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Two women showed up to the Univ. of Utah football game this past weekend and freed the nipple -- and fans and officials were so upset over it, the school's police dept. says it's now investigating it all.

The women stripped off their tops prior to the Utes' game against Southern Utah University at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday ... ditching their shirts and opting for only body paint instead.

According to the university, a female police officer asked them to put on tops a short time later. The school says the women complied -- but now police say they are looking into the matter to see if the duo should face criminal charges.

Univ. officials said the women will also be referred to the school's Dean of Students for "other potential discipline."

YouTuber Melea Johnson said she attended the game with her family and saw the women without their shirts on -- and was outraged over it all.

"We can’t even go to a family-friendly college football game without our kids & family being exposed to nudity??" Johnson wrote on her Instagram page. "And the stadium and security for the event won’t step in or escort them out because they’re worried they’ll get sued because of discriminatory laws??🤯 👈🏻(that’s what they told me!)"

"Are you kidding me?! This is NOT ok @utahfootball ‼️"

The NAACP is ripping the NBA over the one-year suspension and $10 million fine of Phoenix Suns/Mercury owner Robert Sarver ... calling the punishment a complete joke.

As we previously reported, Sarver was hit with the penalty on Tuesday ... after a lengthy investigation found the 60-year-old used the n-word several times, treated female staff unfairly, sexually harassed women, and used inappropriate physical conduct towards male employees, among other troubling trends.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson is pissed over the NBA's response to the disturbing behavior ... saying "fining a billionaire $10M is nothing but a speeding ticket."

It should be noted ... the $10 million fine is the most allowable under NBA bylaws.

"The NBA's response is shameful. They have failed to adequately address this man's history of racism, sexism, and his years-long nourishment of a toxic culture," Johnson said.

"The fact that the NBA would hand down this so-called 'punishment' in the same year we lost a legend like Bill Russell, who fought racism his entire life, only underscores how prevalent racism still is today."

"The punishment doesn't fit the crime whatsoever, and the NBA must do better than this. This is far from accountability."

The NAACP continued on Wednesday .. retweeting an ESPN segment on the Sarver story ...  questioning how this penalty equals retribution.

"So remind us again why a $10 million fine and a 1-year suspension is really teaching anyone a lesson with as extensive a track record of just not caring what anyone thinks or fearing what the consequences of those actions are?"

"This punishment is a JOKE!"

The Washington Nationals and Joey Meneses have made things right for the little girl who had a ball stolen from her at a game earlier month ... gifting her an autograph and a personalized note.

The incident happened back on Sept. 1 ... when a man was seen on video intercepting a baseball that was intended for the girl who was attending the Nats vs. A's game with her Shenandoah Rec League Babe Ruth 10U All-Star softball team.

According to the girl's mom, Regina Hilliard, the 10-year-old was broken up over it all -- and had hoped the Nats would do something to cheer her up.

Turns out, the team and its star outfielder, Meneses, did just that on Tuesday -- signing a ball for her, and writing her a sweet note.

"I'm sorry you didn't get the ball I threw to you," Meneses said in the card.

"I wanted to make sure you got one, so I hope this signed game ball makes up for it! Hope to see you at a game soon! Your friend, Joey."

Will Zalatoris -- one of golf's hottest young stars -- is begging Tiger Woods to officially apply for a cart exemption on the PGA Tour ... telling the legendary ball-striker to "get in the damn cart!"

Tiger has struggled to get around courses in his return to golf following his near-fatal car crash in 2021 ... and it's bothered him so much, it's affected his scores, and his ability to play tournaments with regularity.

Woods can get permission from Tour officials to remedy the situation by using a cart -- given the severity of the leg injury he suffered in the L.A. accident -- but he's said he'll never do that, telling media members previously, "If I can’t play at that level, I can’t play at that level."

Zalatoris, who's set a goal to play a round with the golf legend at some point in his career, clearly thinks that's a mistake -- believing a cart exemption could extend Woods' reign on courses for several more years.

