“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BOYS BASKETBALL
| CLOVERDALE | 58 | NORTH PUTNAM | 46 | |
| GARY WEST | 62 | HAMMOND MORTON | 51 | |
| GREENFIELD-CENTRAL | 79 | INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE | 46 | |
| HAMMOND NOLL | 61 | ILLIANA CHRISTIAN | 48 | |
| LAKELAND | 64 | ELKHART CHRISTIAN | 34 | |
| NORTH JUDSON | 52 | RENSSELAER CENTRAL | 49 | |
| NORTHVIEW | 61 | OWEN VALLEY | 32 | |
| PRAIRIE HEIGHTS | 60 | BETHANY CHRISTIAN | 56 | |
| SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH) | 78 | MITCHELL | 69 | |
| SOUTH SPENCER | 37 | NORTH POSEY | 33 | |
| SULLIVAN | 73 | ROBINSON (ILL.) | 56 | |
| CARMI (ILL.) CLASSIC | ||||
| MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) | 64 | FAIRFIELD (ILL.) | 62 | OT |
| HARRISBURG (ILL.) | 68 | EVANSVILLE DAY | 38 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS CITY TOURNAMENT | ||||
| INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL | 100 | INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA | 38 | QF |
| PURDUE POLY ENGLEWOOD | 59 | COVENANT CHRISTIAN | 57 | QF |
| INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS | 97 | INDIANAPOLIS TECH | 57 | QF |
| CHRISTEL HOUSE | 80 | INDIANAPOLIS RITTER | 71 | QF |
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS BASKETBALL
| ADAMS CENTRAL | 51 | HERITAGE | 17 | |
| BATESVILLE | 59 | RUSHVILLE | 31 | |
| BETHANY CHRISTIAN | 49 | CAREER ACADEMY | 13 | |
| BLOOMINGTON SOUTH | 67 | TERRE HAUTE SOUTH | 14 | |
| BLUFFTON | 67 | EASTBROOK | 29 | |
| BORDEN | 72 | HENRYVILLE | 42 | |
| BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL | 47 | PROVIDENCE | 25 | |
| CARROLL (FLORA) | 48 | TRI-CENTRAL | 35 | |
| CASCADE | 38 | EDGEWOOD | 21 | |
| CASTLE | 56 | VINCENNES LINCOLN | 32 | |
| CHESTERTON | 49 | CROWN POINT | 37 | |
| CLAY CITY | 47 | DUGGER UNION | 37 | |
| DELTA | 64 | JAY COUNTY | 33 | |
| EAST NOBLE | 54 | PRAIRIE HEIGHTS | 35 | |
| EASTERN HANCOCK | 72 | DALEVILLE | 47 | |
| ELKHART | 63 | SOUTH BEND ADAMS | 39 | |
| ELWOOD | 58 | WES-DEL | 17 | |
| EVANSVILLE CENTRAL | 58 | EVANSVILLE MATER DEI | 34 | |
| EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN | 51 | SOUTH SPENCER | 36 | |
| EVANSVILLE NORTH | 52 | EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL | 39 | |
| EVANSVILLE REITZ | 50 | JASPER | 37 | |
| FLOYD CENTRAL | 57 | TRINITY LUTHERAN | 33 | |
| FORT WAYNE HOMESCHOOL | 42 | SOUTH ADAMS | 36 | |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY | 47 | SHENANDOAH | 46 | |
| GALLATIN COUNTY (KY.) | 46 | SWITZERLAND COUNTY | 36 | |
| GIBSON SOUTHERN | 42 | SOUTHRIDGE | 20 | |
| HANOVER CENTRAL | 60 | HOBART | 28 | |
| HERITAGE CHRISTIAN | 60 | OLDENBURG ACADEMY | 41 | |
| HERITAGE HILLS | 60 | BOONVILLE | 51 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE | 57 | INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN | 32 | |
| JAC-CEN-DEL | 52 | RISING SUN | 43 | |
| JENNINGS COUNTY | 63 | COLUMBUS EAST | 42 | |
| LAKEWOOD PARK | 66 | FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY | 14 | |
| LAPEL | 60 | MUNCIE CENTRAL | 29 | |
| LIBERTY CHRISTIAN | 72 | PURDUE POLY NORTH | 25 | |
| LINTON | 46 | BLOOMFIELD | 32 | |
| MADISON | 46 | EAST CENTRAL | 43 | |
| MONROE CENTRAL | 58 | COWAN | 17 | |
| MORRISTOWN | 72 | HAUSER | 28 | |
| NEW PALESTINE | 62 | WALDRON | 21 | |
| NORTH DECATUR | 65 | MILAN | 8 | |
| NORTH HARRISON | 57 | CLARKSVILLE | 37 | |
| NORTH JUDSON | 54 | WINAMAC | 42 | |
| NORTH MIAMI | 48 | CASTON | 36 | |
| NORTH POSEY | 76 | TECUMSEH | 46 | |
| NORTH VERMILLION | 60 | COVINGTON | 43 | |
| NORTHEAST DUBOIS | 46 | LOOGOOTEE | 22 | |
| NORTHFIELD | 75 | MADISON-GRANT | 34 | |
| ORLEANS | 44 | CRAWFORD COUNTY | 30 | |
| PAOLI | 38 | WEST WASHINGTON | 33 | |
| PARKE HERITAGE | 43 | FOUNTAIN CENTRAL | 29 | |
| PENDLETON HEIGHTS | 52 | CONNERSVILLE | 37 | |
| PENN | 66 | SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH | 35 | |
| PERRY CENTRAL | 51 | SPRINGS VALLEY | 40 | |
| PERU | 46 | PIONEER | 41 | |
| PRINCETON | 60 | PIKE CENTRAL | 32 | |
| SCOTTSBURG | 70 | EASTERN (PEKIN) | 53 | |
| SEVEN OAKS | 60 | HORIZON CHRISTIAN | 17 | |
| SEYMOUR | 51 | FRANKLIN | 41 | |
| SHAKAMAK | 41 | EASTERN GREENE | 32 | |
| SHAWE MEMORIAL | 67 | NEW WASHINGTON | 54 | |
| SHERIDAN | 67 | DELPHI | 42 | |
| SOUTH BEND RILEY | 54 | MISHAWAKA MARIAN | 26 | |
| SOUTH KNOX | 76 | BARR-REEVE | 34 | |
| SOUTH RIPLEY | 52 | SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER) | 36 | |
| SOUTHMONT | 64 | FRANKFORT | 28 | |
| SOUTHPORT | 58 | BEECH GROVE | 46 | |
| TRI-COUNTY | 52 | SEEGER | 30 | |
| WARSAW | 70 | TIPPECANOE VALLEY | 25 | |
| WHITE RIVER VALLEY | 41 | NORTH DAVIESS | 33 | |
| WHITKO | 64 | MACONAQUAH | 34 | |
| WOOD MEMORIAL | 42 | VINCENNES RIVET | 38 | OT |
| BI-COUNTY TOURNAMENT | ||||
| ARGOS | 37 | TRITON | 36 | CON |
| OREGON-DAVIS | 55 | NEW PRAIRIE | 39 | CON |
| JOHN GLENN | 37 | CULVER | 28 | SF |
| BREMEN | 41 | LAVILLE | 36 | SF |
| HOOSIER CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS | ||||
| WEST LAFAYETTE | 46 | TIPTON | 22 | 7TH |
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 25
#24 MEMPHIS 61 WICHITA STATE 53
MARYLAND 91 #17 ILLINOIS 70
ELSEWHERE:
SIU EDWARDSVILLE 82 SOUTHERN INDIANA 76
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
#12 OHIO STATE 74 #8 MARYLAND 66
#20 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 74 SYRACUSE 66
#13 NORTH CAROLINA 76 WAKE FOREST 51
#18 GEORGIA TECH 75 VIRGINIA 62
TEXAS A&M 61 #11 KENTUCKY 55
#3 NOTRE DAME 89 BOSTON COLLEGE 63
#1 UCLA 84 RUTGERS 66
#14 DUKE 81 SMU 46
#7 TEXAS 80 #17 TENNESSEE 76
#22 CALIFORNIA 75 STANFORD 72
ELSEWHERE:
SOUTHERN INDIANA 69 SIU EDWARDSVILLE 65
ILLINOIS 85 NORTHWESTERN 60
NBA SCORES
SAN ANTONIO 140 INDIANA 110
PORTLAND 101 ORLANDO 79
TORONTO 122 ATLANTA 119
DALLAS 121 OKLAHOMA CITY 115
MILWAUKEE 125 MIAMI 96
DENVER 132 SACRAMENTO 123
GOLDEN STATE 131 CHICAGO 106
LA LAKERS 117 BOSTON 96
LA CLIPPERS 110 WASHINGTON 93
NHL SCORES
CAROLINA 7 COLUMBUS 4
DETROIT 4 MONTRÉAL 2
BOSTON 2 OTTAWA 0
NY RANGERS 6 PHILADELPHIA 1
UTAH 4 MINNESOTA 0
VEGAS 4 ST. LOUIS 2
CALGARY 5 BUFFALO 2
EDMONTON 6 VANCOUVER 2
WASHINGTON 3 SEATTLE 0
ANAHEIM 5 PITTSBURGH
NASHVILLE 6 SAN JOSE 5
TOP NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES
NFL NEWS
THE AP NFL MVP FINALISTS ARE JOSH ALLEN, SAQUON BARKLEY, JOE BURROW, JARED GOFF AND LAMAR JACKSON
Most Valuable Player
Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, Joe Burrow, Jared Goff and Lamar Jackson are finalists for The Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award.
Barkley, Burrow and Jackson also are finalists for Offensive Player of the Year and Burrow is also in the running for Comeback Player of the Year.
The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 6. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began.
Here are the finalists, in alphabetical order, for the eight AP NFL awards:
Allen helped the Bills win their fifth straight AFC East title. He threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six picks for a 101.4 passer rating. Allen ran for 531 yards and 12 scores.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards, eighth-best in NFL history. He sat out Philadelphia’s final regular-season game when he needed 101 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. Barkley helped the Eagles win the NFC East and advance to the conference championship game.
Burrow led the NFL with a career-high 4,918 yards passing and 43 TDs but the Cincinnati Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs.
Goff threw for 4,629 yards, 37 TDs, nine interceptions and led Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington.
Jackson, the reigning winner, is seeking his third MVP award after leading the Ravens to an AFC North title. Jackson had career-highs with 4,172 yards passing, 41 TDs to just four interceptions and a 119.6 passer rating, which led the NFL. He was a first-team All-Pro for the third time and also ran for 915 yards and four TDs. The Ravens were knocked out of the divisional round by Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Offensive Player of the Year
Barkley, Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Jackson are finalists for the award.
Chase won the receiving triple crown, leading the league with 127 receptions, 1,708 yards and 17 TDs. The Bengals’ star wide receiver was a unanimous selection for All-Pro.
Henry, the 2020 Offensive Player of the Year, had 1,921 yards rushing and 16 TDs in his first season with the Ravens.
Defensive Player of the Year
Eagles linebacker Zack Baun went from mostly playing special teams for the Saints to earning All-Pro honors in his first season in Philadelphia.
All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, had 14 sacks for the Cleveland Browns.
Bengals All-Pro edge rusher Trey Hendrickson led the NFL with 17 1/2 sacks.
Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II allowed just 37 receptions, had four picks and opposing quarterbacks had a 61.1 passer rating throwing against him
Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt, the 2021 winner, had 11 1/2 sacks and forced six fumbles.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers set a rookie record with 112 receptions and his 1,194 yards receiving were the most by a first-year player at his position.
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels led the team to an eight-win improvement and has them one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. He threw for 3,568 yards, 25 TDs and posted a 100.1 rating. Daniels also ran for 891 yards and six scores.
Giants receiver Malik Nabers had 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven TDs.
Broncos QB Bo Nix helped the team reach the playoffs for the first time in nine years. He had 3,775 yards passing, 29 TDs, 12 picks and ran for 430 yards and four scores.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 TDs.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean was among the highest-rated players in the slot, holding opponents to 50 receptions. He had five pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 82.2 passer rating against him.
Rams defensive tackle Braden Fiske led the team and all rookies with 8 1/2 sacks. He had 51 pressures, two forced fumbles and recoveries, 10 tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits.
Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell allowed 40 receptions, had nine pass breakups and quarterbacks had an 87 passer rating against him.
Dolphins edge Chop Robinson had six sacks, 20 pressures and eight tackles for loss.
Rams edge Jared Verse had 4 1/2 sacks but led all rookies in quarterback hits (18), pressures (77) and hurries (56). He also had 11 tackles for loss.
Coach of the Year
Detroit’s Dan Campbell, Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell, Denver’s Sean Payton, Washington’s Dan Quinn and Kansas City’s Andy Reid are the finalists.
Campbell guided the Lions (15-3) to the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Connell led the Vikings (14-4) to the playoffs despite the departure of Kirk Cousins in free agency and losing rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a season-ending knee injury in training camp.
Payton helped the Broncos (10-8) overcome salary-cap woes stemming from the decision to release Russell Wilson and ended a nine-year playoff drought.
Quinn took over a 4-13 team and turned the Commanders into a 12-win playoff team.
Reid had the Chiefs (16-2) back atop the AFC as the No. 1 seed in a quest for a third straight Super Bowl victory.
Assistant Coach of the Year
Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Vikings DC Brian Flores, Lions DC Aaron Glenn and Lions OC Ben Johnson made the list.
Comeback Player of the Year
Burrow, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Bills safety Damar Hamlin are the finalists.
PATRICK MAHOMES ON WHETHER NFL OFFICIALS FAVOR THE CHIEFS: ‘THE REFEREES ARE DOING THEIR BEST’
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes doesn’t believe NFL officials are doing the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback any favors.
Nor do the statistics support that assumption.
In last week’s divisional-round win over Houston, the Texans were twice penalized for hits on Mahomes, and one of them came on third down to extend a drive that ended in points. And that led many fans — to say nothing of some members of the Texans defense — to believe the league’s officials were blatantly favoring one of its biggest stars.
“I don’t feel that way,” Mahomes said Wednesday in his first media availability ahead of Sunday’s AFC title game against Buffalo, where the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs will try to earn a chance at a three-peat.
“I just try to play football at the end of the day. The referees are doing their best to call the game as fair and proper as best they can,” Mahomes said. “For me, it’s go out there, play hard, try to do whatever I can to win the football game, and then live with the results based on my effort and how I play the game, and that’s what we preach here in Kansas City.”
While it may seem as though one of the NFL’s most visible franchises gets more than its share of calls, the Chiefs in fact have been penalized 147 yards more than their opponents over the past three seasons, including the playoffs.
And lest some think the Chiefs benefit more in moments that matter most, opponents have gained 20 more first downs via penalties on third or fourth down since 2018, which is when Mahomes became the starter. In the fourth quarter or overtime of games decided by one score, the Chiefs have the seventh-worst penalty differential over that same time period.
Still, it appears the narrative that officials are helping the Chiefs to win had reached the Houston locker room before the Texans ever reached Arrowhead Stadium last Saturday, where they lost 23-14 in the divisional round of the playoffs.
“We knew it was going to be us versus the refs going into this game,” Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said afterward.
Then again, Mahomes didn’t earn any latitude among fans by appearing to flop in an attempt to draw another flag. That came as he was scrambling to his left and went out of bounds, and when touched by Houston linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, the two-time NFL MVP dramatically threw himself to the ground — but failed to fool the officials, who kept their flags in their pockets.
It certainly drew the ire of former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, who was calling the game for ESPN.
“He’s trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down,” Aikman said. “That’s been the frustration, and I get it. I understand it. That’s been the frustration for these defensive players around the league.”
Mahomes didn’t seem perturbed by the sudden national discourse into penalties and flopping when he addressed the media on Wednesday. Instead, he methodically answered questions about them and then turned his attention to the Bills.
“You get new referees every year. You get new circumstances,” Mahomes said, “and you never can really tell because every play is different, and that’s what makes the NFL so special. I feel like I just continue to play the game. I just try to win.”
AS THE CHIEFS CHASE A SUPER BOWL THREE-PEAT, THE BILLS AIM TO SPOIL THE PARTY IN KANSAS CITY
Buffalo (15-4) at Kansas City (16-2)
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. EST, CBS/Paramount+
BetMGM NFL odds: Chiefs by 1 1/2.
Against the spread: Bills 12-7; Chiefs 8-10.
Series record: Bills lead 30-25-1.
Last meeting: Bills beat Chiefs 30-21 on Nov. 17 in Buffalo.
Last week: Bills beat Ravens 27-25; Chiefs beat Texans 23-14.
Bills offense: overall (10), rush (9), pass (9), scoring (2).
Bills defense: overall (17), rush (12), pass (24), scoring (T11).
Chiefs offense: overall (16), rush (22), pass (14), scoring (15).
Chiefs defense: overall (9), rush (8), pass (18), scoring (4).
Turnover differential: Bills plus-24; Chiefs plus-6.
Bills player to watch
Josh Allen is enjoying his most efficient season, and the Buffalo quarterback has a track record of raising his level of play in the playoffs. He’s 7-5 in the postseason with a franchise-record 23 touchdowns passing against just four interceptions, and his seven TDs rushing in the postseason are tied for second on the NFL list among QBs, one behind Steve Young. In three playoff losses to Kansas City, Allen is a combined 81 of 126 for 802 yards with seven TDs passing, two rushing and just one interception.
Chiefs player to watch
Patrick Mahomes moved into a tie with Joe Montana for the second-most playoff wins as a starting quarterback in the divisional round against Houston. But while Montana was 16-7 for his career, the Chiefs’ two-time NFL MVP is 16-3, and two of the three losses came in overtime in the AFC championship game while the other came in the Super Bowl — the only Super Bowl he’s lost in four tries.
Key matchup
The Chiefs defensive front against Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who beat them both rushing and passing in a loss in Buffalo in November. Allen threw for 262 yards and a touchdown in that game while running 12 times for 55 yards and another score — a 26-yard TD run with 2:17 left that sealed the 30-21 victory for the Bills.
Key injuries
Bills safety Taylor Rapp is questionable after being carted off the sideline with a hip injury Sunday. Starting linebacker Matt Milano’s status bears monitoring after he did not finish Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. Starting cornerback Christian Benford (concussion protocol) practiced on a limited basis early this week.
The Chiefs came out of their game against Houston healthy. That includes cornerback Jaylen Watson, who was playing for the first time since breaking his ankle Oct. 20 against San Francisco.
Series notes
Since meeting for the AFC title on Jan. 24, 2021, the Bills and Chiefs have met seven times, with Buffalo winning all four regular-season matchups and Kansas City winning each of the three playoff games. That includes a 38-24 win that sent the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, a 42-36 overtime win in the divisional round the following year, and a 27-24 divisional win in Buffalo last year. The team also met for the 1993 conference championship with Buffalo winning 30-13 in the midst of four straight Super Bowl appearances, and the Bills won a divisional playoff game on Jan. 5, 1992. Kansas City beat the Bills 31-7 for the AFL title on Jan. 1, 1967, and would lose to the Packers two weeks later in the first Super Bowl.
Stats and stuff
The Bills are 4-2 in the AFC championship game with all four wins coming during the 1990-93 seasons. … The Bills are 0-4 in road playoff games in coach Sean McDermott’s eight seasons and 3-12 overall. They’ve lost seven straight playoff road games since a 29-10 win at Miami in the AFC championship game in the 1992 season. That playoff road skid is the third longest in the NFL behind Dallas, Cleveland, Seattle and the New York Giants, who each dropped eight straight, and Detroit (12). … McDermott’s 93 wins, including playoffs, are tied with Mike Holmgren for second most by a coach through his first eight seasons. Only George Seifert (108) won more. …The Bills are the NFL’s first team without a turnover in four straight playoff outings. Buffalo hasn’t turned over the ball since Allen threw an interception in a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati in the 2022 divisional round. … The Bills finished the season with a league-best plus-24 turnover differential, which they’ve increased to plus-27 through the postseason. … Allen has completed passes to eight players in each of Buffalo’s first two playoff games this year. … With two rushing TDs last week, Allen increased his playoff career total to seven, tied with Tom Brady for second on the NFL list, and one behind Steve Young. … Allen’s 629 yards rushing in the playoffs rank second on the career list behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (641). … The Bills are 8-1 when scoring a touchdown on their opening drive this season. Their only loss was a 44-42 decision at the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 8. … The Chiefs are in the AFC title game for the seventh consecutive season with six of them having been played in Kansas City. New England holds the record with eight straight from 2011-18. … Chiefs coach Andy Reid won his 300th career game last week in the divisional round against Houston. The only other NFL coaches to eclipse that mark are Don Shula (347), Bill Belichick (333) and George Halas (324). … Chiefs TE Travis Kelce needs 226 yards receiving to break the playoff record of 2,245 set by Jerry Rice from 1985-04. Kelce also needs three TD catches to break Rice’s playoff record of 22. … Kelce has nine playoff games with at least 100 yards receiving, including 117 against Houston in the divisional round. That is the longest streak in NFL history. … The Chiefs had eight sacks against the Texans in the divisional round, the second most in a playoff game in franchise history. They had nine against Houston on Jan. 16, 1994. … Chiefs DE George Karlaftis had three sacks against the Texans, tying the club playoff record held by Aaron Brown (at Oakland on Jan. 4, 1974) and Frank Clark (against Houston on Jan. 12, 2020). … CB Trent McDuffie has a Chiefs playoff record 13 passes defensed despite appearing in just three postseasons. … Chiefs K Harrison Butker needs four field goals to pass David Akers (39) for third most playoff FGs in NFL history.
