Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

UNDATED (AP) — Les Miles is out as Kansas’ head coach just days after he was placed on administrative leave amid sexual misconduct allegations from his tenure at LSU. Kansas described Miles’ departure as a mutual agreement to part ways. He has three years left on his original five-year contract with the school. Last week, LSU released a 148-page review by a law firm about the university’s handling of sexual misconduct complaints. It described how Miles “tried to sexualize the staff of student workers in the football program by, for instance, allegedly demanding that he wanted blondes with big breasts, and ‘pretty girls.'”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Creighton has lifted coach Greg McDermott’s suspension for making racially insensitive remarks to his players during a postgame talk. McDermott twice used the term “plantation” as part of an analogy urging team unity. He apologized but was suspended last Thursday. Athletic director Bruce Rasmussen says the coach understands that forgiveness must be earned and he is willing to work for it. McDermott will become active in a campus program designed to help participants better understand racism and create change. He will return for this week’s Big East Tournament and the NCAA Tournament that begins next week.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says it could be years before its schools recover from the financial blow they took when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down sports. Bowlsby believes there is reason to feel good about the future. That includes the return of the men’s and women’s conference tournaments this week in Kansas City, Missouri.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham is the fourth freshman to be selected as the Big 12 player of the year by the league’s coaches. The rest of the first team includes guards Jared Butler and Davion Mitchell from regular-season champion Baylor, guard Austin Reaves from Oklahoma and West Virginia forward Derek Culver. Baylor’s Scott Drew is the coach of the year for the second season in a row. The other freshmen tabbed the top player by Big 12 coaches were Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart in 2013, Kansas State’s Michael Beasley in 2008 and Texas’ Kevin Durant in 2007.

UNDATED (AP) — Gonzaga remains entrenched at No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll in its bid to go wire-to-wire. The Zags received 61 of 63 first-place votes from a media panel as they attempt to become the first wire-to-wire No. 1 since Kentucky in 2014-15. Baylor had two first-place votes and moved back into the No. 2 slot after dropping a spot last week. Illinois, Michigan and Iowa rounded out the top 5. No. 8 Arkansas is in the top 10 for the first time since reaching No. 1 in 1994-95.

NEW YORK (AP) — Connecticut forward Isaiah Whaley and St. John’s point guard Posh Alexander have been named co-winners of the Big East Conference’s defensive player of the year award. The league’s most improved player award was shared by St. John’s guard-forward Julian Champagnie and Xavier forward Zach Freemantle. Tyler Polley of UConn was the winner of the league’s sixth man award and Mitch Ballock of Creighton received the conference’s sportsmanship award. The league’s head coaches selected the awards. They weren’t permitted to vote for their own players.