– Wayne Byers Show – Morning – Jan 4

CSi Weather…

TODAY…Sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. West winds 10 to 20 mph.

.TONIGHT…Mostly clear. Colder. Lows around 15. West winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the southwest after midnight.

.TUESDAY…Cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the afternoon.

Highs in the lower 30s. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

.TUESDAY NIGHT…Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow in the Jamestown area, 40 percent in the Valley City area. Lows in

the lower 20s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY…Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of light snow Highs in the lower 30s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

.WEDNESDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

.THURSDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 30s.

.THURSDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows around 20.

.FRIDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the lower 30s.

.FRIDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows 15 to 20.

.SATURDAY…Mostly cloudy. Highs in the upper 20s.

.SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly cloudy. Lows around 10.

.SUNDAY…Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 20s.

A higher precipitation threat for the James River Valley Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. At least a couple of inches of

snow appears possible. The rest of the long term should be on the mild and

mostly dry side.

Jamestown (CSi) The Stutsman County Sheriff’s Office reports that a pickup truck was stolen, and the public is asked to report if it’s spotted by anyone.

The grey 2002 Ford pickup purportedly stolen from the front yard of a home.

Anyone locating the pickup, is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 701-252-9000.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota health officials are confirming 161 new cases of the coronavirus, from a limited number of reported tests that is typical for the end of a weekend. Officials say 1,611 tests were processed in the last day, for a positivity rate of more than 10%. A total of 93,041 COVID-19 cases have been registered since the start of the pandemic. The COVID Tracking Project reports that North Dakota ranks 47th in the country for new cases per capita in the last two weeks. One in every 495 people in North Dakota tested positive in the past week. The death count in comparison to the rest of the country remains high at fourth highest per capita.

NDDoH

Barnes County

NEW DEATHS 3

TOTAL DEATHS 29

New Positives: 1

Total Positives: 1245

Active: 26

Recovered: 1190

Stutsman County

Antigen tests (BinaxNOW, etc.) were added to the website beginning Dec. 9.

New Positives: 2

Total Positives: 3146

Active: 95

Recovered: 2981

Updates on the weekend will be delivered through the NDDoH web dashboard; the social media map & numbers will be published Monday-Friday.

North Dakota New Deaths Reported Sunday

Barnes one

Burleigh 2

Cass 2 Morton 2

Ramsey 2

Nelson 1

Pembina 1

Ransom 1

Rollette 1

Ward 1

Wells 1

Williams 1

ND positive rate reported Sunday 10.54%.

ND New Positives reported Sunday

Barnes 2

Dickey 2

Foster 2

Eddy 1 Griggs 1

LaMoure 1

Wells 1

December 30, the total tests and percent positivity now includes both antigen and PCR results. This is due to the increase in antigen screening across the state and the increase in negative result reporting.

BY THE NUMBERS

1,611 – Total Tests from Yesterday*

1,367,569 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

Now includes PCR and antigen combined.

161 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

119 – PCR Tests | 42 – antigen tests
93,041 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

10.54% – Daily Positivity Rate**

Now includes PCR and antigen.

1,852 – Total Active Cases

-147 Individuals from yesterday.

224 – with a recovery date of yesterday****

89,879 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

98 – Currently Hospitalized

+6 – Individuals from Thursday.

0 – New Deaths since Thursday*** (1,310 total deaths since the pandemic began)

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED SUNDAY

Barnes County – 1
Burleigh County – 20
Cass County – 42
Dickey County – 1
Divide County – 1
Emmons County – 1
Foster County – 2
Grand Forks County – 34
McHenry County – 1
McKenzie County – 5
McLean County – 2
Mercer County – 1
Morton County – 6
Mountrail County – 2
Nelson County – 1
Pembina County – 1
Ramsey County – 1
Richland County – 4
Rolette County – 1
Stark County – 5
Stutsman County – 2
Traill County – 2
Walsh County – 1
Ward County – 16
Wells County – 1
Williams County – 7

* Note that this includes PCR and antigen; it does not include individuals from out of state.

**Individuals (PCR or antigen) who tested positive divided by the total number of people tested who have not previously tested positive (susceptible encounters).

*** Number of individuals who tested positive with a PCR or antigen test and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19. Please remember that deaths are reported as they’re reported to us by the facility or through the official death record (up to 10-day delay).

**** The actual date individuals are officially out of isolation and no longer contagious.

*****Daily positive numbers include people who tested with a PCR or antigen test. Totals may be adjusted as individuals are found to live out of state, in another county, or as other information is found during investigation.

