THE INDIANA SRN SPORTSPAGE MONDAY DECEMBER 19, 2022

MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#7 TEXAS 72 STANFORD 62

#11 BAYLOR 65 WASHINGTON STATE 59

USC 74 #19 AUBURN 71

#21 TCU 88 MISSISSIPPI VALLEY 43

GEORGIA 77 NOTRE DAME 62

VALPARAISO 71 ELON 66

PENN STATE 97 CANISIUS 67

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/CBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20221218

WOMEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

#1 SOUTH CAROLINA 87 CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 23

#2 STANFORD 77 TENNESSEE 70

#4 INDIANA 87 MOREHEAD STATE 24

#5 NOTRE DAME 63 #6 VIRGINIA TECH 52

#8 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 77 CLEMSON 59

#9 UCONN 85 FLORIDA STATE 77

#11 LSU 87 OREGON STATE 55

#12 IOWA 88 NORTHERN IOWA 74

#14 IOWA STATE 74 #25 VILLANOVA 62

#16 OREGON 97 CHARLESTON 33

#20 ARIZONA 75 #18 BAYLOR 54

#24 OKLAHOMA 76 SOUTHERN 50

MARQUETTE 67 BUTLER 46

INDIANA STATE 64 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 56

CINCINNATI 99 SOUTHERN INDIANA 57

EVANSVILLE 64 SE. MISSOURI 53

DREXEL 86 PENN STATE 82 OT

MICHIGAN STATE 91 DETROIT 41

ILLINOIS 76 MISSOURI 66

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/WCBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20221218

INDIANA SRN BOYS BASKETBALL POLLS

4A

1. BEN DAVIS
2. BROWNSBURG
3. PENN
4. HOMESTEAD
5. ANDERSON

3A

1. MISHAWAKA MARIAN
2. NORTH DAVIESS
3. NORWELL
4. NORTHWOOD
5. LEBANON

2A

1. LINTON STOCKTON
2. CARROLL FLORA
3. EASTERN HANCOCK
4. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL
5. SOUTH SPENCER

1A

1. BLOOMFIELD
2. EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN
3. ORLEANS
4. LOOGOOTEE
5. EDINBURGH

INDIANA SRN GIRLS BASKETBALL POLLS

4A

1. ZIONSVILLE
2. SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
3. FISHERS
4. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE
5. NOBLESVILLE

3A

1. TWIN LAKES
2. INDIAN CREEK
3. NORWELL
4. JAY COUNTY
5. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL

2A

1. NORTH KNOX
2. WINCHESTER
3. CENTRAL NOBLE
4. BLACKFORD
5. ANDREAN

1A

1. LANESVILLE
2. TRI
3. BLUE RIVER
4. CASTON
5. MORGAN TWP.

INDIANA GIRLS IBCA POLL

1. SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON (14-0)

2. ZIONSVILLE (12-0)

3. BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE (12-1)

4. FISHERS (11-2)

5. HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN (11-1)

6. FORT WAYNE NORTHROP (9-1)

7. LAKE CENTRAL (8-1)

8. NOBLESVILLE (9-3)

9. HOMESTEAD (10-2)

10. NORTHRIDGE (11-2)

11. INDIAN CREEK (13-0)

12. TWIN LAKES (13-0)

13. COLUMBIA CITY (11-1)

14. MISHAWAKA MARIAN (12-2)

15. WARSAW (10-3)

16. VALPARAISO (12-0)

17. NORWELL (11-2)

18. CORYDON CENTRAL (11-1)

19. WARREN CENTRAL (11-3)

20. BEN DAVIS (10-4)

NFL

WEEK 15

PITTSBURGH 24 CAROLINA 16

PHILADELPHIA 25 CHICAGO 20

KANSAS CITY 30 HOUSTON 24 OT

JACKSONVILLE 40 DALLAS 34 OT

NEW ORLEANS 21 ATLANTA 18

DETROIT 20 NY JETS 17

DENVER 24 ARIZONA 15

LAS VEGAS 30 NEW ENGLAND 24

LA CHARGERS 17 TENNESSEE 14

CINCINNATI 34 TAMPA BAY 23

NY GIANTS 20 WASHINGTON 12

BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/FB/SCOREBOARD.ASP

MONDAY, DEC. 19

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT GREEN BAY, 8:15 P.M.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL SCHEDULE

MONDAY, DEC. 19

MARSHALL VS. UCONN — MYRTLE BEACH BOWL (CONWAY, SOUTH CAROLINA) | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN

TUESDAY, DEC. 20

EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. SAN JOSE STATE — FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL (BOISE, IDAHO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN

LIBERTY VS. TOLEDO — BOCA RATON BOWL (BOCA RATON, FLORIDA) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21

SOUTH ALABAMA VS. WESTERN KENTUCKY — NEW ORLEANS BOWL (NEW ORLEANS) | 9 P.M. | ESPN

THURSDAY, DEC. 22

BAYLOR VS. AIR FORCE — ARMED FORCES BOWL (FORT WORTH, TEXAS) | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN

FRIDAY, DEC. 23

HOUSTON VS. LOUISIANA — INDEPENDENCE BOWL (SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA) | 3 P.M. | ESPN

WAKE FOREST VS. MISSOURI — GASPARILLA BOWL (TAMPA, FLORIDA) | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN

SATURDAY, DEC. 24

MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE VS. SAN DIEGO STATE — HAWAI’I BOWL (HONOLULU, HAWAI’I) | 8 P.M. | ESPN

MONDAY, DEC. 26

BOWLING GREEN VS. NEW MEXICO STATE — QUICK LANE BOWL (DETROIT) | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN

TUESDAY, DEC. 27

BUFFALO VS. GEORGIA SOUTHERN — CAMELLIA BOWL (MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA) | 12 P.M. | ESPN

OKLAHOMA STATE VS. WISCONSIN — GUARANTEED RATE BOWL (PHOENIX) | 10:15 P.M. | ESPN

MEMPHIS VS. UTAH STATE — FIRST RESPONDER BOWL (DALLAS) | ESPN

COASTAL CAROLINA VS. EAST CAROLINA — BIRMINGHAM BOWL (BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA) | ESPN

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28

DUKE VS. UCF — MILITARY BOWL (ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND) | 2 P.M. | ESPN

ARKANSAS VS. KANSAS — LIBERTY BOWL (MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE) | 5:30 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 15 OREGON VS. NORTH CAROLINA — HOLIDAY BOWL (SAN DIEGO) | 8 P.M.

TEXAS TECH VS. OLE MISS — TEXAS BOWL (HOUSTON) | 9 P.M. | ESPN

THURSDAY, DEC. 29

MINNESOTA VS. SYRACUSE — PINSTRIPE BOWL (BRONX, NEW YORK) | 2 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 13 FLORIDA STATE VS. OKLAHOMA — CHEEZ-IT BOWL (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 5:30 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 12 WASHINGTON VS. NO. 20 TEXAS — ALAMO BOWL (SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS) | 9 P.M. | ESPN

FRIDAY, DEC. 30

NO. 23 NC STATE VS. MARYLAND — DUKE’S MAYO BOWL (CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA) | 12 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 18 UCLA VS. PITT — SUN BOWL (EL PASO, TEXAS) | 2 P.M. | CBS

NO. 19 SOUTH CAROLINA VS. NO. 21 NOTRE DAME — GATOR BOWL (JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN

OHIO VS. WYOMING — ARIZONA BOWL (TUCSON, ARIZONA) | 4:30 P.M.| BARSTOOL

NO. 6 TENNESSEE VS. NO. 7 CLEMSON — ORANGE BOWL (MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA) | 8 P.M. | ESPN

SATURDAY, DEC. 31

IOWA VS. KENTUCKY — MUSIC CITY BOWL (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE) | 12 P.M. | ABC

NO. 5 ALABAMA VS. NO. 9 KANSAS STATE — SUGAR BOWL (NEW ORLEANS) | 12 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 2 MICHIGAN VS. NO. 3 TCU (CFP SEMIFINAL) — FIESTA BOWL (GLENDALE, ARIZONA) | 4 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 1 GEORGIA VS. NO. 4 OHIO STATE (CFP SEMIFINAL) — PEACH BOWL (ATLANTA) | 8 P.M. | ESPN

MONDAY, JAN. 2

NO. 22 MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. ILLINOIS — RELIAQUEST BOWL (TAMPA, FLORIDA) | 12 P.M. | ESPN2

NO. 17 LSU VS. PURDUE — CITRUS BOWL (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 1 P.M. | ABC

NO. 10 USC VS. NO. 16 TULANE — COTTON BOWL (ARLINGTON, TEXAS) | 1 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 8 UTAH VS. NO. 11 PENN STATE — ROSE BOWL (PASADENA, CALIFORNIA) | 5 P.M. | ESPN

SUNDAY, JAN. 8

FCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (FRISCO, TEXAS) | 2 P.M. | ABC

MONDAY, JAN. 9

CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA) | ESPN

NBA

NEW YORK 109 INDIANA 106

ORLANDO 95 BOSTON 92

BROOKLYN 124 DETROIT 121

GOLDEN STATE 126 TORONTO 110

MINNESOTA 150 CHICAGO 126

DENVER 119 CHARLOTTE 115

LA LAKERS 119 WASHINGTON 117

BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NBA/SCOREBOARD.ASP

NHL

MINNESOTA 4 OTTAWA 2

CAROLINA 3 PITTSBURGH 2

NY RANGERS 7 CHICAGO 1

SEATTLE 3 WINNIPEG 2

CALGARY 5 SAN JOSE 2

BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NHL/SCOREBOARD.ASP

TOP NATIONAL NEWS HEADLINES

NFL: Seven From Sunday – Week 15

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, December 18, the 15th week of the 2022 season.

