Pro football
THE WHO TO PERFORM AT SUPER BOWL: The Who will perform at halftime of the Super Bowl this season. The NFL announced during Thursday's game between the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys that the longtime rock band known for classic hits such as "Pinball Wizard" and "Baba O'Riley" will play Feb. 7 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.
Driven by singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend, the band's two remaining original members, The Who gained fame in the mid-1960s and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.
Pro basketball
TOUCHED SHAQ PAYS FOR GIRL'S FUNERAL: Shaquille O'Neal paid for the funeral of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl after being moved by national news coverage of the case of Shaniya Davis, who police say was kidnapped and killed.
The Cleveland Cavaliers player was touched by the stories he saw and got in touch with the family to see what he could do to help, a spokeswoman for O'Neal said Thursday.
More than 2,000 people attended the girl's funeral Sunday. Her body was found Nov. 16 beside a rural road.
Her mother, Antionette Davis, who had reported the child missing six days earlier, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeill is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the case.
Men's basketball
NOVAK, MICHIGAN EDGE CREIGHTON: Manny Harris had 20 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead No. 15 Michigan over Creighton 83-76 in overtime at the Old Spice Classic on Thursday.
Harris had a three-point play and added a dunk as Michigan went up 76-73 with three minutes left in the extra session. He picked up an assist on Chesterton grad Zack Novak's 3-pointer that made it 79-73. Novak had 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steal for the Wolverines (3-0).
MOUNTAINEERS TOP LONG BEACH: Casey Mitchell scored a career-high 18 points and No. 8 West Virginia routed Long Beach State 85-62 on Thursday in the first round of the 76 Classic.
The Mountaineers (3-0) led the entire game in the first meeting ever between the two schools.
Greg Plater and Stephan Gilling each had 14 points for Long Beach State (3-2), which was trying for its first win against a ranked team since 1994.
West Virginia forward Da'Sean Butler, who had nine points in the first half, finished with 13.
CAL COLLEGE HITS CENTURY MARK: Senior Fares Saqf-Alhait and junior Keith Dean (Crown Point) scored 20 points each as Calumet College topped Holy Cross 100-81 late Wednesday night.
The Crimson Wave (3-6) took a 16-point lead in the first nine minutes of play on a Saqf-Alhait 3-pointer from Wilfredo Escobar. The Crimson Wave led 57-46 at the half. Escobar added 16 points and 11 assists for the Wave.
Women's basketball
DIGGINS, BRUSZEWSKI HELP MCGRAW EARN 500TH WIN: Skylar Diggins and Brittany Mallory did all they could to help Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw earn her 500th win at Notre Dame.
Diggins scored 21 points and Mallory added 15 to lead the fifth-ranked Irish to an 84-79 victory over No. 23 San Diego State on Thursday in the Paradise Jam.
Wheeler grad Becca Bruszewski battled foul trouble and posted seven points and two steals in 16 minutes for the Irish (4-0).
JERNIGAN HELPS XAVIER WIN: Amber Harris scored 22 points and had nine rebounds to help
No. 9 Xavier beat No. 18 Kansas 76-71 at the Junkanoo Jam. E.C. Central grad Dee Dee Jernigan was scoreless for the Musketeers, while Merrrillville grad Brittney Moore did not play.
Xavier (4-0) led 72-67 with 50 seconds left.
CAVS TOP HOOSIERS: Monica Wright had 22 points and 11 rebounds to help No. 15 Virginia beat Indiana 84-79 at the Junkanoo Jam.
Jori Davis scored 33 points and Linsday Whitney added 15 for Indiana (3-2).
Local bowling
SKOWRONSKI-SCHLINK TEAM WINS PLAZA EVENT: Mike Skowronski, of Hobart, and his doubles partner, Susan Schlink, of Chicago, won the 25th Annual Thanksgiving Eve Doubles in the early hours of Thursday morning at Plaza Lanes in Highland.
Skowronski fired games of 259, 269 and 279 for an 807 series. Schlink, a 177-average bowler, added 223, 191 and 208 for 622. Together, the pair had 1,429 and a 74-pin lead over Melissa Keller and John Vasas in second place.
Around the horn
Juan Martin del Potro squeaked into the semifinals of the ATP World Tour Finals by beating Roger Federer 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3 Thursday -- the slimmest possible margin to advance and knock Andy Murray out of the tournament. ... Bob Sheppard said he has no plans to return to his longtime job as the public address announcer at Yankee Stadium. MLB.com reported Thursday that Sheppard, who is in his late 90s, doubts very much that he'll be able to resume his duties for even one New York Yankees game next season. Sheppard hasn't worked a game since late in the 2007 season due to illness.
