777pub app download For a moment, Aaron Ramsdale looked in trouble. Ismaila Sarr , from inside his own half, took aim at the Southampton goal, and Ramsdale was left frantically scrambling back towards his own net. Even a few weeks ago, the sight of Sarr attempting to lob the opposition goalkeeper from his own half would have been unthinkable — it is a sign of his significantly raised confidence. Advertisement Had he executed it slightly better, he would have put Crystal Palace ahead against Southampton in the most audacious way, but his effort was a little too weak and skewed off-target. Yet the only reaction was encouragement; with no obvious alternative options, why not take the shot on? It revealed how things have changed in a peculiar season so far for Sarr and the rest of Palace’s forwards. Only Everton , Ipswich and Southampton have scored fewer than Palace’s 20 goals, but things have certainly been improving in recent games. A goalless draw away to Bournemouth on Boxing Day was a creditable result, even if Palace lacked threat, aside from a fizzing Eberechi Eze shot early in the second half. But before that, Palace had scored in each of their last seven games in all competitions, including two against Manchester City and three against Brighton & Hove Albion . Of the 20 goals Palace have scored in the league this season, 10 have come from their forwards, with Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta accounting for four each. The other two have come from Eze, whose second of the season was an instinctive, excellent finish to win Sunday’s game against Southampton 2-1 at Selhurst Park. Earlier this month, manager Oliver Glasner suggested Eze has been trying too hard . “Strikers get confidence when they score,” Glasner said before the win over Ipswich earlier this month. “For example, Eze. He had so many chances this season. All of a sudden he was (over)thinking.” But against Southampton, when it came to doing what comes naturally — latching onto a loose ball and lashing it towards goal — Eze came good. “He had many big chances, great saves from the keeper, missing by one inch, hitting the post,” Glasner said of Eze’s recent form after the match. “All of a sudden, it was in his head. He was suffering. Advertisement “I’m really pleased for him. He had an injury, now he’s playing with a quite swollen foot after an impact at Brighton. This will help him. “You can train with the striker, you can talk to them, hug them, kick them. The only thing that helps is that they need this goal they’re looking for and he got it today.” Palace were not especially convincing against Southampton but did create openings, including opportunities to score more than the two goals that won them the game — the other goal came from a Trevoh Chalobah header, which drew Palace level after going behind to a goal from Tyler Dibling . Mateta was exceptional in holding the ball up, fouled repeatedly by Jan Bednarek . He may only have four goals plus an assist this season, but Mateta has contributed more in his overall play. A contract extension option was triggered by the club last week , after renewal talks were at an impasse for some time, to take his deal until June 2027. Sarr has been boosted by familiarity and fitness, having never played as a No 10 before. “He understands more and more in this position,” Glasner said in his press conference before the draw with Bournemouth. “We showed him the space where he can show his strength.” “In the beginning, I often told him he wasn’t (playing as) the last line, he didn’t find the space in the pocket. Then we showed him. He had the open shape and could go face-to-face with the defender. Then the finish is maybe the confidence. But getting into the situations (to score) is what we showed him. “We wanted to have pace, a player who can make runs in behind. (To find) the perfect profile we are looking for, we can’t spend (a lot of) money so we have to find players with most of the profile, then it’s our job to teach them where they can show their skills and talent.” Sarr may not have got a goal against Southampton but he troubled their defence throughout, particularly in the first half, and linked well with Mateta, as well as playing in Daniel Munoz for an excellent chance in the second half. Advertisement He thrives against high defensive lines, using his pace and newfound awareness to move into the space and exploit it, and he has demonstrated the ability to capitalise on Mateta’s success in the air. Sarr can do little wrong after that brace against Brighton , but appreciation for his recent performances goes beyond that, based on his commitment, hard work and clinical finishing. Neither Eddie Nketiah nor Daichi Kamada stand much chance of dislodging him without dramatic contributions as substitutes. Palace will hope that the goal from Eze — who has scored six from outside the box in the Premier League in 2024, more than any player other than Chelsea ’s Cole Palmer (seven) — is the start of a resurgence for him. It is clear that a combination of Mateta, Sarr and Eze has become Glasner’s preference, even with Eze struggling to make his usual impact to date. Justin Devenny is perhaps the only possible danger to Eze’s position, but he will not start ahead of him. Sarr and Mateta — the latter with his remarkable transformation since the turn of the year — have shown that, with patience and the right circumstances, underwhelming form can be turned around in the blink of an eye. There is no reason why the same can’t be true for Eze. GO DEEPER Jean-Philippe Mateta: Reborn at Crystal Palace and propelling France towards Olympic gold There will clearly be tougher tests than Southampton, but there must now be hope that the trio can flourish together, perhaps even spurred on by further competition in the No 10 role from a January transfer window addition. (Top photo: Eze after scoring Palace’s winner against Southampton; by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Over the past year, Dong Yuhui's business empire has continued to flourish, with new ventures and partnerships cementing his position as a prominent figure in the industry. From technology startups to real estate developments, Dong Yuhui's influence can be felt in a wide range of sectors, proving his versatility and adaptability as a business leader.

