The University of Florida has cleared men’s basketball coach Todd Golden following a four-month Title IX investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation, sexual harassment and stalking.

The school released a statement saying no evidence was found and ended its investigation. It comes amid No. 5 Florida’s best season in a decade, with the Gators having won 18 of their first 20 games.

“The University of Florida takes these matters seriously and works deliberately to ensure that due process is upheld for everyone,” university spokesman Steve Orlando said in a statement. “After a thorough investigation that included dozens of interviews over the past months, the University of Florida has found no evidence that Todd Golden violated Title IX. The Title IX office has closed its investigation.”

Golden previously sidestepped chances to deny the allegations “out of the respect to the process” and threatened legal action, presumably against his publicly unnamed accusers.

The complaint against Golden accused him of sending photos and videos of his genitalia, making unwanted sexual advances on Instagram and requesting sexual favors. The Independent Florida Alligator first reported the allegations in early November.

Auburn and Duke top Men’s Top 25 poll >> Auburn keeps winning games that come down to the wire. It’s kept them on top of the AP Top 25, too.

The Tigers were the unanimous choice atop the men’s college basketball poll for the second consecutive week, getting all 62 votes from the national media panel. Their place at No. 1 was solidified when Miles Kelly hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to propel Auburn to a 53-51 victory over then-No. 6 Tennessee over the weekend.

The Tigers led a top five that was unchanged from the previous week. Duke remained No. 2 followed by Iowa State, Alabama and Florida, which rallied to beat South Carolina early in the week before a resounding victory over Georgia.

The big changes came elsewhere in the Top 25.

Houston climbed one spot to No. 6 thanks to a rout of Utah and a frantic, double-overtime win at Kansas.

Women’s basketball

Vanderbilt makes top 25 poll for first time in 11 years >> Vanderbilt entered the Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 at No. 23, its first ranking in more than a decade, while Texas returned to the top five and Ohio State and Duke both jumped back into the top 10.

Shea Ralph’s Vanderbilt team is in the poll for the first time since Feb. 10, 2014, and has two wins over ranked teams for the first time since the 2015-16 season. The Commodores topped then-No. 19 Alabama on Sunday as the Crimson Tide were one of a dozen ranked teams to lose last week.

The top four teams remained the same as UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame and USC all avoided upsets last week.

NBA

Jimmy Butler suspended by Heat again >> Jimmy Butler was back from suspension. Again. And then Butler got suspended by the Miami Heat. Again.

Butler has been suspended for the third time this month by the Heat, this one starting basically just as the second one was ending. The team said Monday that Butler left Monday’s shootaround early, in advance of a game against the Orlando Magic. He is expected to miss at least five games.

Butler was expected to come back from his second suspension on Monday.

Track & Field

Spectator killed by hammer throw >> An errant weight thrown by a competitor in a hammer throw event struck and killed a spectator at a youth track and field meet in Colorado, according to officials at the university where the competition was held.

The weight cleared certified barriers before striking the man Sunday morning at the University of Colorado’s Colorado Springs campus, according to a university statement.

Firefighters pronounced the man dead at the scene. He apparently had tried to shield his wife and son from the ball, KRDO-TV reported. The so-called hammer in the hammer throw event is actually a heavy ball on a chain.

Hockey

Capitals sign Thompson to 6-year deal >> The NHL-leading Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Logan Thompson to a six-year contract extension worth $35.1 million.

Thompson will count $5.85 million against the salary cap from when the new deal kicks in next season through 2030-31. He’s currently in the final season of a contract that’s paying him less than $800,000 annually.

The 27-year-old late bloomer has thrived in Washington since joining the team last summer in a trade from Vegas.

Blues and Islanders make a trade >> The New York Islanders made another addition to their blue line, acquiring defenseman Scott Perunovich from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2026 draft.

The trade announced by the teams comes on the heels of the Islanders signing Tony DeAngelo to a contract for the rest of the NHL season. DeAngelo made his debut Saturday after signing for a prorated $775,000 on Friday and clearing waivers.