• Four teams clinched a playoff spot in Week 15:
  
  On Sunday, the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS clinched their seventh-consecutive AFC West division title with a 30-24 overtime victory at Houston, tying the 1973-79 LOS ANGELES RAMS for the second-longest streak of division titles in NFL history. Only the 2009-19 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (11 consecutive seasons) had a longer streak.
  
  On Thursday Night Football, the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS defeated Seattle, 21-13, to win the NFC West for the first time since 2019.
  
  On Saturday, the MINNESOTA VIKINGS recorded the largest comeback victory in NFL history, overcoming a 33-0 deficit to defeat Indianapolis, 39-36, in overtime to clinch the NFC North for the first time since 2017.
  
  On Saturday night, the BUFFALO BILLS defeated Miami, 32-29, as time expired to clinch a playoff berth for the fourth-consecutive season.
  
  
• COMEBACKS: The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Dallas, 40-34, as safety RAYSHAWN JENKINS registered the game-winning 52-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime. It marked the seventh-longest game-winning interception return for a touchdown in overtime since 1974 and the longest since ROBERT ALFORD on October 11, 2015 (59 yards).
  
  Three teams – MINNESOTA (33-point deficit), CINCINNATI (17) and JACKSONVILLE (17) – each overcame deficits of at least 17 points to win in Week 15. It marks the first time in NFL history that three teams came back to win after trailing by 17-or-more points in a single week.
  
  There have been 44 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win or tie this season, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
  
  The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS defeated New England, 30-24, as defensive end CHANDLER JONES registered a game-winning 48-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown on the final play of the fourth quarter.
  
  With Jenkins and Jones’ game-winning defensive touchdowns this week, it marks the first time since 1970 that there were two game-winning defensive scores on the final play in a single week.
  
  Six teams – BUFFALO and MINNESOTA on Saturday along with DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY and LAS VEGAS on Sunday – came back to win after trailing in the fourth quarter.
  
  There have been 71 games in which a team has come back to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
  
  Seven teams – BUFFALO, DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY, LAS VEGAS, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS and MINNESOTA – each recorded a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in Week 15.
  
  There have been 56 games this season decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
  
  
• CLOSE GAMES: With two games yet to be completed in Week 15, there have been 101 games decided by a touchdown (six points) or less, the most such games through the first 15 weeks all-time.
  
  Thirteen of 14 games (92.8 percent) that have been completed in Week 15 have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and there have been 171 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter this season, the most such games through the first 15 weeks in NFL history.
  
  
• Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES completed 36 of 41 pass attempts (87.8 percent) for 336 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 117.1 rating and added a rushing touchdown while tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded 10 receptions for 105 yards in the Chiefs’ 30-24 overtime win at Houston.
  
  Mahomes’ 87.8 completion percentage is the highest single-game completion percentage among players with at least 40 attempts in NFL history.
  
  Mahomes completed his final 20 pass attempts and is the first player to finish a game with at least 20 consecutive completions since DREW BREES on December 16, 2019 (22 consecutive completions).
  
  Mahomes leads the NFL with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 and is the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record at least 35 touchdown passes in four-or-more different seasons, joining TOM BRADY (six seasons), AARON RODGERS (six), DREW BREES (four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (four).
  
  Kelce has 10,150 career receiving yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer SHANNON SHARPE (10,060) for the fourth-most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (15,127), JASON WITTEN (13,046) and ANTONIO GATES (11,841) have more.
   
• Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS recorded 376 total yards (315 passing, 61 rushing) and his second career game with three rushing touchdowns while wide receiver A.J. BROWN registered nine receptions for 181 yards in the Eagles’ 25-20 win at Chicago. Last week, the Eagles became the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season.
  
  Hurts is the third quarterback ever with at least 300 passing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a single game, joining DAK PRESCOTT (September 20, 2020) and JACK KEMP (October 26, 1963).
  
  Hurts is the fourth quarterback in NFL history with two career games of at least three rushing touchdowns, joining DUANTE CULPEPPER, JOHNNY LUJACK and TOBIN ROTE.
  
  Hurts has 13 rushing touchdowns this season, surpassing STEVE GROGAN (12 rushing touchdowns in 1976) and CAM NEWTON (12 in 2020) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season in NFL history. Only Newton (14 in 2011) has more.
  
  Hurts has 26 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed JOSH ALLEN (25) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era. Only CAM NEWTON (28 rushing touchdowns) has more.
  
  Hurts has eight career games with at least two rushing touchdowns, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famers OTTO GRAHAM (seven games) and STEVE YOUNG (seven), as well as JACK KEMP (seven) and STEVE MCNAIR (seven), for the second-most such games by a quarterback all-time. Only CAM NEWTON (10 games) has more.
  
  Since entering the NFL in 2019, Brown has seven career games with at least 150 receiving yards, the fifth-most such games by a player in his first four career seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH (10 games), RANDY MOSS (eight) and JERRY RICE (eight) as well as JUSTIN JEFFERSON (eight) have more.
  
  
• Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF passed for 252 yards, including the game-winning 51-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining the fourth quarter, while rookie linebacker JAMES HOUSTON recorded a sack in the Lions’ 20-17 win at the New York Jets.
  
  Goff has 25,020 passing yards in 97 career games and tied Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (97 games) and KURT WARNER (97) as the third-fastest player ever to reach 25,000 career passing yards. Only MATTHEW STAFFORD (90 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (92) reached the mark in fewer games.
  
  Houston is the third rookie since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least one sack in each of his first four career games, joining SANTANA DOTSON (1992) and TERRELL SUGGS (2003).
  
  Houston is the second player since 2000 with at least five sacks in his first four career games, joining ELVIS DUMERVIL (five sacks in his first four games in 2006).
  
  
• Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT recorded 1.5 sacks in the Steelers’ 24-16 win at Carolina.
  
  Watt has 76 sacks in 84 career games and became the third-fastest player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to reach 75 career sacks. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (65 games) and J.J. WATT (82) reached the mark in fewer games.
  
  
• Additional notes from Sunday include:
  
  
  • Los Angeles quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 313 yards in the Chargers’ 17-14 win over Tennessee.
    
    Herbert has 4,019 passing yards this season and is the first player in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three career seasons.
    
    
  • Appearing in his 40th career game, Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW recorded four touchdown passes in the Bengals’ 34-23 win at Tampa Bay.
    
    Burrow has 78 career touchdown passes and became the fifth player since 1970 with at least 75 touchdown passes in his first 40 career games, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (101 touchdown passes) and JUSTIN HERBERT (82), as well as Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (90) and KURT WARNER (86).
    
    Burrow, who also has 10 career rushing touchdowns, joined ANDREW LUCK (86 passing, 12 rushing) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 75 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in their first three seasons.
    
    
  • Chicago quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS had 95 rushing yards on Sunday and leads all quarterbacks with 1,000 rushing yards this season.
    
    Fields is the third quarterback ever with at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season, joining LAMAR JACKSON (1,206 rushing yards in 2019 and 1,005 rushing yards in 2020) and MICHAEL VICK (1,039 in 2006).
    
    
  • Appearing in his 100th career game, Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY totaled 163 scrimmage yards (104 rushing, 59 receiving) and a rushing touchdown on Sunday.
    
    Henry has 77 rushing touchdowns in 100 career games, the sixth-most rushing touchdowns by a player in his first 100 career games in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (103 rushing touchdowns), LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (102) and ERIC DICKERSON (80) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (91) and ADRIAN PETERSON (86) had more.
    
    
  • Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS registered his 13th sack of the season and had a fumble recovery on Sunday.
    
    Parsons, who led all rookies with 13 sacks in 2021, is the third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 13 sacks in each of his first two seasons, joining ALDON SMITH and Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE.

Trubisky, Steelers ding Panthers’ playoff hopes, win 24-16

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Mitch Trubisky knew his grasp on the Steelers’ starting quarterback job was tenuous at best when he took the field on Sunday.

But the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft turned in one of the steadier performances of his NFL career, throwing for 179 yards and engineering three long touchdown drives as Pittsburgh held on to beat Carolina 24-16 and diminish the Panthers’ playoff hopes.

“I know what I can do in this league,” Trubisky said. “It feels good to be able to get this opportunity and come through and to have my teammates trust in me.”

Trubisky was named the starter on Saturday after rookie Kenny Pickett was ruled out with a concussion.

He ran for a 1-yard touchdown and played turnover-free football, giving coach Mike Tomlin no reason to replace him with Mason Rudolph, who had split reps Trubisky this week in practice.

“He managed (the game) well,” Tomlin said. “I thought he kept the ball off the ground. He played clean and had a high completion percentage. But it’s easier to do those things when you’re playing behind an effective run game.”