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MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. “I’m here trying to do the best I can in the singles,” Sinner said. “If they put me on the court in doubles, I’ll also try my best.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

Cam Carter scored LSU's first eight points and finished with a game-high 23 and LSU raced to a 37-8 lead on its way to a 110-45 victory against outmanned Mississippi Valley State on Sunday in Baton Rouge, La. Vyctorius Miller added 20 points and Jordan Sears and Daimion Collins scored 15 each for the Tigers (11-2), who led 55-13 at halftime. It was their final game before opening Southeastern Conference play against visiting Vanderbilt on Saturday. LSU, which defeated Mississippi Valley 106-60 last season, shot 65.7 percent (46 of 70) from the floor. The Delta Devils (2-11) had no player score in double figures. The closest was Alvin Stredic with eight points. Mississippi Valley State remained winless against Division I opponents and have an average margin of defeat of 44.2 points heading into their Southwestern Athletic Conference opener at Alabama State on Jan. 4. Stredic's field goal tied the score at two before Carter made a tie-breaking 3-pointer to give LSU the lead for good. Carter made another 3-pointer during a 7-0 run that increased the lead to 12-4. Another field goal by Stredic ended that run before Carter and Sears each made a 3-pointer and the Tigers pushed the lead to 20-6. Stredic made another field goal, giving him six of his team's first eight points, before Carter made a 3-pointer and another basket to help fuel a 17-0 run that enabled LSU to build the 37-8 bulge. Johnathan Pace made a field goal to stop the run, but Sears and Curtis Givens III each made a 3-pointer to complete a 10-0 run that expanded the lead to 47-10. Jair Horton answered with the Delta Devils' only 3-pointer of the half before Miller and Sears each scored four points and the Tigers led by 42 at the break. Carter (16 points) and Sears (10) combined to score twice as many points as Mississippi Valley State in the half. Carter made 6-of-10 3-pointers and Sears made 4 of 8. --Field Level Media

With more than half of the 16 teams still mathematically alive to make the conference championship game, the Big 12 will command a lot of attention in the final week of the regular season. No. 14 Arizona State and No. 17 Iowa State would play for the Big 12 title and likely College Football Playoff spot on Dec. 7 if they both win Saturday and there's a four-way tie for first place. There are seven other teams that begin this week with hopes, slim in most cases, of getting into the game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Last week it was No. 19 BYU and No. 23 Colorado that had the inside track to the championship game. Arizona State beat the Cougars and Kansas knocked off the Buffaloes, and here we are. "Everybody counted us out, I think, two weeks ago," Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said after his team beat Utah 31-28. "We didn't flinch. We didn't waver. And we just keep fighting." The Cyclones were national darlings the first half of the season as they won seven straight games to match the best start in program history. Back-to-back losses to Texas Tech and Kansas followed. Now they've won two straight heading into "Farmageddon," their rivalry game against Kansas State at home. "Right now they've got the pen and they continue to write the story," Campbell said of his players, "and I hope they will continue to write it the way they've got the ability to write it. Unwavering. Tough, mentally tough, physically tough. This group has stood for it every step of the way." Arizona State has been an even better story than the Cyclones. The Sun Devils have six more wins than they did last season, when they went 3-9. They were picked to finish last in their first year in the Big 12. They'll go for their fifth straight victory when they play at Arizona on Saturday. "These guys came off no momentum and everybody doubting them, and everybody is still doubting them. That's what makes this special," second-year coach Kenny Dillingham said. "Hopefully the expectations become higher. I don't know if there's a way we can exceed expectations more than we're exceeding them right now." Checking in on five of the Top 25: The Ducks were idle Saturday after clinching a spot in the Big Ten championship game with their win at Wisconsin on Nov. 16. Oregon can go 12-0 in the regular season for the first time since 2010 if it beats Washington at home this week. Oregon's only two losses last season came against the Huskies, both decided by three points. The first was a top-10 matchup in the regular season and the second was a top-five matchup in the Pac-12 championship game. The Ducks are 19 1/2-point favorites this time, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. The Buckeyes' showdown with upstart Indiana