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

For the most updated and timely information and updates related to COVID-19, visit the NDDoH website at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Jamestown (CVHD) Central Valley Health District reports they will hold COVID 19 testing from 10 am to 12 noon at the Jamestown Civic Center, using the Rapid Testing, BinaxNow Monday through Wednesday January 4, 5, 6.

Also testing January 11, and 12.

By screening with rapid antigen tests, event attendees will be able to receive their test results within 15 minutes via text notification. The test also is less invasive than a PCR (Polymerase chain reaction) test in that it uses a nasal swab to collect a sample from the lower part of the nostril.

If a person tests positive, they should isolate at home immediately and a case investigator will be in touch with them within 24 hours. If the screening yields a negative result, individuals should continue to monitor for symptoms.

Interested individuals should fill out an online survey at testreg.nd.gov for faster registration.

For more information about rapid antigen tests and North Dakota’s screening strategies, visit https://www.health.nd.gov/rapid-antigen-screening

Bismarck (NDDoH) – The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) provided an update Thursday regarding COVID-19 vaccine priority groups. Molly Howell, NDDoH Immunization Director, says, “Vaccine distribution in North Dakota has gone well the first three weeks. Although vaccine supply continues to be very limited, North Dakotans should monitor messaging from their local health departments and health care providers for more information on when they are able to be vaccinated.”

The North Dakota COVID-19 Vaccination Ethics Committee, which includes a physician, ethicist, local public health representative, representative of the Department of Human Services and a representative of the Department of Health, has recommended who should receive the still-limited supply of the vaccine.

Though health care providers are still working through Phase 1A—comprised of frontline health care workers, first responders and long-term care residents and staff—the ethics committee has prioritized who will qualify for Phases 1B and 1C.

Phase 1B (in order of priority):

Persons age 75 and older
Persons age 65 – 74 with two or more high-risk medical conditions
Staff and persons living in other congregate settings (i.e., corrections, group homes, treatment centers, homeless shelters, etc.)
Persons age 65 and older with one or more high-risk medical conditions
Persons age 65 and older with or without high-risk medical conditions
Persons with two or more high-risk medical conditions regardless of age
Child care workers
Workers employed by preschools or Kindergarten through 12^th grade:
- Teachers, nutritional services, aides, bus drivers, principals, administrative staff, custodians, etc.

Phase 1C (in order of priority):

North Dakota National Guard, not previously covered
Grocery Workers
Public safety answering points (911)
Manufacturing related to the development or supply of COVID-19 vaccine
Other health care/public health workers not included in phase 1A
Free standing clinical laundries
Public transit, including bus, taxi, ride-share
Persons age 16 – 64 with one or more high-risk medical conditions
Blood bank workers not previously vaccinated
Information technology
All other essential workers per Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

NDDoH will announce when the state will move on to Phase 1B. It is anticipated that this may occur in mid-January. Depending on local vaccine acceptance and supply, it is possible that different areas of the state may be vaccinating within different priority levels.

In the future, vaccinefinder.org will be populated with more information about vaccine availability in different areas across North Dakota. Following Phase 1C, the state will move to Phase 2, which includes the general public.

Citizens wishing to be vaccinated during their phase can call their health care provider or local public health department to determine when they can receive their vaccination.

To date, 19,097 health care workers and long-term care residents in North Dakota have received their COVID-19 vaccination. More than 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States. For more information on the COVID-19 vaccine and phases of vaccination, visit health.nd.gov/covidvaccine.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Lawmakers convene Tuesday either in person wearing masks or remotely for North Dakota’s 67th legislative session. The session comes as lawmakers face tough spending choices amid a pandemic that’s hit a state economy already reeling from depressed oil and agriculture prices. Ambitious billion-dollar bonding proposals from Republicans, Democrats and Gov. Doug Burgum are expected to highlight the session. The session also will mark the first in state history that forbids lawmakers from taking gifts, meals or other things of value from lobbyists and others under new voter-approved ethics rules.

Washington The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that the deadline to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program for the COVID-19 Pandemic disaster declaration is extended to Dec. 31, 2021. The deadline extension comes as a result of the recent bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill passed by Congress and enacted by President Trump on Dec. 27, 2020.

To date, the SBA has approved $197 billion in low-interest loans which provides working capital funds to help small businesses, non-profits and agricultural businesses make it through this challenging time.

EIDL loan applications will continue to be accepted through December 2021, pending the availability of funds. Loans are offered with a 3.75% interest rate for small businesses and 2.75% interest rate for nonprofit organizations, a 30-year maturity, and an automatic deferment of one year before monthly payments begin. Every eligible small business and nonprofit are encouraged to apply to get the resources they need.