WASHINGTON VISITS PHILADELPHIA IN NFC EAST SHOWDOWN FOR THE CONFERENCE TITLE
Washington (14-5) at Philadelphia (16-3)
Sunday, 3 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 6
Against the spread: Washington 12-6-1; Philadelphia 12-6-1
Series record: Washington leads 90-85-5, including a win in the longtime NFC East Division rivals’ only previous playoff meeting in January 1991.
Last meeting: Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdown passes as the Commanders beat the Eagles 36-33 on Dec. 22 at Washington to end Philadelphia’s winning streak at 10 games.
Last week: Commanders defeated Detroit 45-31; Eagles beat the Rams 28-22.
Commanders offense: overall (7), rush (3), pass (17), scoring (5)
Commanders defense: overall (13), rush (30), pass (3), scoring (18)
Eagles offense: overall (8), rush (2), pass (29), scoring (7)
Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (10), pass (1), scoring (2)
Turnover differential: Commanders: plus-1; Eagles: plus-11
Eagles players to watch
RB Saquon Barkley. Barkley finished with a club-record 2,005 rushing yards in the regular season, 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Philadelphia’s star running back was held out of the team’s meaningless regular-season finale against the Giants as a precaution by coach Nick Sirianni. Barkley ran for 119 yards in his return to the field against the Packers in the opening round of the playoffs before following it up with a franchise playoff record of 205 rushing yards against the Rams on Sunday.
Commanders player to watch
Daniels. The rookie quarterback lit up the Eagles defense in the previous matchup in late December, accounting for 339 yards between nine carries and 24 completions. The No. 2 overall pick out of LSU passed for 299 yards and two TDs and ran for 51 yards in the win at Detroit on Saturday night.
Key matchup
Washington’s defense against Barkley. The Commanders were 30th in the regular season defending the run, allowing an average of 137.5 yards per game. That doesn’t bode well for stopping Barkley. In the regular season, Barkley became the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards, helping the Eagles average 179.3 yards on the ground, good for second in the league. And he has continued rolling in the playoffs, breaking Steve van Buren’s franchise record for rushing yards in a playoff game by running all over the Rams. The second of Barkley’s two rushing TDs against Los Angeles, a 78-yard scamper through the snow, instantly became one of the highlights of the season and one of the best plays in recent Eagles history.
Key injuries
Commanders: RG Sam Cosmi suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in the second quarter against Detroit and is out for the playoffs. Trent Scott replaced Cosmi for the remainder of the game against the Lions. … Neither DT Daron Payne (knee/finger) nor LB Bobby Wagner (ankle) practiced on Wednesday, though they are expected to play.
Eagles: Hurts limped off the field following Sunday’s win after appearing to injure his left knee late in the game. … The Eagles held a walkthrough on Wednesday. If it was a full practice, Hurts would have been a limited participant. He said his knee was “progressing” and indicated that he could play on Sunday. … Rookie CB Quinyon Mitchell injured a shoulder against the Rams. He participated in Wednesday’s walkthrough but would have been a limited participant for a regular practice. Mitchell told reporters he expects to play Sunday. … TE Dallas Goedert (ankle) and C Cam Jurgens (back) would have been sidelined on Wednesday had it been a regular practice. … LB Nakobe Dean was lost for the remainder of the playoffs after injuring his left knee in the second quarter against the Packers.
Series notes
Mark Rypien passed for 206 yards and tossed touchdown passes to Gary Clark and Art Monk in the only playoff matchup between the teams, a 20-6 win by Washington in the wild-card round at Philadelphia on Jan. 5, 1991. … Washington is 5-1 in franchise history in the NFC title game. … The Eagles are hosting their fifth NFC title game at Lincoln Financial Field since it opened in 2003. They most recently played it at home two years ago when they beat San Francisco.
Stats and stuff
Only five current Commanders were alive the previous time the organization reached the NFC title game 33 years ago: Wagner, LB Nick Bellore, TE Zach Ertz, OL Cornelius Lucas and P Tress Way. … The wild-card win at Tampa Bay was Washington’s first in the playoffs in 19 years. … Washington forced five turnovers against Detroit, including a pair of interceptions by rookie CB Mike Sainristil. S Quan Martin had a 40-yard interception return for a TD. The Commanders also committed zero turnovers against Detroit. … Washington ranked 30th in the regular season in rushing defense and allowed 105 yards and 2 TDs on the ground to Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs last week. … Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler combined to rush for 124 yards and two TDs against the Lions. … Philadelphia has won 14 of 15 overall and 25 of its past 30 at home, including the playoffs. … Hurts threw for 131 yards and rushed for 36 in the playoff-opening win over Green Bay and passed for 128 yards and ran for 70 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown, against the Rams, who sacked him seven times. … DT Jalen Carter had a stellar game against the Rams, with a forced fumble, two sacks and five tackles. … WR A.J. Brown had 1,079 receiving yards in the regular season but has made just three catches for 24 yards in Philadelphia’s two playoff wins. … K Jake Elliott missed a pair of extra points against the Rams after missing one against Green Bay the previous week. Elliott also made three field goals against Los Angeles, including two in the fourth quarter. The normally reliable kicker went 28 of 36 in the regular season, missing 6 of 7 from 50-plus yards. … Philadelphia’s defense, led by veteran coordinator Vic Fangio, finished the regular season ranked first overall (278.4 yards per game) and tops in passing defense (174.2 yards per game). It is the seventh time in club history the Eagles have led the league in total defense, also doing it in 1991, 1981, 1953, 1949, 1945 and 1944.
EAGLES’ JALEN HURTS READY TO FACE COMMANDERS IN NFC TITLE GAME ON BALKY LEFT KNEE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Hurts hobbled back to the Philadelphia Eagles’ huddle after his left knee was twisted on a sack, an injury that forced him after the drive to the sideline medical tent for a quick exam.
Hurts got checked out — and backup Kenny Pickett started to warm up in case he was needed in the NFC divisional playoff game against the Los Angeles Rams.
No so fast.
“We looked up, and (Hurts) was warming up,” wide receiver A.J. Brown said Wednesday. “So that tells you everything about him.”
Hurts never missed a snap to help the Eagles win their ninth straight home game and usher them into their second NFC conference championship game in three seasons at Lincoln Financial Field.
Still banged up, Hurts isn’t about to miss the biggest game of the season on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
The Eagles held a walk-through instead of a full practice on Wednesday — perhaps in part to take stress off Hurts’ knee — but that won’t keep him off the field against the Commanders.
“I’m expecting him to come out and do what he does,” Brown said. “He’s a warrior.”
His usual stoic self, Hurts kept his emotions more wrapped up than his knee. His answers Wednesday on the state of his health were shorter than a shovel pass.
How’s his knee?
“Progressing.”
Can he play on Sunday?
“Yeah.”
Hurts has been remarkably durable throughout his career from training camp until November when injuries start to hit. Already playing with a broken finger on his non-throwing hand, he missed the final two games of the regular season after suffering a concussion in a Dec. 22 loss to Washington. A year ago, it was a mangled finger on his throwing hand that limited his effectiveness in a playoff loss at Tampa Bay. And two seasons ago, when Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl, he suffered a sprained right shoulder in December that cost him two games.
“It’s a part of the game,” Hurts said. “I accept whatever comes with that.”
Now it’s a balky knee, which could limit the mobility of a quarterback who is one of the elite dual threats in the NFL. He rushed for 630 yards this season, and he ripped off a career-long 44-yard TD run against the Rams before he was hurt.
“The combination of Saquon (Barkley) and Jalen in the backfield is really, really powerful,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said. “They do an excellent job of having the threat of both of them. Jalen does an excellent job making decisions. He has to make decisions a lot of times in those runs whether to hand it or keep it. I thought that was a really, really cool play.”
With the Eagles riding Barkley and his 2,005 yards rushing this season, Hurts’ passing numbers dipped He threw for 2,903 yards after topping 3,000 in each of the previous three seasons. Hurts has thrown for only a combined 259 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in playoff wins against Green Bay and Los Angeles.
Take a look at the other three QBs standing: Buffalo’s Josh Allen has thrown for 399 yards and two TDs with no interceptions in two playoff games; Washington’s Jayden Daniels has 567 yards, four TDs and no picks; and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes threw for a modest 177 yards and a score in his lone game for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
True, passing yards aren’t the final grade on a quarterback’s performance — especially in a playoff win — but the Eagles only had 65 net yards through the air against the Rams.
“Not ideal,” Moore said.
But not enough to prevent the Eagles from moving to the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. They are followed by the Chiefs, Bills and Commanders.
Hurts had 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions this season. He threw only one pick after the Eagles returned from their Week 5 bye.
“He’s the same guy all the time,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “No matter who we’re playing, when we’re playing, practice, game, he’s consistent. He loves football. He loves the process it takes.”
One knock on Hurts is that his running style makes him susceptible to injury. He suffered a concussion against the Commanders after his head slammed against the ground on one run and he was hit in the helmet by Frankie Luvu at the end of another.
Knees, fingers, shoulders — playing hurt is part of the gig for an elite quarterback. No matter the state of his physical condition, the Eagles always like their chances with No. 1 in the huddle.
“I’m expecting Jalen to be Jalen,” Barkley said. “He’s going to show up for us. He’s going to make plays. He has that ‘it’ factor.”
PRO PICKS: STICKING WITH THE PRESEASON PREDICTION OF AN EAGLES-CHIEFS SUPER BOWL REMATCH
Familiar foes are facing off in the conference championship games in the NFL playoffs.
Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills for the fourth time in the past five postseasons.
The Chiefs have won all three playoff matchups, including the AFC championship game four years ago. The Bills ended Kansas City’s bid for a perfect season with a 30-21 victory in Week 11.
Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders visit Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC championship game.
The NFC East rivals split their season series, each winning at home.
The Chiefs and Commanders played their divisional games on Saturday so they’ve had an extra day of rest. Since 2004, the teams with an extra day off are 26-16 in the conference championship games, including 20-7 at home.
Pro Picks is sticking with its preseason prediction of an Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch.
Washington (14-5) at Philadelphia (16-3)
Line: Eagles minus 6
The Eagles are back here for the second time in three years and ninth time in franchise history. They’re 4-4, including 4-2 at home.
The Commanders are in the conference championship game for the first time in 33 years and seventh time in franchise history. Washington is 5-1 in the NFC title game and has won three Super Bowls.
The Eagles beat Washington 26-18 in a Thursday night game on Nov. 14. The Commanders rallied for a 36-33 victory on Dec. 22 in a game where Hurts sustained a concussion in the first quarter. The Eagles had a chance to seal a victory in that one but DeVonta Smith dropped a pass from Kenny Pickett on third down, setting the stage for Daniels to lead a comeback victory.
Daniels has thrown a TD pass in the final 30 seconds or overtime in five games this season. But no rookie quarterback has won a conference title game, going 0-5.
Barkley has 296 yards rushing and four TDs against Washington this season, including a 68-yard TD run in Philadelphia’s loss.
Hurts injured his knee last week in the snow against the Rams. If his mobility is limited, that’ll be a major advantage for Washington.
The Commanders lost right guard Sam Cosmi in their win over Detroit. They’ll have to find a way to contain Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was a dominant force vs. Los Angeles.
The Eagles are 7-3 against the spread in their past 10 games while the Commanders are 5-5 ATS in that span.
EAGLES: 26-23
Buffalo (15-4) at Kansas City (16-2)
Line: Chiefs minus 2
These two teams have played some classic games in the postseason and regular season, too.
There was the back-and-forth in the final two minutes in the 2021 divisional round where Allen threw a TD pass to Gabe Davis with 13 seconds left only to watch Mahomes complete two passes for 44 yards to set up a tying field goal that forced overtime. The Chiefs won the coin toss, scored a touchdown and the Bills didn’t get the ball. That led the NFL to change its postseason overtime rules to ensure both teams get a possession.
There was Buffalo’s win in Week 14 in 2023 when an offside penalty on Kadarius Toney negated Toney’s TD off a lateral from Travis Kelce.
Allen’s 26-yard TD run with 2:17 left sealed the Bills’ win earlier this season in the only game Kansas City’s starters lost.
Allen is 4-1 against Mahomes in the regular season. But he’s still seeking his first win in the playoffs.
Mahomes has only lost to Tom Brady (twice) and Joe Burrow in the postseason, going 16-3. He is 7-0 straight up and ATS as an underdog or a favorite of less than a field goal.
The Bills were a home underdog last week when they beat the Ravens. Allen has never won consecutive games as an underdog in 15 tries.
The Chiefs are aiming to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat in the Super Bowl era. With Taylor Swift and maybe Caitlin Clark cheering them on, they’re tough to beat at Arrowhead Stadium.
CHIEFS: 27-26
___
Last week: Straight up: 3-1. Against spread: 3-0-1.
Playoffs: Straight up: 7-3. Against spread: 6-3-1.
Overall: Straight up: 199-83. Against spread: 150-127-5.
Best Bet: Straight up: 12-7. Against spread: 10-8-1
Upset Special: Straight up: 10-9. Against spread: 10-9.
EAGLES K JAKE ELLIOTT TOP UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE OF CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen certainly are going to do their part. And Saquon Barkley might have his own chapter in the Commanders’ defensive game plan. Nobody doubts the significance of Jayden Daniels’ role for Washington.
But the matchups within the matchups are set to determine which teams advance on Championship Sunday to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 9.
We reviewed the critical concerns in each game to determine five under-the-radar players who will determine the outcome this weekend. The first in the series moving Thursday-Saturday: Philadelphia Eagles kicker Jake Elliott.
Overall reliable and counted on for six field goals in the playoffs without a miss, Elliott’s 2024 season wasn’t worthy of the Golden Toe award. He connected on 77.8 percent of his kicks. Compared to the 11 kickers with at least 15 makes who finished the season with a FG percentage of 90 or better, some might say Elliott is a concern in a do-or-die game.
The Eagles disagree.
Elliott, who turned 30 this week, has never missed a field goal in the playoffs (22 of 22).
The concern stems from two missed extra points last week in a six-point win over the Rams.
Snow and wind weren’t factors, according to head coach Nick Sirianni.
But there’s a simple explanation, according to Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay.
“You see No. 26 (Saquon Barkley) back there. He could take it 80 yards in the blink of an eye,” Clay said.
That’s right, the big-play back for the Eagles with an NFL record six touchdown runs of 60-plus yards (including playoffs) sets the special teams into a fire drill on the sideline when he goes the distance.
Clay said the adrenaline on the plays against the Rams — Barkley broke a big play in the fourth quarter and quarterback Jalen Hurts sounded the alarm with a 44-yard sprint to the end zone in the first — put Elliott’s normal routine into fast-forward, ending in predictable results.
“I don’t think Jake really dwells on it. He’s the kind of guy that has almost like a golfer’s mindset,” Clay said. “You will hit a bad shot here as a golfer, but how do you bounce back from it?”
Elliott’s last missed extra point prior to the divisional playoff win was Nov. 14 in the first of two regular-season meetings with the Commanders.
Barkley scored touchdowns of 39 and 68 yards in the those two games.
LIONS GM NOT WORRIED ABOUT JARED GOFF IN POST-BEN JOHNSON ERA
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for a career-best 37 touchdowns this season under the watchful eye of then-offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes doesn’t expect the good times to come to an end for Goff now that Johnson has moved on to become the head coach of the NFC North-rival Chicago Bears.
“Obviously, he was very productive with Ben as a coordinator but he had a lot of prior success before he even got here as well in a completely different system,” Holmes said on Thursday. “I think he’s a better quarterback, a more mature quarterback now than he was then when he had early success. I don’t foresee that. I think the guy’s in his prime. He’s gotten better and better every year. And when I say prime, I think, like, just entering it because he keeps ascending.
“I think every single year we’ve been here, the next year … the levels keep improving. Again, I have a lot of faith in Dan (Campbell, head coach) and I know that he’ll make sure Jared is in a good position.”
Goff, 30, was named a finalist for the Associated Press 2024 NFL Most Valuable Player award on Thursday after completing a career-high 72.4 percent of his passes for 4,629 yards this season.
He joined fellow quarterbacks Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals) as well as Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley as finalists for the award.
Under Johnson, Detroit boasted the NFL’s No. 1 scoring offense this season (33.2 points per game) and finished second in total offense (409.5 yards per game). The Lions’ points (564) and regular-season wins (15) this season were franchise records.
Goff, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection with 35,058 passing yards and 222 touchdowns in 134 starts with the Los Angeles Rams (2016-20) and Lions.
KEVIN STEFANSKI TO CALL BROWNS’ OFFENSIVE PLAYS IN 2025
Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Thursday that he will resume calling the offensive plays in 2025.
Stefanski relinquished play-calling duties to then-offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey after a 1-6 start this season.
He made the announcement during an introductory press conference for new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees.
“I’m going to call plays, and I reserve the right to change my mind,” said Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year.
Last week, the Browns promoted Rees from tight ends coach and pass game specialist to the OC role.
“Tommy has an incredible football mind,” Stefanski said last week. “He is extremely bright and has been around the game his entire life.”
Dorsey was fired on Jan. 5 after the Browns finished last in points scored (258) during a 3-14 season.
The Browns’ offense, hampered by rotating quarterbacks and another season-ending injury to running back Nick Chubb, mustered only an NFL-worst 15.2 points per game.
Stefanski settled the play-caller question, but the signal-caller situation still looms large entering an offseason that includes holding the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Deshaun Watson is coming off a second Achilles surgery and has two years remaining on a five-year, $230 million contract. He carries cap hits of $72.9 million in 2025 and 2026. He could miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season.
Among other quarterbacks on the roster, only Dorian Thompson-Robinson is under contract for 2025. Jameis Winston is an unrestricted free agent, and Bailey Zappe is a restricted free agent.
BEARS INTERIM COACH THOMAS BROWN MOVING ON
New Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will not retain interim coach and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.
Brown has interviewed for the play-calling role with the Seattle Seahawks, who fired Ryan Grubb after one season.
Brown was promoted twice by the Bears in 2024, from passing coordinator to offensive coordinator and then to the interim coaching role when Matt Eberflus was fired in November.
Bears team president Kevin Warren established late in the season that Brown would be a candidate to remain head coach. But a different reality came to light at Johnson’s introductory press conference Wednesday at Halas Hall.
Team chairman George McCaskey revealed there was always one candidate — Johnson, who has been offensive coordinator of the Lions for three seasons and on the Detroit coaching staff since 2019 — based on the preference of his football operations staff.
“(GM) Ryan (Poles) says, ‘This is the guy we want,’ and I said, ‘Go get him,’” McCaskey summarized Wednesday.
Brown and Johnson are the same age (38) with much different degrees of success calling plays. The Bears finished last (32nd) in total offense in 2024, but Brown did push rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams toward consistently positive results.
Brown went 1-4 as head coach of the Bears, beating the Packers in his final game in January.
In addition to Brown, the Seahawks have interviewed Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley, Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Vikings assistant OC and quarterbacks coach Grant Udinski for their OC role.
Brown played running back at Georgia and was drafted by the Falcons in 2008 before starting his coaching career in the college ranks. He worked for Georgia, Wisconsin, Miami and the College of Charleston and connected with Sean McVay as an offensive assistant with the Rams following one season as offensive coordinator at South Carolina.
Brown was hired as Panthers offensive coordinator in 2023 but moved on after Carolina made another coaching change.
The Athletic reported Thursday that in addition to Brown, the Bears are parting ways with defensive coordinator Eric Washington, interim OC and wideouts coach Chris Beatty, offensive line coach Chris Morgan and QBs coach Kerry Joseph.
