Update on the latest sports

NFL PLAYOFFS

Wild-card round continues with 2 NFC matchups

UNDATED (AP) — Day 2 of the NFL playoffs features two NFC matchups.

First, the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings meet in the playoffs for the fifth time.

They’ve met twice in the postseason in the past decade and both games were thrillers. New Orleans defeated Minnesota in overtime in the NFC title game in the 2009 season. The Vikings prevailed on a 61-yard TD as time expired in the divisional round in the 2017 season. The Saints were 13-3 this season. That tied for the best record in the NFC. But they lost out in a three-way tie-breaker with San Francisco and Green Bay for a top-two seed and first-round bye.

Vikings running back Dalvin Cook and Saints rusher Alvin Kamara look to play pivotal roles in this game. The dynamic running backs made their NFL debuts in the same game in 2017.

Next, the Philadelphia Eagles host the Seattle Seahawks. Philadelphia will be looking to beat Russell Wilson for the first time in five tries. Seattle won in Philadelphia six weeks ago and looks to avoid losing a playoff game on the road against an NFC East champion for the second straight year.

The Eagles won four straight games to secure their second division title in three years. They aim to advance to the divisional round for the third straight season but first time with Carson Wentz at quarterback. Wentz was injured when Nick Foles led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl title two years ago and was injured again last season.

The Seahawks enter on a two-game losing streak. Seattle would have clinched the NFC West and secured a home game this weekend with a win in Week 17 but lost 26-21 at home to the 49ers.

T25 MEN’S BASKETBALL-SCHEDULE

Michigan’s Howard to face Spartans for 1st time as coach

UNDATED (AP) — No. 12 Michigan visits No. 14 Michigan State in one of two games on Sunday’s Top 25 men’s basketball schedule.

Juwan Howard is set to make his coaching debut in the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry, but it won’t be his first experience in the highly charged series. The former Fab Five star helped the Wolverines go 5-1 against the Spartans over three seasons before he entered the 1994 NBA draft, starting his 19-season professional playing career.

Michigan State beat Michigan three times last season, including a win that sealed a share of the Big Ten title in the regular season and in the Big Ten Tournament championship.

The day’s other game features No. 20 Dayton at Saint Joseph’s.

TENNIS-ATP CUP

Australia beats Canada, Bulgaria improves to 2-0 at ATP Cup

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Daniil Medvedev beat John Isner 6-3, 6-1 to give Russia two victories from two starts at the ATP Cup, leaving the U.S. as the only winless team so far in Group D. Russia followed its 3-0 opening win over Italy with another comfortable victory, clinching the match against the Americans before the doubles match was even played.

Australia swept Canada 3-0 to move atop Group F and secured a spot in the quarterfinals when Germany edged Greece later Sunday in Brisbane. Bulgaria also improved to 2-0 with a round remaining in Group C. The six group winners and the two best second-place teams progress to the playoffs in the debut of the international men’s team tournament.

AUSTRALIA WILDFIRES-BARTY

Aussie Barty donating Brisbane winnings to wildfire relief

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Women’s tennis No. 1 Ash Barty is donating any prize money she wins at the Brisbane (BRIHZ’-bihn) International this week to the Red Cross to go toward the recovery effort for the wildfires that have devastated parts of Australia.

The winner of the Brisbane International will earn more than $250,000. Barty is the top seed for her home tournament and is part of a growing list of athletes and celebrities pledging money to support victims of the fires that have ravaged the country, claiming 24 lives and destroying 2,000 homes.

In November, Barty donated money to an animal shelter after she returned from the Fed Cup loss to France in Perth, because at that stage animals were the main casualties of the flames. Now, with Australia in the grip of its worst wildfire season in recorded history, she’s joining the fundraising for a bigger relief effort.