The Steelers ran for 156 yards and three TDs on 45 carries.

Najee Harris carried 24 times for 86 yards and a touchdown and Jaylen Warren added a 2-yard TD run for Pittsburgh (6-8), which has won three of its last four.

The Steelers held a 13-minute edge in time of possession and converted 12 of 16 third-down opportunities, while the Panthers were 4 of 11.

“Third down was horrendous to say the least – on both sides,” Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks said.

The Panthers (5-9) entered the weekend needing four wins in four games to win the unimpressive NFC South. Carolina’s loss gave Tampa Bay, which was hosting Cincinnati, a chance to take a two-game lead in the division.

“To know that we have to possibly depend on another team losing is a little hurtful when we had the keys to what we wanted to do,” said receiver D.J. Moore, who scored Carolina’s only touchdown.

Carolina’s modest successes this season can be traced to its strong running game led by D’Onta Foreman, but that was absent on Sunday.

The Panthers had averaged 191.6 yards rushing in their five wins, but managed just 21 yards on 16 carries – the fifth-lowest total in franchise history – as the Steelers stacked the box and dared Sam Darnold to beat them. Foreman had 9 yards on 10 carries.

Darnold finished 14 of 23 for 225 yards and a touchdown. But he was sacked four times, and the Panthers struggled in the red zone.

Tomlin said he “threw a little schematics” at the Panthers to slow down their run game. Part of the strategy was using an extra big defensive lineman in 6-foot-4, 290-pound Marvin Leal.

Darnold said he expects to see more stacked boxes moving forward.

“With the way we’ve been able to run the ball, you see more one-high coverages,” Darnold said. “When our chances come to be able to take shots up top, we have to be able to hit them.”

The Steelers came in having dominated the series, winning the previous six games by a combined margin of 213-80 with all of those wins by at least 10 points.

This one was much closer.

Trubisky led the Steelers on touchdown drives of 67 and 75 yards on Pittsburgh’s first two possessions with Harris and Warren scoring on short runs for a 14-7 halftime lead.

Pittsburgh got the ball to start the second half and put together a 21-play, 91-yard touchdown drive that took nearly 12 minutes off the clock, culminating in Trubisky reaching the ball over the goal line to score on a QB sneak. They converted three third downs on the drive.

“Extending those long drives was huge for us,” Trubisky said.

Carolina got a pair of field goals from Eddy Pineiro to claw within 21-13, but the Steelers put together another solid 43-yard drive that took more than five minutes off the clock to set up Chris Boswell’s 50-yard field goal, which made it a two-possession game with 1:04 left.

Pineiro’s third field goal, a 52-yarder, trimmed the lead to eight with 19 seconds left, but George Pickens recovered the onside kick.

WATT’S ELITE COMPANY

T.J. Watt’s first half-sack was the 75th of his 84-game career, making him the third-fastest player to reach that mark since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Only Hall of Famer Reggie White (65 games) and T.J.’s older brother J.J. Watt (82) got to 75 in fewer games.

INJURIES

Panthers: CB C.J. Henderson sustained an ankle injury in the first half and did not return.

UP NEXT

Steelers: Host Las Vegas on Saturday night.

Panthers: Host Detroit on Saturday.

Hurts runs for 3 TDs as Eagles squeeze by Bears 25-20

CHICAGO (AP) Jalen Hurts had trouble feeling his hands. With bone-chilling wind whipping through Soldier Field, he even found it difficult to see. Some big hits only added to his pain.

None of that prevented him from leading the Eagles to their franchise record-tying 13th win of the season.

Hurts tied a career high by running for three touchdowns and Philadelphia outlasted the struggling Chicago Bears 25-20 on Sunday.

The Eagles came in with the best record in the NFL and walked away with a tighter-than-anticipated win. At 13-1, they matched the best start in franchise history, achieved previously by the 2004 team that reached the Super Bowl.

“The great teams, the great players, they find a way,” Hurts said. “And I think collectively as a group, we all came together and found a way as a team. And I think that’s the biggest takeaway from this game.”

Chicago’s Justin Fields ran for 95 yards to reach exactly 1,000 on the season, joining Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks to rush for 1,000 or more. He also set a franchise single-season rushing record for a QB. But the Bears (3-11) lost their seventh straight game – their worst skid since dropping eight in a row in 2002 to match a franchise record.

Hurts is also closing in on history as a ball-carrier. He has 13 rushing touchdowns, one short of the NFL record for a QB, set by Cam Newton during his rookie year in 2011.

Hurts finished with 61 yards rushing and has 747 this season. He completed 22 of 37 passes for 315 yards, shaking off two first-half interceptions while playing in temperatures recorded at 18 degrees Fahrenheit at game time.

“He can’t control a bad play earlier; he moves on to the next play,” coach Nick Sirianni said. “It’s no surprise. That’s who this guy is. And we’ve seen that over and over again.”

Hurts could be in store for some cold playoff games in Philadelphia.

“It ain’t Chicago,” he said.

The Eagles’ do-it-all QB ran for a 22-yard touchdown in the closing minute of the second quarter and 1-yard TD early in the third that made it 17-6. Hurts added another 1-yard score and ran in the 2-point conversion with 4:20 left in the game to put Philadelphia ahead 23-13. But the Bears weren’t finished.

Fields – who hobbled to the sideline because of leg cramps on the previous possession and briefly exited the game – hit a wide-open Byron Pringle for a 35-yard touchdown that pulled Chicago within five with 2:43 remaining.

But the Bears didn’t get the ball back. After the two-minute warning, Hurts connected with A.J. Brown for 12 yards on third-and-6, allowing Philly to run out the clock.

Brown caught nine passes for a career-high 181 yards, including a 68-yarder that set up the final touchdown. DeVonta Smith had five receptions for 126 yards.

Haason Reddick, Josh Sweat and Javon Hargrave each had two of Philadelphia’s six sacks, helping the Eagles squeeze by after winning their previous two games by a combined 51 points.

Fields said he doesn’t intend to make 1,000-yard rushing seasons a regular occurrence for him. But he called reaching the milestone “an honor.”

He broke Bobby Douglass’ previous franchise rushing record for a QB of 968 yards in a 14-game season in 1972. Jackson holds the NFL mark with 1,206 in his 2019 MVP season.

“I mean, I’m already deep into this year,” he said. “So I might as well just try to get that record.”

Coach Matt Eberflus called Fields a “special guy.”

“He’s doing an excellent job,” he said. “He’s doing a really good job of leading our football team. I think it’s where he’s growing the most over the second half of the season. He’s just getting more and more confident as he goes.”

After passing for a season-high 254 yards two weeks earlier against Green Bay, Fields threw for 152 and two touchdowns.

David Montgomery ran for a touchdown for Chicago, which remained winless since a surprising victory at New England on Oct. 24.

JENKINS HURT

Bears right guard Teven Jenkins was carted off the field and taken to a hospital with a neck injury on the opening drive. Eberflus said Jenkins was responsive and able to move his hands after he was hurt blocking on a run by Montgomery.

“They just told me it’s encouraging,” he said. “That’s all I got from the medical staff right now.”

The 24-year-old Jenkins, a second-round pick by Chicago in the 2021 draft, stayed face down after he was injured. The sideline emptied and players looked on in a semicircle as he was tended to by medical staff.

OTHER INJURIES

Bears WR Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion protocol) exited after a reception on the game’s opening drive. … LB Jack Sanborn (ankle) left after he was hurt making a tackle early in the third quarter. … CB Jaylon Johnson said he hurt his abdomen. … WR N’Keal Harry (back) missed the game after being listed as questionable.

UP NEXT

Eagles: Visit Dallas on Saturday.

Bears: Host Buffalo on Saturday.

McKinnon’s 26-yard run in OT lifts Chiefs over Texans 30-24

HOUSTON (AP) Wearing shirts that read “Conquered the West” and baseball caps commemorating their AFC West title, the Kansas City Chiefs celebrated winning the division for a seventh straight season after outlasting the Houston Texans in overtime Sunday.

Amid the jubilation, their star quarterback was quick to point out the feat was only the beginning of what they hope to do this season.

“When we start every season, the first thing we get told when we first walk in is let’s win the AFC West,” Patrick Mahomes said. “That’s our first goal … (and) we accomplished our first goal.”

Jerick McKinnon had a 26-yard touchdown run in overtime and the Chiefs got three touchdowns from Mahomes in the 30-24 win.

The Chiefs (11-3) got the ball first in overtime but had to punt it away after Mahomes was sacked by Blake Cashman on third down. Texans quarterback Davis Mills fumbled on a scramble on Houston’s first play, and it was recovered by Kansas City’s Willie Gay on the Texans’ 26.

McKinnon, who also had a TD reception, dashed untouched into the end zone on the next play.

He said Mahomes reminded him before the play to keep two hands on the ball.

“I said: `I’m about to score,'” McKinnon said. “Juju (Smith-Schuster) looked at me and said: `I’ve got your block, bro. Just find me when you get out there’. And it worked out exactly like that.”

Houston (1-12-1) tied it at 24 on a 29-yard field goal with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs had a chance to win it in regulation, but Harrison Butker’s 51-yard attempt was wide right.

Kansas City overcame two turnovers and a season-high 102 penalty yards to win for the seventh time in eight games.

