SPORTS DIGEST ||

Pitt outlasts UC Santa Barbara for first win

PITTSBURGH

Ryan Luther had 13 points, including three 3-pointers, and 10 rebounds to help Pittsburgh its first win of the season, a 70-62 victory over UC Santa Barbara.

Jared Wilson-Frame hit four consecutive free throws to give Pitt its first lead with 16:17 to play and there were seven lead changes and five ties before Luther’s tip-in of his own miss gave the Panthers a 58-57 advantage with 2:37 left.

Wilson-Frame and Jonathan Milligan had 14 points apiece, Parker Stewart finished with 12 points and Shamiel Stevenson scored 11 for the Panthers.

Leland King II had 22 points and eight rebounds for UCSB (1-1). Jalen Canty added 10 points and 11 rebounds for his third career double-double.

Bills bench QB Taylor for rookie Peterman

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y

Tyrod Taylor has been benched and the Buffalo Bills are going with rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman to start against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

Though McDermott says he remains confident in Taylor, he decided to make the move to see if Peterman can make Buffalo a better team.

That’s a significant change of heart for McDermott, who maintained Taylor was the team’s starter following a 47-10 loss to New Orleans last weekend and again on Monday.

The decision comes after Taylor struggled against the Saints, going 9 of 15 for 56 yards and an interception.

Peterman took over and went 7 of 19 for 79 yards and a touchdown over the final two drives.

Buffalo (5-4) has lost two straight.

Marlins listening to offers for Stanton

ORLANDO, FLA.

New Marlins CEO Derek Jeter says the team is listening to trade offers for slugging outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and says Miami must make changes to stop losing money.

Jeter says “a lot of this started when he came out and expressed publicly that he didn’t want to be part of a rebuild.”

Stanton is guaranteed $295 million over the remaining 10 years of his contract.

Jeter says “it’s an organization that’s been losing money for quite some time, so we have to turn that around” and adds “it’s easy to point the finger at him, because he makes the most money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that that’s the move that’s going to be made.”

Doctor might change plea in sex crime cases

LANSING, MICH.

A former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor accused of molesting girls at his home and a campus clinic is expected to change his not-guilty plea.

Online court records show a change-of-plea hearing for 54-year-old Dr. Larry Nassar is set for Nov. 22, a week before jury selection was to begin.

Nassar also faces 1st-degree criminal sexual misconduct charges in another county and in July pleaded guilty in federal court in a separate child pornography case. He is scheduled to be sentenced in the child porn case in December.

Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday for the state attorney general’s office and one of Nassar’s defense attorneys. There is a gag order in the state cases.

Nassar also has been sued by more than 125 women alleging abuse.

Dempsey wins MLS Comeback Player

TUKWILA, WASH.

Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey has been named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year after a heart condition put his career in jeopardy.

Dempsey was the choice after scoring 12 goals in the regular season and leading Seattle to a second-place finish in the MLS Western Conference in the regular season.

Dempsey’s career was sidetracked a year ago by an irregular heartbeat that forced him to the sideline during Seattle’s run to its first MLS Cup title.

staff/wire report