Washington (ABC) The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said multiple samples of Sportmix dog and cat foods made by Midwestern Pet Food, Inc., were tested by the Missouri Department of Agriculture and found to have potentially fatal levels of aflatoxin. The toxin is produced by the mold aspergillus flavus, which can grow on corn and other grains used in pet foods, according to CBS.

ABC reports aflatoxin can be present even if the mold isn’t visible. Symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning include sluggishness, loss of appetite, vomiting, jaundice (yellowish tint to eyes, gums or skin from liver damage), and/or diarrhea. Some pets can suffer liver damage or die.

Nine different lots of dry pet food have been recalled that were sold online and in stores nationwide.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — A Fargo Police Department car was struck early Saturday while an officer was conducting a traffic stop, leading to the arrest of a 21-year-old for driving under the influence of alcohol. The officer was concluding a traffic stop and had emergency lights activated when another vehicle struck the back end of the police car. There were no injuries in the crash. Police arrested the driver for driving under the influence of alcohol and cited her for failing to have the vehicle under control.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The North Dakota Highway Patrol has released the name of a man killed while walking on a highway south of Huff. Forty-three-year-old Alex Azure was standing in the northbound lane of the highway when he was hit by a vehicle late Thursday, according to the police. Several people had called the highway patrol to report that he was walking in the roadway. Troopers were on their way to the scene when he was hit. The highway patrol says the driver was unable to avoid striking Azure, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Police have arrested a suspect after a shooting at a Mandan mobile home court. Mandan Police say 28-year-old Terry J. Peltier allegedly shot another 28-year-old man just after 4 a.m. Friday. The Bismarck Tribune reports the unidentified man suffered a gunshot wound to his hip, and an ambulance took him to a local hospital. Police did not know his condition. Officers located Peltier, a Mandan resident, at a home in Bismarck. He is being held at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center while formal charges are pending. It’s not clear if he has an attorney.

In sports…

Saturday

UJ Basketball

Harold Newman Arena

Men

Mason Walters grabbed 22 rebounds for a new UJ record.

Jamestown (UJ) The University of Jamestown men’s basketball team opened 2021 with some impressive performances in a 98-80 win over Hastings (Neb.) College Saturday afternoon at Harold Newman Arena.

The Jimmies (11-3, 7-2 GPAC) tied a single-game mark with 21 made three-pointers, and Mason Walters (SO/Jamestown, ND) grabbed 22 rebounds for a new UJ record.

Will Cordes (FR/Shakopee, MN) drained eight threes, one away from the Jimmies’ record of nine.

Hastings (4-10, 0-9 GPAC), in search of its first conference win, stayed close with Jamestown in the opening 10 minutes. There were 14 lead changes in the first 9:52 of game time, with the largest lead being four points.

Brock Schrom (SR/Grand Rapids, MN) put the Jimmies ahead 23-22 and UJ would never trail again. The Broncos would get within one point on four different occasions in the first half, but a 5-0 run to close the half gave Jamestown a 50-43 lead at the break.

Jamestown led by 12 at the 12:25 mark of the second, only to have Hastings use a pair of 6-0 runs as part of a larger 14-6 run to trail by just four with 7:18 in the game.

Marc Kjos (SO/Lake City, MN) and Cordes connected on back-to-back three-pointers, and Schrom’s bucket capped an 8-0 run that pushed the lead back to 12.

UJ’s first 10 made shots of the second half were all threes, and their first two-point field goal was the Schrom’s run-capper with 5:44 remaining.

Walters broke the previous record of 21 rebounds set by Jordan Olson in 2007. Jamestown also made 21 threes against Waldorf (Iowa) on January 27, 2017.

Cordes finished with a career-high 26 points. Walters (16), Woodford (14), Allante’ Pickens (SR/Chicago, IL) (12), and Kjos (11) also were in double figures for Jamestown. Kjos dished out a team-high six assists while Cordes and Pickens each had five.

Hastings was led by Mason Hiemstra’s game-high 28 points. Ben Juhl had 18 and Shane Chamberlain 15 as the Broncos lost for the ninth time in their last 10 games.

The Jimmies return to action Thursday with an 8 p.m. game at Midland (Neb.) University.

Women

Jamestown (UJ) A 28-point third quarter proved to be the difference Saturday afternoon for the University of Jamestown women’s basketball team as they defeated Hastings (Neb.) 66-55 at Harold Newman Arena.