"The part that amazes me is he has such a hard time walking, but man, he can still play some good golf," Zalatoris told Graham Bensinger on the latest episode of "In Depth With Graham Bensinger."

"Tiger could get a cart if he wants to. But you know he's never going to take it. Because that's who he is. And it's like, selfishly, I'm like, 'Dude, get in the cart. I want to play with you.'"

Zalatoris, who finished in second in both this year's PGA Championship and U.S. Open, added, "I want to see you when you're 50 ... get in the damn cart."

Woods has played competitively with a cart recently -- he used one in his famous return to golf with his son at the PNC Championship in 2021 ... and dominated.

Trevor Bauer is asking a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed by the woman who accused him of sexual assault ... claiming he has video proof, taken from bed after their second sexual encounter, which proves she lied about her injuries.

TMZ Sports obtained a motion filed by 31-year-old Bauer's legal team in southern California, which includes a video that was allegedly recorded by accuser Lindsey Hill after they had sex the night of May 16, 2021.

"She appears to be willingly in bed with a sleeping Mr. Bauer, and is smirking and uninjured," the Cy Young award winner's attorney wrote in the filing.

The clip, which we've seen, is less than 10 seconds long and doesn't contain audio.

Bauer's team believes the video -- which they say they recently received from the Pasadena police department -- proves Hill didn't actually sustain injuries to her face, torpedoing her case.

Hill previously claimed Bauer gave her two black eyes.

Bauer's accuser filed a lawsuit for battery against the pitcher in August 2022, claiming ... "Last year, disgraced Major League Baseball player Trevor Bauer violently and sadistically abused Hill in the most appalling manner imaginable, sexually battering and battering a defenseless woman."

Hill did not specify how much money she's seeking.

At the time, Trevor's team responded to the suit, saying ... "Lindsey Hill’s claims were judicially disproven last August following a hearing regarding a DVRO petition filed in bad faith."

In August 2021, a court denied Hill's request for a permanent restraining order against Bauer ... saying Hill hadn't set clear lines before they had sex. However, the judge described the injuries in photos presented as evidence as "terrible."

Despite the court's ruling, Major League Baseball hit the former Dodgers pitcher with a two-year suspension without pay.

Trevor is appealing MLB's decision.

Best rotation ever??

Mike Tyson and Ric Flair were on cloud nine Tuesday night ... 'cause the two sports legends smoked doinks together after attending a cannabis conference in Chicago -- and judging by the vid, it was some GOOD stuff!!

The Nature Boy posted a clip alongside Iron Mike ... lighting up blunts on camera, smoking and giggling together out in the streets.

"Smokin' That Ric Flair Drip All Night Long With @miketyson! WOOOOO!" Flair captioned the video.

Tyson and Flair became partners in Mike's "Tyson 2.0" business earlier in the year -- and the two collaborated on Naitch's "Ric Flair Drip" cannabis line, according to Benzinga.

Flair and Tyson smoked multiple blunts on stage at the conference, according to Benzinga ... where Mike and Ric touted the benefits of smoking marijuana over using drugs like Xanax for pain relief.

Flair said during the event that smoking pot was a much better way to manage the pain he was experiencing due to the stress the wrestling industry put on his body.

This isn't the first time the two legends blew down ... Mike and Ric smoked with Rick Ross at a Benzinga Cannabis event in April -- after the boxer famously beat up a man on an airplane.

LeBron James is gushing over his beautiful wife, Savannah, on their 9th anniversary ... penning a steamy message in her honor, calling her "so damn sexy."

The Lakers superstar shared a snap from the James gang's recent Vanity Fair photo shoot to send his romantic note ... showing the two dressed to the nines and standing in front of a Porsche 918 Spyder.

The 37-year-old used a "Happy Anniversary" gif on the flick and said, "P.S. you so damn sexy!! WOW 🤤🤤🤤😍😍😍"

Savannah -- who just celebrated her 36th birthday last month -- also penned her hubby a note in an IG post.

"9 years down (21), forever to go!!" Savannah said.

