of bounds on his long return. He grabbed his knee and had to be helped to the bench and then carted to the locker room with a towel over his head. He finished what might have been his final game at Clemson with 132 all-purpose yards, including 94 on returns.

“Initial reports seem to be encouraging,” Swinney said. “But you never know until you get an MRI.”

GRAND ENTRANCE

Clemson fans didn’t have much to cheer about in the third quarter until former Tigers stars and current Jacksonville Jaguars standouts Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne walked onto the sideline.

Lawrence and Etienne got two of the loudest ovations from the Clemson side when they were shown on the video boards shaking hands with players and coaches during a timeout with 6:31 to play in the third. The duo led the Tigers to the 2018 national championship and two more appearances in the College Football Playoff.

THE TAKEAWAY

Clemson: The Tigers played without star linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (88 tackles) and standout cornerback Nate Wiggins (nine pass breakups). Both opted out to start preparing for the NFL draft and were clearly missed as Kentucky delivered three plays longer than 40 yards.

Kentucky: Davis played well in a game he easily could have skipped. He had a 43-yard scamper in the first half that set up a touchdown and finished with 63 yards on the ground.

UP NEXT

Clemson: The Tigers have plenty of youth to build around, beginning with Klubnik and receivers Tyler Brown and Antonio Williams.

Kentucky: The Wildcats have to replace Davis, who totaled 1,383 yards and 20 touchdowns this season.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

STANFORD, Ky. (AP) — Police in Kentucky found a missing 16-year-old North Carolina girl under a trap door in the bedroom of a 34-year-old man after the man’s mother called authorities to report a domestic dispute between the two, according to arrest reports.

When deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the home on Christmas Day, Zachary Jones told them the girl had fled, but his mother disputed that and deputies began searching to check on her safety, the reports said. She was found “inside a bed room in a cut out door in the floor covered by a rug,” the report said.

Deputies later determined that she had been reported missing from Fayetteville, North Carolina, on Dec. 6.

The girl told deputies that Jones picked her up after making contact a few weeks earlier and that he originally told her he was 19. When they met and she questioned why he looked older, he told her he was 25, but she found out after getting to his home and meeting his family that he was 34, the reports said. She said he threatened her and told her to tell people she was 18.

She told officers that he had a gun and had threatened to kill her several times and that on the day they were found, they had used drugs and he had choked and assaulted her, the arrest reports said.

Jones was originally taken into custody because he tried to destroy drug paraphernalia that deputies found in the home while searching for the girl, reports said.

Jones admitted using drugs with her and having an altercation, but he denied choking her, one report said. Marks were visible on her throat, it said. Jones and the girl both said they had sex on multiple occasions, and Jones admitted to luring her by using an electronic device and taking her from her grandmother’s home in North Carolina, the reports said.

He was charged with multiple crimes, including third-degree rape, unlawful imprisonment, assault, strangulation, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful transaction with a minor.

It wasn’t clear whether Jones has an attorney, but he told WKYT-TV from jail that the girl appeared older and he was trying to help her when drove to North Carolina to pick her up.

“Her grandma kicked her out. She didn’t appear to be that age (16). She had all kinds of piercings,” Jones said.

He also said he didn’t hide her when police began searching his home.

“She hid on her own free will. She was actually in the bed when police officers first came in there,” Jones said.

The girl’s grandfather, Eugene Baughman, told the station that she ran away from her grandmother’s home, and they reported her missing after losing communication with her.

Baughman said he doesn’t think Jones was trying to help the teen.

“I don’t think he was rescuing anyone. I think he was trying to find another person to victimize,” Baughman said.

Jones’ mother told WRAL-TV in North Carolina that she thought the girl was an adult.

“I asked him how old she was. He said, ‘She’s 19.’ So, I took that as the truth,” Rhona Jones told the station. “I believed him, because a lot of girls looked older than they are.”

She also said the girl didn’t appear to be held against her will.

“To me, she willingly came with him,” Rhonda Jones said. “I just feel like, they’d probably been talking. I don’t know how long he’s been texting her. From what the cops said that she was unhappy where she was at, and she felt like she was cared for and came with him.”