The victory sends the Jimmies to an 8-4 overall record, 6-4 in the GPAC. Hastings falls to 4-8 overall and 3-7 in league play.

UJ led 18-17 after a first period that featured three ties and three lead changes. Emma Stoehr (SR/Woodbury, MN)’s basket broke a 12-12 tie with 2:53 in the first, and the Jimmies would hold onto the lead for the remainder of the game.

Jamestown’s largest lead of the half came on Kia Tower (SO/Bigfork, MN)’s free throw that made it 30-20 with 3:23 in the half. Hastings closed the quarter making three of their last five shots, but UJ went up eight points at the half.

Hannah DeMars (SO/Grand Rapids, MN) scored 12 of her game-high 22 points in the third for the Jimmies, and a 21-9 run by the home team pushed the lead to 20 points (55-35) with 3:45 left in the quarter. Jamestown shot 10-for-19 while holding Hastings to 6-of-16 shooting.

The offensive spurt proved beneficial for UJ, as the Jimmies connected on just one of 14 field goal attempts and were held to four points in the fourth quarter. Hastings closed the game on an 11-1 run to narrow the gap.

DeMars pulled down 10 rebounds for a double-double. Tower finished with 13 points and nine rebounds, and Noelle Josephson (JR/Ramsey, MN) added 11 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Audrey Rodakowski (FR/Dickinson, ND) filled the stat sheet with eight points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots.

Taylor Beacom led the Broncos with 11 points. Carley Leners registered a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Allison Bauer came off the bench to add 10 points.

Jamestown is back in action Monday night with a non-conference game at Valley City State (N.D.) University. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

Sat High School Hockey

Blue Jays Girl’s Hockey

Wilson Arena

Fargo Davies 6, Jamestown 1

Williston 2, Dickinson 0

West Fargo 4, Grand Forks 2

BOYS

Mayville/Portland 6, Grafton/PR 3

Williston 4, Mandan 3

G.F. Red River 4, Fargo North 3

Minot 3, Dickinson 2

Sat

Jerry Meyer Arena

Blue Jays Boy’s Basketball

Jamestown 66, Bismarck Century 53

OTHER CLASS A SCORES

W.F. Sheyenne 89, Fargo South 55

Mandan 96, Watford City 53

Bismarck Legacy 71, Turtle Mountain 65

Dickinson 69, Williston 52

Aberdeen (SD) 70, G.F. Red River 52

Dakota Valley (SD) 89, Fargo Davies 65

CLASS B

Nedrose 59, Max 21

Larimore 62, Griggs-Midkota 61 (OT)

Kindred 66, Shiloh Christian 42

Surrey 63, Garrison 59

Thompson 53, Carrington 38

Four Winds/Minn. 74, Hatton/NW 39

Flasher 62, Central McLean 55

Glen Ullin/Hebron 56, Mott-Regent 54

Central Cass 70, Lisbon 41

Washburn 64, Richardton-Taylor 57

Napoleon/GS 67, South Border 50

GIRLS

CLASS A

Bismarck Century 84, Jamestown 60

Bismarck Legacy 77, Turtle Mountain 44

Watford City 74, Mandan 62

Dickinson 80, Williston 52

Abredeen (SD) 68, G.F. Red River 66 (OT)

CLASS B

Carrington 51, Langdon/EM 37

Central Cass 62, Tri-State 35

Enderlin 45, Ellendale 41

Grafton 73, Northern Cass 63

Mayville/PCG 48, Nelson Co. 43

Kenmare 56, Bottineau 33

Divide Co. 51, Ray 31

Hazen 57, Mott-Regent 48

Washburn 40, Richardton-Taylor 36

Parshall 70, Powers Lake 46

Central McLean 57, Flasher 45

Kindred 62, Shiloh Christian 41

Harvey/WC 68, Dunseith 66

Hettinger/Scranton 61, Harding Co. (SD) 48

Sunday

VCSU Men’s Basketball

VCSU 85 Oak Hills Christian College 63

VCSU Men’s Basketball

Valley City (VCSU) – The Valley City State men’s basketball team continued its winning streak Sunday with an 85-63 victory over Oak Hills Christian College.

Freshman guard Cayden Rickard had a career game in his first start as a Viking, tallying 15 points, four assists, and four steals on Sunday.

“With Joshua Kelly and Tate Hebrink out, we weren’t scared because we know Cayden is good enough,” said head coach Ryan Montgomery of Rickard’s performance. “When we recruited him, we knew he was a great scoring and passing point guard.”