"Cheers to us my love!!🥂Happy Anniversary!!💕 #JamesGang"

LeBron and Savannah more than likely celebrated while they were in Italy ... where the couple was spotted enjoying a romantic vacation -- and LBJ even got a workout in while on a yacht.

The power couple has been together since high school, and they have three kids together -- high school ballers Bronny Jr., Bryce and their daughter, Zhuri.

Daniel Rodriguez has a message for the fans and "experts" (and even Dana White) who've said Li Jingliang was robbed at UFC 279 ... I won the fight!!

"It was a close fight," 35-year-old D-Rod told TMZ Sports just two days after securing the dub, adding ... "At the end of the day, I give Li the first round, and I took the 2nd and 3rd [round], in my opinion. I landed more strikes, I pushed the pace the whole fight."

Of course, Rodriguez, the #14 ranked UFC welterweight, fought Li following a last-minute opponent change (he was originally supposed to fight Kevin Holland) ... and the scrap was super close.

D-Rod -- who hasn't lost since 2020, and is 7-1 in the UFC -- was awarded the split decision win.

During his post-event presser, White told the media he believed Jingliang was the rightful winner.

But, Rodriguez disagrees ... and wholeheartedly feels if the decision went the other way, there would've been outrage from the people.

"If they would've gave the fight to Li, there would've been even more people saying I got robbed, or s*** like that," D-Rod says.

Despite earning the victory and now being a top 15 fighter who's becoming more popular in the sport by the day, Daniel believes he didn't fight his best fight.

Serena Williams' tennis career might not be over just yet ... she's now saying there's at least some chance she unretires -- just like Tom Brady!

"I mean, you never know," Williams said on "Good Morning America" on Wednesday. "I've just been saying that I think Tom Brady started a really cool trend. You know?"

Serena was laughing when she made the comment -- but there appeared to be at least a grain of seriousness in her tone while she was discussing her future with the show's hosts.

"And the way he did it," she continued on with the Brady bit. "A few weeks, you know? So ..."

Of course, Serena called it a career just two weeks ago -- when she retired following a solid run at the U.S. Open.

She seemed at the time to be at peace with hanging up the racket -- but on Wednesday, she sure sounded like there might be some more tennis itches that need to be scratched going forward.

"I do know that I love the sport so much," Williams said. "I love the game. I love everything about it. It's just been such a light in my life that I definitely want to keep some sort, something involved in there."

Williams, though, didn't specify if that meant actually returning to play -- or being involved in the game in some other way.

"I feel like tennis has given me so much, and I feel like there's no way I don't want to be involved in tennis somehow in the future," Williams said. "I don't know what that involvement is yet."

Here's the reaction to the Robert Sarver punishment you didn't know you needed ... courtesy of City Girls rapper JT, who hilariously gave her two cents on the Phoenix Suns owner to an Arizona news outlet on Tuesday.

As we previously reported, Sarver was suspended one year and fined $10 million after an investigation into workplace misconduct accusations ... with the league finding the owner said the N-word several times, among other inappropriate actions.

KTVK 3TV in Phoenix hit the streets to ask Suns fans for their thoughts on the penalty ... and one oblivious reporter just so happened to run into one-half of the popular rap duo without knowing who she is.

"I think that he should be suspended forever," JT said in the clip. "You don't do that. Like -- one year is like, so short."

You gotta give JT props for playing the role of concerned local resident really well ... even though she's from Florida and was only in town for a concert.

As it turns out, the 29-year-old said on Twitter it was always a dream of hers to "rant" on local news ... so check that one off the bucket list!!

JT also explained her passion behind her soundbite ... saying it was in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Former G.O.O.D. Music artist Desiigner isn't denying his doppelgänger like most folks do ... he's embracing the fact he's got a brother from another in NBA star Iman Shumpert.

The "Panda" rapper spoke to VladTV about the nature of their friendship ... which dates back some years when Pusha T hilariously put them on social media -- just to confirm they weren't the same person.

Desiigner says the first time they met, he felt like he was seeing a long-lost brother.

