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Duke upsets Virginia in overtime to claim ACC title, possibly shaking up CFP picture

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Duke upsets Virginia in overtime to claim ACC title, possibly shaking up CFP picture

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Duke sent the College Football Playoff picture into uncertainty with a stunning overtime win on Saturday.

The Blue Devils secured their first outright ACC championship title since 1962 with a 27-20 victory over Virginia.

Duke quarterback Darian Mensah connected with tight end Jeremiah Hasley for a 1-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play in overtime, in what would be the deciding score.

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Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah looks to pass during overtime against the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris was intercepted by Duke’s Luke Mergott on the Cavaliers’ first offensive play of overtime.

Duke last won a share of the ACC regular season title in 1989, sharing it with Virginia in Steve Spurrier’s final season as the Blue Devils’ coach. 

The conference championship game was created in 2005, and Duke got there this year thanks to a five-team tiebreaker.

NOTRE DAME’S MARCUS FREEMAN MAKES CASE FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF 

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Duke’s Dan Mahan celebrates defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

Virginia, the ACC regular season champion, would have reached the CFP for the first time in school history with a victory. While Duke is still unlikely to make the playoff field, the win opens the door for a second Group of Five team — likely James Madison — to sneak in.

JMU alums Ben Overby and James Turner were even at the game to support Duke.

“Nothing against UVA,” Turner said excitedly, “but we’re just here to support Duke.”

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Duke Blue Devils defensive end Wesley Williams celebrates with safety DaShawn Stone after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers during the 2025 ACC Championship game. (Jim Dedmon/Imagn Images)

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips argued this week that his league deserved two bids: one for No. 12 Miami as the league’s highest-ranked team, the other for the Duke-Virginia winner as the league’s champion.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Lakers beat Nets, but Luka Doncic is facing suspension again after 16th technical

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Lakers beat Nets, but Luka Doncic is facing suspension again after 16th technical

For the second time in less than a week, Luka Doncic faces a one-game suspension because of technical foul accumulation.

Only a week after Doncic’s 16th technical foul was rescinded by the NBA, the Lakers superstar picked up another one in a 116-99 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Friday and is in line to miss the Lakers’ next game against the Washington Wizards on Monday.

In the third quarter with the Lakers trailing by one against the lowly Nets (17-57), Doncic was called for an offensive foul against Nic Claxton as the Lakers (48-26) were trying to inbound the ball after a dunk by Ziaire Williams. After the Lakers turnover, Williams and Doncic appeared to exchange words with Doncic pushing Williams aside with one hand. Williams then flailed his arms behind him and slapped Doncic in the throat.

“He was yelling in my face three times,” said Doncic, who finished with 41 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the win. “I just wanted to get out of there. … I didn’t even talk. I just wanted to get out of there. And they said I pushed. My push was exaggerated, which was obviously not [the case].”

Both were assessed technical fouls with 5:12 remaining in the third quarter, and Williams’ hit was reviewed for a possible flagrant, although it was not upgraded.

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The NBA requires players to sit out for one game without pay after their 16th technical foul of the season. But Doncic avoided that fate after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game last week. Lakers coach JJ Redick said the Lakers will try to appeal Doncic’s latest foul but he did not see what happened on the play.

Last week, Doncic avoided a suspension after the NBA rescinded the foul that would have forced him to the bench for a critical road game against the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons. Doncic is slated to miss Monday’s game against the Wizards, who have lost 17 of their last 18 games and have the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference (17-56).

Lakers star Luka Doncic reacts to a referee’s call during the second half Friday against the Brooklyn Nets at Crypto.com Arena.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Doncic picked up his first 16th technical foul last week against the Orlando Magic after getting into an argument with Orlando forward Goga Bitadze. Doncic claimed Bitadze directed a vulgar comment about Doncic’s family in Serbian toward the Lakers star guard. Bitadze refuted the story, saying it was actually Doncic who said the curse word out loud first and that he was only repeating what he heard.

The NBA rescinded both fouls upon review the following day.

Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, has scored 30 points or more in 12 consecutive games, the longest such streak in his career. He has 43 30-point games this season, tying Elgin Baylor and Jerry West for sixth-most in a season by a Lakers player. He has scored 40 points or more in the last 12 games.