Three more Vikings scored in double figures Sunday, led by Chris Thompson with 19 while Jalen Addison added 17 and Hunter Sand scored 15. Sand added a career-high five steals, while Thompson and Addison each added three. Kevin Schramm led the rebounding efforts with a team-high nine boards while Connor Entzi added six rebounds and four assists for the Vikings.

Valley City State is now 8-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play. Oak Hills falls to 4-7 overall this season.

Valley City State led by as much as 16 points over the first ten minutes as they paced the game with full-court pressure. The Wolfpack inched closer as they got back within two points on a pair of free throws from Deontray Anderson with 4:44 on the clock. From there, the Vikings scored the next eight straight points to regain a double figure lead and held onto a 46-36 lead at halftime.

The Wolfpack scored in its first two possessions to open the second half, closing the gap to trail by just five points. Chris Thompson answered with a three-pointer and a layup on the next two Viking possessions to regain the double-figure lead they would hold onto the rest of the way.

As a team, the Vikings scored 26 points off of 23 Wolfpack turnovers and scored 46 points in the paint Sunday. Oak Hills narrowly edged the Vikings on the glass, out rebounding the Vikings 37-36.

With four players out, Coach Montgomery was proud of the team effort Sunday. “With how we play, four guys is a lot. I’m proud of our guys to battle through that,” he said. “This is a good group and we faced a lot of adversity in this game.”

Valley City State shot 49 percent from the field (35-72), 41 percent on three-pointers (12-29), and 43 percent from the free throw line (3-7). Oak Hills shot 36 percent from the field (24-67), 26 percent on three-pointers (8-31), and 78 percent on free throws (7-9).

Doug Merida led Oak Hills with 22 points and three assists. Devin Session added 20 points and a team-high nine rebounds for the Wolfpack.

UP NEXT: Valley City State resumes conference play next weekend as they travel to Dakota State on Jan. 8. The women are scheduled to tip at 5:30 p.m. and the men will follow at 7:30 p.m.

MACOMB, Ill. (AP) — Tyree Eady had 16 points to lead six North Dakota State players in double figures as the Bison beat Western Illinois 78-67. Jarius Cook added 14 points for the Bison. Grant Nelson chipped in 13, Maleeck Harden-Hayes scored 11 and Sam Griesel had 10. Tamell Pearson led the Leathernecks with 17 points.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Josiah Allick had 23 points as Kansas City rolled past North Dakota 77-53. Filip Rebraca led the Fighting Hawks with 14 points and eight rebounds.

NFL-

— Kirk Cousins threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in guiding the Vikings’ offense in a 37-35 win over the Lions. Alexander Mattison ran for 95 yards and a TD, but his biggest gainer was a 16-yard scamper on fourth-and-1 that allowed the 7-9 Vikings to run out the clock. Detroit’s defense broke franchise records by allowing 519 points and 6,716 yards, breaking marks set by its winless team in 2008.

— The Bears snared an NFC playoff berth despite a 35-16 loss to the Packers. Aaron Rodgers threw for four touchdowns, breaking his franchise record for scoring passes in a season and helping Green Bay take home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Rodgers joined Peyton Manning as the only players to throw for at least 45 touchdowns in multiple seasons. Davante Adams broke Sterling Sharpe’s record for receptions in a season and tied his mark for touchdown catches in a year.

— Washington’s Alex Smith threw two touchdown passes in a 20-14, division-clinching win at Philadelphia. Smith threw a 13-yard TD pass to Logan Thomas in the second quarter to give Washington a 17-14 lead it never relinquished. The go-ahead toss came after Jalen Hurts scored on a pair of 6-yard TD runs for the Eagles. Washington gets into the postseason at 7-9, which means six non-playoff teams missed out despite matching or topping that record.

— Darren Waller caught Derek Carr’s 2-point conversion pass with 24 seconds left to send the 8-8 Raiders past the Broncos, 32-31. Josh Jacobs’ 1-yard TD run capped a seven play, 77-yard drive before head coach Jon Gruden went for the win instead of the tie. Las Vegas ended a nine-game losing streak in season finales despite turning the ball over four times.

UNDATED (AP) — The NFL playoff scenario is complete. The Tennessee Titans have won the AFC South, while the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts have locked up wild-card spots in the conference.

The Washington Football Team took the NFC East by finishing one game ahead of Dallas and New York. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears will go to the NFC playoffs as wild cards. The Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, Giants and Cowboys missed out on playoff berths.