He says he even had to Facetime his dad during the encounter -- potentially for paternity answers? 😬

Although they're not actually related, they do have more similarities than just facial features. Iman, who is married to R&B star Teyana Taylor, released his "This Car Ain't Stolen" hip hop album last month ... and loves to be just as fashionable as his "little brother."

The wife of Cleveland Cavaliers legend Zydrunas Ilgauskas has sadly died, a funeral home in Ohio confirmed this week. She was just 50 years old.

Jennifer Ilgauskas, according to an obituary from the Zeis-McGreevey Funeral Home, passed away on Sunday. A cause of death was not revealed.

Zydrunas and Jennifer had been married for almost two decades -- the couple reportedly tied the knot way back in 2004, when Big Z was starring for the Cavs.

She had worked in the medical industry while Zydrunas was playing in NBA arenas ... and according to her obit, "She always had ideas for growth and the never-ending desire to achieve more."

"She truly enjoyed working and being a leader who led by example," her family and friends wrote in the obituary. "She cared deeply about everyone she employed, and her door was always open to those who needed to talk. She was generous with her time, finances and counsel."

Jennifer and Zydrunas had two sons. Her funeral is scheduled for Sept. 17.

The former basketball player -- whose jersey was retired by the Cavaliers in 2014 -- has yet to publicly comment on the loss.

RIP.

Montrezl Harrell chopped it up with cops for over half an hour about all kinds of NBA topics during his weed stop in May -- including LaMelo Ball and free agency -- and the entire conversation was captured on police video, obtained by TMZ Sports.

The traffic-stop-turned-round-ball-talk all happened in Richmond, Kentucky on May 12 ... after Kentucky State Police pulled over Harrell and his friend in a 2020 Honda Pilot after cops say they were following another car too closely on the road.

During the stop, cops said they smelled an odor of marijuana coming from the ride -- so they detained the basketball player and his friend to check everything out.

While probing the car and asking questions, video shows cops at the scene found out Harrell was an NBA player -- and then wanted to get all kinds of Association scoop from the former Hornets power forward.

At one point, a cop needed to know Harrell's opinion of Ball -- his famous teammate in Charlotte.

"How's LaMelo?" the cop asked.

"He's a cool person," Harrell responded. "I mean, regular kid. At the end of the day, people got to understand he's a kid."

The cop later told Harrell, "I think his dad messed him up."

Cops eventually got Harrell out of the car -- and claim they then found three pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags in a backpack in the back seat of the ride.

"Damn," Harrell said on the video. "Didn't know that was in there."

But the cops were calm with Harrell and his friend -- even at one point saying in the footage, "We are not the weed police."

As they continued to search the car -- the cops peppered Harrell with NBA questions ... asking him about the playoffs, his former teammates, "the biggest prick in the" league, and "the best big guy you ever had to play against."

At one point, Harrell was asked who had the worst facilities in the league -- and he said Philadelphia ... which was ironic, considering he went on to sign as a free agent with the 76ers earlier this month.

Eventually, cops issued a citation to Harrell and the other man, before letting them go.

Video shows one of the cops ultimately took the weed they found in Harrell's vehicle and put it into a squad car.

Harrell was charged with trafficking less than five pounds of marijuana -- a Class D felony -- over the stop ... but he cut a plea with prosecutors last month to close out the case.

Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett admitted Tuesday what everyone already knew -- he blew the ending of Monday night's game against the Seahawks.

Hackett got candid at his meeting with media members less than 24 hours after losing to Seattle ... revealing he should have, in fact, stuck with Russell Wilson on fourth-and-five instead of kicking a 64-yard field goal as the time ticked away on "MNF."

"Looking back at it," he said, "we definitely should have gone for it."

The Broncos were trailing the Seahawks, 17-16, but Wilson, who's no stranger to late-game magic, was driving the Broncos down the field with the hopes of winning in his much-anticipated return to Seattle.

The problem? When Russ' drive stalled near midfield -- Hackett elected to pull him from the game, and trot Brandon McManus to attempt to make a historically long kick.