Against the Nets, Austin Reaves finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and five assists and LeBron James had 14 points, eight assists and six rebounds.

Before the game, Redick said the Nets game would be like playing on the road since the Lakers had spent almost two weeks away from Crypto.com Arena and had returned home in the wee hours of Thursday morning from Indianapolis.

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Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Nets in the second half Friday.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves celebrates after shooting a three-pointer against the Nets in the second half Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The challenge was to find the energy to play, which wasn’t a problem for Doncic, who had 24 points in the first half. Doncic was nine for 15 from the field in the first half and four for six from three-point range in 20 minutes. He finished shooting 15 for 25 from the field as the Lakers shot 54% from the floor. They shot 44% (11 for 25) from three-point range.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team with the second-worst record in the NBA didn’t matter.

That the Lakers were facing a Nets team had lost nine of its last 10 games didn’t matter.

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That the Lakers were facing a Nets team that’s last in the league in scoring (106.3 points per game) didn’t matter.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton, left, blocks a shot by Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton, left, blocks a shot by Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore in the first half Friday.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

What mattered to the Lakers was finding a way to win as the regular season winds down.

“I felt like we were a step slow,” Redick said. “And I told the guys at halftime, ‘This is our seventh game of the road trip. Anytime you come back, there’s a day in between, that’s just you’re in another city until you can get adjusted to the time zone and you get a couple days break.’ So the next two [off] days will be good for us.”

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Notes: Lakers broadcast analyst Stu Lantz missed Friday night’s game against the Nets because of health issues. Derek Fisher, who won five NBA titles with the Lakers, took over Lantz’s role for the game. Public address announcer Lawrence Tanter also missed the game because of a health matter. Jason Barquero filled in for Lantz. “The entire Lakers organization is wishing Lawrence all the best in his recovery, and we look forward to welcoming him back soon,” the team said in a statement.

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Tiger Woods involved in rollover crash in Florida less than 2 weeks before Masters: reports

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Tiger Woods involved in rollover crash in Florida less than 2 weeks before Masters: reports

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Tiger Woods was involved in a car crash on Jupiter Island in Florida on Friday, according to multiple reports. 

The Martin County Sheriff’s Office told ESPN that the crash happened on Jupiter Island. Woods’ condition was not immediately known. 

Woods competed in the TGL championship earlier this week with his girlfriend, Vanessa Trump, and her daughter, Kai, in the stands. It was his return to competitive golf after rupturing his Achilles last year, just ahead of the Masters.

Tiger Woods of Jupiter Links Golf Club looks on before the match against the Los Angeles Golf Club at SoFi Center on March 23, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.  (Adam Glanzman/TGL/TGL Golf via Getty Images)

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The 15-time major winner, five of which have come at Augusta, was noncommittal about playing at this year’s Masters. President Donald Trump said on “The Five” on Thursday that he would be at Augusta but not play.

Woods has had trouble behind the wheel in the past. In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for months.

This is a breaking story. Check back for more updates.

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High school softball top 20 rankings for the Southland

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High school softball top 20 rankings for the Southland

A look at the top 20 high school softball teams in the Southland; as ranked by CalHiSports.com for The Times.

Rk. School; Record; Last ranking

1. Murrieta Mesa; 16-0; 1

2. Fullerton; 11-1; 4

3. Norco; 9-2; 3

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4. JSerra 14-2; 2

5. La Mirada 12-2; 6

6. Oaks Christian; 12-1; 5

7. Orange Lutheran 5-3; 7

8. Etiwanda; 14-1; 11

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9. Riverside King; 10-2; 20

10. Chino Hills; 13-4; NR

11. Chaminade; 10-1; NR

12. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame; 11-3; 8

13. El Modena; 7-4; 19

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14. La Habra; 12-3; 18

15. Temescal Canyon; 8-4; 12

16. Long Beach Poly; 5-0; 16

17. Los Altos; 7-5; NR

18. Garden Grove Pacifica; 10-5; 9

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19. Westlake; 10-2; NR

20. Anaheim Canyon; 8-4,10

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