Here’s how things shook out in Week 17:

— Derrick Henry ran for a career-high 250 yards and the Titans captured the AFC South for the first time in 12 years with a 41-38 triumph over the Texans. Henry finished the regular season with a franchise-record 2,027 yards rushing to become the eighth player in NFL history to run for 2,000 yards. Houston tied the game on a field goal with just 18 seconds left, but Tennessee pulled it out when Sam Sloman’s 37-yard kick bounced off the upright and through as time expired. Titans QB Ryan Tannehill threw for 216 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores.

— The Browns are a playoff team for the first time since 2002 following a 24-22 win over the AFC North-champion Steelers. Nick Chubb had a touchdown run, Baker Mayfield threw a TD pass and the Browns hung on after taking a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter. Mason Rudolph’s 2-yard TD pass to JuJu Smith-Schuster with 1:23 left pulled the Steelers within 24-22. But Rudolph badly overthrew rookie Chase Claypool on the 2-point attempt before the Browns recovered the onside kick.

— The Ravens used a club-record 404 yards rushing to clinch a playoff spot and hammer Cincinnati, 38-3. Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes and became the first NFL quarterback to rush for more than 1,000 yards in two consecutive seasons, collecting 97 against the Bengals before taking a seat in the third quarter. Rookie J.K. Dobbins rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns for the 11-5 Ravens, including a 72-yard scoring romp in the third quarter. Baltimore won its fifth straight game and advanced to the postseason for a third consecutive season.

— Jonathan Taylor rushed for a franchise-record 253 yards and two scores as the Colts doubled up the Jaguars, 28-14 to clinch an AFC playoff berth. Taylor sealed the victory for the 11-5 Colts by running 45 yards for a TD with 3:35 left. Philip Rivers threw for another score and the Indianapolis defense shut out the Jaguars over the final quarter to help preserve the win. Jacksonville lost its final 15 games and will have the No. 1 overall draft pick in April.

— Josh Allen and the Bills ended the Dolphins’ bid for an AFC playoff berth with a 56-26 rout of Miami. Allen threw three touchdown passes and Isaiah McKenzie scored three times, including a punt return of 84 yards. The 13-3 Bills blew the game open by scoring on four consecutive second-quarter possessions. Buffalo’s 56 points were the second most in team history, and Allen set a single-season team record with 4,544 yards passing.

— Russell Wilson connected on two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Tyler Lockett as the Seahawks rallied for their fourth straight win, 26-23 versus the 49ers. Wilson finished 20 of 36 passing for 171 yards, and Lockett provided 90 yards on 12 catches for the 12-4 Seahawks. Alex Collins ran for an 8-yard touchdown with 1:49 left to put the Seahawks ahead 26-16. Seattle had a slow start and appeared in serious trouble when Jeff Wilson Jr. ran for a 7-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to push the 49ers ahead, 16-6.

— The Buccaneers claimed the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs as Tom Brady threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-27 thumping of the Falcons. Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin each caught scoring passes for Brady, who set a club record with 40 TD throws. Godwin finished with 133 yards receiving, while Brown logged 138 on 11 catches in his best game since joining Tampa Bay. But star receiver Mike Evans was carted to the locker room with a left knee injury late in the first quarter and didn’t return.

— Chicago made the playoffs by virtue of the Cardinals’ 18-7 loss to the Rams. Los Angeles QB John Wolford passed for 231 yards and rushed for 56 more in his NFL debut. Troy Hill returned an interception 84 yards for a touchdown as the Rams claimed their third postseason berth in four years under head coach Sean McVay. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray finished with 87 yards passing after sitting out for most of the first three quarters with an ankle injury.

— The Saints wrapped up the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs by picking off five passes in a 33-7 throttling of the Panthers. Drew Brees (breez) threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns for New Orleans, which managed to gain 156 yards on the ground despite the absence of Alvin Kamara (kah-MAH’-rah) and Latavius Murray due to COVID-19 concerns. Ty Montgomery ran for 105 yards on 18 carries to help the 12-4 Saints become the first team to sweep the NFC South since the division was formed in 2002.

— The Giants kept their NFC East title hopes alive for about seven hours by holding off the Cowboys, 23-19. The outcome hung in the balance until rookie Xavier McKinney intercepted Dallas’ Andy Dalton in the end zone with 1:15 remaining, leaving both teams 6-10. Daniel Jones was 17-of-25 passing for 229 yards and two touchdowns, helping New York end the Cowboys’ seven-game winning streak in the rivalry.