RAMS DL BRADEN FISKE TO HAVE KNEE PROCEDURE
Los Angeles Rams rookie defensive lineman Braden Fiske will have surgery to repair a knee injury sustained in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Rams coach Sean McVay confirmed Thursday that Fiske was injured in the season-ending 28-22 divisional playoff loss at Philadelphia.
Fiske’s recovery from the procedure is not expected to affect his availability for next season, McVay said.
Fiske, who turned 25 last weekend, was named a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors on Thursday.
The 2024 second-round pick led the Rams and all NFL rookies with 8.5 sacks and finished with 44 tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (eight starts). He added 1.5 sacks in two playoff games.
BENGALS HIRE AL GOLDEN AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
The Cincinnati Bengals announced the hiring of Al Golden as their new defensive coordinator on Thursday.
Golden, 55, spent the past three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Notre Dame. That stint followed two years as the Bengals’ linebackers coach from 2020-21.
“Al is a very highly regarded coach, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Bengals as defensive coordinator,” Cincinnati head coach Zac Taylor said. “He understands football at every level and has had great success as a coordinator, position coach and head coach. Al has a great football mind and will bring a smart, physical, aggressive approach to our defense.”
Golden replaces Lou Anarumo, who was dismissed on Jan. 6. Anarumo had been defensive coordinator of the Bengals since Taylor became head coach in 2019.
Taylor had to wait until the College Football Playoff championship game concluded before being able to talk with Golden. Notre Dame lost 34-23 to Ohio State on Monday night.
Under Golden in 2024, the Fighting Irish defense finished fifth in the nation in points allowed per game (15.5).
The Bengals finished this past season 25th in total defense (348.3 yards per game) and tied for 26th in points allowed (25.5 per game).
COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS
AP’S ALL-COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF TEAM FEATURES AN ALL-OHIO STATE OFFENSIVE BACKFIELD
Ohio State’s run to its first national championship in a decade enabled the Buckeyes to dominate the Associated Press’ all-College Football Playoff team.
The AP changed the way it put together its postseason all-star teams this season as college football introduced an expanded 12-team playoff that had some schools playing as many as four postseason games.
The AP released an all-bowl team Jan. 7 for players who competed in non-playoff bowl games. Now the cooperative is unveiling an all-playoff team reserved only for players from the 12 College Football Playoff teams.
Since only four teams actually won any playoff games this season, all but one of the players on the all-playoff team come from those four schools.
Because some defenses operate in 4-3 schemes, others use a 3-4 and still others go with a base nickel defense, the AP covered all bases by having a defense with four linemen, four linebackers and five defensive backs.
QB Will Howard, Ohio State
Howard completed more than 75% of his passes for 1,150 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions in four playoff games. He was named the offensive most valuable player of the championship game after going 17 of 21 for 231 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for 57 yards on 16 carries in a 34-23 victory over Notre Dame.
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
Henderson had two touchdowns in each of Ohio State’s first two playoff victories and then caught a pass well behind the line of scrimmage and turned it into a 75-yard score in the Buckeyes’ 28-14 Cotton Bowl triumph over Texas. He finished the playoff with 36 carries for 265 yards and four touchdowns plus eight catches for 149 yards and one touchdown.
RB Quinshon Judkins, Ohio State
Before the championship game, the all-playoff team figured to include one of Penn State’s two outstanding running backs — Nicholas Singleton or Kaytron Allen — to pair with Henderson. But Judkins forced his way onto the team with his outstanding performance against Notre Dame. He ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries while also catching two passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. Judkins finished the playoffs with 255 yards rushing and seven total touchdowns (6 rushing, 1 receiving).
WR Matthew Golden, Texas
Texas was on the brink of playoff elimination before Golden made a 28-yard touchdown catch on a fourth-and-13 overtime play in a 39-31 Peach Bowl quarterfinal victory over Arizona State. He totaled 11 receptions for 249 yards to go along with that touchdown in three playoff games. That included seven receptions for 149 yards against Arizona State.
WR Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
Greathouse totaled just 359 yards receiving over Notre Dame’s first 14 games before going over the 100-yard mark in each of the Fighting Irish’s last two contests. He caught seven passes for 105 yards and had a tying 54-yard touchdown with 4:38 left in Notre Dame’s 27-24 Orange Bowl victory over Penn State. He then had six receptions for 128 yards — including touchdowns of 34 and 30 yards — to spark Notre Dame’s rally in the championship game.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
This Associated Press All-America second-team selection capped his sensational freshman season by catching 19 passes for 381 yards and five touchdowns in four playoff games. He scored twice in a 42-17 first-round victory over Tennessee and followed that up by having seven receptions for 187 yards and two more scores in a 41-21 Rose Bowl rout of previously unbeaten Oregon. Smith caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame, and his 56-yard catch on a third-and-11 play set up a clinching field goal.
TE Tyler Warren, Penn State
The winner of the John Mackey Award as college football’s top tight end scored two touchdowns in Penn State’s 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory over Boise State. Although Penn State got no catches from its wideouts in the Orange Bowl, Warren juiced the Nittany Lions’ offense by catching six passes for 74 yards and running for 21 yards on two carries. He totaled 16 receptions for 171 yards and three carries for 27 yards in three playoff games.
All-purpose Cam Skattebo, Arizona State
Skattebo, an AP All-America first-team running back, sparked Arizona State’s Peach Bowl comeback by rushing for 143 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, catching eight passes for 99 yards and even throwing a 42-yard touchdown pass.
OL Kelvin Banks, Texas
Banks, an AP All-America first-team tackle, allowed one quarterback hurry and no sacks in Texas’ three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. He had an overall PFF blocking rating of over 75 in a 38-24 first-round victory over Clemson and against Ohio State. He had an 86.4 pass-blocking rating in the semifinal loss to the Buckeyes.
OL Carson Hinzman, Ohio State
After playing center in 2023, Hinzman moved to left guard this season to make room for Alabama transfer Seth McLaughlin. But after McLaughlin injured his Achilles tendon in November, Hinzman moved back to center and helped open up plenty of holes for Henderson and Judkins throughout the playoffs.
OL Donovan Jackson, Ohio State
Jackson made the AP All-America team as a second-team guard, but he moved to left tackle when Josh Simmons suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. He didn’t allow a single sack in any of Ohio State’s four playoff games, according to PFF.
OL Nolan Rucci, Penn State
Penn State’s left tackle allowed no sacks and just one quarterback hurry in three playoff games, according to Pro Football Focus. PFF graded Rucci out at over 70 overall in each of Penn State’s playoff games.
OL Aamil Wagner, Notre Dame
This right tackle provided stability for a Notre Dame offensive line that dealt with multiple injuries during this playoff run. He allowed just one sack in four playoff games, according to PFF.
DL Abdul Carter, Penn State
Carter, an AP All-America first-team selection and the AP Big Ten defensive player of the year, injured his shoulder against Boise State but returned for the semifinal and collected five tackles and a sack against Notre Dame while playing hurt. He also had three tackles and a sack against SMU.
DL Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Dennis-Sutton totaled 4½ sacks in Penn State’s three playoff games. He collected two sacks and forced a fumble against Notre Dame, delivered one sack against Boise State and had 1½ against SMU.
DL Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
Sawyer delivered one of the most memorable highlights of this playoff by getting a strip sack and returning the fumble 83 yards for a clinching touchdown against Texas. He also had two sacks against Oregon and 1½ against Tennessee.
DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Tuimoloau totaled 10 tackles for loss and 6½ sacks in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had two sacks each against Tennessee and Oregon, 1½ against Texas and one against Notre Dame.
LB Drayk Bowen, Notre Dame
Bowen had eight tackles in each of Notre Dame’s last two games, and he also forced a fumble against Ohio State. He had 1½ tackles for loss in Notre Dame’s 27-17 first-round victory over Indiana and had six total tackles and half a tackle for loss in the Irish’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia.
LB Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Notre Dame’s sixth-year senior linebacker collected six tackles and a sack and forced a fumble against Georgia. He followed that up by recording a team-high 10 tackles against Penn State.
LB Cody Simon, Ohio State
Simon totaled 38 tackles in Ohio State’s four playoff games. He had 12 tackles in the first-round win over Tennessee and had 11 tackles plus two sacks against Oregon.
LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Styles had nine tackles — three for loss — plus a sack and a forced fumble against Texas. He also recorded a sack against Notre Dame.
DB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Barron, an AP All-America first-team cornerback, assisted in the coverage scheme that limited Smith to one catch for 3 yards in Texas’ semifinal loss to Ohio State. He had 11 tackles against Arizona State. He broke up two passes against Clemson and had a 78.5 overall rating from PFF for that game.
DB Caleb Downs, Ohio State
This AP All-America first-team safety solidified Ohio State’s secondary throughout the postseason. His interception with less than two minutes left thwarted Texas’ last comeback hopes in the Cotton Bowl semifinal.
DB Leonard Moore, Notre Dame
This freshman stepped into a featured role following a season-ending injury to AP All-America preseason second-team selection Benjamin Morrison and developed into Notre Dame’s best cornerback. PFF gave him overall defensive ratings of 76.4 against Indiana and 78.5 against Georgia.
DB Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Watts, an AP All-America first-team safety, made an interception in the red zone that prevented Indiana from taking an early lead in Notre Dame’s first-round playoff game. PFF rated him at 70 or higher in three of Notre Dame’s four playoff contests.
DB Zakee Wheatley, Penn State
Wheatley had two playoff interceptions — one against Boise State and another against Notre Dame. He collected 16 tackles and a sack in the Notre Dame game. He made seven tackles and broke up a pass against SMU.
K Mitch Jeter, Notre Dame
Jeter had a 27-yard field-goal attempt bounce off the left upright in the fourth quarter of the championship game, but he also helped Notre Dame get to that point by making a tiebreaking 41-yarder with seven seconds left in the Orange Bowl. Jeter went 7 of 9 on field-goal attempts in the playoffs, including 6 of 6 from 40-49 yards out.
P James Rendell, Notre Dame
Rendell’s 41.5 playoff punting average might not seem particularly impressive on the surface, but he landed seven of his 13 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and didn’t have a single touchback.
KR Jayden Harrison, Notre Dame
Harrison’s 98-yard touchdown return of the second-half kickoff in the Sugar Bowl was the best return for anyone in this playoff.
OHIO STATE’S SECOND TITLE IN THE CFP ERA AVERAGES 22.1 MILLION VIEWERS, A 12% DECLINE FROM LAST YEAR
Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game, was the most-watched game of the season. However, it was a double-digit drop in viewers from last year.
ESPN announced Wednesday that the Buckeyes’ second national championship in the CFP era averaged 22.1 million viewers. It was the most-watched, non-NFL sporting event over the past year, but a 12% drop from the 25 million who tuned in for Michigan’s 34-13 victory over Washington in 2024.
It was the third-lowest audience of the 11 CFP title games, with all three occurring in the past five years. The audience peaked at 26.1 million viewers during the second quarter (8:30-8:45 p.m. EST) when the game was tied at 7-7.
Since Alabama’s 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia in 2018, the last seven title games have had an average margin of victory of 25.4 points. Ohio State had a 31-7 lead midway through the third quarter before Notre Dame rallied to get within one possession with five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Georgia’s 65-7 rout of TCU in 2023 was the least-viewed title game (17.2 million) followed by Alabama’s 52-24 win over Ohio State in 2021 (18.7 million). The first title game in 2015 — the Buckeyes’ 42-20 victory over Oregon — remains the most-watched college football game by viewers in the CFP era according to Nielsen at 33.9 million.
This was the first year of the 12-team field. The first round averaged 10.6 million viewers with the quarterfinals at 16.9 million. The semifinals averaged 19.2 million, a 17% decline from last year. Both semifinal games in 2024 though were played on Jan. 1. Michigan’s OT victory over Alabama in the Rose Bowl drew a bigger audience (27.7 million) than the Wolverines’ win in the title game.
CFP games ended up being nine of the 10 most-viewed this season. Georgia’s OT win over Texas in the SEC championship on ABC/ESPN was sixth at 16.6 million.
UNC RELEASES BILL BELICHICK CONTRACT: $10M A YEAR, PLENTY OF EXTRAS
Bill Belichick will earn $10 million a year as football coach at North Carolina, with the opportunity to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars more in bonuses.
The university released the 29-page signed contract Thursday, following recent questions as to why the 72-year-old Belichick hadn’t yet signed the deal as rumors of a possible interest in an NFL head-coaching vacancy swirled.
He was hired Dec. 11 and has been hard at work recruiting, already signing 21 players to the roster even before officially signing the deal.
The contract calls for Belichick to pay the school a $10 million buyout if he leaves the Tar Heels before June 1, and $1 million after his first season through the end of the deal.
The university is guaranteeing his contract for only the first three seasons. If he is fired without cause during the last two years of the contract, beginning Jan. 1, 2028, he will receive no payment.
The contract includes a variety of bonuses that coincide with how the Tar Heels play on the field to how well the players perform in the classroom.
An eight-win regular season would bring Belichick $150,000, with each win on top of eight resulting in an additional $50,000 bonus. Winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title would add $300,000 to his pay.
Making the 12-team College Football Playoff would give Belichick a $750,000 jackpot. Reaching the quarterfinals would pay $1 million, with an additional $250,000 for each game won. Should the Tar Heels win the national championship, therefore, Belichick’s CFP bonus would earn him $1.75 million.
Bonuses for team grade-point average begin at $50,000 and rise as the grades do.
The other perks are generous, too.
Among them, the university will pay for Belichick’s membership to the Chapel Hill Country Club, give him $100,000 in relocation fees, supply him and at least 10 staff members with a car, and provide access to a suite at all home and away games.
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MARYLAND MAULS NO. 17 ILLINOIS FOR FIRST ROAD WIN
Senior center Julian Reese delivered a career-high 27 points and 17 rebounds as Maryland capitalized on No. 17 Illinois’ short-handed frontcourt to earn a 91-70 Big Ten win Thursday night in Champaign, Ill.
Freshman Derik Queen produced 25 points and six rebounds and Ja’Kobi Gillespie notched 15 points, eight assists and three steals as the Terrapins (15-5, 5-4) scored 62 points in the paint to secure their first road win of the year.
Kasparas Jakucionis paced the Illini (13-6, 5-4) with 21 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, but also committed seven of his team’s 16 turnovers. Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn added 15 points off the bench and Kylan Boswell contributed 14 points and nine rebounds.
Illinois played without 7-foot-1 Tomislav Ivisic (13.0 ppg, 8.5 rpg), who battled through strep throat Sunday against Michigan State but was the hardest-hit among the Illini battling the flu this week.
The Terrapins established their transition offense from the jump. Gillespie and Queen took steals coast-to-coast for layups, then Reese hit Queen on the break for a layup and a foul to make it 10-4 at the 15:37 mark.
Illinois claimed a brief 11-10 lead, but Maryland alternated pounding the ball to Reese and Queen inside and running the floor for layups. Queen’s steal and pass ahead to Selton Miguel (14 points) for a layup gave the Terps a 22-15 lead with 8:37 left and inspired Illini coach Brad Underwood to call a timeout.
Maryland pushed its lead to 34-24 at the 3:32 mark when Queen used his 4-inch, 40-pound advantage over Jake Davis to power his way for a layup and free throw. Illinois worked its way back within 38-35 at the break as Gibbs-Lawhorn and Boswell canned 3-pointers.
The Terps kept feeding their big guys to restore their double-digit lead. Queen cherry-picked for a breakaway dunk, then hit two free throws. Reese followed that by posting back-to-back layups to make it 52-41 with 14:13 to go.
Illinois made a brief switch to a rarely used 2-3 zone to force the Terps to fire from outside, which sparked an 8-0 run. Carey Booth drilled a 3-pointer, then Jakucionis converted a traditional 3-point play and Gibbs-Lawhorn drove for a layup to get the Illini within 52-49.
That’s when Gillespie canned Maryland’s first 3-pointer of the night to initiate an 11-3 spree that restored a double-digit lead the Terrapins kept building the rest of the way.
PJ HAGGERTY NETS 22 POINTS AS NO. 24 MEMPHIS BEATS WICHITA STATE
PJ Haggerty scored a game-high 22 points Thursday night and No. 24 Memphis finished with a 12-2 run that allowed it to avoid an upset against visiting Wichita State with a 61-53 American Athletic Conference win.
Tyrese Hunter added 16 for the Tigers (15-4, 5-1 AAC), who survived sloppy play. They committed 20 turnovers and scored many of their baskets in one-on-one play, managing only six assists. They were also outrebounded 32-29.
But Memphis played its best when it had to. Hunter drained a 3-pointer with 4:29 remaining to give it the lead for good at 52-51. PJ Carter added a turnaround jumper at the 3:28 mark for a three-point cushion.
Hunter then dunked in transition and Haggerty converted a runner with 59 seconds remaining for a 58-51 advantage.
Harlond Beverly scored 18 points to pace the Shockers (11-8, 1-5) but also committed six of their 22 turnovers. Corey Washington added 11, while Quincy Ballard chipped in 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Wichita State made only 40.4 percent of its field-goal attempts and coughed it up 13 times in the second half. It canned just 3 of 16 3-pointers.
Memphis came into the game looking to build on an easy 77-68 win Sunday at Charlotte that saw it hold a comfortable double-digit lead most of the day. But it got off to a ragged start and never found any kind of offensive rhythm.
Wichita State held the Tigers to one point for more than six minutes of the first half but had its own issues offensively, hitting only 36.7 percent of its field goals in the half and going just 2 of 11 from the 3-point line.
But the Shockers still owned an 18-10 lead on Justin Hill’s layup at the 8:34 mark and withstood their own drought to take a 27-23 edge to halftime. Memphis finished the half with a whopping 14 turnovers and made only 9 of 23 field goals.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 12 OHIO STATE RALLIES PAST NO. 8 MARYLAND
Jaloni Cambridge paired 20 points with eight rebounds and No. 12 Ohio State used a big second half to beat No. 8 Maryland 74-66 in Thursday night’s Big Ten Conference showdown at Columbus, Ohio.
Cotie McMahon’s 14 points, Taylor Thierry’s 13 points and reserve Kennedy Cambridge’s 12 points also boosted Ohio State (18-1, 7-1), which outscored Maryland 47-32 after halftime.
Kaylene Smikle’s 17 points led all five Terrapins starters in double figures. Maryland (16-3, 6-2) had a 48-34 rebounding advantage but was outscored 20-5 in points off turnovers. The Terrapins had 17 giveaways, while the Buckeyes had six.
Maryland built a 29-14 lead in the second quarter before Ohio State closed to within seven at halftime. The Buckeyes opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to go up 64-54, and the Terrapins never seriously threatened from there.
No. 20 North Carolina State 74, Syracuse 66
Zoe Brooks tallied 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists and the Wolfpack scored the game’s final 11 points to escape with an Atlantic Coast Conference win in Syracuse, N.Y.
Madison Hayes recorded 18 points with nine rebounds and Aziaha James had 14 points for NC State (15-4, 7-1), which has won four straight games. Brooks hit a pair of free throws to put the Wolfpack up 67-66 with 1:45 to play.
Syracuse (7-12, 1-7), which fell to 0-4 vs. ranked opponents this season and was coming off Sunday’s 41-point loss at Boston College, didn’t score in the final 2:31. The Orange were led by Sophie Burrows (16 points, eight rebounds), Georgia Woolley (15 points) and Kyra Wood (14 points, nine rebounds).
NBA NEWS
HEAT SUSPEND JIMMY BUTLER AGAIN, THIS TIME 2 GAMES FOR MISSING FLIGHT AND ‘INSUBORDINATE CONDUCT’
Jimmy Butler was suspended by the Miami Heat for the second time in three weeks, a move that adds to the possibility he has already played his final game for the franchise.
Butler drew the latest suspension — this one will last two games — for what the team in a statement Wednesday night called a “continued pattern of disregard of team rules, insubordinate conduct and conduct detrimental to the team,” including missing the Heat’s flight to Milwaukee earlier in the day. The Heat were scheduled to play the Bucks on Thursday and at Brooklyn on Saturday.
The earliest Butler could play for the Heat again is Monday, at home against Orlando. And that would hinge on him still being on the roster, which seems far from guaranteed.
In Milwaukee on Thursday, where the Heat were prepping for the game against the Bucks, Miami coach Erik Spoelstra wouldn’t discuss Butler specifically. But when asked about how to pivot quickly in the league when change comes, Spoelstra spoke plenty.
