NYON, Switzerland -- Fenerbahce has lost its appeal to UEFA against expulsion from this seasons Champions League for match-fixing, and the Turkish club can now ask sports highest court for an emergency ruling. Announcing verdicts Monday, UEFA said its appeals panel upheld an earlier disciplinary verdict that club officials helped fix matches in its 2010-11 league title run. Fenerbahce finished runner-up in the Turkish Super Lig last season and would have entered the Champions League third qualifying round, needing to beat two opponents to advance to the lucrative group stage. The draw is scheduled for Friday and Bursaspor should now take the second Turkish entry. Champion Galatasaray goes directly into the 32-team group stage being drawn next month. Fenerbahce, which was also expelled from the Champions League two years ago, can challenge UEFAs verdict at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Club officials, including president Aziz Yildirim, deny wrongdoing and are appealing their criminal convictions in Turkish courts. With Fenerbahce banned, third-placd Beziktas could have taken its Istanbul rivals vacant Champions League place. However, UEFA has also dismissed Beziktass appeal against suspension for fixing the 2011 Turkish Cup final, leaving the entry clear for fourth-place Bursaspor. Besiktas could also appeal to CAS. Fenerbahce also remains banned for an additional year of UEFAs club competitions when it next qualifies. UEFA said Fenerbahces appeal was partially admitted because a deferred suspension for a third season was annulled following the hearing held last Wednesday. UEFA took several days to confirm the judgments. Yeezy Black Friday China . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Cheap Yeezy Black Friday . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. http://www.blackfridayyeezy.com/ .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Yeezy Black Friday China . Terms of the deal were not immediately available. The 26-year-old finished last season with Clevelands Triple-A affiliate in Columbus after signing with the Indians in August. Wholesale Yeezy Black Friday . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. PHOENIX -- Think about all the damage that the Minnesota Lynx can do with their big names. It almost seems like overkill, then, that one of their most productive players in Sundays 82-67 WNBA semifinal series-clinching victory over Phoenix is someone they picked up in a trade in February without expecting shed make this big an impact.Sometimes getting lucky is good, Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. We didnt necessarily know what we were getting in Natasha Howard.But theres that saying that the harder you work, the luckier you get. The Lynx as an organization have worked very hard to build what has now stretched into six seasons of excellence, and theyll be going for their fourth WNBA title in that stretch.The play of Howard -- who had 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting and eight rebounds Sunday -- is just one example of the culture the Lynx have built. Their incredibly strong core of key players -- Maya Moore, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson -- have been together since the franchises first championship in 2011.The personnel moves the Lynx have made since then all have been with the goal of making an already great team even a little harder to beat. Look at the players added to the Lynx this year and last year, which include the likes of Sylvia Fowles, Renee Montgomery, Anna Cruz, Jia Perkins and Howard. Theyve all contributed specific things to the Lynx without taking anything away.UConn and USA Basketball coach Geno Auriemma always says that teams either get better or they get worse, but they dont just stay the same. The Lynx, who have become the WNBAs version of UConn in terms of sustained success, are an example of what hes talking about. Theyve continued to get better.Its all about being selfless, and thats the culture of our team, Reeve said. And we want to make sure we add those pieces that subscribe to that mentality. All the credit should go to the core players that we have, because other players want to play with them. Theyre tremendous superstars, yet theyre so humble and supportive.You watch them on the bench when theyre not in the game, and they have a lot of fun over there rooting for other players. Its genuine, and thats how they are all the time.The Lynx might be having a blast, but their opponents arent. Minnesota had the best regular-season record in franchise history (28-6) this year. The Lynx won all three of the semifinal games against Phoenix by double digits. Minnesota was the No. 1 seed and Phoenix No. 8, so the Lynx obviously were a big favorite. But remember, a few months ago, a lot of people predicted Phoenix would be the top contender for the title this year.Reeve complimented the Mercury on how much effort they put into these playoff games, but she also felt that the Lynx had enough high-quality depth that they could wear out Phoenix. And that happened. Led by Howard, the Lynx bench got 29 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.Indiana took Howard, out of Floridaa State, with the No.dddddddddddd 5 pick in the 2014 draft. She had a solid rookie season for the Fever, averaging 7.0 points and 3.1 rebounds. Her numbers dropped off a little last season, but the potential was still there.The Lynx were expecting to bring back post player Devereaux Peters, who was their third pick in the 2012 draft, this season. She had been a Minnesota reserve for four seasons. But Reeve said Peters wanted to play elsewhere. Hence, a deal with Indiana for Howard earlier this year.Howard has worked out well for Minnesota, as have the others, such as Fowles, who sat out until late July 2015 to force a trade to the Lynx from Chicago. She was the WNBA Finals MVP last year and recently was named the 2016 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.And guards such as Perkins and Montgomery are veterans who provide a different look, especially on defense, to help spell Augustus and Whalen.Im excited, happy and thankful that weve created an environment here that people want to be a part of, said Augustus, the longest-tenured Lynx player going back to being chosen No. 1 in the 2006 WNBA draft. Jia or Renee could have gone somewhere else and probably started. Thats what we pride ourselves on: We have a great team of athletes, but also a great team of people.For Moore, who has had another MVP-caliber season, the long-term chemistry the Lynx possess is a thing of wonderment.Its like being in unchartered waters, said Moore, who had 20 points and six rebounds Sunday. If you have that kind of feeling in high school or college, those are four years. With the pros ... maybe two or three years would be good. But this is year six for us. Its like, Wow. And theres no question that its people from the top down, starting with our owner, that make that happen.At different times on this team, people might have a tired day, and someones always there to pick them up. Were constantly looking out for each other.Before the Olympic break this season, the Lynx and the Los Angeles Sparks were neck-and-neck as the top teams in the WNBA. Since the break, Minnesota clearly has been the best.The Sparks, who beat the Lynx at Minnesota in late June but lost two other times to them, still seem to have the best chance to derail the defending champions. But Los Angeles will have to get into the WNBA Finals first; they lost 70-66 in their Game 3 at Chicago on Sunday. The Sparks will try again to close out the series with the Sky on Tuesday (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET).Meanwhile the Lynx will take the opportunity to get some rest as they wait to see whom they will face in their fifth trip to the WNBA Finals in the past six years.This group has been a very special group. And the vibe ... I think its because they all have a piece in this, Reeve said. Its been very, very rewarding for me, watching them throughout the season. ' ' '