— Justin Herbert threw for 302 yards and accounted for four touchdowns as the Chargers whipped the short-handed Chiefs, 38-21. Mike Williams, fill-in tight end Donald Parham Jr. and running back Austin Ekeler had touchdown catches for the Chargers, though Ekeler’s season ended with a concussion late in the first half. Kansas City already had wrapped up the No. 1 seed and the AFC’s lone first-round bye, so coach Andy Reid chose rest over reps by sitting quarterback Patrick Mahomes (mah-HOHMZ’), safety Tyrann Mathieu and several of his best players.

— Cam Newton had three touchdown passes and caught another in the Patriots’ 28-14 downing of the Jets. Newton also ran for 79 yards and posted his first multi-touchdown passing game of the season, going 21 of 30 for 242 yards as New England finished 7-9. Sam Darnold was 23 of 34 for 266 yards, a touchdown and two second-half interceptions for the Jets, who led 14-7 before ending up 2-14. After the game, the Jets announced that head coach Adam Gase was fired after two seasons and just nine wins.

NBA

— Jamal Murray scored 26 of his season-high 36 points by halftime and Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH’-lah YOH’-kihch) recorded his fourth triple-double of the season as the Nuggets whipped the Timberwolves, 124-109. Jokic contributed 19 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists despite getting into early foul trouble for the second straight game.

UNDATED (AP) — How hot was Stephen Curry against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday? He managed to outscore the Blazers’ All-Star backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum while setting a career high for points.

Curry torched the Trail Blazers for 62 points in leading the Golden State Warriors to a 137-122 victory. Curry had the highest-scoring game in the NBA this season, finishing 18 for 31 and 8 of 16 on 3-pointers after beginning with a 21-point first quarter. He had his 10th career 30-point half to help the Warriors take a 66-54 at the break.

Curry’s only blemish was watching his team-record streak of successful free throws end at 80.

Lillard finished with 32 points and McCollum had 28 for Portland.

In Sunday’s other NBA action:

— LeBron James had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Lakers in a 108-94 downing of the Grizzlies. Anthony Davis added 17 points and nine rebounds, while Montrezl (MAHN’-trehz) Harrell added 16 points and nine boards in the Lakers’ third win in a row.

— Paul George poured in 39 points and the Clippers led by as many as 31 before holding off the Suns, 112-107. George was 7 of 10 from 3-point range and Los Angeles was 17 of 29 overall.

— Zach LaVine (lah-VEEN’) delivered 39 points and Coby White scored 21 of his 23 in the second half to lead the Bulls to a 118-108 victory over the Mavericks. Jalen Brunson had 31 points for the Mavericks while starting in place of All-Star guard Luka Doncic (DAHN’-chihch), who was out with a left quad injury.

— Jayson Tatum nailed a fallaway with 2.9 seconds left to give the Celtics a 122-120 victory over the Pistons. Tatum came within two rebounds of a triple-double, finishing with 24 points and 12 assists. Jaylen Brown shot 13 of 16 while scoring a team-high 31 points, including 3-pointer that gave Boston a last-minute lead.

— Bojan (BOY’-ahn) Bogdanovic scored 28 points and the Jazz drained a season-high 21 3-pointers in a 130-109 pounding of the Spurs. Donovan Mitchell added 22 points and nine assists in 29 minutes as the Jazz sat their starters for half of the fourth quarter.

— Bradley Beal had 27 points, 10 rebounds and the assist on Thomas Bryant’s go-ahead dunk with 14.9 seconds left in the Wizards’ 123-122 verdict over the Nets. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant missed jumpers on the last possession, dropping the Nets to 3-4.

T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-

UNDATED (AP) — Fifth-ranked Houston was able to rebound from its first loss of the season by beating a state rival.

Quentin Grimes hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to ignite a 10-0 run that started the second half of the Cougars’ 74-60 win against previously undefeated SMU.

Marcus Sasser led Houston with 17 points and Justin Gorham added 11 with 19 rebounds.

Grimes got into early foul trouble and didn’t score in the first half before finishing with 11 points.

In other top-25 men’s basketball action:

— Michigan remains unbeaten after Hunter Dickinson scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half of the 16th-ranked Wolverines’ 85-66 rout of No. 19 Northwestern. Chaundee Brown, Franz Wagner and Eli Brooks scored 14 points apiece for the Wolverines, who are the last Big Ten team without a loss.

— Liam Robbins had 27 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to help 21st-rated Minnesota coast to a 77-60 victory over No. 25 Ohio State. Marcus Carr added 15 points and Gabe Kalscheur scored 13 in Minnesota’s third win in four games all against top-25 teams.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL-

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) — Northern Illinois has fired men’s basketball coach Mark Montgomery after a 1-7 start.

