HOUGHTON — The Northern Michigan men’s basketball team are Great Lakes Interscholastic Athletic Conference champions after defeating Lake Superior State University, 78-62 on Sunday.

The win gives the Wildcats (22-9) an automatic bid into the NCAA Division 2 tournament field of 64 teams. They’re riding a six-game winning streak.

Jackson Dudek led Northern Michigan with 19 points while Julien Smith pitched in 15 and Brian Parzych added 12.

Tyson Edmonson led the Lakers with 19 points and seven rebounds.

The Wildcats now wait to see who they’ll match up with in the Midwest region during the NCAA Selection Show. That aired at 10 p.m. Central time Sunday on NCAA.com.

OVECHKIN IS 9 FROM RECORD

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alex Ovechkin scored his 886th career goal into an empty net to move nine back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record.

Ovechkin backhanded the puck in from center ice to seal the Washington Capitals’ 4-2 victory over the Seattle Kraken that extended their winning streak to four games.

The 39-year-old’s 33rd goal of the season was also the 1,600th point of his two-decade career.

Ovechkin remains on pace to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 that long seemed unapproachable before the end of this season.

GARRETT, BROWNS SIGN NEW DEAL

Myles Garrett is staying in Cleveland after the Browns gave him a record four-year contract extension that makes the four-time All-Pro edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

A person with knowledge of the details told The Associated Press that Garrett’s deal includes $122.8 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $40 million with a total value of $204.8 million.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t announced. Garrett, the 2023 AP Defensive Player of the Year, had asked for a trade last month but the Browns were adamant about keeping the 29-year-old star in Cleveland.

BUFFALO BILLS RELEASE MILLER

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills made the long-anticipated decision to release Von Miller, parting ways with the aging edge rusher whose contract proved too expensive for his dwindling playing time and production.

The move allows the Bills to free up about $8.4 million in salary cap space. The figure comes close to matching how much Buffalo was projected to be over the limit before the NFL’s new year begins Wednesday. The Bills posted a picture of Miller with the words “Thank You Von” in making the announcement on their X account.