“The point that I’ve made to our team is get used to it. Get over it,” Spoelstra said. “This is the NBA life. This is the life we chose. If you think it’s just going to be predictable, you’re really mistaken. I think it takes a mental fortitude and commitment just to focus on the task at hand. Nothing changes in terms of what the task is. We have a game tonight. We have enough continuity. We know what our identity is at this point.”
Butler told the Heat in recent weeks that he wants a trade, a demand he has not made publicly because league rules do not allow players to do so. Any player who makes such a demand known is risking a fine of up to $150,000.
But the Heat revealed that request when suspending him in early January for what they called conduct detrimental to the team, and said at that time that they will work to accommodate his trade request.
The NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6.
Butler was banished for seven games earlier this month, costing him about $2.4 million in salary. Butler returned last week and has played in each of the last three Miami games, averaging 13.0 points in 29.3 minutes.
The Heat left for Milwaukee around 2:15 p.m. Wednesday. That departure time is earlier than Miami leaves for most of its trips, and it’s unclear if that was a factor for Butler.
The dates for the scheduled games on this Heat road trip coincide with a padel tournament in Miami, one that lists Butler as an honorary chairman and co-captain. Butler’s coffee company, Big Face, is also involved with the event. But it was not known if Butler planned on being present for that event in Miami and if that had anything to do with him missing the flight to Milwaukee.
Butler’s expected breakup with the Heat has been brewing for several weeks, if not months. The primary issue that caused the fracture in the relationship was money; he’s eligible for a two-year, $113 million extension and the Heat never offered such a deal, largely because he’s missed about 25% of the team’s games since he arrived in 2019.
There were other factors. Butler has made no secret that he’s not happy with what he says is his new role within the Heat offense. He didn’t participate in his usual way during the introduction of the Heat starters for the last three games, and he has sat by himself at times during timeouts while not engaging in the huddle going on around the bench.
“There was a lot said by everybody, except for me, to tell you the truth,” Butler said after his first game back following the suspension. “We’ll let people keep talking. … The whole truth will come out.”
The latest chapter of the Butler-Heat saga comes one day after Phoenix swung a deal with Utah to acquire three first-round draft picks that the Suns are expected to use as pieces in another trade — presumably one that would bring Butler to them. Such a deal for Butler would be complicated for the Suns, and likely would involve at least three and possibly even more teams to make all the pieces fit.
The Butler trade watch has gone on for weeks, and his hair color for some December games just happened to match the primary colors of Phoenix, Dallas, Golden State and Houston — the four teams that were most prominently mentioned as possible trade partners for Miami.
And for Tuesday’s game against Portland, Butler wore shoes tinged in orange — perfectly matching the Suns’ color scheme.
NBA ROUNDUP: NIKOLA JOKIC’S 5TH STRAIGHT TRIPLE-DOUBLE LIFTS NUGGETS
Nikola Jokic had 35 points, 22 rebounds and a season-high 17 assists for his fifth straight triple-double, and the host Denver Nuggets held on to beat the Sacramento Kings 132-123 on Thursday night.
Jokic, who was voted an All-Star starter Thursday, has secured each triple-double during his current streak before the end of the third quarter. He is the first player since 1996-97 to have five straight triple-doubles before the fourth quarter, and 14 of his NBA-leading 20 have come in that fashion.
Christian Braun had 21 points, Michael Porter Jr. scored 20 and Russell Westbrook and Jamal Murray contributed 18 points each for Denver, which has won four straight.
Domantas Sabonis had 23 points and 19 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan scored 24 and De’Aaron Fox finished with 17 points for Sacramento, which is now 10-3 under interim head coach Doug Christie.
Clippers 110, Wizards 93
James Harden recorded his second triple-double of the season and host Los Angeles sent Washington to a 12th consecutive loss.
On his way to an 83rd career triple-double, Harden scored 17 points, dished 13 assists and grabbed 12 rebounds. Norman Powell scored a team-high 22 points, Derrick Jones Jr. added 19 and Kawhi Leonard tallied 15 points and seven rebounds.
Jordan Poole led Washington with 24 points and nine assists. Bilal Coulibaly added 15 points, Alex Sarr recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Jonas Valanciunas had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Bucks 125, Heat 96
Damian Lillard came up one rebound short of a triple-double, scoring 29 points and dishing 11 assists to lead Milwaukee to a win over visiting Miami.
Milwaukee was able to make it home in time after not being able to leave New Orleans until 3 p.m. Central time, with the game being delayed by one hour. Despite not having a normal pregame, Milwaukee won its fifth in a row. Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 25 points and Gary Trent Jr. added 21 off the bench, all off 3-pointers.
Without Jimmy Butler due to a two-game suspension, Kel’el Ware led Miami with 22 points and Tyler Herro added 21.
Raptors 122, Hawks 119
RJ Barrett sank a tiebreaking 3-pointer to put Toronto ahead for good with 2:51 remaining, and the visiting Raptors defeated Atlanta.
Scottie Barnes scored a team-high 25 points, Bruce Brown had 18 points off the bench and Chris Boucher and Jakob Poeltl contributed 17 apiece as Toronto won its fourth game in five tries and improved to 2-19 on the road.
Bogdan Bogdanovic led Atlanta with 23 points, while Dyson Daniels added 22 points and Onyeka Okongwu collected 19 points and 12 rebounds. Trae Young tallied 18 points and 13 assists for the Hawks, who dropped their third straight game.
Lakers 117, Celtics 96
Anthony Davis recorded 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots to help Los Angeles hand visiting Boston its worst loss of the season.
Austin Reaves had 23 points and six assists and LeBron James added 20 points, 14 rebounds and six assists for Los Angeles, which won for the fourth time in the past five games.
Kristaps Porzingis had 22 points and seven rebounds for the Celtics, who have split their past 10 games after beginning the season with 26 wins in 35 games. Jaylen Brown had 17 points and eight rebounds and Jayson Tatum added 16 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Mavericks 121, Thunder 115
Spencer Dinwiddie scored 28 points and Kyrie Irving added 24 as visiting Dallas beat Oklahoma City, which lost at home for the first time since Nov. 17, snapping a 12-game win streak.
P.J. Washington added 22 points and 19 rebounds as Dallas shot 52.7 percent. Olivier-Maxence Prosper chipped in 14 points off the bench for the Mavericks, who finished 3-1 this season against the West-leading Thunder.
Jalen Williams led Oklahoma City with 33 points and also had seven assists. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander netted 31 points after scoring a career-high 54 in a home win over Utah on Wednesday.
Spurs 140, Pacers 110
Victor Wembanyama collected 30 points and 11 rebounds as part of a successful homecoming, leading San Antonio to a drubbing of Indiana in Paris.
Wembanyama, a Frenchman who also got to play in his native country this past summer at the Paris Olympics, rounded out his complete performance with six assists and five blocks. Nine of his points, six of his boards and four of his rejections came in the third quarter, where San Antonio outscored Indiana 45-23 to virtually put the game away.
Devin Vassell supplied 25 points, Harrison Barnes finished with 20 and Jeremy Sochan posted 13 to go along with nine rebounds for San Antonio, which was lethal from beyond the arc (18-for-36) and overcame 20 turnovers. Indiana’s Bennedict Mathurin went for 24 points and Pascal Siakam chipped in 18 points and six assists.
Warriors 131, Bulls 106
Stephen Curry scored 21 points, Quinten Post and Gui Santos recorded career highs off the bench and Golden State endured a 64-point explosion in the first half by visiting Chicago for a victory in San Francisco.
Post, in just his sixth NBA game, led the Warriors’ bench assault with 20 points, while Santos scored 19 points. Each hit five 3-pointers as Golden State halted a two-game skid.
Zach LaVine tallied a game-high 24 points for the Bulls, who lost for the sixth time in seven games. Josh Giddey contributed 16 points and 11 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 101, Magic 79
Portland used a stifling defensive effort to spoil Orlando star Franz Wagner’s return and scored its second three-game winning streak of the season with a road rout of the Magic.
Wagner, who missed 20 games with an oblique injury, scored a team-high 20 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the floor. Portland held the rest of the Magic to just 17-of-57 shooting (29.8 percent), including a 1-of-14 performance by Paolo Banchero. Banchero’s eight points were his fewest since a six-point outing on Nov. 29, 2023.
The Blazers, meanwhile, complemented their best defensive showing of the season with a balanced scoring effort. Five Blazers scored in double figures, led by Anfernee Simons with 21 points. All five Portland starters scored at least eight points. Robert Williams III grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds to go with eight points and four blocked shots.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: SETH JARVIS, HURRICANES THRASH JACKETS
Seth Jarvis had two goals and sparked the Carolina Hurricanes’ big second period in a 7-4 victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday in Raleigh, N.C.
Sebastian Aho and Jarvis both had a goal and two assists in the five-goal second. The Hurricanes, who have won four consecutive games, also received goals from Eric Robinson, Jackson Blake, Jordan Martinook and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Martin Necas supplied two assists.
Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen, in his first home game since the season opener in October, stopped 18 shots. He also was credited with an assist on the tying goal. He improved his record to 5-1-0 while logging his 300th NHL victory.
Kent Johnson, Kirill Marchenko, James van Riemsdyk and Dmitri Voronkov scored for Columbus, which was 24 hours removed from winning at Toronto. Jack Johnson and Adam Fantilli each had two assists. Daniil Tarasov made 36 saves.
Predators 6, Sharks 5
Fedor Svechkov scored a third-period go-ahead goal in a two-point performance and Filip Forsberg tallied twice as visiting Nashville beat San Jose.
Tommy Novak notched a goal and an assist while Gustav Nyquist and Steven Stamkos also scored for the Predators, who have won five straight games. Justus Annunen made 30 saves, Brady Skjei collected three assists and Zachary L’Heureux logged two assists.
Mario Ferraro notched one goal and one assist for the Sharks, who have lost five straight games and eight of nine outings. Walker Duehr, Henry Thrun, Fabian Zetterlund and Macklin Celebrini added a goal apiece. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 32 shots, Mikael Granlund collected three assists and Nikolai Kovalenko had two helpers.
Capitals 3, Kraken 0
Alex Ovechkin scored his 875th career goal, an empty-netter with 3:28 remaining, as streaking Washington defeated host Seattle.
Ovechkin logged his 22nd goal in 32 games this season — he missed 16 games with a broken leg — as he chases Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 career goals. Aliaksei Protas and Ethen Frank also tallied for the NHL-leading Capitals, who won their sixth consecutive game and extended their points streak to 12 games (9-0-3). Goaltender Charlie Lindgren, making his first start since Jan. 10, having recovered from an upper-body injury, made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season.
Seattle’s Joey Daccord was spectacular in stopping 29 of 31 shots, including several breakaways, but the Kraken had their two-game winning streak end.
Red Wings 4, Canadiens 2
Dylan Larkin notched a power-play goal and an assist in his 700th career game as host Detroit downed Montreal.
Andrew Copp supplied a short-handed goal for the Red Wings, who ended a three-game losing streak (0-2-1). Detroit’s Jonatan Berggren and Alex DeBrincat also scored, Moritz Seider added two assists and Cam Talbot made 27 saves.
Kirby Dach had a goal and an assist for Montreal, which had gone 7-1-1 in its previous nine games. Kaiden Guhle had the other Canadiens goal. Brendan Gallagher, playing in his 800th game, had an assist, and Sam Montembeault stopped 41 shots.
Rangers 6, Flyers 1
Igor Shesterkin made 33 saves and six players scored as surging New York ran away from visiting Philadelphia.
Braden Schneider and Adam Edstrom scored 84 seconds apart in the opening period as the Rangers ran their points streak to 10 games (7-0-3). Shesterkin improved to 6-0-1 in seven starts since returning from a four-game injury absence. K’Andre Miller, Filip Chytil and Reilly Smith each had a goal and an assist as 12 Rangers tallied points.
Owen Tippett scored 85 seconds into the game for the Flyers, who had a six-game points streak (5-0-1) end. Samuel Ersson allowed five goals on 36 shots.
Golden Knights 4, Blues 2
Mark Stone scored a goal and added an assist for Vegas, which snapped a four-game losing streak by winning in St. Louis.
The Golden Knights’ captain helped his team avoid matching its worst skid since a five-gamer in March 2022. He also broke a five-game goalless streak with the quickest goal the Golden Knights have scored this season — 19 seconds in. Victor Olofsson, Pavel Dorofeyev and Tomas Hertl also scored for Vegas. Ilya Samsonov made 15 saves.
Jordan Kyrou scored his team-leading 21st goal and Robert Thomas also found the back of the net for the Blues, who lost for the second time in three games. Joel Hofer stopped 27 shots.
Oilers 6, Canucks 2
Zach Hyman scored two goals and had an assist and Leon Draisaitl had a goal and two assists as Edmonton rolled over visiting Vancouver.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Adam Henrique and Kasperi Kapanen also scored for Edmonton, which snapped a two-game skid. Backup Calvin Pickard stopped 24 of 26 shots for the win.
Brock Boeser and Filip Hronek scored and Thatcher Demko made 28 saves for the Canucks, who took their fourth loss in five games.
Bruins 2, Senators 0
Morgan Geekie scored the game-winning goal and Joonas Korpisalo recorded a 29-save shutout as Boston blanked visiting Ottawa.
Geekie tallied at 2:06 of the second period, his fourth in a six-game span. David Pastrnak dished out the primary assist on Geekie’s goal and added a late empty-net goal, helping the Bruins improve to 4-1-1 over their past six games.
Anton Forsberg stopped 24 shots for the Senators, who were shut out for the second straight game and fifth time in the past 11 contests. Ottawa has lost two in a row since a 5-0-1 stretch.
Utah 4, Wild 0
Barrett Hayton scored two goals, and the Utah Hockey Club pulled away for a win in Saint Paul, Minn.
Clayton Keller and Lawson Crouse also scored for Utah, which won its third game in a row. Nick DeSimone finished with a pair of assists. Karel Vejmelka stopped all 26 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season.
Filip Gustavsson gave up four goals on 29 shots for the Wild, who were held scoreless for only the second time this season.
Flames 5, Sabres 2
Jonathan Huberdeau and Nazem Kadri each had a goal and two assists for Calgary, which used three third-period goals to cruise past visiting Buffalo.
Jakob Pelletier produced a goal and an assist and Yegor Sharangovich and Mikael Backlund added empty-net tallies for the Flames, who have won five of seven games. Dustin Wolf made 32 saves for the victory.
Mattias Samuelsson had a goal and an assist and Mattias Samuelsson scored for the Sabres, who fell to 1-2-0 on their four-game road trip. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 21 shots.
Ducks 5, Penguins 1
Mason McTavish and Alex Killorn each scored two goals and John Gibson made 31 saves as host Anaheim snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory over Pittsburgh.
Frank Vatrano also scored and Troy Terry and Jacob Trouba each added two assists for the Ducks, who improved to 18-0-2 when scoring three or more goals in a game.
Michael Bunting scored a goal and Alex Nedeljkovic finished with 29 saves for the Penguins, who took their fifth loss in seven games.
BASEBALL NEWS
SCOTT’S $72 MILLION, 4-YEAR CONTRACT FINALIZED BY DODGERS, WHO SPENT $452 MILLION ON 8 PLAYERS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reliever Tanner Scott’s $72 million, four-year contract was finalized Thursday by the Los Angeles Dodgers, raising the World Series champions’ offseason spending to $452 million on eight players.
The left-hander was a first-time All-Star last year, going 9-6 with a 1.75 ERA and 22 saves in 24 chances for Miami and San Diego, which acquired Scott on July 30. He struck out 84 and walked 36 in 72 innings.
The 30-year-old is 31-24 with a 3.56 ERA and 55 saves for Baltimore (2017-21), Miami (2022-24) and San Diego.
After winning their second title in five years, the Dodgers kept utilityman Tommy Edman with a $74 million, five-year contract, outfielder Teoscar Hernández with a $66 million three-year deal and right-hander Blake Treinen for $22 million over two years.
Los Angeles has added Scott, left-hander Blake Snell ($182 million for five years), outfielder Michael Conforto ($17 million for one season) and second baseman Hyeseong Kim ($12.5 million for three years), and also agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Roki Sasaki for a $6.5 million signing bonus.
During the 2023-24 offseason, Los Angeles committed more than $1.3 billion to five players: two-way star Shohei Ohtani ($700 million for 10 years), right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($325 million for 12 years) and Tyler Glasnow ($136,562,500 for five years), Hernández ($23.5 million for one year) and catcher Will Smith ($140 million for 10 years).
In addition, the Dodgers owed release fees to Japanese clubs of $50,625,000 for Yamamoto and $1,625,000 for Sasaki.
TENNIS NEWS
ALEXANDER ZVEREV INTO AUSSIE OPEN FINAL AS NOVAK DJOKOVIC RETIRES
Alexander Zverev qualified for his first Australian Open final when Novak Djokovic retired after the first set of their semifinal match in Melbourne on Friday.
Djokovic, 37, was clearly struggling with a left leg injury throughout the first set, which went to a tiebreaker. When the Serbian put a volley into the net to lose the tiebreak 7-5 and the first set after 1:21, he immediately asked to shake Zverev’s hand and retired from the match.
It is the seventh time Djokovic has retired from a Grand Slam match, and the first time since the Round of 16 at the 2019 U.S. Open.
“I did everything I possible could to manage the muscle tear,” Djokovic said after the match. “But towards the end of the first set I just started feeling more and more pain and it was too much to handle.”
The 10-time Australian Open champion left the court to a smattering of boos from the disappointed fans in Rod Laver Arena.
“Please, don’t boo a player when he goes out with an injury,” Zverev said in his on-court interview moments later. “You gotta understand that Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given this sport for the past 20 years everything in his life.
“He has won this tournament with an abdominal tear. He has won this tournament with a hamstring tear. If he cannot continue a tennis match, it means that he cannot continue a tennis match. So, please, be respectful and really show some love towards him.”
The first set was a back-and-forth affair in which neither player had his serve broken. However, as the set wore on, it was clear that Djokovic was struggling, as he had not practiced in the two days since beating Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.
“I actually thought it was a quite high level first set,” Zverev said. “Of course, you know there are some difficulties. Of course I’m happy on one side to be in the final of the Australian Open, I’m in the final of a Grand Slam. On the other hand, I am being 100 percent honest, there is no guy on the tour I respect more than Novak.”
“He’s been one of my closest friends on tour. Whenever I struggled, I could always call him, I could always text him, I could always ask him for advice.
“He’s always somebody that helped a lot. I wanted this to be a tough five-set match, but it is how it is.”
How it is, is that the German will now face the winner of No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 21 Ben Shelton in the men’s singles final on Sunday. Zverev has played in two previous Grand Slam finals, losing to Dominic Thiem in five sets of the 2020 U.S. Open and to Alcaraz in five sets at last year’s French Open.
“I would be nice to win one more set than the first two,” Zverev said. “But Grand Slam finals are always difficult. I’ve had my tough losses, I feel like maybe it’s my time to have some luck in a Grand Slam final as well.”
NO. 1 ARYNA SABALENKA, MADISON KEYS SET FOR AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINAL
American Madison Keys shocked No. 2 seed Iga Swiatek to crash the Australian Open women’s final, where top-seeded, two-time defending champ Aryna Sabalenka awaits on Saturday.
Keys dropped the opening set 7-5 before rolling off 6-1 and 7-6 (8) wins to eliminate the five-time major champion in the semifinals Thursday in Melbourne.
The No. 19 seed reached the final of a Grand Slam for the first time since she finished runner-up at the 2017 U.S. Open to Sloane Stephens.
Swiatek held serve and a 6-5 advantage in the third set. Instead, a double fault break opened the door for Keys in a tiebreak. She held firm in the first-to-10 sudden death decider despite trailing 8-7, taking three points to reach the final at Rod Laver Arena.
Keys, 29, said in her post-match interview on the court that she felt like she “blacked out” and had to ask whether Swiatek had a match point.
“Yeah. I’m still trying to catch up to everything that’s happening. I’m in the finals. Wooo!” she said. “I feel like I blacked out. At one point, I was just out there running around.”
Up next for Keys is a monumental challenge against the most dominant player in this tournament field.
Sabalenka is 3-1 all-time against Keys, most recently taking a three-set victory in the semifinals of the 2023 U.S. Open.
The Belarusan reigning champion can claim her third consecutive Australian Open title if she solves Keys on Saturday. Sabalenka defeated 11th seed Paula Badosa of Spain in 6-4 6-2 in straight sets and left her Spanish counterpart and good friend in awe. Sabalenka had lost only 14 games in her first five matches.
