Bucs lose top WRs in MNF defeat

Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin will undergo surgery on a dislocated left ankle, a procedure that will likely sideline him for the rest of the regular season. Coach Todd Bowles said Tuesday that the Bucs (4-3) — who also lost 10-time 1,000-yard receiver Mike Evans to a hamstring injury during Monday night’s 41-31 loss to Ravens — are holding out hope that Godwin, above, might be able to return if the Bucs winds up playing deep into January. Meanwhile, Evans is expected to be sidelined for at least the next three games before possibly returning after the Buccaneers’ week off when they face the Giants on Nov. 24. “It’s moderate, but it’s hurting pretty good right now,” Bowles said of the hamstring Evans aggravated while making the 100th touchdown reception of his career early in the first quarter Monday night. Baker Mayfield said he can’t remember ever being part of a team that lost two players in a game who mean as much as Godwin and Evans do to the Bucs. “Definitely not two of the guys that are the huge heartbeat of this team,” the quarterback said. “But like I said, we have to find a way.”

Gamecocks to retire Wilson’s No. 22

A’ja Wilson will have another lifetime honor at the Colonial Life Arena with South Carolina retiring her No. 22 jersey. The ceremony for Wilson, who has had a statue out in front of the arena since 2021, will take place Feb. 2 before the top-ranked Gamecocks face Auburn. She will be the fifth South Carolina women’s basketball player to have her jersey retired. Coach Dawn Staley gave the news to Wilson on a social media video Tuesday. “It’s that time,” Staley said. The 28-year-old Wilson, a South Carolina native who grew up in Columbia, was the program’s first No. 1 recruit, was a three-time Southeastern Conference player of the year and led the Gamecocks to their first national title in 2017. She’s South Carolina’s all-time scoring leader with 2,389 points. Wilson went on to be the WNBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick in 2018 and she’s won two league titles with the Aces. She was selected WNBA MVP for the third time this past season. She also won her second gold medal leading the U.S. team to the Olympic title this past summer in Paris.

Pulisic nets ‘Olimpico’ goal in UCL

Christian Pulisic scored direct from a corner kick to set AC Milan on the way to its first victory in this season’s Champions League. Pulisic surprised everyone when he curled in a kick from the left corner flag in the 34th minute to put Milan 1-0 up against Club Brugge on Tuesday. It was the first “Olimpico” goal of Pulisic’s career. Tijjani Reijnders had Milan’s other goals. The U.S. international raised his arms up and smiled broadly before being embraced by his teammates, as he laughed seeming incredulous. Pulisic has scored seven goals this season for Milan in a fine start to the campaign. He has also weighed in with a number of assists. There was a late scare — and coach Paulo Fonseca certainly looked concerned — when Pulisic had to be helped off late after taking a knock to his knee but the 26-year-old was able to return and almost doubled his tally. Milan went on to beat Brugge 3-1, which played with 10 men for most of the second half, for its first Champions League points in the new-look format after defeats to Liverpool — when Pulisic also scored — and Bayer Leverkusen. —News services