Mills threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns sharing time at quarterback with Jeff Driskel. The Texans dropped their ninth straight game for their longest skid since losing the final 14 games of the 2013 season.

“That team out there has won one game but they’re not playing like that,” coach Lovie Smith said. “They’re showing up every day, taking coaching, getting better and coming into the game and giving ourselves a chance to win.”

Kansas City’s streak of division titles is tied with the Rams (1973-79) for the second-longest in NFL history behind the Patriots, who captured 11 in a row in the AFC East from 2009-2019.

“I think one of the most difficult things in the National Football League is consistent success,” Kansas City owner Clark Hunt said. “The rules are designed to make that difficult, whether that’s the draft or the salary cap. So, it’s a real testament to the job that general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid have done over the last several years.”

The Chiefs trailed for much of the day and were behind by five early in the fourth quarter when Mahomes dashed in from 5 yards out. His 2-point conversion pass to McKinnon came next to give Kansas City a 24-21 lead.

Mahomes thew for 336 yards and had touchdown passes of 20 and 4 yards. He has 35 TD passes this season to become the fifth player in NFL history with 35 or more touchdown tosses in four or more seasons, joining Tom Brady (6), Aaron Rodgers (6), Drew Brees (4) and Peyton Manning (4).

Mahomes, who is from Tyler, Texas, and starred at Texas Tech, played his first NFL game in the state in his sixth professional season. The crowd was overwhelmingly made up of Chiefs fans, many of whom wore his No. 15 jersey. A handful donned his scarlet and black Texas Tech jersey.

The Chiefs piled up 502 yards to set a franchise record with their 19th straight game with at least 300 yards, and it was their ninth in a row with more than 400 yards.

Travis Kelce had 102 yards receiving and Smith-Schuster had 88 yards receiving for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs led 16-14 after a field goal early in the third and were driving again when Tremon Smith forced a fumble by Smith-Schuster that the Texans recovered near midfield. It wasn’t ruled a fumble initially, but Houston challenged the call and it was reversed.

Houston cashed in on the mistake when Mills threw a 12-yard TD to Jordan Akins on third down to make it 21-16.

Houston took a 7-0 lead when Mills connected with Teagan Quitoriano on an 8-yard TD throw late in the first quarter. That score was set up when the Chiefs were flagged for pass interference on third-and-10 two plays earlier to give the Texans a first down at the 4.

Mahomes connected with McKinnon for a 20-yard score on Kansas City’s next drive to tie it at 7-7.

Mario Addison forced a fumble by Isiah Pacheco later in the second quarter and the Texans recovered on the Kansas City 17. Two plays later Mills scrambled 17 yards for a score to put Houston on top 14-7.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught a 4-yard pass from Mahomes for a touchdown just before halftime, but the extra point sailed wide left to leave Houston up 14-13 at halftime.

UP NEXT

Chiefs: Visit Seattle on Saturday.

Texans: Visit Tennessee on Saturday.

Jaguars intercept Prescott, stun Cowboys 40-34 in OT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Rayshawn Jenkins intercepted Dak Prescott’s bobbled pass and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown that gave the Jacksonville Jaguars a 40-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in overtime Sunday.

Noah Brown failed to secure Prescott’s low throw, and Jenkins made a shoelace grab and went untouched the other way to end Jacksonville’s 20-game skid against NFC teams. It’s an NFL record.

Prescott sat on the field as the Jaguars celebrated one of their more improbable wins in franchise history. The Cowboys (10-4) ended a five-game winning streak.

The stunner prevented Dallas from securing a playoff spot. Jacksonville (6-8), meanwhile, could gain ground on Tennessee in the topsy-turvy AFC South.

Jacksonville won the toss in overtime and had a chance to win it with Trevor Lawrence, who threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns. But the Jaguars went three-and-out, giving the Cowboys a chance to win after squandering a 27-10 lead.

Prescott’s third-down pass proved to be a difference-maker.

Prescott completed 23 of 30 passes for 256 yards, with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Two of his TD passes went to Brown.

Prescott found Brown for a 13-yard score with 3:02 remaining that looked like it would be the winner. Lawrence fumbled while scrambling on the ensuing possession, but he got the ball back and drove his team into position for Riley Patterson’s 40-yard, game-tying field goal on the final play of regulation.

Lawrence threw three TD passes to Zay Jones. Travis Etienne ran for 103 yards.

The Jaguars scored 21 consecutive points to rally from a 27-10 deficit and take a 31-27 lead in the fourth. But Prescott and the Cowboys countered with a 13-play drive that included three third-down conversions.

Ezekiel Elliott ran for 58 yards and a score for Dallas, joining Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith as the only backs in franchise history with rushing touchdowns in seven straight games.

KEY INJURIES

Cowboys: Dallas lost two defensive starters. Linebacker Leighton Vander-Esch (neck) was ruled out early in the second half and defensive tackle Dorance Armstrong (knee) left the game in the third quarter.

Jaguars: Etienne missed one drive late with an ankle injury. … Jacksonville lost both starting offensive tackles. Left tackle Cam Robinson went to the locker room in the fourth quarter with a right knee injury. Right tackle Jawaan Taylor had previously left with a hamstring injury. … Defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi injured an ankle in the first half.

COWBOYS’ TYRON SMITH RETURNS

Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith, one of the best blockers in franchise history, made his season debut in Jacksonville. The eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle started on the opposite side in place of injured Terence Steele, who tore knee ligaments last week against Houston.

Smith missed the first 12 games with a torn hamstring tendon sustained in training camp. Rookie Tyler Smith replaced Tyron Smith at left tackle, and coaches wanted to keep him in his usual spot against the Jags. Tyron Smith rotated at right tackle with 40-year-old Jason Peters.

STREAK ENDS

Lawrence’s streak of consecutive passes without an interception ended at 204. Cowboys rookie DaRon Bland picked off Lawrence’s pass intended for Christian Kirk in the third quarter. Lawrence was closing in on the franchise record (209) set by David Garrard in 2007.

ANOTHER SLOW START

For the sixth consecutive game, the Jaguars dug themselves an early hole. They trailed Dallas 14-0 in the second quarter. It followed a 14-7 deficit against Tennessee last week. Jacksonville also trailed at Detroit 20-3, against Baltimore 6-0, at Kansas City 20-0 and against Las Vegas 17-0.

UP NEXT

The Cowboys host Philadelphia on Saturday, a pivotal game in the NFC East.

The Jaguars play at the New York Jets on Thursday night. It’s Jacksonville’s only primetime game this season.

Goff stuns Jets late as Lions hold on for 20-17 victory

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions were stymied for most of the game, unable to get much going against the New York Jets.

One stunning play reminded everyone how dangerous an offense they are.

Goff threw a go-ahead 51-yard touchdown pass to Brock Wright on fourth-and-1 with 1:49 remaining, and the Lions held on for a 20-17 victory over Zach Wilson and the Jets on Sunday that kept them on pace in the NFC playoff hunt.

“A lot of these close games are starting to lean more toward us than them,” said Goff, who went 23 of 38 for 252 yards. “That hasn’t always been the case around here. We fully believe in each other and know that somebody’s going to make a play to do something right.”

Coming out of the two-minute warning with Detroit (7-7) trailing 17-13, Goff looked to his left and found Wright wide open, and the tight end rumbled untouched until he reached the end zone. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins said the Jets thought Goff would sneak it.

And it came a few moments after Wright dropped a pass.

“I got back to him,” Goff said, “and he fully redeems himself for that play earlier in the drive.”

Added Wright: “I kept telling myself: `Reset. Finish.'”

That’s what the Lions, who entered fourth in overall offense after scoring 74 points and rolling up 902 yards in their previous two wins, have been doing as winners of three straight and six of seven after a dismal 1-6 start.

“You know you’ll be better,” coach Dan Campbell said. “You just don’t know how it’s going to get there, or what it’s going to be. You do know if you start playing better football, you can rattle off some wins in a row.”

But the Lions certainly had to sweat this one out.

Wilson – who had an up-and-down return as the starting quarterback – and the Jets had one more chance to tie or win.

On fourth-and-the game from the Jets 40, Wilson rolled to his right and completed a 20-yard pass to Elijah Moore for a first down. Coach Robert Saleh then called a timeout with 1 second remaining.

The Jets (7-7) sent out Greg Zuerlein for a potential tying 58-yard field goal, but his kick went wide left – further damaging the playoff hopes for New York, which is looking to snap an 11-year postseason drought.

“We had our opportunities all game,” Saleh said, “and we missed it.”

The loss came after it appeared New York was on its way to a comeback win of its own.

After Michael Badgley was short on a 54-yard field-goal attempt that would have extended Detroit’s lead, Wilson threw a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown pass to C.J. Uzomah with 4:41 remaining.

But New York’s defense, which had been solid the entire game even without an injured Quinnen Williams, couldn’t come up with a big stop.

“We’re all devastated,” cornerback D.J. Reed said.

Wilson, starting after being benched for three games, finished 18 of 35 for 317 yards with two touchdown throws to Uzomah – and an interception. Wilson played in place of the injured Mike White, who’s dealing with fractured ribs.

Saleh declined to say whether Wilson would start the Jets’ next game Thursday night against Jacksonville.