“She played the best match, not even of the week, from the last months for sure. So if she plays like this, I mean we can already give her the trophy,” Badosa said of Sabalenka.
Badosa gained a 3-0 advantage in the first set before Sabalenka, the first female to reach three consecutive finals at Melbourne Park since Serena Williams in 2017, found her groove.
“Somehow I was able to turn around the game in that crucial game,” Sabalenka said. “That was a super tough match against a friend, super happy for her, to see her on her highest level.
“I’m sure she’ll hate me for the next day or two, I’m OK with that, I can handle that. And after that, I think we’re back to be friends, back to go out together shopping. I promise, Paula, we go shopping and I pay for whatever she wants.”
Said Badosa, meeting the media moments later, “it’s going to be something really expensive.”
GOLF NEWS
LUDVIG ABERG, LANTO GRIFFIN TIED FOR LEAD AT FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN
Ludvig Aberg of Sweden finished off a 3-over-par 75 after sunset Thursday in San Diego but still shares the lead at the Farmers Insurance Open with Lanto Griffin.
The second round of the tournament was suspended for an hour and 26 minutes in the afternoon due to high winds. It resumed at 3:31 p.m. local time, but this meant that not everyone could finish their rounds before darkness fell.
Aberg hit his third shot at the par-5 18th hole of Torrey Pines’ South Course into a greenside bunker around the same time the horn sounded to signal a suspension for darkness. He chose to finish out the hole, hit out of the bunker to 3 feet of the pin and tapped out for par.
It was a relieving end to a frustrating round of the first-round leader, who had two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on his card. The World No. 6 will still be a favorite entering the final two rounds, which will both be played at the South Course after golfers split the first two rounds between the North and South courses.
Griffin, who had a first-round 66 Wednesday and was three shots off Aberg’s pace, balanced three birdies with three bogeys at the South Course on Thursday.
He and Aberg led Danny Walker (74, North Course) by one shot. Tied for fourth were Chris Gotterup (69, North Course), South Korea’s Sungjae Im (71, North) and Hayden Springer (75, South) at 4 under.
Despite a second-round 76, amateur Jackson Koivun, a golfer at Auburn University, stands at even par and will qualify for the weekend. By making the cut, Koivun earned an “Accelerated point” in the PGA Tour University standings and now has 18 points out of 20 required to earn a tour card early.
Max Homa, who was on track to miss the cut, was among those who withdrew during Thursday’s round.
Notables on track to miss the cut, currently projected at 1 over par, include San Diego native Charley Hoffman (2 over), Irishman Shane Lowry (3 over), South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (3 over), England’s Justin Rose (5 over), Tony Finau (5 over) and defending champion Matthieu Pavon of France (9 over).
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/HEADLINES
INDIANA PACERS
INSTANT REWIND: PACERS 110, SPURS 140
The Pacers sought a victory in the very building that Tyrese Haliburton captured a gold medal in with USA Basketball this summer as they met the Spurs today in Paris’ Accor Arena. The Blue & Gold were fresh following four days of rest to shake off any remnants of jet lag, but so was San Antonio. After allowing the Spurs to score a season-high in points, Indiana fell to San Antonio, 140-110.
Indiana led by as many as four points after a 10-2 run early in the first quarter, but a deep 3-pointer followed by a dunk and an assist – all from Victor Wembanyama – gave the Spurs a 7-0 run to recapture the lead.
Obi Toppin had an immediate impact off of Indiana’s bench – he recorded an 11-point first quarter as he knocked down three 3-pointers, grabbed two rebounds and even dished out an assist. Toppin’s contributions kept the Pacers within a single point after the first frame as they trailed the Spurs, 30-29.
T.J. McConnell grabbed a steal early in the second quarter and manufactured some momentum for the Pacers as he darted a pass to Pascal Siakam, who was sprinting across halfcourt. Bennedict Mathurin trailed Siakam to the right, received a bounce pass and hammered it down to give the Pacers a five-point lead.
Myles Turner put down a slam of his own with eight minutes remaining in the half. Turner cut down the left side of the lane to receive a bounce pass from McConnell and slammed home a one-handed dunk with San Antonio’s Stephon Castle on his back.
Haliburton put together a strong first half for Indiana as he recorded 11 points to go with his three assists and two rebounds. The only other Pacers in double figures at the break were Mathurin with 10 points and Toppin with 11. All three of Haliburton, Mathurin and Toppin were shooting 50% or better from the field at halftime.
The Spurs jumped out to their largest lead of the game after Harrison Barnes opened the second-half scoring with a 3-pointer to push the lead to 63-57. Turner answered with his first made 3-pointer of the game, but Vassell knocked down another to nullify it.
The Spurs stretched the lead all the way to double-figures – they led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter – before Mathurin carried the Pacers back within nine points of the lead. San Antonio’s defense created a turnover that led to a layup, then buried a 3-pointer the next time down the floor to stretch their lead to 14 points.
The San Antonio lead ballooned to a 25-point advantage before the end of the third quarter, and Wembanyama dazzled the Parisian crowd. His third quarter statline included nine points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.
The Pacers collected just three rebounds in the third quarter, and the Spurs grabbed 18.
Down 25 and desperate for momentum, Indiana applied full-court pressure in the fourth quarter. The pressure created five fourth quarter steals, and Indiana cut the lead to 18 points, but couldn’t overcome hot shooting from the Spurs. San Antonio shot 60% from the field en route to 140 points.
Mathurin had a strong offensive game despite the outcome as he recorded 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting. He led Indiana’s scoring efforts and was one of just four Pacers to shoot 50% or better from the field. Wembanyama led the Spurs with his 30-point, 11-rebound double-double that was bolstered by six assists and five blocks.
Indiana collected just 31 rebounds in the matchup to San Antonio’s 57, and the Blue & Gold reserves were outscored by 20 points – an area that Indiana usually claims in the box score. The Pacers created 20 Spurs turnovers while only committing 11 of their own, but allowed the Spurs to score over 30 points in all four quarters, including a 45-point third quarter. It marks just the second time this season that Indiana has allowed 40 or more points in a single frame.
The Pacers will get another shot at Wembanyama and the Spurs as they clash again on Saturday in Paris, 12:00 PM ET.
Inside the Numbers
The Pacers lost the rebounding battle, 57-31.
Indiana committed just 11 turnovers to San Antonio’s 20.
Indiana recorded 31 assists on 44 made field goals (70.5%).
Mathurin, Siakam, Toppin and Bryant all shot better than 50% from the field.
You Can Quote Me on That
“The Spurs have come off a tough stretch where they’ve lost some games, but they came out and played with a lot of force, and we didn’t play with enough.” – Rick Carlisle on Spurs’ Intensity
“Benn’s been working very hard on his efficiency as a scorer, and tonight he did a great job. Eleven for 14 is excellent…He’s a young player that works very hard, and has gotten better and better. And he speaks French, too.” – Carlisle on Mathurin’s growth
“Playing in a different country, we were kind of expecting a different atmosphere. But we didn’t really match their energy, I thought. We learned a lot from tonight…We’ve got to play our brand of basketball, and I think we kind of got away from that a little bit.” — Johnny Furphy on energy
Stat of the Night
Bennedict Mathurin scored a team-high 14 points in the second half on 75% shooting.
Up Next
The Pacers have a rematch with the Spurs in Paris on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 12:00 PM ET.
Tickets
The Pacers travel back to Indianapolis to host the Detroit Pistons at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:00 PM ET.
INDIANA WRESTLING
NO. 21 INDIANA TO TRAVEL TO MICHIGAN STATE & NO. 18 MICHIGAN
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– No. 21 Indiana will head north to face two Big Ten opponents this weekend as it will compete against Michigan State in East Lansing on Friday and No. 18 Michigan on Sunday.
The Hoosiers enter the weekend fresh off of a 25-11 victory at Purdue and own a 5-2 overall record and 1-2 record in the Big Ten.
GREAT LAKES STATE DOUBLEHEADER:
-A year ago, Indiana defeated Michigan State, 23-18, for its first win over the Spartans since 2015. The Hoosiers are seeking their first dual win over Michigan since 2010.
-Michigan State enters the match with a 3-3 record, owning wins over American, Ohio and Buffalo. Their losses come to CSU Bakersfield, No. 1 Penn State and Maryland.
-The Spartans have a relatively young lineup with a handful of returners.
-Remy Cotton at 197 lbs. has worked his way up to No. 25 in the rankings as a freshman.
-Tristan Lujan is up to 133 lbs. after being an NCAA Qualifier a year ago at 125 lbs.
-Michigan also sports a pretty young lineup after losing Michael DeAugustino, Austin Gomez, Will Lewan, Shane Griffith and Lucas Davison to graduation.
-The Wolverines are 4-2 with a Big Ten win over Northwestern as well as wins over Duke, Virginia and Columbia. The only losses have come to Maryland and No. 8 Minnesota.
-Michigan has eight ranked wrestlers in No. 11 Sergio Lemley (141), No. 22 Dylan Gilcher (149), No. 15 Chase Saldate (157), No. 10 Beau Mantanona (165), No. 29 Joseph Walker (174), No. 20 Jaden Bullock (184), No. 2 Jacob Cardenas (197) and No. 9 Josh Heindselman (285).
-Lemley and Gilcher both have Indiana ties as Lemley’s older brother Diego wrestled at Indiana from 2018-2022 and Dylan Gilcher is the younger brother of Indiana’s Derek Gilcher.
PURDUE REWIND:
-Indiana put together a dominant demonstration in its 25-11 victory over Purdue last Friday in West Lafayette.
-The Hoosiers took seven of the 10 bouts to mark their third consecutive victory over the Boilermakers in the rivalry series.
-Henry Porter got his first ranked victory of the season with his 6-3 decision win over No. 27 Greyson Clark.
-No. 12 Tyler Lillard (IU) got his fifth ranked victory of the season with his 4-2 win over No. 33 Stoney Buell.
-Derek Gilcher got his first career victory at 174 lbs. when he defeated No. 25 Brody Baumann by decision, 2-1.
-No. 23 Gabe Sollars defeated No. 29 Ben Vanadia by decision, 4-0.
ON THE RISE:
-After beginning the season unranked, Indiana broke into the top-30 nationally on InterMat’s Dual Rankings and most recently got slated at No. 21 in the FloWrestling Dual Rankings.
-This is the third consecutive season that Indiana has been ranked in the top 25. In 2022-23 and 2023-24 the team got to be as high as No. 16 among different polls.
-The Hoosiers currently have eight ranked wrestlers, which ties the most they’ve had ranked at one time this season.
-Seven Indiana wrestlers were ranked in the first NCAA Coaches Rankings that came out on Thursday (Jan. 23).
-Indiana started the season 4-0 in duals until dropping the last two. The 4-0 record marks the third consecutive year where the team got off to a 3-0 or better start.
INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
WEST COAST ROAD SWING BEGINS AT OREGON ON FRIDAY
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana begins its west coast Big Ten road swing when it faces off with the Oregon Ducks on Friday night at Matthew Knight Arena. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET.
GAME DAY INFO
Indiana (12-6, 4-3 B1G) at Oregon (14-5, 5-3 B1G)
Friday, January 24, 2025 • 9 p.m. ET
Matthew Knight Arena • Eugene, Ore.
Broadcast: B1G+
Radio: B97 (Austin Render)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Social Media: Facebook | X | Instagram
ABOUT THE COACHES
Indiana Oregon
Teri Moren Kelly Graves
Career Record: 438-235 (22nd Season) Career Record: 237-116 (11th Season)
Indiana Record: 237-105 (11th Season) Oregon Record: 237-116 (11th Season)
ABOUT THE DUCKS
Oregon has won five of its last six, its only loss to top 10 Ohio State on the road on Jan. 12. They are led by senior guard Deja Kelly’s 11.0 points and 3.4 assists per game while graduate student guard Peyton Scott also chips in 10.2 points per game. The Ducks are 12-1 at home this season while averaging 70.5 points per game and shooting 44.8 percent from the field.
SERIES HISTORY
Oregon leads 2-0
LAST MEETING
3/24/19 – L, 91-68 (Eugene, Ore.)
NOTES
Indiana and Oregon have only met twice before in the two program’s history. The last meeting was fairly recent, as the Hoosiers matched up with the Ducks in the 2019 NCAA Second Round in Matthew Knight Arena in a 91-68 loss. Prior to the 2019 meeting, the two teams had only met one other time in 1984 at the Giusti Tournament in Portland, Oregon where the Ducks were the victor, 77-56.
Indiana will look to snap a two-game skid in losses to Illinois and No. 4/5 USC last week. Four players scored in double figures for the Hoosiers in the loss, led by 16 points and 10 rebounds from graduate student guard Sydney Parrish. Graduate student guard Chloe Moore-McNeil had 13 points while junior guard Yarden Garzon and senior forward Karoline Striplin each had 10.
Parrish is finding her midseason form as she has posted double figures in Indiana’s last four outings. She’s coming off her ninth career double-double with 16 points and 10 boards against No. 4/5 USC. The Fishers, Ind. native leads the Hoosiers on the glass with 6.1 rebounds per game this season. She has scored in double figures eight times and has hit multiple 3-pointers in five games this season.
Senior forward Karoline Striplin made her first appearance in the starting lineup for the Hoosiers on Sunday versus USC. She added 10 points on 4-for-6 shooting in her first start as she continues to lead the team in field goal percentage this season (60.2 percent). In her three year carer at Tennessee, the Hartford, Ala. native made 39 career starts for the Lady Vols.
UP NEXT
The Hoosiers head to Washington to take on another new league member for the first time on Monday night. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET at Alaska Airlines Arena.
INDIANA SOFTBALL
BRI COPELAND NAMED TO USA SOFTBALL’S COLLEGIATE PLAYER OF THE YEAR TOP 53 WATCHLIST
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– Indiana senior Brianna Copeland was announced to USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year Top 53 Watchlist on Wednesday.
The senior utility standout for the Hoosiers is one of 53 players nationally and one of nine players in the Big Ten to be selected for the preseason honor.
Throughout the season, USA Softball will narrow it to a list of Top 25, Top 10 and Top 3 until the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year is awarded.
In 2024, Copeland was the ace in the circle and hit at the top of the lineup for the Hoosiers. In the circle, she had a 2.88 ERA, 174 strikeouts and recorded 20 wins.
At the plate, she hit for a .325 average with eight home runs, 10 doubles and 36 RBI while also stealing 18 bases.
She was named an NFCA Second Team All-Region selection.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
NOTRE DAME CB BENJAMIN MORRISON TO DECLARE FOR DRAFT
Notre Dame cornerback Benjamin Morrison plans to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, he announced Thursday on social media.
The 6-foot, 190-pound junior underwent season-ending hip surgery in October but still is considered a first-round pick.
ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., in his mock draft issued Thursday, projected Morrison to be selected by the Minnesota Vikings, who have the No. 24 pick.
“After much prayer and conversations with my loved ones, I’ve decided to forego my final year of eligibility at Notre Dame and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft,” Morrison posted to Instagram.
“This is not just the end of one chapter — it’s the beginning of another. I’ll carry the lessons, memories and love from Notre Dame with me every step of the way. Thank you for making these years unforgettable and allowing me to live out my dreams.”
A four-star prospect from Phoenix in the Class of 2022, Morrison appeared in 31 games (26 starts) for the Irish. A team captain, he had 84 career tackles, 27 passes defensed, nine interceptions and a touchdown. He was limited to six games in 2024 because of the hip injury.
Also Thursday, multiple outlets reported a pair of starting Notre Dame offensive linemen — Rocco Spindler and Pat Coogan — would be entering the transfer portal.
NOTRE DAME SWIMMING
IRISH CELEBRATE SENIORS, WELCOME FOUR SCHOOLS FOR TIM WELSH CLASSIC
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — After a multi-month hiatus, Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving is back in action at home this weekend. The Irish will host Ohio State, Indiana State, Akron and Wisconsin (diving only) for the Tim Welsh Classic on Friday and Saturday.
Freshman Carli Cronk continues to impress for Notre Dame, as she lowered her 400 IM time yet again this year, going 4:11.55 against Purdue and Kentucky two weeks ago. That mark ranks fourth in school history. She won that event along with the 200 free (1:46.51) at the meet.
It is also Senior Day on Saturday, and the Irish will celebrate 13 seniors and graduates —
Gigi Baldacci*
Hometown: Alamo, CA
Major: Finance
Career plans: pursuing a career in asset management
Annie Behm
Hometown: Cherry Hill, NJ
Major: Biological Sciences
Career plans: taking a gap year working in the patient care sector while applying to medical school
Calie Brady
Hometown: Concord, MA
Major: Film, Television & Theater
Career plans: getting a masters in digital marketing at Notre Dame
Madelyn Christman
Hometown: Carmel, IN
Major: Finance
Career plans: financial analyst at Quest Diagnostics
Katie Drumm*
Hometown: Hinsdale, IL
Major: Business Analytics
Career plans: sales associate at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc. (KBW) in Boston
Madison Feehery
Hometown: Naples, FL
Major: Neuroscience & Behavior
Career plans: taking a gap year in the medical field before attending PA school
Jess Geriane
Hometown: North Aurora, IL
Major: Film, Television & Theater
Career plans: pursuing a career in sports media
Maggie Graves
Hometown: Barrington, IL
Major: Accountancy
Career plans: audit associate at PwC in Chicago while studying to become a CPA
Sophia Karras
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Major: Psychology
Career plans: pursuing a masters degree in psychology and education while furthering her swimming career internationally representing Greece
Reese Lugbill
Hometown: Mason, OH
Major: Finance
Career plans: exploring opportunities in real estate development
Imogen Meers*
Hometown: London, England
Major: Business Analytics
Career plans: Pursuing a career in Data Engineering or Analytics
Madeline Menkhaus
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Major: Science Business
Career plans: taking a gap year before attending medical school to become a physician
Mary Cate Pruitt
Hometown: South Bend, IN
Major: Finance
Career plans: corporate finance and restructuring consultant at FTI Consulting in Chicago
*indicates grad student
The first session on Friday begins at 10 a.m., and the second starts at 5 p.m. Saturday’s session starts at 11 a.m. with Senior Day festivities just before around 10:30 a.m.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
IRISH WELCOME LIONS FOR FIRST TIME SERIES
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame hockey team returns to Compton Family Ice Arena this weekend as they host Lindenwood University for the first ever meeting between the two programs.
Friday’s will be the team’s Military Appreciation Night featuring a rafter rappel with member’s of the University’s ROTC program participating in a ceremonial puck drop following the crowd-sung National Anthem. On Saturday night, the team hosts its annual postgame autograph session as well as the first-ever Next Gen Night for youth Irish hockey fans.
SERIES OVERVIEW
Opponent: Lindenwood Lions | Jan. 24-25
Location: South Bend, Ind. | Compton Family Ice Arena
Schedule: 7p.m. (Fri.) | 6p.m. (Sat.)
Theme: Military Appreciation Night (Fri.) | Next Gen Night (Sat.)
TV: Peacock
Live Stats: FightingIrish.com
Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/
Game Notes: Notre Dame
QUICK HITS
- Notre Dame hosts Lindenwood for the first time ever this weekend as the Lions and Irish face off Jan. 24-25 inside Compton Family Ice Arena.
- The Irish are coming off a weekend split at No. 3/3 Minnesota. The Irish fell to the home team 5-2 Friday night despite holding the Golden Gophers scoreless in the final 40 minutes before rebounding Saturday with a 4-3 overtime win.
- Blake Biondi net the game-winning tally, his first with the Irish, at 3:46 of overtime after Notre Dame kept the Gophers from possessing the puck for the duration of OT.
- The team’s top two line centers each registered a faceoff win in the extra session to maintain possession before Biondi buried the game-winner off a feed from Cole Knuble. The assist, Knuble’s second point of the night, put him at 25 points on the season and extended his point streak to four games (2-5-7).
- In 102:12 played in goal this weekend, Owen Say stopped 52 of 55 shots faced, including all 22 shots in the second and third period Friday night after coming in for relief to start the middle period.
- With the win Saturday at Minnesota, Catalino Family Head Hockey Coach Jeff Jackson moves into ninth all-time in career wins with his 597th. Additionally, he leads all active coaches by more than 15 wins.
- In their last home game, the Irish defeated Michigan 7-4 to split the weekend series. Partway through the second frame, Notre Dame scored three goals in a span of 32 seconds. The three goal sequence in 32 seconds set a program record.
- With five points on the night, including his first career hat trick, Janicke became the first Irish skater to boast five points in a single game since Bobby Nardella in the 2018-19 season.