Montgomery had just two winning seasons since taking over in 2011 and led the Huskies to a 124-170 record. After going 18-13 last year, their lone victory this season was over Chicago State last month.

NHL-

UNDATED (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins have taken a leap of faith with John Marino by giving the 23-year-old defenseman a six-year contract worth an average of $4.4 million per season.

The deal caps a meteoric rise for Marino, who was acquired from Edmonton in July 2019 for a sixth-round pick. Marino impressed as a rookie last season, registering six goals and 26 points while compiling a plus-17 rating in 56 games.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

— The Blackhawks have re-signed restricted free agent Dylan Strome (strohm) to a two-year contract. The 23-year-old Strome had 12 goals and 38 points in 58 games last season.

— The Canucks have received provincial approval to play in British Columbia this season. British Columbia is the second province to officially OK NHL games, following Alberta.

MLB-NEWS

Marlins added bullpen depth

MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Marlins hope they’ve upgraded their bullpen by working out a one-year, $850,000 package with lefty Ross Detwiler.

The 34-year-old Detwiler pitched in 16 games out of the bullpen for the White Sox last year, going 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 44 innings. He broke into the majors in 2007 and has a 4.56 ERA in 224 games for seven teams.

The Marlins also announced the signing of catcher Sandy Leon to a minor league contract.

In world and national news…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is heard on tape pleading with Georgia’s election chief to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the state. Trump suggests in a telephone call that the official “find” enough votes to hand Trump the victory. The conversation was the latest step in an unprecedented effort by a sitting American president to reverse the outcome of a free and fair election that he lost. The Associated Press obtained a copy of a recording of Trump’s conversation with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Trump tells Raffensperger at one point that he wants him to “find” 11,780 votes for Trump. Georgia previously certified that Democratic President-elect Biden won the state by 11,779 votes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The extraordinary Republican effort to overturn the presidential election is being condemned by an outpouring of current and former GOP officials. They are warning that the effort to sow doubt in Joe Biden’s victory and keep President Donald Trump in office is undermining Americans’ faith in democracy. Trump has enlisted support from a dozen Republican senators and up to 100 House Republicans to challenge the Electoral College vote. Congress is set to convene Wednesday in a joint session to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s 306-232 win. But a bipartisan group of 10 senators is criticizing the effort, saying that “the 2020 election is over.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian state television has acknowledged that Tehran seized a South Korean-flagged oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The report on Monday alleged the MT Hankuk Chemi had been stopped by Iranian authorities over alleged “oil pollution” in the Persian Gulf and the strait. The semiofficial Fars news agency said Iran’s Revolutionary Guard’s naval forces seized the ship. Satellite data from MarineTraffic.com showed the MT Hankuk Chemi off the port of Bandar Abbas on Monday afternoon without explanation. It had been traveling from Saudi Arabia to Fujairah in the UAE. The ship’s owners could not be immediately reached for comment.

(AP) Federal health officials say the U.S. ramped up COVID-19 vaccinations in the past few days after a slower-than-expected start, bringing to the number of shots dispensed to about 4 million. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious-disease expert, also said on ABC’s “This Week” that President-elect Joe Biden’s pledge to administer 100 million shots of the coronavirus vaccine within his first 100 days in office is achievable. And he rejected President Donald Trump’s false claim on Twitter that coronavirus deaths and cases in the U.S. have been greatly exaggerated. The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. has now exceeded 350,000.

LONDON (AP) — A British judge has rejected the United States’ request to extradite WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to face espionage charges, saying it would be “oppressive” because of his mental health. District Judge Vanessa Baraitser said Assange was likely to kill himself if sent to the U.S. The U.S. government said it would appeal the decision. U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on 17 espionage charges and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of leaked military and diplomatic documents a decade ago. Lawyers for the 49-year-old Australian argue that he was acting as a journalist and is entitled to First Amendment protections of freedom of speech.

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets and U.S. futures have risen on 2021’s first trading day, boosted by optimism about the rollout of coronavirus vaccines after Wall Street ended the year on a new high. London and Frankfurt opened higher while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Seoul and Sydney. Tokyo declined after Japan’s prime minister said a state of emergency was under consideration for the capital due to soaring virus caseloads. Vaccine development by U.S., European and Chinese producers has raised hopes a return to normal might be closer after the global economy’s worst decline since the 1930s. That is outweighing concern about rising infection numbers in the United States and some other countries and conflict in Washington over economic aid.