After a solid first two quarters, Wilson floated a pass early in the third to Moore that Jerry Jacobs easily picked off and returned 38 yards to the Jets 15.

But New York held Detroit out of the end zone and the Lions settled for a go-ahead 34-yarder by Badgley.

“You see how those three points came to bite us in the end,” Wilson said. “I’ve got to take care of the football.”

After Wilson and the Jets went three-and-out on their first possession of the game, Kalif Raymond caught Braden Mann’s punt out of the end zone, eluded a few would-be tacklers – including a diving Mann – and raced 47 yards to the end zone to give the Lions a 7-0 lead.

The Jets tied it at 7 early in the second quarter when Wilson rolled left and threw deep right – reminiscent of his highlight-reel pro day toss while he was at BYU – to Uzomah for a 40-yard touchdown.

FOR KNAPPER

Saleh and several Jets coaches and staffers ran the stadium steps a few hours before the game in honor of late assistant coach Greg Knapp.

Knapp was on Saleh’s staff when he died on July 22, 2021, when he hit by a distracted driver while riding his bicycle in California. Several teams around the NFL are running stadium steps – one of Knapp’s pregame rituals – to raise awareness for distracted driving and raise funds for the The Coach Knapp Memorial Fund.

SPECIAL CAPTAINS

The family of the late Dennis Byrd served as honorary Jets captains for the coin toss. Byrd played for the team from 1989 until 1992, when he was paralyzed during a collision with a teammate during a game. Byrd eventually walked again, but was killed in a car accident in Oklahoma in 2016.

INJURIES

Lions: S DeShon Elliott injured a shoulder in the third quarter.

Jets: WR Denzel Mims left with a concussion in the first quarter and didn’t return. … WR Jeff Smith hurt a knee in the fourth.

UP NEXT

Lions: Travel to Carolina to take on the Panthers next Saturday.

Jets: Have a quick turnaround and face Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars at home Thursday night.

Dalton, Hill TD passes lift Saints over Falcons 21-18

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Saints tight end Juwan Johnson talked about getting “freaky” after making a catch near the goal line. Speedy rookie receiver Rashid Shaheed recalled his heart “racing fast” when he knew part-time quarterback Taysom Hill was about to throw deep.

Andy Dalton and Hill combined to throw three touchdown passes to Johnson and Shaheed, and New Orleans beat Atlanta 21-18 on Sunday in the debut of Falcons rookie quarterback Desmond Ridder.

“We’ve got some weapons,” Dalton said.

Johnson, converted from receiver to tight end after being undrafted out of Oregon in 2020, had a career-high 67 yards receiving and caught both of Dalton’s scoring passes. Hill, a utility player who’s listed as a tight end, threw his second touchdown pass of the season on a 68-yard connection with Shaheed, who also was undrafted.

Johnson has a team-high seven TDs receiving. He and Shaheed, who has three TDs longer than 40 yards, have taken advantage of opportunities to complement more prominent offensive players like Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara.

“Juwan has done a lot of really good things,” Dalton said. “Both touchdowns were good run-after-catch plays by him. So, I feel like he’s playing with a ton of confidence.”

Dalton drew laughter when he deadpanned that Shaheed, who had no official 40-yard time as a prospect out of Weber State, “runs really fast.”

“We’ve had opportunities to take some deep shots with him and he’s come down with a lot of them,” Dalton added.

New Orleans (5-9) and Atlanta (5-9) remained mathematically alive in the anemic NFC South – a division led by Tampa Bay, which entered Week 15 with a 6-7 record.

Atlanta was down by a field goal and threatening to score with less than three minutes remaining when Ridder hit Drake London over the middle for first-down yardage on fourth-and-5. But safety Justin Evans punched the ball from London’s grasp, and cornerback Bradley Robey snagged it out of the air to give New Orleans the ball on its own 39.

“It was a huge play in the game,” said Saints coach Dennis Allen, who oversees the defense. “It’s not about: Do you stop the run? Do you stop the pass? Do you do this? Do you do that? It’s: Do you win? And that’s what we did today.”

The Saints kept the ball until failing to convert on fourth-and-short in Atlanta territory with 9 seconds left, and the game ended on Ridder’s scramble two plays later.

The Falcons had lost four of their previous five while season-opening QB Marcus Mariota played through what the team has described as a “chronic” knee problem.

So, Atlanta coach Arthur Smith announced this week that he was elevating Ridder to starter and that Mariota would be placed on injured reserve.

Ridder completed 13 of 26 passes for 97 yards without an interception.

“Obviously you are going to have nerves and anxiety just getting out there for your first start in a crazy environment,” Ridder said, adding that he’d grade his performance a C-minus or a D. “We executed in the run game, but obviously I didn’t do too well in the passing game.”

Rookie running back Tyler Allgeier helped the Falcons sustain drives with 139 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

“He’s an instinctive player – smart and hard to tackle,” Smith said. “The first guy doesn’t bring him down, and as the game goes on, they don’t like tackling him.”

The Saints led 14-0 after two possessions, scoring first when Johnson turned Dalton’s short pass into a 19-yard TD by spinning through tackle attempts and diving for the goal line.

“I just tried to get freaky,” Johnson said. “You really just got to have the attitude that you can’t be stopped.”

Hill’s deep throw down the middle to Shaheed came on the next series.

The Falcons cut it to 14-3 after stalling inside the New Orleans 10 and closed to 14-10 on Allgeier’s 5-yard run in the third quarter.

Johnson’s 22-yard TD catch from Dalton widened New Orleans’ lead to 21-10. But Atlanta closed to 21-18 on Cordarrelle Patterson’s 3-yard run and Allgeier’s 2-point conversion on a run with four minutes remaining.

PEES HOSPITALIZED

Falcons defensive coordinator Dean Pees was briefly hospitalized when he was run into by Shaheed as he fielded a punted ball during pre-game warmups. Pees, 73, was taken off the field on a stretcher but released from the hospital in time to fly home with the team.

INJURIES

Falcons: Running back Caleb Huntley left with an ankle injury in the first quarter. Smith said Huntley’s injury “didn’t look good,” and that an MRI would be scheduled.

Saints: Did not report any injuries during the game but played a ninth straight game without top cornerback Marshon Lattimore (abdomen).

UP NEXT

Falcons: At Baltimore on Saturday.

Saints: At Cleveland on Saturday.

Rypien overcomes pressure, rallies Broncos past Cards 24-15

DENVER (AP) Backup quarterback Brett Rypien led the Denver Broncos to their first win since October.

His reward: A seat back on the bench. This is, after all, Russell Wilson’s show and he’ll be back under center next week.

Rypien made the most of his third career start as he overcame relentless pressure from a J.J. Watt-led Arizona defense to help the Broncos hold off the Cardinals 24-15 on Sunday.

“Really, the whole goal is just to try to find a way to win and to do that I just feel like we accomplished something great,” Rypien said. “It’s awesome.”

The game featured two backup QBs, but Arizona lost Colt McCoy to a concussion early in the third quarter after he hit his head while diving for a first down. McCoy was intercepted once and his replacement, Trace McSorley, threw two more picks. McCoy will enter the league’s concussion protocol.

“It’s tough,” McSorley said. “You never want to see someone go down.”

Rypien was sacked seven times, including three by Watt, but directed three second-half scoring drives to help the Broncos (4-10) snap a five-game losing streak.

Latavius Murray ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, Marlon Mack also had a rushing TD, and Rypien threw a short scoring pass – after a well-disguised fake – to Eric Tomlinson as Denver turned a 9-3 deficit into a 24-9 lead.

The Denver defense was led by Justin Simmons, who had two interceptions and helped hold the Cardinals to 2 of 12 on third downs.

“We’ve been in so many games against a bunch of very good football teams. We had another choice today,” first-year Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “We were down 9-3 and those guys had another choice. They stepped up.”

Subbing for Wilson, who was held out for safety reasons after clearing the concussion protocol, Rypien had 197 yards passing and one interception. McCoy took over for Kyler Murray, who’s out for the season with a torn ACL. McCoy was 13 of 21 for 78 yards and was picked off by Simmons late in the first quarter.

The Cardinals managed three early field goals by former Bronco Matt Prater. James Conner had a late TD run but a 2-point pass was broken up. The Cardinals (4-10) have dropped four straight and were eliminated from playoff contention.

“It sucks,” Watt said. “You’re playing for the future and it’s a (expletive) place to be with three games left. But that’s what it is.”

Added Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury: “They continue to show up and play hard. That’s all you can ask.”

Mack gave the Broncos a 10-9 lead with a 3-yard run with 5:58 remaining in the third quarter. Murray extended the lead to 17-9 with a 10-yard scamper and Rypien’s TD pass sealed the win. Plenty of paying customers weren’t on hand to see it: There were 18,423 no-shows for a game between struggling teams with both coaches on the hot seat.

In the first half, the Broncos had no answers for Watt, who also had three quarterback hits, three tackles for loss, a pass defensed and a forced fumble.

“You know, 99 (Watt) was a problem, flat out,” Rypien said. “He came to play.”

The Broncos altered their game plan in the second half, turning to quick screens to neutralize Watt.

“The second half was obviously very different,” Watt said.