combined with Michigan's dropoff after winning the national championship have lowered the volume on this week's meeting with the Wolverines at the Horseshoe. If Michigan beats Ohio State a fourth straight time and it keeps the Buckeyes out of the Big Ten championship game and playoff ... well, there'll be lots of noise in Columbus then. The Lone Star Showdown returns to the gridiron for the first time since 2011, when Texas and Texas A&M were in the Big 12. The Longhorns head to No. 20 Texas A&M on a four-game win streak. The Aggies have lost two of three after Saturday's four-overtime loss at Auburn. The winner advances to the Southeastern Conference championship game against Georgia. The Broncos are tied with Notre Dame for the second-longest active win streak, at nine games, and they seem to have adopted a survive-and-advance mantra. They trailed 23-point underdog Wyoming in the fourth quarter before winning 17-13 and clinching a spot in the Mountain West championship game. They won their previous game, 42-21 against San Jose State, but didn't pull away until the fourth quarter. Two weeks ago they beat a three-win Nevada team 28-21. Just when you think Illinois is about to cash in for the season, they do what they did against Rutgers. The Illini were down 31-30 when they lined up for a 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds left. Ethan Moczulski missed. But wait. Rutgers called timeout before the snap, and Bret Bielema thought better of trying another kick and sent his offense back on the field. Luke Altmyer passed to Pat Bryant for the winning 40-yard touchdown. The Illini won't play for the Big Ten title, but they have a chance for nine wins and a nice bowl. Ohio State played in three of the five regular-season top-five matchups and won three of them. The Buckeyes lost to Oregon and beat Penn State and Indiana. ... Kansas' 37-21 win over Colorado made the Jayhawks the first FBS team with a losing record to beat three straight Top 25 opponents. The Jayhawks, who were 2-6 a month ago, will be bowl eligible if they win at Baylor. ... Nebraska ended the longest power conference bowl drought with its 44-25 win over Wisconsin. The Cornhuskers haven't played in a bowl since 2016. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Ace Baldwin Jr. collected 23 points and 10 assists as Penn State topped visiting Penn 86-66 on Sunday in University Park, Pa. Yanic Konan Niederhauser chipped in 19 points and 15 rebounds as the Nittany Lions (11-2) ended the calendar year by winning their third straight game. Penn State shot just 4 of 18 from 3-point range, but the hosts authored a crisp 22-of-26 showing from the foul line, including 12 of 12 by Baldwin. Nick Kern added 13 points, while Puff Johnson and Fred Dilione V each contributed 11 points for the Nittany Lions. Michael Zanoni recorded 27 points for the Quakers (4-9), while Nick Spinoso pitched in with 13 points. Penn shot just 38.6 percent (22 of 57) from the floor and committed 17 turnovers, including nine by Spinoso. The Quakers were 11 of 12 from the free-throw line. Penn State led by two early in the second half when Konan Niederhauser and Dilione combined for all the offense in a 7-0 run that opened a 45-36 lead. With about 11 1/2 minutes left, AJ Levine's 3-pointer drew Penn within 51-44 before Penn State scored 16 of the next 18 points to end any chances of an upset. Johnson had a three-point play early in that sequence before he capped the run with a 3-pointer to make it 67-46 with 6:29 to play. Baldwin's two free throws with 3:02 left increased the lead to 25 for the first time. The Nittany Lions led by as many as 26 points down the stretch in improving to 8-0 at home. The first half was tight throughout, as neither team led by more than four points until Johnson's layup gave Penn State a 32-27 lead with 2:18 left in the half. Penn responded with buckets from Spinoso and Zanoni, but Konan Niederhauser's dunk in the final minute sent the Nittany Lions into the break with a 34-31 lead. The score remained close early in the second half. Spinoso's 3-pointer drew the Quakers within 38-36 with 17:40 remaining, but that was the end of the highlights for Penn. --Field Level Media

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Jimmy Carter – US president from the plains and then the worldSTARKVILLE — Mississippi State is the recipient of a combined $9.5 million that will allow the Magnolia State’s leading land-grant institution to continue playing an influential role in Mississippi’s economic future by creating innovative technologies, better jobs and skilled workers. Mississippi is investing more than $110 million in economic development, infrastructure upgrades, workforce development, tourism and conservation efforts, Gov. Tate Reeves announced recently, and a portion of that funding will allow MSU to construct and equip facilities dedicated to cutting-edge research. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.