- Danny Nelson was on the ice for six of the team’s seven goals Saturday night against Michigan for a +6 on-ice rating which set a Big Ten Conference record. The sophomore center appeared on the box score three times that night with a goal and two assists.
- In game one of the series against Michigan, Cole Knuble had a hand in all three Irish goals, picking up a goal and two assists. The team leader in points became the first Irish player to 20 points this season and now sits at 22 points in 18 games played thus far (8-14-22).
- Justin Janicke’s six point weekend (3-3-6) also escalated him to 20 points and Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors.
- On Wednesday, Cole Knuble was named a Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee. The sophomore center leads the Irish in points (25) and assists (16) while sits in a three-way tie with Nelson and Janicke for goals (nine). Fan voting is now open for the prestigious award at hobeybaker.com/vote
- Fans are encouraged to vote once per day from now until March 9.
NOTRE DAME vs. LINDENWOOD
- Friday’s game against the Lions will mark the first meeting between the two squads in program history.
- Lindenwood hockey was elevated to the Division I level at the start of the 2022-23 season.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL
SEARCHING FOR A FIRST IN CHARLOTTESVILLE
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The perfect opportunity awaits the Notre Dame men’s basketball program on Saturday. The Fighting Irish (8-10, 2-5) are coming off a tough 69-77 loss at Syracuse in which they built a 17-point first-half lead. Thus, the Irish are still searching to correct two narratives:
1) That they can get over the hump in all these close games and execute down the stretch – one-point loss to UNC, one-point to NC State, eight at #4 Duke, eight at Syracuse.
2) Get that elusive first ACC road win.
Thus, it’s almost fate that up next for the Irish is a road game at Virginia. Why? Because this program has never won inside JPJ Arena – the Irish are 0-9 there all-time. So if you want to correct a narrative – there’s no better time or place.
Last season, the Irish and Cavaliers split, each winning on their home court. Coach Shrewsberry and company recorded a dominant 76-54 victory over Virginia inside Purcell Pavilion, as the 76 points were the most scored by Notre Dame all-time in the series. The Irish also handed Virginia its biggest loss to an ACC opponent since 2017.
Markus Burton averaged 16.0 points in two games against UVA last season, shooting a highly proficient 60.0 percent from the field (12-20).
Saturday will mark the 23rd all-time meeting between the two programs with the Irish trailing, 4-18. Notre Dame and Virginia will tip off at 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
BURTON IS BACK
After 39 days away rehabbing his knee injury, Burton has returned and amplified the ND offense. Before Vegas, Burton was the only player in the country averaging 20+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ rebounds.
If you discount the Rutgers game since Burton got injured in the first four minutes, the sophomore has recorded 20+ points in six of his last seven games.
Burton is averaging 21.8 ppg since his return on Jan. 4. When you look at January-only scoring averages amongst ACC players, Burton only trails Cooper Flagg and Hunter Sallis.
Last game out, Burton dropped a first-half career-high 22 points, before finishing the Syracuse game with 28. Prior, Burton netted 20 points with a season-high four steals against BC and dropped 23 points at #4 Duke in which he tied his career high in made three-pointers with four.
Despite that 2-point Rutgers game dragging down his scoring average, he still averages 19.8 ppg on the year.
CHASING ACHIEVEMENTS
Markus Burton is currently riding three straight games with 20+ points and if he gets to five, he’ll be the first Irish player to achieve said feat since Ben Hansbrough in February of 2011.
Looking bigger picture now … Burton is currently averaging 19.8 ppg and 3.3 apg. If he finishes the season at 20.0+ ppg and 3.0+ apg, he’ll become the first Irish player ever to do so. When we broaden the scope, he would become just the 15th ACC player to do so since 1996.
However, Burton isn’t the only one who can cement their name in the Irish record books this season. Grad transfer Matt Allocco owns a 3.86 assist-to-turnover ratio which ranks sixth in the nation and first in the ACC. The highest A/TO ratio in program history for a season was 3.16 by Martin Inglesby back in 2000-01.
FAITH OVER DOUBT
Coach Shrews had it written on the team board both after the close Duke loss and again after the BC win just a few days later. Have faith in this team and don’t let the doubt creep in after tough losses that should have been wins.
That faith and belief got the Irish back in the win column with a decisive 78-60 victory over Boston College.
Tae Davis led the Irish in scoring for the seventh time this season, pouring in 26 points, which was one shy of his career high. Another MVP was Julian Roper II who led the team in +/- with +26.
The Irish tied their season high in offensive boards (17) and recorded a season-best in second-chance points (25). Defensively, the Irish achieved a season high in steals with 13.
THE TAE-KOVER
Tae Davis has emerged as one of the top talents in the ACC and should be a candidate for Most Improved. His dunk in the win over BC on Jan. 13 even got several NBA scouts to notice (check it out @NDMBB on social).
Tae is averaging a career best 16.4 ppg, up from last year’s 9.2 ppg. The Indy native is also shooting a career best 50.3 percent, up from last year’s 48.4. In ACC play, Tae’s scoring average is slightly higher at 17.3 ppg.
Tae is ultimately riding a career best 13 straight games in double figures. Where is he getting it done at? Well, the junior has been highly proficient around the rim where he’s 66-of-97 (.680).
He’s also improved from the free-throw line over the course of the season. He’s 19 for his last 22, raising his FT% to a career best 77.4 percent.
Tae is averaging 6.5 FD/40 which ranks 46th nationally according to KenPom. Tae ranks second in the league in FT attempts and fifth in makes.
EVOLVING
When Burton was recovering, other Irish had to step up and evolve and we saw it unfold. We’ve already mentioned how Tae Davis is posting career numbers, but so is Braeden Shrewsberry.
The sophomore guard is averaging 14.9 ppg, up from last year’s 10.2. He’s shooting 43.2 percent, which is up from last year’s 39.8.
He’s connecting on 2.8 threes per game this season, with a .379 clip from beyond the arc. Shrewsberry’s sweet spot has been the corner three where he’s 14-31 (.452), which is 9.8 percent above the D1 average. Shrewsberry boasts higher three ball numbers in ACC play where he ranks third in 3pt FG% (.440) and second in in threes/game (3.1).
However, it’s important to point out that he’s added to his overall arsenal with a dangerous floater that keeps defenders guessing. He’s shooting 50.0 percent from midrange twos and he’s 13-16 around the rim. Thus, he’s 54.1 percent overall from two-point range.
VET LEADER
When Coach Shrews added grad transfer Matt Allocco to the roster he got two things – a talented guard with NCAA Tournament experience and a leader by every definition of the word. Coach Shrews hoped that his young core of players would pick up those characteristics and then be leaders to the next group coming in.
This season, Allocco is averaging 10.2 ppg on 46.9 percent shooting. He’s draining a career best 47.1 percent from three.
As previously mentioned, Allocco is also on pace for the highest A/TO ratio in program history. His 3.86 A/TO ratio ranks sixth nationally and leads all ACC players.
Allocco also leads the team in defensive rebounds per game at 4.2 and leads in +/- at +82 on the year. Lastly, the Ohio native is averaging 1.4 steals in ACC play which ranks 10th.
NOTRE NOTABLES
With 13 points in the win over BC on Jan. 13, Matt Allocco officially crossed over the 1,000 career point milestone. He currently sits at 1,019.
Allocco boasts a true shooting percentage of 71.2 over the last five games, which according to CBB Analytics ranks in the 99th percentile.
Njie, who recorded his first career double-double against NC State on Jan. 8, posted 11 points against BC on Jan. 13. Thus, he’s been in double figures twice over the last four games. He entered the season with four career games in double figures.
Njie is averaging 3.0 offensive rebounds/game in ACC play, which ranks 2nd in the league.
Burton is shooting 52.6 percent from the midrange, which is 17.0 percent above the D1 average.
Yes Sir! – The freshman guard impressed at #4 Duke, recording his first double-digit scoring performance with 11 points on 4-7 shooting, plus 2-4 from three.
Notre Dame is shooting 39.1 percent from three in ACC play – which ranks third.
Notre Dame continues to raise its KenPom Offense Adj. Efficiency. Over the last several games, it has risen from 56th to 44th.
BUTLER WOMEN’S SOCCER
WOMEN’S SOCCER ANNOUNCES SPRING SCHEDULE
The Butler women’s soccer program is set for five matches this spring as the team prepares for the upcoming fall 2025 campaign. Two of the contests are scheduled to take place in Indianapolis.
The Bulldogs will begin the offseason in February at the Ball State 7v7 Friendlies and, the following month, will travel to downtown Indianapolis to face IU Indy in Michael A. Carroll Stadium. Road trips to Dayton, Ohio, and the Cincinnati area will provide contests with Wright State and Northern Kentucky. For its final competitive preparation of the offseason, Butler will host the Indiana Hoosiers in the Sellick Bowl on April 19.
Butler is coming off a 2024 season that produced an overall record of 10-4-5 with a 5-2-3 result in BIG EAST competition. Led by Co-Head Coaches Tari St. John and Rob Alman, the Bulldogs finished in the third spot in the conference regular-season standings, qualifying for the program’s 10th consecutive postseason tournament.
Women’s Soccer Spring 2025 Schedule
Saturday, Feb. 15 at Ball State (7v7 Friendlies) @ Muncie, Ind. TBA
Sunday, Mar. 2 at IU Indy @Carroll Stadium/Indianapolis 2 pm
Saturday, Mar. 29 at Wright State @ Dayton, Ohio 3 pm
Saturday, Apr. 4 at Northern Kentucky @Highland Heights, Ky. 7 pm
Saturday, Apr. 19 INDIANA Sellick Bowl TBA
BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
INDIANA STATE SWIMMING
SYCAMORES CONTINUE JANUARY SCHEDULE AT TIM WELSH CLASSIC
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State swimming and diving continues the 2024-25 spring season this weekend as the Sycamores travel to South Bend, Ind. for the Tim Welsh Classic held at the Rolfs Aquatic Center over January 24-25.
The Sycamores will be one of five different teams competing at Rolfs Aquatic Center this weekend joining host Notre Dame, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Akron, in a tough field.
“This weekend will be a great opportunity to get some focused racing in,” head coach Josh Christensen said. “The two-day, three-session format of this meet sets up like a condensed version of the conference championship format, so it ends up being a nice dress rehearsal. We’ll use this weekend to keep learning and growing as we move through this last part of the season.
The Sycamores were last in the pool on January 10 as Indiana State hosted both Indianapolis and Southern Illinois at the Vigo County Aquatic Center in a tri-meet. Indiana State took the 217-83 win over the Greyhounds, while falling to the Salukis 153-147.
Claire Parsons (500-yard Free, 1000-yard Free) and Jecza Lopez (1M and 3M Diving) both claimed multiple events for Indiana State on the afternoon, while Gemma Dilks (200 Fly) and Kaleigh Kelley (100 Free) both added to strong years inside the pool with individual wins in the meet.
Erin Cummins (200 Free) and Kelley (50 Free & 100 Fly) both added second-place results in the meet, while Alexandria Cotter (200 IM & 200 Breast) added podium finishes in two different events as the Sycamores continue to showcase their versatility and depth in the pool.
Lopez made a literal splash in her first action with the Sycamores this season as the mid-year transfer qualified for the NCAA Zone C Qualifiers in the 1M Springboard Diving event. Her six-dive score of 267.25 made her just the third Sycamore diver in program history to qualify for the NCAAs.
This weekend’s meet is one of two the Sycamores have left over the course of the regular season as Indiana State continues to prepare for the 2025 Missouri Valley Championships held in Waukee, Iowa over February 26 – March 1. Indiana State wraps up the regular season with Senior Day on Friday, February 7, against Butler and Ball State.
Indiana State enters the weekend with nine MVC Swimmer, Freshman, or Diver of the Week honors to date over the course of the season. Farro (twice), Kelley, and Claire Parsons have all claimed Swimmer of the Week honors, while Maria Saldana Riebeling, Sahara Visscher, and Gemma Dilks (twice) have won Freshman of the Week. Daniela Orta Castaneda added Indiana State’s first Diver of the Week nod.
Indiana State boasts a number of athletes that sit among the conference Top 10 leaders in multiple events through their first two meets of the regular season including conference leaders Erin Cummins (500 Free), Claire Parsons (1000 & 1650 Free) and Gemma Dilks (200 Fly). The Sycamores also boast the fastest time in the 800-yard Freestyle Relay.
50-yard Free: Kaleigh Kelley (22.82, 3rd), Raine Boles (23.14, 8th)
100-yard Free: Chloe Farro (50.00, 4th)
200-yard Free: Erin Cummins (1:47.98, 2nd), Claire Parsons (1:49.30, 8th)
500-yard Free: Erin Cummins (4:47.51, 1st), Claire Parsons (4:47.59, 2nd), Maria Saldana Riebeling (4:52.09, 4th), Haley Halsall (4:57.90, 10th)
1000-yard Free: Claire Parsons (9:57.49, 1st), Erin Cummins (10:08.71, 2nd), Maria Saldana Riebeling (10:14.70, 7th), Gemma Dilks (10:19.45, 10th)
1650-yard Free: Claire Parsons (16:31.28, 1st), Erin Cummins (16:56.25, 3rd), Maria Saldana Riebeling (16:57.98, 5th), Gemma Dilks (17:09.05, 9th)
100-yard Back: Sahara Visscher (54.65, 4th)
200-yard Back: Claire Parsons (2:01.64, 7th)
100-yard Breast: Ali Pearson (1:02.11, 4th), Kaleigh Kelley (1:03.18, 9th)
200-yard Breast: Ali Pearson (2:15.41, 3rd), Dorotea Bukvic (2:15.52, 4th), Kaleigh Kelley (2:17.23, 9th), Alexandria Cotter (2:17.92, 10th)
100-yard Fly: Raine Boles (54.64, 5th), Kaleigh Kelley (54.94, 7th)
200-yard Fly: Gemma Dilks (2:00.21, 1st), Sophia Diaz (2:02.02, 4th), Haley Halsall (2:02.91, 7th)
200-yard IM: Alexandria Cotter (2:01.40, 3rd), Gemma Dilks (2:02.60, 8th)
400-yard IM: Alexandria Cotter (4:19.49, 3rd), Gemma Dilks (4:20.01, 4th), Dorotea Bukvic (4:26.73, 9th)
800-yard Freestyle Relay: 7:20.22, 1st
Friday Event Schedule
Events start at 10 a.m.
Saturday Event Schedule
Events start at 11 a.m.
EVANSVILLE TRACK
ACES TRACK AND FIELD BEGINS 2025 AT THE PNC BANK BELLARMINE CLASSIC
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — After over a month away from competition the University of Evansville track and field team is back in action on Friday.
The Purple Aces will compete in their first meet of 2025 Friday, January 24th as they travel to Kentucky for the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic. It will be UE’s third straight season appearing in the meet hosted by the Bellarmine Knights at the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center. Evansville will look to improve on its performance from last season as the men’s team finished 13th and the women’s team finished 17th.
On Friday the Aces will be one of 19 schools competing, including 10 teams from Kentucky. Along with UE, athletes scheduled to compete will hail from Ball State, Bellarmine, Dayton, Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky, Southern Indiana, Western Kentucky, Wright State, Xavier, Campbellsville, University of the Cumberlands, Hanover, Midway, Spalding, Transylvania, Illinois Springfield and Vincennes. Evansville has not competed against any of the teams at the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic during the 2024-25 indoor season through two other meets.
The last meet the Aces participated in was the Indiana Early Bird back on December 13. Sophomore sprinters Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind. / Reitz HS) and Raymond Felton III (Houston / Clear Brook HS) set three program records for UE in Bloomington. Both the men’s and women’s 200-meter records were reset along with the women’s 400-meter record. Overall Evansville competed in 16 events with two podium finishes in the team’s last appearance of the season. Johnson set her first program record of the meet in the 400-meter dash. Placing fourth in the event, Johnson ran the 400 in 57.32 second beating her program record from the year prior by just under half a second. Her second program record was in the 200 race with a time of 25.28 seconds for another fourth-place finish. In the men’s 200-meter dash Felton earned a third-place podium finish along with setting a new program record at 21.84 seconds.
The Aces will begin the day bright and early at 8:45 a.m. with the women’s weight throw. UE will compete in 18 events on Friday with the final event coming at 3:30 p.m. with the men’s 4×400-meter relay. Evansville fans can follow along with the team’s performance through Live Timing.
SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER
SCREAMING EAGLES SIGN DEFENDER CAMPOS FOR 2025
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer announced the signing of Paulina Campos to its 2025 class. Campos becomes the 11th student-athlete to sign ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Paulina Campos (Chula Vista, California) is a 5’3″ defender from Mater Dei Catholic High School in California. The speedy fullback scored a few goals in high school as a three-year varsity starter. Campos’ squad was a D1 CIF Soccer finalist. Campos’ high school team was the league’s all-academic team.
Campos plays club soccer for Rebels ECNL 07, which she has helped lead to a second-place finish in the league and led to the ECNL playoffs in Seattle for the first time. Campos was selected twice for Southern California’s player development program. Campos, the starting outside back for Rebel, was also named a 2024 ECNL player to watch.
“We are very excited to welcome Paulina to the USI Soccer family,” USI Women’s Soccer Head Coach Eric Schoenstein said. “Paulina is an extremely gifted outside back with great ball skills and a fierce competitor who can play touchline to touchline. She brings a great deal of pace and energy to the backline.”
USI Women’s Soccer heads into 2025 after being a quarterfinalist in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament for a second consecutive season in 2024. The 2025 schedule will be released at a later date.
MARIAN WOMEN’S LAX
MARIAN WOMEN’S LACROSSE PICKED THIRD IN WHAC PRESEASON POLL, RECEIVING VOTES IN NAIA POLL
INDIANAPOLIS – On Wednesday, January 22, both the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Confernece (WHAC) and the NAIA released their respective preseason coaches’ polls. The Marian women’s lacrosse team was featured as a receiving votes team nationally, while the Knights were picked third in the WHAC preseason ratings.
The head women’s lacrosse coaches in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) have voted defending champion Lawrence Tech as the preseason favorite for the upcoming 2025 season. Indiana Tech was picked second in the league, while Marian was picked third. Lawrence Tech collected all eight first place votes in the conference, while Indiana Tech gained seven more points in the poll than Marian did. Bethel was picked fourth in the preseason standings.
Nationally, Reinhardt was picked as the No. 1 team in the NAIA, as the defending champions claimed six of the seven first place votes. Lawrence Tech was picked second, while the University of the Cumberlands was tabbed third. Indiana Tech ranked eighth in the preseason poll by the NAIA.
Marian’s season is set to begin with a scrimmage at Wittenberg on February 9, while the regular season starts on February 14 at Missouri Baptist University.
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
January 24, 1939 – Eddie Collins, Willie Keeler and George Sisler were all elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
January 24, 1950 – The most famous Number 42 in sports history, Jackie Robinson, became the highest paid Brooklyn Dodger to that point in history when he signed a $35,000 contract for the 1950 season.
January 24, 1956 – 6th NBA All Star Game, Rochester War Memorial Coliseum, NY: West beats East, 108-94; MVP chosen was St. Louis Hawks, C, Number 9, Bob Pettit.
January 24, 1962 – We spoke just a moment ago about Jackie Robinson he was also selected as the first black man to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame on this day. An important date in history for Number 42.
January 24, 1971 – 21st NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: NFC beats AFC, 27-6; MVPs selected were both of defense, Green Bay Packers, LB, Number 53, Fred Carr and Dallas Cowboys, CB, Number 20, Mel Renfro
January 24, 1973 – Legendary lefthanded pitcher, Warren Spahn, Number 21 for much of his career, was elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
January 24, 1978 – 31st NHL All-Star Game, Buffalo Municipal Auditorium, Buffalo, NY: Wales beats Campbell, 3-2 (OT); MVP selected was NY Islanders, G, Number 31, Billy Smith.
January 24, 1982 – Number 16 of the San Francisco 49ers, Joe Montana was selected as the Super Bowl XVI Most Valuable Player after he and the Niners knocked off the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21.
January 24, 1986 – Mike Bossy who wore Number 22 for the New York Islanders scored his 1000th NHL career point on this day.
January 24, 1999 – NHL All-Star Game, Ice Palace, Tampa, FL: North America beats World, 8-6; MVP selected was NY Rangers, C, Number 99, Wayne Gretzky.