In addition to Wilson, Denver’s patchwork offense was missing receivers Courtland Sutton and Kendall Hinton (both with pulled hamstrings). The Broncos also lost right guard Quinn Meinerz to an eye injury early in the game.

Wilson wore a hat and a thick jacket as he walked the sideline. He held a play sheet in his hand and frequently consulted with Rypien when the backup returned to the sideline. The Broncos have already been eliminated from the postseason.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity where you’re not going to be around very long, even if you have a great career,” Rypien said. “There’s always something to play for. I think that attitude has never changed in our locker room. We’ve got guys that want to go out there, want to play hard and want to win every single game.”

INJURY REPORT

Cardinals: OL Kelvin Beachum was banged up on the same play as McCoy, leaving with a knee/ankle injury before returning.

Broncos: Meinerz held a towel over his right eye as he left the field. Meinerz’s replacement, Tom Compton, later departed with a back injury.

VETERAN PERFORMANCE

Latavius Murray turns 33 in January but is performing like a younger running back. He was signed by Denver in October.

“The hardest part was knowing that I still could contribute – to whoever that was,” Murray said.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: Host Tom Brady and Tampa Bay next Sunday.

Broncos: At the Los Angeles Rams next Sunday, where Hackett said Wilson will start.

Jones snags lateral on final play, Raiders stun Patriots

LAS VEGAS (AP) The New England Patriots decided playing for overtime wasn’t enough. They avoided OT, but not in the way they intended.

On the final play of regulation, Rhamondre Stevenson took a handoff, found running room and gained 23 yards. Then he went off-script, flipping the ball back to Jakobi Meyers, who tried to keep the play alive by tossing the ball across the field – where Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Chandler Jones was waiting.

“At first, I thought, `Who’s around me?'” Jones said. “I felt myself stumble a little backwards, and then I was thinking, `Who do I pitch it to?'”

Jones grabbed Meyers’ bizarre, unnecessary lateral out of the air, stiff-armed Patriots quarterback Mac Jones to the turf and returned the ball 48 yards for a touchdown, giving the Raiders an improbable 30-24 victory on Sunday.

“I don’t know Chandler’s 40 time, but when you stiff-arm, (the player) goes down,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “He made it to the end zone. It’s an unbelievable play.”

The wild finish bailed out the Raiders (6-8), who led 17-3 at halftime before allowing the Patriots to score 21 straight points. Las Vegas scored two touchdowns in the final 32 seconds and seriously damaged New England’s playoff hopes.

“We talk about situational football,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “We talk about it every week, but we obviously have to do a better job playing situational football and not making critical mistakes.”

Stevenson, who went to high school in Las Vegas, had 19 carries for 172 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown with 3:43 left that appeared to be the dagger.

But the Raiders answered twice in the final minute.

Carr converted a fourth-and-10 from the Las Vegas 19-yard line with a 12-yard completion to Mack Hollins just after the two-minute warning. That set up Carr finding Keelan Cole in the left corner of the end zone for a 30-yard TD with 32 seconds left. Cole’s left foot came down close to the boundary, but the call was upheld on review.

NFL senior vice president of officiating Walt Anderson told a pool reporter there wasn’t a clear enough replay to change the call.

“Had the ruling on the field been incomplete, we would not have been able to change that, either,” Anderson said.

Cole, still holding the ball in the locker room, wouldn’t debate whether he was inbounds.

But there was no arguing what this loss means to the Patriots, who had won five of six games to get into playoff position. New England (7-7) fell one game out of the final AFC playoff spot, and its last three games are all against teams that have either clinched or are in position for the postseason.

The disastrous final play cost Belichick a chance to beat his longtime assistant, Raiders coach Josh McDaniels.

“It’s probably the most insane ending I’ve ever been a part of,” McDaniels said. “We’ll take it. We’ll take it for sure.”

Carr completed 20 of 38 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Josh Jacobs rushed for 93 yards on 22 carries as the Raiders ended a six-game losing streak to the Patriots dating to 2002.

The Raiders appeared to take control when they scored two touchdowns in the final 5:18 of the first half.

Darren Waller, who was activated Saturday off injured reserve, caught a 25-yard TD pass. It was Waller’s first game since injuring a hamstring on Oct. 10 at Kansas City. Waller moved into second place among Raiders tight ends with 3,304 yards receiving, behind Todd Christensen (5,872).

“I made the most of the opportunities I had,” Waller said. “I ran efficient routes. The Patriots did a good job of disguising, so reading the coverage at the snap was a bit of a challenge. I feel like I did pretty well for the most part.”

Las Vegas added to the lead when Malcolm Koonce blocked a punt with 23 seconds left in the first half, and Carr completed a 5-yard scoring pass to Hollins with 4 seconds remaining.

Any thoughts of the Raiders cruising to victory ended quickly in the third quarter. New England cornerback Kyle Dugger jumped an out route to Davante Adams and returned the interception 13 yards for a touchdown.

Nick Folk’s 47-yard field goal with 1:21 left in the third quarter brought the Patriots within 17-13, and he made a 54-yarder early in the fourth to make it a one-point game.

NOTES

The Raiders’ streak of giving up touchdowns on 32 consecutive goal-to-go situations in the regular season ended when New England had to settle for a field goal with 11:51 left in the second quarter. The Patriots had a first down at the Las Vegas 2. New England entered the game with the NFL’s lowest red-zone touchdown percentage at 38.9%. … Koonce’s blocked punt in the second quarter was the Raiders’ first since Nov. 2, 2014 when Denico Autry blocked one against the Seattle Seahawks that Brice Butler recovered for a touchdown. … New England’s Josh Uche has 10 1/2 sacks in his past seven games.

INJURIES

Patriots: C David Andrews was helped off the field midway through the fourth quarter.

Raiders: G Dylan Parham (knee) and LB Darien Butler (rib) were injured.

UP NEXT

Patriots: Host AFC North-leading Cincinnati on Saturday.

Raiders: At Pittsburgh on Saturday night to mark the 50th anniversary (plus one day) of the Immaculate Reception game.

Dicker’s FG propels Chargers to 17-14 victory over Titans

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) Justin Herbert had one simple message for his Los Angeles Chargers teammates with the game tied late in the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

“I got it.”

After Tennessee tied it with 48 seconds left on Ryan Tannehill’s 1-yard QB sneak, Herbert led the Chargers 52 yards in six plays, culminating in Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining and a 17-14 victory that bolstered Los Angeles’ playoff hopes.

“That’s what you want from your trigger man and that’s why I’m proud of him,” coach Brandon Staley said of Herbert, who had his third straight 300-yard passing game.

The Chargers got into field goal range when Herbert completed a 35-yard pass to Mike Williams along the right sideline. On second-and-4 from the LA 45 yard line, Herbert scrambled right, moved up and delivered a pinpoint pass in Williams’ radius after Williams pointed up while being covered by Greg Mabin.

Herbert spiked the ball with 15 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles then had a delay of game penalty and an incomplete pass. Dicker came on and booted his third game-winner of the season and second with the Chargers.

“I wasn’t even sure if I was in or out. I was just kind of in the moment, just trying to get the ball to the hash to the referee so we could get it clocked,” said Williams, who had four catches for 67 yards. “And we was able to get it clocked, so I guess I was in. Everything’s good.”

With the win, the Chargers (8-6) moved into the sixth spot in the AFC after losses by Miami, New England and the New York Jets.

The Titans (7-7) have a one-game lead over Jacksonville in the AFC South but have dropped four straight games for the first time since 2015.

“We weren’t able to keep them inbounds for them to use some clock. That’s so critical right there,” coach Mike Vrabel said.

Herbert completed 28 of 42 passes for 313 yards but didn’t throw a touchdown for only the third time in 46 career games. It was his fifth game-winning drive this season and the 13th of his career.

“We have practiced two-minute drives all of the time in practice and all throughout camp. We know that we have special receivers, a great offensive line blocking and Mike Williams goes and makes the plays,” Herbert said. “To be able to go through that and deal with as much adversity as we did today and not be able to score points and turnovers and things like that, for those guys to hang tough, believe in the defense and believe in each other, it was really good to see for us.”

Tannehill was 15 of 22 for 165 yards. He injured an ankle on Tennessee’s first drive but only missed one possession.

Derrick Henry rushed for 104 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown. The two-time NFL rushing champion also went over 8,000 career yards in his 100th regular-season game.

Henry also had four catches for 59 yards, including a 37-yard reception off a screen pass in the second quarter that would lead to his 4-yard TD run off a direct snap to tie the game at 7.

“The division is still there, but personally, I could care less about that,” said safety Kevin Byard, who had an interception in the third quarter. “It don’t look like we’re a team right now that’s going to beat anybody, so we’ve got to find a way to get back to work and beat Houston. That’s all we can really do at this point.”

LEADING THE WAY

Austin Ekeler scored his AFC-leading 14th scrimmage touchdown of the season early in the fourth quarter on a 3-yard run off right guard. On the play before his TD, Ekeler pinballed off two Titans’ defenders when it appeared he would be held for no gain and went 13 yards to the LA 3.

Ekeler finished with 70 scrimmage yards, including 58 rushing.

ANOTHER MILESTONE

Herbert has 4,019 passing yards this season and is the first player in NFL history with at least 4,000 yards in each of the first three seasons of his career.