Of course, he missed ... and the Broncos lost -- and Hackett made it clear he regrets the decision.

"It's just one of those things that's unfortunate, but that was our plan going into it," the rookie head coach said. "Obviously, looking back at it, if you missed the field goal, you're always going to wish you would've gone for it, and if you would've gone for it and not gotten it, you wish you would've given him a chance."

Hackett's decision was so questionable ... Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning, who was hosting the ManningCast during the game, was visibly dumbfounded over it all.

Ken Starr, famous for leading the investigation that led to former President Bill Clinton's impeachment, has died.

Starr died Tuesday at Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center in Houston, Texas ... the result of complications from a recent surgical procedure ... according to his family.

Starr is best known for heading the expansive Whitewater investigation into the Clintons back in the '90s ... a probe that began with the Clintons' real estate investments before expanding to include the infamous Monica Lewinsky sex scandal.

Starr had a decorated legal career ... he was nominated by former President Ronald Reagan to a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington D.C. and later served under former President George H.W. Bush as U.S. Solicitor General.

Starr argued 36 cases before SCOTUS and also served as United States Circuit Judge for D.C. He was the chief of staff for former U.S. Attorney General William French Smith and clerked for Justice Warren E. Burger.

He was heavily involved in higher education ... teaching constitutional law for 25 years between NYU, George Mason, Pepperdine, Chapman and Baylor. In addition, Starr was Dean of the Pepperdine School of Law before going to Baylor to be the University's President and Chancellor.

Starr was later removed as president after an external investigation into the school's response to sexual and physical assault allegations made by 17 women against 19 football players ... and resigned from his role as chancellor days later.

Starr was born in Texas and grew up in San Antonio, graduating from Sam Houston High School and earning his B.A. from George Washington University. He had a master's in political science from Brown University and a JD from Duke University law school.

Ken is survived by his wife of 52 years, Alice Mendell Starr, and their three children, Randall, Carolyn and Cynthia.

Starr's son says the family is "deeply saddened with the loss of our dear and loving Father and Grandfather, whom we admired for his prodigious work ethic, but who always put his family first. The love, energy, endearing sense of humor, and fun-loving interest Dad exhibited to each of us was truly special, and we cherish the many wonderful memories we were able to experience with him."

He'll be buried at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, with a visitation scheduled for Sept. 23 in Waco.

Starr was 76.

Ouncie Allen -- a top 25-ranked pro bull rider -- has been killed after a deadly shooting at a Salt Lake City apartment on Monday ... and police are calling it a domestic violence-related homicide.

He was only 27.

Salt Lake City Police Department said they received a call at 12:06 AM on Monday about a man being shot at an apartment complex located almost 2 miles south of the Utah Jazz's Vivint Arena.

When officers arrived, they found a male outside of the apartment with at least one gunshot wound ... and transported the man to the local hospital.

Sadly, the man passed away and SLCPD later identified the victim as Demetrius Omar Lateef Allen, also known as "Ouncie."

SLCPD said they arrested female suspect LaShawn Denise Bagley ... and charged the 21-year-old with murder and felony discharge of a firearm.

Detectives believe the Houston bull rider came to Salt Lake City for the Utah State Fair and was staying with Bagley during his visit. However, things apparently went bad after he left the fair.

"After attending the fair, Allen and Bagley went to a downtown bar where they got into an argument," SLCPD said.

"Allen went to Bagley’s apartment to get his property when shots were fired."

Allen was currently ranked 24th in the world in pro rodeo bull riding ... and recently won the Tri-State Rodeo event in Fort Madison, Iowa.

He also placed first at the Big Timber Weekly Rodeo in Montana and at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo in August.

Ouncie's cousin, Ezekiel, is also a bull rider and was the Challenger Series Champion in 2017.

Sean Gleason, the CEO of Professional Bull Riders, said they are "shocked and saddened" by the terrible news and called Ouncie a "talented cowboy."

Allen is survived by his 4-year-old daughter.