January 24, 2007 – NHL All-Star Game, American Airlines Centre, Dallas, TX: West beats East, 12-9; MVP chosen was Buffalo Sabres, C, Number 48, Daniel Briere.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Football History Headlines
January 24, 1952 – Dallas Texans franchise was awarded after Dallas purchased assets of New York Yanks from the NFL. This is the first Texas NFL franchise in history. As we learned in the January 23 edition of this series, they were not very good and the NFL shut them down after just one season. The remnants of the franchise were sold to Caroll Rosenbloom in 1953 to form the Baltimore Colts.
January 24, 1964 – CBS purchased the NFL television broadcasting rights for the 1964 & 1965 seasons for a cool $28.2 million. NBC had bid $21.5 million for rights to the National Football League games in 1964 and 1965 but CBS won the war with the significantly higher amount offered. The ABC network paid a mere $2,350,000 in 1964 for the rights to broadcast the AFL, less than a third of the annual average of the NBC contract for the AFL’s rights in 1965 according to a New York Time article from January 30, 1964.
January 24, 1971 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum -The NFC’s top players squashed the AFC squad by the score of 27-6 in the 21st NFL Pro Bowl. Fred Carr the linebacker of the Green Bay Packers and Mel Renfro the corner of the Dallas Cowboys were selected as the game’s MVPs.
January 24, 1982 – Pontiac Silverdome, Detroit, Michigan – Super Bowl XVI was played and pitted the Cincinnati Bengals against the upstart San Francisco 49ers. For this story we go to StadiumsofProFootball.com who tells us that this was the first time the Big game was moved to a traditionally cold weather venue. The 49erswebzone.com fills us in with the other details of how after a sizable first half lead of 20-0 the 49ers watched on as the Bengals heated up in the second half to score 21 points of their own. But two Ray Wersching field goals in the fourth quarter preserved the San Francisco victory over the Bengals, 26-21. Niners legendary Quarterback Joe Montanaended up as the game’s MVP as he threw for one TD and had a QB rating of 100.0 in the game.
January 24, 2010 – Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis -The 2009 season’s AFC Championship game resulted in the Indianapolis Colts knocking off the New York Jets, 30-17.
January 24, 2010 – Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans – The NFC Championship game to see who would play the Colts was a tight one. The Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints would battle in this epic game. The starting quarterbacks were legends with Brett Favre guiding the team in purple while Drew Brees called signals for the Saints. Farve threw for 310 yards and a score but was picked off two times while Brees had three touchdown passes and kept the ball away from Minnesota’s scrondary. Adrian Peterson scored the game tying touchdown on a two yard plunge at the 5:03 mark of the 4th to send the game to an extra session. Garrett Hartley sealed the Super Bowl trip for the Saints when he kicked a 40 yard field goal in overtime. The New Orleans Saints edged out the Minnesota Vikings, 31-28 per the Pro Football-Reference.com.
January 24, 2016 – Mile High Stadium, Denver -At the AFC Championship game for the 2015 season it was Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos who overcame Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 20-18 to advance to the Super Bowl.
January 24, 2016 – Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte – The Carolina Panthers had no trouble with dispatching the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship. The Panthers with Cam Newton under center and a ferocious defense gobbled up the red birds 49-15 to advance to the Big game against the Broncos.
January 24, 2021 – Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin – Tom Brady and his new team the Tampa Bay Bucs
Hall Of Fame Birthdays
January 24, 1881 – Springville New York – Cornell University’s legendary Guard, Bill Warner was born.
January 24, 1920 – Portland, Oregon – Chuck Taylor renown as a tough guard for Stanford. The National Football Foundation lists Chuck as an All-America guard in 1942. After serving in the Navy Taylor played one year, 1946, with the Miami Seahawks of the All-America Conference, returned to Stanford as freshman coach in 1948, was assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers 1949-50, and returned again to Stanford as head coach in 1951. His 1951 team went 9-2, was in the Rose Bowl, and earned Taylor election as Coach of the Year. He was age 31, the youngest man ever named Coach of the Year. He also served as the Athletic Director for the Cardinal for many years. Taylor was heralded as a man who had gone to the Rose Bowl as a player, head coach, and athletic director. The NFF voters inducted Chuck Taylor into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1984.
January 24, 1936 – Weathersfield, New York – The rugged Fullback from the University of Miami , Florida Don Bosseler celebrated his birth. The footballfounndation.org website states that Bosseler was a four-year starter at fullback for the University of Miami. In his senior year, 1956, he helped the team to an 8-1-1 record, was named as an All-American by the Associated Press. He rushed for 1,642 yards in his four years. The National Football Foundation selected Don Bosseler into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990. After school Don played in the NFL for 7 seasons with the Washington Redskins.
January 24, 1937 – Zanesville, Ohio – Bobby Beathard the talented GM with a great eye for finding talent was born. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Bobby Beathard as a contributor in 2018. Beathard was really good at discovering talent as he started out as a scout in the Falcons and Chiefs organizations according to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website. In 1972 Bobby became the director of player personnel for Miami, yes those undefeated Dolphins. Later in the 1970’s he was hired as the GM of the Washington Redskins and became famous for trading out of first round picks to acquire more draft capital, and built championship teams by doing so. All in all in his eleven seasons Washington used only 3 first round picks! The Super Bowl XVII roster of the Redskins had 27 free agents that Beathard had signed. In the early 1990s he helped build the San Diego Chargers into Super Bowl contenders. So in review Beathard helped with 2 Championships with Miami, two with Washington and lost a Super Bowl with San Diego. That is a pretty good track record.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1931 After being released by the Indians four days ago, Alabama native Joe Sewell, who spent the first 11 years of his career with Cleveland, signs as a free agent with the Yankees for $10,000. The 33-year-old future Hall of Fame infielder, the record holder for consecutive games without recording a strikeout at 115, will hit .282 during his three seasons with New York.
1939 Needing an additional player to reach the initial goal of having at least ten inductees before the dedication ceremonies this summer, members of the BBWAA elect ‘Wee’ Willie Keeler, George Sisler, and Eddie Collins to be in the inaugural class of the Hall of Fame. The three players chosen are joining the 1936 selection of Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson, along with Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, and Cy Young, selected by the writers a year later.
1955 Cubs business manager Jim Gallagher, chairman of the nine-man rules committee, announces the two leagues will implement an existing rule during spring training that requires a hurler to throw the ball when the bases are empty within 20 seconds after taking a pitching position. The mandate, which results in the umpire calling a ball when the tosses are tardy, will not be in effect during the season.
1961 The A’s trade Whitey Herzog and Russ Snyder to the Orioles for Wayne Causey, Jim Archer, Bob Boyd, and Al Pilarcik. The deal will not improve either club when both teams finish in the second division next season.
1962 The Southern Association, established in 1901, suspends operation due to decreasing yearly attendance. Except for 27-year-old outfielder Nat Peeples, who became the only black player in the league’s history when he appeared in two games with the 1954 Atlanta Crackers, the circuit remained racially segregated until the end of its existence.
1973 Warren Spahn becomes only the sixth player elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving 316 of the 380 (83.2%) votes cast by the BBWAA scribes. The Buffalo (NY) native, who recorded thirteen 20-win seasons with the Braves, retired as the winningest left-handed pitcher in big-league history with 363 victories, a remarkable feat given he recorded his first victory as a 26-year-old.
1980 The Payson family sells the controlling interest of the Mets to book publisher Doubleday and Company, with Fred Wilpon of Sterling Equities and a group from City Investing becoming minority owners. The estimated $21.1 million price tag, twice as much as the sale of the Yankees to George Steinbrenner seven years ago, is the highest amount ever paid for a baseball franchise, far surpassing the $12 million needed to purchase the Orioles and Astros last season.
2001 Sixty-eight major league umpires participate in a preseason session, believed to be a historical first, to practice calling strikes as defined by the rule book. With the help of minor leaguers wearing tapes nine inches above their belts, the men in blue get a good look at pitches, commonly called balls, but are strikes when the proper enforcement of the zone is put into place this upcoming season.
2006 Jay Gibbons (.277, 26, 79) and the Orioles agree to a $21.1 million, four-year deal. The 28-year-old outfielder, who is getting married this weekend, could have taken his chances on the free-agent market next season.
2007 Coming off an injured Achilles tendon, Cliff Floyd signs a flexible deal with the Cubs, beginning with a one-year guaranteed contract for $3 million, increasing to as much as $17.5 million over two years. The Chicago native will platoon with Matt Murton, giving the Northsiders left-handed power off the bench.
2008 The Braves, avoiding arbitration, sign Rafael Soriano (3-3, 3.00) to a two-year deal worth $9 million. Atlanta plans to use the 29-year-old right-handed reliever, who recorded nine saves last year, as the team’s closer this season.
2023 Receiving votes on 297 of 389 ballots (76.3%), the BBWAA narrowly elects Scott Rolen to the Hall of Fame in his sixth year of eligibility. The 17-year veteran, only the 18th third baseman to become a Hall of Famer, never appeared as a designated hitter, playing for the Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, and the Reds.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
Jan. 24
1939 — Eddie Collins, Wee Willie Keeler and George Sisler are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1956 — Bob Pettit of the St. Louis Hawks captures the first of his NBA record four All-Star MVP awards. Pettit leads the West team with 20 points and 24 rebounds in a 108-94 win over the East.
1981 — Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders scores his 50th goal in the 50th game of the season in a 7-3 victory over the Quebec Nordiques.
1982 — Ray Wersching kicks a Super Bowl record-tying four field goals to help the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 26-21.
1986 — Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders scores his 1,000th career point with an assist in a 7-5 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1990 — Winston-Salem State basketball coach Clarence “Big House” Gaines wins his 800th career game, 79-70 over Livingstone.
1998 — The Denver Nuggets end their record-tying, single-season losing streak at 23 games, beating the Los Angeles Clippers 99-81.
1999 — David Duval shoots a 59 to match what is then the best round in PGA Tour history. Duval surges from seven strokes off the pace for a one-stroke victory over Steve Pate in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
2010 — Kelly Kulick becomes the first woman to win a PBA Tour title, beating Chris Barnes in the final of the 45th Tournament of Champions. Kulick outscores Barnes 265-195 to take home the $40,000 first prize and a two-year PBA Tour exemption.
2010 — Peyton Manning throws three touchdown passes and the Indianapolis Colts rally from an 11-point, first-half deficit to beat the New York Jets 30-17 in the AFC championship game.
2010 — The New Orleans Saints make it to their first Super Bowl after battering Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 in overtime on Garrett Hartley’s 40-yard field goal.
2012 — Playing his 1,000th match, four-time Australian Open champion Roger Federer advances to his ninth straight semifinal at Melbourne Park with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 win over Juan Martin del Potro. Federer is the seventh man to reach the 1,000 match milestone.
2014 — Carmelo Anthony scores a career-high and franchise-record 62 points, most at the current Madison Square Garden, and the New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Bobcats 125-96.
2015 — Ashley Wagner wins her third U.S. figure skating title, easily beating defending champ Gracie Gold.
2016 — Denver cornerback Bradley Roby picks off Tom Brady’s pass on a 2-point try with 12 seconds left to preserve a 20-18 victory for the Broncos over the New England Patriots in the AFC title game.
2016 — Cam Newton throws two touchdowns and runs for two others, and Carolina’s big-play defense stifles Arizona’s top-ranked offense in a 49-15 romp for the NFC championship.
2018 — Former US Olympic team doctor Larry Nassar found guilty of molesting over 150 girls, sentenced up to 175 years in prison
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Jan. 25
1894 — Jim Corbett knocks out Charley Mitchell in the third round to retain the world heavyweight title.
1924 — The first Winter Olympics are held in Chamonix, France.
1939 — Joe Louis knocks out John Henry Lewis at 2:39 of the first round to retain the world heavyweight title.
1945 — Larry MacPhail, Dan Topping and Del Webb buy the New York Yankees for $2.8 million.
1960 — Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors sets a record for rookies with 58 points in a 127-117 triumph over the Detroit Pistons. Chamberlain also grabs 42 rebounds.
1968 — Bob Seagren sets an indoor pole vault record in the Millrose Games at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Seagren’s world record leap is 17 feet, 4 1/4 inches.
1972 — Eddie Woods of Oral Roberts grabs 30 rebounds in a 109-95 victory over Louisiana Tech.
1981 — Jim Plunkett’s two first-quarter touchdown passes, including a Super Bowl-record 80-yard strike to running back Kenny King, leads the Oakland Raiders to a 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles.
1987 — The New York Giants win the Super Bowl with a 39-20 rout of the Denver Broncos. The Giants, trailing 10-9 at halftime, score 30 points in the second half to set a Super Bowl record. Phil Simms completes a record 10 straight passes and 22 of 25 attempts overall.
1988 — Utah guard Rickey Green scores the NBA’s 5 millionth point when the Jazz beat Cleveland 119-96.
1991 — Brett Hull scores two goals to become the third player in NHL history to score 50 goals in less than 50 games (49). Hull adds two assists to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 9-4 rout of the Detroit Red Wings.
1998 — John Elway and the Denver Broncos win a Super Bowl for themselves and the AFC, by beating the Green Bay Packers 31-24. Terrell Davis, selected the MVP, rushes for 157 yards scores on three 1-yard touchdown runs, including the winner with 1:45 left.
2003 — Serena Williams survives an error-filled match to beat elder sister Venus 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open for her fourth straight major championship.
2014 — Li Na, who turns 32 next month, beats Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3), 6-0 in the Australian Open final to become the oldest woman to clinch the title here in the Open era.
2014 — Kate Hansen becomes the first American in nearly 17 years to win a World Cup singles luge race, prevailing at the season finale in Sigulda, Latvia. She’s the first World Cup winner for USA Luge since Cameron Myler won in 1997.
2014 — Tiger Woods shoots a 79 at Torrey Pines to match his worst score on American soil. Woods misses the 54-hole cut for the first time in his career at the Farmers Insurance Open. Woods is an eight-time winner at Torrey Pines, including the 2008 U.S. Open.
2015 — Mike Krzyzewski earns his 1,000th career win, making him the first NCAA Division I men’s coach to reach the milestone, when No. 5 Duke surges past St. John’s for a 77-68 victory at Madison Square Garden.
2022 – Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle becomes NHL’s new “Iron Man” with his 965th consecutive regular-season game, breaking Doug Jarvis’s all-time record, in a 4-3 loss at the New York Islanders
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Jan. 26
1913 — Jim Thorpe gives up his track medals from the 1912 Olympic games as a result of his having been a professional. He had been paid $25 for playing in a semipro baseball game.
1951 — Jimmie Foxx and Mel Ott are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1955 — Joe DiMaggio is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1960 — Pete Rozelle is chosen the new commissioner of the National Football League.
1985 — Edmonton’s Wayne Gretzky scores his 50th goal in the 49th game of the season, a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
1986 — The Chicago Bears win their first NFL championship since 1963 by setting a Super Bowl-record for points scored in defeating the New England Patriots 46-10.
1991 — Houston guard Vernon Maxwell joins Wilt Chamberlain, David Thompson and George Gervin as the only players in NBA history to score 30 points or more in a quarter. Maxwell scores 30 of his career-high 51 points in the fourth period to help Houston beat Cleveland 103-97.
1992 — The Washington Redskins win their third Super Bowl in 10 years, beating the Buffalo Bills 37-24, putting the game away with 24 straight points after a scoreless first quarter.
1996 — Three years after she won her last Grand Slam title on the same Center Court, Monica Seles wins her fourth Australian Open crown. Seles beats Germany’s Anke Huber 6-4, 6-1 to claim her ninth major championship.
1997 — The Green Bay Packers, behind big plays, beat the New England Patriots 35-21 in the Super Bowl. Brett Favre finds Andre Rison for a 54-yard touchdown on the Packers’ second offensive play, then throws an 81-yard TD pass to Antonio Freeman in the second quarter. Desmond Howard, the first special teams MVP, scores on a 99-yard kickoff return to put away the Patriots.
2002 — Jennifer Capriati produces the greatest comeback in a Grand Slam final to overcome Martina Hingis and defend her Australian Open title. Capriati saved four match points before clinching a 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 victory over Hingis.
2007 — Mark Recchi scores two goals, including the 500th of his career, in Pittsburgh’s 4-3 shootout win over Dallas.
2008 — Mirai Nagasu becomes the second-youngest woman to win the title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. The 4-foot-11 14-year-old falls on her opening jump, a double axel, but lands six triple jumps, three in combination, in her program.
2013 — Victoria Azarenka wins her second consecutive Australian Open title, beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Mike and Bob Bryan become the most decorated doubles team in Grand Slam history by winning their 13th major title, beating Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-4 in 53 minutes.
2013 — Ashley Wagner became the first woman since Michelle Kwan in 2005 to win back-to-back titles in the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
2013 — San Jose’s Patrick Marleau becomes the second player in NHL history to open a season with four straight multigoal games, striking twice on the power play in the first period of a 4-0 win over Colorado.
2014 — Stan Wawrinka holds off an injured Rafael Nadal to win his first Grand Slam title with a 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 victory in the Australian Open final.
2014 — DeMarco Murray catches a 20-yard pass for a touchdown and Mike Tolbert plunges into the end zone for a 2-point conversion with less than 1 minute to give Jerry Rice team a 22-21 win over Deion Sanders team in the first schoolyard-style Pro Bowl.
2020 – LA Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash in foggy conditions in the hills above Calabasas, southern California; considered one of the greatest players in the game’s history
_____
Jan. 27
1937 — Tris Speaker and Cy Young are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
1973 — UCLA, led by Bill Walton, sets an NCAA record for consecutive victories with its 61st win, an 82-63 victory over Notre Dame. UCLA breaks the record of 60 set by San Francisco in 1956. Walton scores 16 points, grabs 15 rebounds and blocks 10 shots.
1982 — Geoff Houston of the Cleveland Cavaliers hands out 27 assists, two short of the NBA record and scores 24 points in a 110-106 victory over the Golden State Warriors.
1991 — The New York Giants survive the closest Super Bowl ever when Scott Norwood’s 47-yard field goal attempt with 8 seconds left in the game goes wide. The Giants win their second Super Bowl in five years, 20-19 over the Buffalo Bills.
1993 — American Chad Rowan is awarded the highest rank in sumo wrestling, the ancient Japanese sport, making him the first foreign “yokozuna.” The 6-foot-8, 455-pounder from Honolulu, becomes the 64th person to hold the top rank in the sport’s history.
1996 — The U.S. Golf Association elects Judy Bell as the first female president in its 101-year history.
2001 — Jennifer Capriati upsets three-time winner Martina Hingis 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open and her first Grand Slam tournament title.
2003 — Hermann Maier wins a World Cup super giant slalom in Kitzbuehel, Austria, a victory he ranks among his finest triumphs. The win comes 18 months after he almost loses his leg in a motorcycle crash.
2007 — Serena Williams wins her third Australian Open singles title, routing Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. Unseeded and ranked 81st, Williams wins her eighth and most improbable Grand Slam. She is the second unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the Open era.
2008 — Novak Djokovic fends off unseeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the Australian Open final, earning his first Grand Slam title.
2008 — Eric Staal wins the most valuable player award in the NHL All-Star game, registering two goals and an assist in the East’s 8-7 win over the Western Conference. Staal helps set up Marc Savard’s winning goal with 20.9 seconds left.
2010 — Washington’s Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton are suspended without pay for the remainder of the season by NBA commissioner David Stern. Both players admit to bringing a gun or guns into the Wizards’ locker room — a violation of the collective bargaining agreement — after a dispute stemming from a card game on a team flight.
2011 — Roger Federer, the 16-time Grand Slam winner, is knocked out of the Australian Open by Novak Djokovic in a semifinal match, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-4. Federer’s loss marks the first time since 2003 that he wouldn’t hold any of the four major titles.
2013 — Novak Djokovic beats Andy Murray 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 to become the first man in the Open era to win three consecutive Australian Open titles.
2013 — Little-known Max Aaron wins his first title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and helps knock down three-time men’s champion Jeremy Abbott to third place.
2013 — Speedskater Heather Richardson edges Canada’s Christine Nesbitt in the final women’s race to become the first American woman to win the World Sprint Championships since 2005.
2013 — The NFC blew past the AFC 62-35 in the Pro Bowl. Minnesota tight end Kyle Rudolph is voted the game’s MVP with five catches for 122 yards and a touchdown.
2018 – Australian Open Women’s Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki beats Simona Halep 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to win her first Grand Slam title.
Jan. 28
1901 — The American League is founded. The league plans for a 140-game schedule, set player rosters at 14 and recognizes the Players Protective Association, the players’ union.
1943 — Max Bentley of the Chicago Black Hawks has four goals and three assists in a 10-1 rout of the New York Rangers. Bentley scored all four goals and an assist in the third period. Max’s brother, Doug, has four assists in the third period.