GRINDING IT OUT

The Chargers got their fourth touchdown on an opening possession this season when Joshua Kelley went 1 yard off right guard to cap a 14-play, 68-yard drive.

Los Angeles, which came into the game with the league’s second-worst rushing game, ran it nine times for 33 yards on the series. That was their most yards on the ground on an opening series this season. It was also their most run plays to start a game since a late-season 2020 game against Atlanta.

TAKE IT AWAY

The Titans forced forced their first turnover in five games late in the second quarter when safety Joshua Kalu picked off Herbert’s pass intended for Williams.

Cornerback Roger McCreary deflected the pass and then tapped the ball back in bounds to Kalu.

INJURIES

Titans: CB Terrance Mitchell (hamstring) and OL Dillon Radunz (knee) left in the second quarter. CB Josh Thompson was ruled out with a concussion in the third quarter.

UP NEXT

Titans: Host the Houston Texans on Saturday.

Chargers: At the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 26.

Burrow throws for 4 TDs, Bengals rally past Buccaneers 34-23

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals never blinked.

Down 17 points early in the young quarterback’s first start against Tom Brady, the surging Bengals took advantage of uncharacteristic mistakes by the seven-time Super Bowl winner to shrug off a slow start and beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 34-23 for their sixth straight victory Sunday.

“When we get in these situations we never panic, we know somebody’s going to make a play,” Burrow said after throwing for four touchdowns in the second half to rally the defending AFC champions from a 17-3 halftime deficit.

“The last four weeks have all been tough wins, playing some really good teams and some really good defenses,” the third-year pro added. “We’ve risen to the challenge just about every week. We continue to play well in big spots and guys are making plays in big spots. That’s exciting to see.”

Cincinnati (10-4) retained sole possession of first place in the AFC North, with Tre Flowers intercepting Brady to set up one touchdown and Logan Wilson sacking the 45-year-old quarterback to force a fumble that led to another TD.

“Just unforced errors. Two fumbles, two interceptions. You can’t win a game like that,” said Brady, who’s been intercepted four times in the past two weeks after only throwing three picks in the first 12 games of the season.

The first-place Bucs (6-8) lost for the third time in four games and wasted an opportunity to take a two-game lead in the NFC South over Carolina, Atlanta and New Orleans, who at 5-9 remain in contention for the division title despite being assured of finishing with losing records.

“Same old song. Bucs vs. Bucs. Play a good first half. Second half we come out and we shoot ourselves in the foot either by turnovers or penalties and (poor) field possession on special teams,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “The tale of two halves, and the half we played in the second half was Bucs vs. Bucs.”

Burrow began Cincinnati’s comeback from a 17-0 deficit with a field goal drive in the final 1:39 of the opening half. He threw scoring passes of 5 yards to Tee Higgins, 3 yards to Tyler Boyd, 8 yards to Ja’Marr Chase and 12 yards to Mitchell Wilcox.

Burrow finished 27 of 39 for 200 yards and an interception. After being outgained 261 yards to 83 while running just 20 plays to Tampa Bay’s 40 in the first half, the Bengals scored on drives of 13, 31, 13 and 39 yards with help from Bucs mistakes after halftime.

Brady lost for the first time in a 23-year career after leading by at least 17 points. He was 89-0 in such games before Sunday.

The league’s career passing leader was 30 of 44 for 312 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked once, losing a fumble that Joseph Ossai recovered to put Cincinnati in position to go ahead 20-17 on Boyd’s TD catch and Burrow’s 2-point conversion throw to Higgins with 2:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Brady also fumbled, handing off to Leonard Fournette at his 39 late in the third quarter.

“The two fumbles were my fault. It was uncharacteristic,” Brady said. “One of the interceptions was just a terrible throw. The other one, I got hit, the guy was laying on the ground and the ball landed in his arms.”

Burrow finished the Bengals’ eighth win in nine games with his scoring pass to Wilcox, capping a 62-yard drive that burned nearly seven minutes off the clock down the stretch.

Tampa Bay went from doing little right in a 35-7 loss to San Francisco to scoring on three of four first-half possessions, with Ryan Succop kicking 21-yard field goal on a drive that stalled at the Bengals 3 and Brady throwing TD passes of 1 yard to Russell Gage and 5 yards to Chris Godwin.

The second half was a different story, with the entire third quarter being played inside Tampa Bay’s 40-yard line and Burrow converting an interception, two fumbles and a botched fake punt into three touchdowns and a field goal to take control of the game.

“We got smacked in the mouth a little bit in the first half and then responded the right way,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “That’s a good win on the road against a team leading their division.”

JOE ON THE ROAD

Burrow has accounted for 21 TDs – 19 passing, two rushing – while only throwing five interceptions in eight road starts this season. He improved to 4-0 with 14 TDs – 11 passing, three rushing – against the NFC South.

INJURIES

Bengals: DE Trey Hendrickson (wrist) was inactive. Also played without CBs Mike Hilton (knee) and Jalen Davis (thumb) and TE Hayden Hurst (calf). … DE Sam Hubbard (calf) left in the second quarter and did not return.

Buccaneers: All-Pro RT Tristan Wirfs missed his third straight game with a high ankle sprain after being limited in practice and listed as questionable. … WR Julio Jones (knee), DT Vita Vea (calf), CB Jamel Dean (toe), and LB Carl Nassib (pectoral) were also inactive because of injury. … S Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle) left briefly in the first quarter, finished the game.

UP NEXT

Bengals: at New England on Christmas Eve.

Buccaneers: at Arizona on Christmas night.

Giants beat Commanders in prime time to end winless streak

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) Prime time finally likes the New York Giants, and now they’re a huge step closer to making the playoffs.

Kayvon Thibodeaux thrived on the national stage just like he promised, Daniel Jones shined under the lights to end his career-long skid in night games and New York held on to beat the Washington Commanders 20-12 on Sunday after a goal line stand that ended with a questionable non-call.

After declaring, “Prime time likes me,” Thibodeaux was a force rushing the passer and busting into the backfield early and often. The talented rookie stripped Taylor Heinicke of the ball, recovered it to score a touchdown and finished with three tackles for loss among his game-high 12 before getting poked in the left eye and getting helped off with 48 seconds left.

Asked about performing under the bright lights, Thibodeaux said: “Nothing is a coincidence. It’s not a coincidence.” He spoke up on the field before the game and inspired veteran teammates with his words.

“I just felt the fire – I felt the passion,” said Thibodeaux, who said he could see fine out of the injured eye. “I had a talk with my mom before the game and she said it was on her heart to tell me that, `You can do anything that you put your mind to.’ For me, I had to say it and believe it and I was able to go do it.”

Thibodeaux got hit in the eye on the final meaningful play, a pass breakup by Darnay Holmes defending Curtis Samuel, which arguably could have been pass interference. While coach Ron Rivera said not to ask him about the officiating because he “can’t answer the question,” players were more confident about it being a penalty.

“Oh, yeah,” Heinicke said. “Saw the picture, and the dude had his arms around (Samuel’s) neck.”

Instead of being a flag, the failed fourth-down conversion ended Washington’s chances and New York’s four-game winless streak and helped the Dallas Cowboys wrap up a playoff spot despite losing at Jacksonville. The Giants now only need to win one of their final three games to get in and could clinch as soon as Saturday with a victory and losses by Seattle and Detroit.

“Doesn’t mean anything right now,” coach Brian Daboll said. “I’m just happy we won this game.”

Jones, 0-9 in his first nine prime-time games for the Giants (8-5-1) who had lost 11 in a row in these situations, threaded throws through tight windows in beating the Commanders (7-6-1) with his arm rather than running all over Washington as he did in many of their previous meetings. He was 21 of 32 for 160 yards and engineered an 18-play touchdown drive in the second quarter that started at the 3 and lasted 8:35.

“It was consistent execution play after play,” Jones said. “I made some good decisions for the most part, some key conversions that kept drives going at critical points of the game. I thought I saw the field pretty well.”

Saquon Barkley finished that drive with a 3-yard run into the end zone on a direct snap. Held to 39 yards on 12 carries in the first 3 1/2 quarters, Barkley more than doubled his total on the late drive that ended with a field goal from Graham Gano and finished with 87 yards.

“You realize the moment and you want to be a guy, you want to make plays in that moment,” said Barkley, who had been held to a total of 152 yards rushing during the Giants’ 0-3-1 stretch. “Kind of just relax, take a deep breath and let your body take over.”

Washington loss, just its second in nine games, puts the Commanders in a tougher spot yet keeps them in a playoff position, half a game up on the Seahawks and Lions.

Heinicke fumbled again at the New York 9-yard line with six minutes left in the fourth quarter on a play correctly challenged by Daboll. He was 17 of 29 for 249 yards passing with a touchdown throw to Jahan Dotson.

Terry McLaurin made six catches for 70 yards, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for a third consecutive season and becoming Washington’s first player to do that since Henry Ellard from 1994-96. McLaurin was flagged for illegal formation on Washington’s final drive that pushed the ball back from the 1 to the 6-yard line, one of a few penalties the Commanders were not happy about.

