Refs eject Dickinson during KU win

Kansas star center Hunter Dickinson was ejected midway through the second half of the top-ranked Jayhawks’ 75-72 victory over No. 11 Duke at the Vegas Showdown on Tuesday night for kicking the Blue Devils’ Maliq Brown in the head. Brown was assessed a personal foul for backing into Dickinson while both were going for a rebound. Dickinson was given a flagrant-2 for the kick, leading to the ejection. He initially remained in the bench area with his teammates before being escorted off the floor. “I didn’t think at the moment and nor now do I feel it a warranted a level-2,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “In my opinion, it’s probably a coin flip whether it’s a level-1 or a level-2.” Self said the officials told him they made that decision because they believed the kick was intentional and that Brown’s head hit the floor. Duke coach Jon Scheyer said the officials made the right decision. “I saw on the screen that he kicked him in his face, so I think that warrants a flagrant-2,” Scheyer said. “I haven’t had a good look or anything more, but that to me was really an easy one.”

Series champion Dodgers add Snell

Less than a month after winning the World Series, the Dodgers are spending big again to add one of baseball’s best pitchers to their star-studded roster. Blake Snell and the Dodgers agreed to a five-year, $182 million contract, according to reports Tuesday night. The two-time Cy Young Award winner posted a photo of himself on social media in a Dodgers uniform — No. 7. Snell, who turns 32 next week, would join two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop the Dodgers’ rotation. Ohtani didn’t pitch this year while recovering from elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound sometime in 2025. He won his third MVP award in 2024 following a huge season at the plate exclusively as a designated hitter. Earlier this month, Snell opted out of his deal with the Giants to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after his lone year with the team. The Dodgers expect All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw back in the rotation next year.

McGregor loses deals after verdict

Two companies have cut ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland ruled last week that he must pay nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) to a woman who accused the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her. Proximo Spirits, the owner of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. 12, will no longer feature McGregor’s name or image on the drink. Video game developer IO Interactive also ended its collaboration with McGregor, who had played the role of a fighter in the game “Hitman.” It follows the ruling last Friday in a civil case where Nikita Hand claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse in 2018. The 36-year-old McGregor, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. The jury of eight women and four men found him liable for assault after deliberating about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. McGregor said he will appeal the verdict. —Associated Press