1949 — Monte Irvin and Ford Smith are signed by the New York Giants. They are the first black players to sign with the club.
1984 — Wayne Gretzky’s record 51-game scoring streak is halted as the Angeles Kings post a 4-2 victory. Over the 51 games, Gretzky scored 61 goals and 92 assists.
1990 — The San Francisco 49ers beat the Denver Broncos 55-10 in the most lopsided Super Bowl. The 49ers are the first repeat NFL champion in a decade and tie the Pittsburgh Steelers with four Super Bowl wins.
1992 — Brett Hull becomes the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in 50 games more than once in a career when the St. Louis Blues tie the Los Angeles Kings 3-3.
2001 — Baltimore’s brazen defense backs up its bragging by beating the New York Giants 34-7 in the Super Bowl. The Ravens intercept Kerry Collins four times, the final pick returned 49 yards for a touchdown by Duane Starks.
2006 — Amelie Mauresmo wins her first Grand Slam singles title when Justine Henin-Hardenne retires in the second set of their Australian Open final because of stomach pain. Mauresmo led 6-1, 2-0.
2007 — Roger Federer captures his 10th Grand Slam singles title without dropping a set at the Australian Open, beating Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-4.
2012 — Towson ends its NCAA record 41-game losing streak with a 66-61 victory over North Carolina Wilmington. The victory is the first career win at Towson for coach Pat Skerry and the Tigers’ first win since a win at La Salle on Dec. 29, 2010.
2014 — Calling the NCAA a dictatorship, Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter and the United Steelworkers announce plans to form the first labor union for college athletes. Colter details the College Athletes Players Association at a news conference in Chicago, flanked by leaders of Steelworkers union that agree to pay legal bills for the effort.
2017 — Serena Williams wins her record 23rd Grand Slam singles title with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over her older sister Venus in the Australian Open final.
2017 — Arrogate beats California Chrome again, winning the $12 million Pegasus World Cup in his rival’s last race before retirement.
2018 – Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Roger Federer beats Marin Čilic 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win his record 20th Grand Slam title.
_____
Jan. 29
1950 — In an Associated Press poll of sports writers and broadcasters, Jack Dempsey is voted the greatest fighter of the past 50 years. Dempsey received 251 votes to 104 for Joe Louis.
1958 — The St. Louis Cardinals give Stan Musial a contract for $100,000, making him the highest paid player in the National League.
1963 — Eleven players and six officials are elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Jim Thorpe, Red Grange, Bronco Nagurski, Sammy Baugh, Dutch Clark, Johnny McNally, Ernie Nevers, Mel Hein, Pete Henry, Cal Hubbard and Don Hutson are the players. The six officials are Bert Bell, Joe Carr, George Halas, Curly Lambeau, Tim Mara and George Preston.
1971 — Hal Greer of Philadelphia becomes the sixth player in NBA history to score 20,000 points as the 76ers lose to Milwaukee 142-118.
1985 — Bryan Trottier of the New York Islanders scores his 1,000th point with a goal in a 4-4 tie with the Minnesota North Stars.
1994 — Julio Cesar Chavez suffers his first loss in 91 fights when Frankie Randall knocks him down in the 11th round and wins the WBC super lightweight championship on a split decision.
1997 — Brian Himmler rolls two perfect games to take the lead after the first two rounds of qualifying at the PBA’s Columbia 300 Open.
2000 — Utah’s Karl Malone becomes the third player in NBA history to score 30,000 points when he makes a layup with 8:53 left in the third quarter of a 96-94 loss to Minnesota.
2005 — Serena Williams fends off six break points in the fifth game of the second set, then wills herself to overcome an aching back in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Lindsay Davenport in the Australian Open final.
2005 — Irina Slutskaya joins the elite company of Katarina Witt and Sonja Henie by winning a sixth title at the European Figure Skating Championships.
2006 — Roger Federer wins his seventh Grand Slam title, overcoming an early challenge from unseeded Marcos Baghdatis to win the Australian Open 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2.
2010 — Bernard Lagat wins his eighth Wanamaker Mile at 103rd Millrose Games in New York. Lagat, who finishes in 3:56.34, had shared the record with Irish great Eamonn Coghlan.
2012 — Lydia Ko becomes the youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event by winning the Bing Lee/Samsung Women’s NSW Open on the ALPG Tour. She is 14 and 8 months, one year younger than the previous youngest person ever to win a professional golf tour event, Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa.
2012 — Novak Djokovic outlasts Rafael Nadal to defend his Australian Open title in the longest ever Grand Slam final and becomes the fifth man to win three straight majors in the Open Era. Djokovic completes a 5-hour, 53-minute 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 victory over Nadal at 1:37 a.m.
2014 — Ben Scrivens sets an NHL record for saves in a regular-season shutout with 59 in a spectacular performance that help the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 3-0.
2017 — Roger Federer wins his 18th major title by beating Rafael Nadal 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 to capture the Australian Open.
2018 – Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Roger Federer beats Marin Čilic 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win his record 20th Grand Slam title.
2018 – Cleveland Indians announce they will remove “Chief Wahoo” caricature logo from uniforms in 2019.
_____
Jan. 30
1926 — The major league rules committee mandates that pitchers must have access to a rosin bag.
1971 — UCLA starts its 88-game winning streak with a 74-61 win over UC Santa Barbara.
1983 — John Riggins rushes for a Super Bowl-record 166 yards on 38 carries to spark the Washington Redskins to a comeback 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. For Riggins, the game’s MVP, it’s his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game during the playoffs, also a record.
1992 — Jockey Mike Smith wins six races in one day at Aqueduct for the second time in the month. His first six-winner day at Aqueduct was on Jan. 13.
1993 — Monica Seles beats Steffi Graf 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to capture her third straight Australian Open.
1994 — The Dallas Cowboys, behind MVP Emmitt Smith and safety James Washington, beat Buffalo 30-13 for their second straight NFL title while giving the Bills four straight Super Bowl losses.
1996 — Magic Johnson finishes with 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-118 victory over Golden State. It is Johnson’s first regular-season game back from a 4 1/2-season retirement.
1999 — Martina Hingis wins her fifth Grand Slam title and third straight Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over France’s Amelie Mauresmo.
2001 — Daron Rahlves wins the super giant slalom, the first American to capture the event at the world championships.
2002 — Utah’s Karl Malone becomes 2nd player in NBA history to register 34,000 career points by scoring 18 in a 90-78 win over Chicago at the Delta Center; trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points).
2006 — Teemu Selanne scores two goals for his 1,000th career point in Anaheim’s 4-3 overtime victory against Los Angeles.
2010 — Serena Williams ends Justine Henin’s hopes of a Grand Slam title in her return from retirement with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory in the Australian Open final.
2011 — MVP DeAngelo Hall has one of his team’s five interceptions and returns a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to help the NFC match a Pro Bowl scoring record in a 55-41 victory over the AFC. AFC quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Matt Cassel each throw first-half interceptions to help the NFC blow open a 42-0 lead.
2011 — Loui Eriksson’s second goal, an empty-netter at 18:49 of the third period, helps seal an 11-10 victory for Team Lidstrom against Team Staal in the NHL All-Star Game.
2015 — The Phoenix Open continues without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The biggest shock is Woods, who bogeys on his last hole for an 82, the worst score in his two decades as a pro. Mickelson shoots 76 and misses the cut by two shots.
2016 — Angelique Kerber upsets Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open title, ending the six-time champion’s unbeaten streak in finals at Melbourne Park.
2018 — Houston guard James Harden puts up highest scoring triple-double in NBA history (60 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) as the Rockets beat Orlando Magic, 114-107 in Houston.
2022 – Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Rafael Nadal wins record 21st Grand Slam singles title with an epic 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win over Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
TV SPORTS FRIDAY
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Portland Trail Blazers vs Charlotte Hornets | 7:00pm | Rip City FanDuel Sports SE |
| Cleveland Cavaliers vs Philadelphia 76ers | 7:00pm | NBCS-PHI FanDuel Sports OH |
| New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies | 8:00pm | NBATV FanDuel Sports SE GCSN |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Philadelphia Flyers vs New York Islanders | 7:30pm | ESPN+ NBCS-PHI MSGSN |
| Vegas Golden Knights vs Dallas Stars | 7:30pm | ESPN |
| Utah Hockey Club vs Winnipeg Jets | 8:00pm | ESPN+ Utah16 Sportsnet |
| Tampa Bay Lightning vs Chicago Blackhawks | 8:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports Sun CHSN |
| MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Penn State-Shenango at Youngstown State | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Toledo at Bowling Green | 6:00pm | CBSSN |
| Villanova at Marquette | 7:00pm | FS1 |
| Kent State at Ohio | 7:00pm | ESPNU |
| Wagner at Mercyhurst | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Central Connecticut at Le Moyne | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| LIU at Saint Francis U | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Chicago State at Stonehill | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Milwaukee at Northern Kentucky | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Saint Joseph’s at Dayton | 7:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Michigan at Purdue | 8:00pm | FOX |
| Penn State at Iowa | 9:00pm | FS1 |
| St. Bonaventure at VCU | 9:00pm | ESPNU |
| UCLA at Washington | 11:00pm | FS1 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open | 3:00pm | GOLF |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| Australian Open | 2:00pm | ESPN2 |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| Bundesliga: Wolfsburg vs Holstein Kiel | 2:30pm | ESPN2 ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Serie A: Torino vs Cagliari | 2:45pm | Paramount+ fuboTV |
| Ligue 1: Auxerre vs Saint-Étienne | 2:45pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports fuboTV |
| La Liga: Las Palmas vs Osasuna | 3:00pm | ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Liga MX: Mazatlán vs Toluca | 10:00pm | TUDN VIX |
TV SPORTS SATURDAY
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Indiana Pacers vs San Antonio Spurs | 12:00pm | ESPN KENS FanDuel Sports IND |
| Denver Nuggets vs Minnesota Timberwolves | 3:00pm | ABC |
| Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks | 5:30pm | ABC |
| Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets | 6:00pm | YES FanDuel Sports Sun |
| New Orleans Pelicans vs Charlotte Hornets | 7:00pm | GCSN FanDuel Sports SE |
| Detroit Pistons vs Orlando Magic | 7:00pm | FanDuel Sports DET FanDuel Sports FL |
| Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks | 7:30pm | Sportsnet FanDuel Sports SE |
| Houston Rockets vs Cleveland Cavaliers | 7:30pm | SCHN FanDuel Sports OH |
| Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks | 7:30pm | NBCS-CA MSG |
| Philadelphia 76ers vs Chicago Bulls | 8:00pm | NBCS-PHI CHSN |
| Utah Jazz vs Memphis Grizzlies | 8:30pm | ABC |
| Washington Wizards vs Phoenix Suns | 9:00pm | MNMT AFSN |
| Milwaukee Bucks vs Los Angeles Clippers | 10:30pm | FanDuel Sports WI FanDuel Sports SoCal |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Colorado Avalanche vs Boston Bruins | 1:00pm | ESPN+ ALT NESN |
| Pittsburgh Penguins vs Seattle Kraken | 4:00pm | ESPN+ ATTSN-PIT KONG |
| Buffalo Sabres vs Edmonton Oilers | 4:00pm | ESPN+ MSG-BUF Sportsnet |
| Dallas Stars vs St. Louis Blues | 7:00pm | ESPN+ Victory+ FanDuel Sports MW |
| Calgary Flames vs Minnesota Wild | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports North Sportsnet |
| Los Angeles Kings vs Columbus Blue Jackets | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports West FanDuel Sports OH |
| Tampa Bay Lightning vs Detroit Red Wings | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports Sun FanDuel Sports DET |
| Toronto Maple Leafs vs Ottawa Senators | 7:00pm | ESPN+ Sportsnet |
| New Jersey Devils vs Montreal Canadiens | 7:00pm | ESPN+ MSGSN Sportsnet |
| Carolina Hurricanes vs New York Islanders | 7:30pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports South MSGSN |
| Washington Capitals vs Vancouver Canucks | 10:00pm | ESPN+ MNMT Sportsnet |
| Nashville Predators vs Anaheim Ducks | 10:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports South Victory+ |
| Florida Panthers vs San Jose Sharks | 10:00pm | ESPN+ Scripps NBCS-CA |
| MEN’S NCAA BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| SMU at NC State | 12:00pm | CW |
| Campbell at Hofstra | 12:00pm | CBSSN |
| North Carolina A&T at Stony Brook | 12:00pm | SNY |
| Georgetown at Providence | 12:30pm | FOX |
| Pitt at Syracuse | 12:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Howard at Norfolk State | 12:30pm | ESPNU |
| Mississippi State at South Carolina | 1:00pm | SECN |
| Western Carolina at The Citadel | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UNCG at VMI | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UNI at Indiana State | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Bucknell at Boston University | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Marist at Canisius | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Siena at Iona | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Detroit Mercy at Wright State | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Florida at East Carolina | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UMBC at Vermont | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Jacksonville at Queens | 1:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Michigan State vs. Rutgers | 1:30pm | CBS |
| Seton Hall at Creighton | 1:30pm | FS1 |
| Illinois State at Bradley | 2:00pm | CBSSN |
| Monmouth at William & Mary | 2:00pm | MASN |
| Delaware at Drexel | 2:00pm | NBCS-Philadelphia PLUS |
| Cornell at Princeton | 2:00pm | NBCS-Philadelphia |
| Saint Louis at George Washington | 2:00pm | MNMT |
| Iowa State at Arizona State | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Rhode Island at La Salle | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Lipscomb at Central Arkansas | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Florida at West Georgia | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| New Hampshire at UMass Lowell | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Winthrop at High Point | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Dartmouth at Brown | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Harvard at Yale | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Oakland at Robert Morris | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Purdue Fort Wayne at IU Indianapolis | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Columbia at Penn | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| South Carolina State at North Carolina Central | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Miami (OH) at Akron | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Buffalo at Eastern Michigan | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Sacred Heart at Niagara | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Rider at Quinnipiac | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Holy Cross at Loyola Maryland | 2:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Boston College at North Carolina | 2:15pm | CW |
| Kentucky at Vanderbilt | 2:30pm | ESPN/2 |
| Texas A&M at Texas | 2:30pm | ESPN/2 |
| Tulane at Rice | 2:30pm | ESPNU |
| New Mexico at UNLV | 3:00pm | FOX |
| Southern Illinois at UIC | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Green Bay at Cleveland State | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Stetson at Bellarmine | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Colorado at Arizona | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern Arizona at Idaho | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| USC Upstate at Longwood | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Texas State at Arkansas State | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Marshall at Georgia Southern | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| App State at ULM | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgia at Florida | 3:30pm | SECN |
| UNC Asheville at Charleston Southern | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| WKU at Sam Houston | 3:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Oregon at Minnesota | 4:00pm | BTN |
| DePaul at Butler | 4:00pm | CBSSN |
| Florida A&M at Alcorn State | 4:00pm | SWAC Digital Network |
| Utah State at Air Force | 4:00pm | MWN |
| Colgate at American | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Chattanooga at ETSU | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Manhattan at Mount St. Mary’s | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Coppin State at Morgan State | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Belmont at Murray State | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Drake at Missouri State | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Evansville at Valparaiso | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| TCU at UCF | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Weber State at Sacramento State | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| FGCU at Eastern Kentucky | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| NJIT at UAlbany | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Temple at UTSA | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Binghamton at Bryant | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| James Madison at Georgia State | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UTA at Abilene Christian | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Duke at Wake Forest | 4:30pm | ESPN |
| Baylor at Utah | 4:30pm | ESPN/2 |
| Bethune-Cookman at Jackson State | 4:30pm | SWAC Digital Network |
| South Alabama at Troy | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| UIW at Southeastern Louisiana | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Nicholls at A&M-Corpus Christi | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Radford at Presbyterian | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ball State at Northern Illinois | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Furman at Mercer | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Tennessee Tech at UT Martin | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Southeast Missouri at Western Illinois | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Southern Indiana at Eastern Illinois | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Morehead State at SIUE | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Little Rock at Lindenwood | 4:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Clemson at Virginia Tech | 5:00pm | ACCN |
| South Dakota at South Dakota State | 5:00pm | MidCo Sports |
| Wofford at Samford | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| North Dakota at North Dakota State | 5:00pm | WDAY-DT3 |
| Santa Clara at Oregon State | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern Colorado at Eastern Washington | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Idaho State at Portland State | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Long Beach State at Cal Poly | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Texas Southern at Alabama A&M | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Houston Christian at New Orleans | 5:30pm | ESPN+ |
| McNeese at UTRGV | 5:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Ole Miss at Missouri | 6:00pm | SECN |
| West Virginia at Kansas State | 6:00pm | CBSSN |
| Davidson at Richmond | 6:00pm | MASN |
| Liberty at FIU | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Northwestern State at Stephen F. Austin | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Houston at Kansas | 6:30pm | ESPN/2 |
| Notre Dame at Virginia | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Middle Tennessee at Louisiana Tech | 6:30pm | ESPNU |
| Florida State at Stanford | 7:00pm | ACCN |
| Grambling State at Mississippi Valley State | 7:00pm | YouTube |
| Colorado State at Fresno State | 7:00pm | MWN |
| East Texas A&M at Lamar | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Lafayette at Lehigh | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Merrimack at Fairfield | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Western Michigan at Central Michigan | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Austin Peay at North Alabama | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Coastal Carolina at Old Dominion | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Charleston at Elon | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Hampton at UNCW | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Wyoming at San Jose State | 7:30pm | MWN |
| UConn at Xavier | 8:00pm | FOX |
| Saint Mary’s at Washington State | 8:00pm | CBSSN |
| Omaha at Oral Roberts | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| St. Thomas at Kansas City | 8:00pm | KMCI |
| Gonzaga at Portland | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southern Miss at Louisiana | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Tennessee at Auburn | 8:30pm | ESPN/2 |
| Oklahoma at Arkansas | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Miami (FL) at California | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| LSU at Alabama | 8:30pm | SECN |
| California Baptist at Southern Utah | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Montana State at Montana | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Kennesaw State at UTEP | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Jacksonville State at NM State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Fullerton | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Grand Canyon at Utah Tech | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UC Riverside at CSU Bakersfield | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| San Diego State at Nevada | 10:00pm | CBSSN |
| CSUN at UC San Diego | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Hawai’i at UC Irvine | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Utah Valley at Seattle U | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Pacific at Pepperdine | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| San Diego at San Francisco | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Cincinnati at BYU | 10:30pm | ESPN2 |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open | 2:00pm | GOLF |
| PGA Tour: Farmers Insurance Open | 4:00pm | CBS |
| TENNIS | TIME ET | TV |
| Australian Open | 9:30am | ESPN2 |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| La Liga: Mallorca vs Real Betis | 8:00am | ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Serie A: Como vs Atalanta | 9:00am | CBSSN Paramount+ fuboTV |
| Bundesliga: RB Leipzig vs Bayer Leverkusen | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Freiburg vs Bayern München | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Borussia Dortmund vs Werder Bremen | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Augsburg vs Heidenheim | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| Bundesliga: Mainz 05 vs Stuttgart | 9:30am | ESPN+ |
| EPL: West Ham United vs Crystal Palace | 10:00am | USA Peacock fuboTV |
| EPL: Brentford vs Liverpool | 10:00am | Peacock fuboTV |
| EPL: Leicester City vs Fulham | 10:00am | Peacock fuboTV |
| La Liga: Atlético Madrid vs Villarreal | 10:15am | ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Ligue 1: Monaco vs Rennes | 11:00am | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| Serie A: Napoli vs Juventus | 12:00pm | Paramount+ fuboTV |
| La Liga: Sevilla vs Espanyol | 12:30pm | ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Bundesliga: Borussia M’gladbach vs Bochum | 12:30pm | ESPN+ |
| EPL: Manchester City vs Chelsea | 12:30pm | Peacock fuboTV |
| Ligue 1: Strasbourg vs Lille | 1:00pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| Serie A: Empoli vs Bologna | 2:45pm | Paramount+ fuboTV |
| Ligue 1: PSG vs Reims | 3:05pm | Fanatiz beIN Sports |
| La Liga: Real Valladolid vs Real Madrid | 3:00pm | ESPN+ fuboTV |
| Liga MX: Cruz Azul vs Puebla | 6:00pm | VIX |
| Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs América | 8:00pm | VIX |
| Liga MX: Guadalajara vs Tigres UANL | 8:05pm | Telemundo VIX |
| Liga MX: Monterrey vs Pachuca | 10:00pm | VIX |