December 2005 in Sports - 17 December 2005 (Saturday)

17 December 2005 (Saturday)

• College Football: Mount Union defeated Wisconsin–Whitewater 35–28 to win the NCAA Division III Championship at the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia. It is the eighth championship for the Purple Raiders in thirteen seasons.

• Boxing: In Berlin, Germany, Russian Nicolay Valuev became the tallest (7 feet; 2.13 meters tall) and largest (330 lb; 149.7 kg) to win a heavyweight championship in a controversial majority decision over John Ruiz to win the WBA version of the title.

• NHL: Phoenix Coyotes coach and part owner Wayne Gretzky takes an indefinite leave of absence from his duties as coach of the team due to his mother suffering from lung cancer. Assistant coach Rick Tocchet will serve as interim coach.

• NFL Week 15
  • New England Patriots 28, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0: The Patriots, who held the Bucs to 30 rushing yards and sack Chris Simms seven times, clinch the AFC East.
  • New York Giants 27, Kansas City Chiefs 17: Tiki Barber rushes for a team-record 220 yards and two touchdowns, including a 20-yard score with 3:43 left. He outdoes Larry Johnson, who had 167 yards and two touchdowns for the Chiefs.
  • Denver Broncos 27 Buffalo Bills 17: Rod Smith catches 11 passes — nine in the first half — for 137 yards and a touchdown, and Denver clinches the AFC West.

• NCAA Men's College Basketball
  • Tennessee 95, (6) Texas 78: After an embarrassing defeat at the hands of #1 Duke the previous week while #2 in the country, Texas is crushed by unranked, but unbeaten, Tennessee in Austin. It is assumed Texas will drop more ranks, possibly out of the Top 10, when the next poll is taken on Monday. Chris Lofton led Tennessee with 21 points, while P.J. Tucker had 20 for Texas.
  • (23) Kentucky 73, (4) Louisville 61: After a bad previous weekend (losing to Indiana 79–53), Tubby Smith and the Wildcats stifle Louisville's offense to go on to the 12-point win, behind Rajon Rondo's 21-point game. Kentucky improves to 7–3, while Louisville is no longer undefeated at 6–1. Louisville's six wins had all been against mid-major squads.
  • (14) UCLA 68, Michigan 61: The Wolverines became yet another team to suffer their first loss of the season. It comes at home to the hands of ranked rival UCLA. The Bruins improve to 8–1 with their only loss coming to 5th ranked Memphis (88–80). Michigan is now 7–1.