Here is the latest SEC sports news from The Associated Press
UNDATED (AP) — Finally, No. 2 Michigan gets a test. The Wolverines have stomped through the season, crushing opponents by 34 points per game, the best margin in the country. None of those opponents has been ranked, creating some questions about just how good Michigan is. A trip to No. 9 Penn State will provide an answer. The game is one of two top 10 matchups among Week 11’s most intriguing games.
UNDATED (AP) — An NCAA review has concluded that the officiating in the national championship game between LSU and Iowa fell short of expectations. The review was pushed up to this summer after criticism about the calls in the game. LSU beat Iowa for its first national title. NCAA vice president for women’s basketball Lynn Holzman says officials were graded on the accuracy of their calls and the overall number was lower than it should have been. She says work will be done to improve.
UNDATED (AP) — After a season that saw over a 33% increase in technical fouls, women’s college basketball is putting a renewed emphasis on sportsmanship this year. Last season there were 830 total technical fouls called, up from 606 the season before. That included a 77% increase on techs given to head coaches and a whopping 193% increase on technical fouls assessed to personnel on the bench. Fighting was also a big problem last year, including incidents in a game between George Washington and TCU as well one between Georgia and VCU. There was a 400% increase in bench personnel ejections as a result.
CHICAGO (AP) — Junior college transfer Trey Fort hit six 3-pointers and scored 21 points to lead Mississippi State to a 71-56 victory over Arizona State in a season opener for both teams. Fort hit three straight 3-pointers to kick off a 16-4 first half-ending run for a 39-18 lead. The lead reached as many as 25 points in the second half. West Virginia graduate transfer Jimmy Bell added 13 points and Dashawn Davis 10 for the Bulldogs, who shot 40%. Arizona State, with seven Division I transfers joining the roster this season, was led by 聽Louisville transfer Kamari Lands with 13 points and Frankie Collins adding 10.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Billy Napier insisted he would “get to the bottom” of one of the most egregious sideline screwups in Florida football history. So he talked to everyone involved, dug in on what went wrong and vowed to never let it happen again, right? Not quite. Napier says “I think ultimately we made a mistake there.” That part was indisputable. Two days later, Napier provided little insight and even less clarity about his team’s special teams gaffe in crunch time against Arkansas. It was a costly mistake in a 39-36 loss to the Razorbacks and the latest in a growing list of special teams miscues for the Gators this season.