“We had an opportunity to win,” Rivera said. “I thought we did everything we were supposed to do from getting the ball down to the 1-yard line to getting lined up, to checking to make sure we’re lined up properly and then having it taken away from us. That’s why it’s hard to comprehend right now.”

LUCRATIVE CATCH

One of Jones’ best throws was also a very valuable catch for receiver Richie James. Their 10-yard completion on third down during the 18-play drive was James’ 40th catch of the season and cashed the $100,000 incentive in his contract for reaching that mark.

INJURIES

Giants: RT Evan Neal remained in the game after having his left foot/ankle looked at on the bench early. … DT Leonard Williams returned after missing last week’s game with a neck injury.

Commanders: CB Benjamin St-Juste missed a third consecutive game with an ankle injury.

UP NEXT

Giants: Visit the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday.

Commanders: Visit the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday.

How do ties work in the NFL standings? Explaining tiebreaker rules for the 2022 playoff picture

The NFL playoff race is starting to heat up as the 2022 regular season winds down. Fans are now starting to crunch the numbers to see exactly what their favorite teams have to do to make the postseason and vie for a Super Bowl victory.

That’s not always easy to do. Since there are so few games on the NFL calendar, many teams end up with the same record. The NFL’s tiebreaker procedures are complex as a result, especially when more than two teams finish with the same record.

And if teams who have tied games in the season are involved in the postseason race? That adds another layer to the confusion.

The 2022 NFL postseason race will include teams that have the same record and at least two teams with a tie in their records.

So, how do the NFL standings work with regard to ties and tiebreakers? Here’s what to know about the tiebreaking procedure in the NFL playoff picture.

How are ties counted in the NFL standings?

When it comes to the NFL standings, ties are counted fairly simply. They are counted as half a win and half a loss on a team’s record.

For example: The Commanders and Giants each entered Week 15 with identical records of 7-5-1. That put them ahead of the Seahawks, who entered the week with a 7-6 record, in the standings because their respective records were technically 7.5-5.5.

So New York and Washington both held a half-game lead on Seattle. And since the Seahawks lost to the 49ers in Week 15, the loser of the Giants vs. Commanders game Sunday night will still hold a half-game lead over the Seahawks in the standings.

And if the two teams somehow tie for a second time and have a record of 7-5-2, they would have the equivalent of an 8-6 record.

NFL tiebreaker rules 2022

The NFL has a detailed way of breaking ties in both the division and wild-card races. Below is a breakdown of how the procedures will work this season, per the official NFL rulebook.

NFL division tiebreaker rules

If two teams are tied for the top spot in a division, the NFL uses the following tiebreakers in order to determine the winner.

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games between the clubs)
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference
5. Strength of victory
6. Strength of schedule
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed
9. Best net points in common games
10. Best net points in all games
11. Best net touchdowns in all games
12. Coin toss

And if three or more teams are tied, this is how the NFL breaks the tie.

1. Head-to-head (best won-lost-tied percentage in games among the clubs)
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the division
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference
5. Strength of victory
6. Strength of schedule
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed
9. Best net points in common games
10. Best net points in all games
11. Best net touchdowns in all games
12. Coin toss

MORE: Explaining how the NFL’s 17-game schedule works

NFL wild-card tiebreaker rules

The NFL’s wild-card tiebreakers are slightly different than their divisional tiebreakers. Below is a look at their way to break ties between two teams in the wild-card race.

1. Head-to-head, if applicable
2. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four
4. Strength of victory
5. Strength of schedule
6. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed
7. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed
8. Best net points in conference games
9. Best net points in all games
10. Best net touchdowns in all games
11. Coin toss

And here’s a look at the three-plus-team tiebreakers in the NFL wild-card race.

1. Apply the division tiebreaker to eliminate all but the highest-ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tiebreaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two wild card participants.
2. Head-to-head sweep (applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others)
3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference
4. Best won-lost-tied percentage in common games, minimum of four
5. Strength of victory
6. Strength of schedule
7. Best combined ranking among conference teams in points scored and points allowed
8. Best combined ranking among all teams in points scored and points allowed
9. Best net points in conference games
10. Best net points in all games
11. Best net touchdowns in all games
12. Coin toss

Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beats France on penalties

LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) Lionel Messi, wearing a black Qatari robe over his blue-and-white Argentina shirt, kissed the World Cup, shuffled toward his teammates and hoisted the golden trophy high in the air.

It was an iconic sight that finally – definitively – places the soccer superstar in the pantheon of the game’s greatest players.

Messi’s once-in-a-generation career is complete: He is a World Cup champion.

In probably the wildest final in the tournament’s 92-year history, Argentina won its third World Cup title by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw featuring two goals from the 35-year-old Messi and a hat trick by his heir apparent, France forward Kylian Mbappe.

“It’s just crazy that it became a reality this way,” Messi said. “I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this (World Cup) was the one.”

Amid the chaos inside Lusail Stadium, Mbappe did all he could to emulate Brazil great Pele as a champion at his first two World Cups. Even scoring the first hat trick in a final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966.

It wasn’t enough.

Now there’s no debate. Messi joins Pele – a record three-time World Cup champion – and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi was so often compared, in an exclusive club of the best soccer players of all time.

Who is the greatest? It’s a discussion that will rage forever because there can never be a definitive answer. Messi has put up a good argument, though, and – with the World Cup title on his resume – he is surely above Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player of his generation.

Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. He scored seven goals and embraced the responsibility of leading his team out of those dark moments after a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

Playing in the spirit of Maradona, Messi coupled his dazzling skills with rarely seen aggression and led Argentina to the title by becoming the first man in a single edition of the World Cup to score in the group stage and then in every round of the knockout stage.

The torch will one day pass to Mbappe, but not just yet.

“Let’s go, Argentina!” Messi roared into a microphone on the field in the post-match celebrations after playing in a record 26th World Cup match.

Later, he said: “I can’t wait to be in Argentina to witness the insanity of this.”

Messi had a tantalizing glimpse of the 18-carat gold World Cup trophy when walking on the stage to collect the Golden Ball, awarded to the player of the tournament. He even kissed the World Cup and rubbed it repeatedly.

He got his hands on it for good about 10 minutes later, after a ceremonial robe – a bisht – was draped over his shoulders by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. And, oh, did he enjoy the moment, celebrating with his family and the teammates who put Argentina atop the soccer world for the first time since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The country’s other title came in 1978 on home soil.

Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped and later playing a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappe, on the other hand, was anonymous until bursting into life by scoring two goals in a 97-second span – one an 80th-minute penalty, the other a volley from just inside the area after a quick exchange of passes – to take the game to extra time at 2-2.

Messi still had plenty of energy and he was on hand to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute, with a France defender clearing the ball just after it had crossed the line. Argentina was on the brink of the title once again, but there was still time for another penalty from Mbappe, after a handball, to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

“We managed to come back from the dead,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, whose team was looking to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962.

Mbappe and Messi took their teams’ first penalties and scored. Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni then missed for France, giving Gonzalo Montiel the opportunity to end it. He converted the penalty to the left and sparked wild celebrations.

“The match was completely insane,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was asked if he had a message for Maradona, who died two years ago.

“If he had been here, he would have enjoyed it so much,” Scaloni said. “He would have been the first person on the field (to celebrate). I wish he’d have been here to enjoy the moment.”

Europe’s run of four straight World Cup winners, dating to 2006, came to an end. The last South American champion was Brazil, and that was also in Asia – when Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament in 2002.

In Qatar, Argentina backed up its victory from last year’s Copa America, its first major trophy since 1993. It’s quite the climax to Messi’s international career, which is not over just yet. He said after the match that he would continue to play with the national team.

It was quite a final for a unique World Cup – the first to be played in the Arab world.

For FIFA and the Qatari organizers, a final between two major soccer nations and the world’s two best players represented a perfect way to cap a tournament laced in controversy ever since the scandal-shrouded vote in 2010 to give the event to a tiny Arab emirate.

The years-long scrutiny since has focused on the switch of dates from the traditional June-July period to November-December, strong criticism of how migrant workers have been treated, and then unease about taking soccer’s biggest event to a nation where homosexual acts are illegal.

On Sunday, there was one narrative at play for most people: Could Messi do it?

He could, despite the 23-year-old Mbappe doing all he could to deny his Paris Saint-Germain teammate. Finishing the tournament as the top scorer with eight goals is likely only a crumb of comfort.

Messi has been a man on a mission in the Middle East, determined to erase memories of his only other World Cup final – in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 and Messi squandered a great chance in the second half.

On that night at the Maracana Stadium, Messi stared down at that golden World Cup trophy that escaped him.

Eight years later, he raised it aloft in the biggest moment of a career like no other.

Banchero scores 31 as Magic win second straight in Boston

BOSTON (AP) Paolo Banchero scored 31 points and Admiral Schofield had 11 of his 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Orlando Magic complete a sweep of consecutive games in Boston with a 95-92 victory on Sunday.

Franz Wagner added 12 points and Bol Bol had 11 with eight rebounds for Orlando, which was 1-11 on the road before its two straight wins over the Celtics at TD Garden.

It extended the Magic’s winning streak to six games, their longest since March 2019.

“It means a lot to come out in this environment and get two straight wins against that team, a great team,” Banchero said. “I think it means a lot for our confidence going forward. We know we can compete against anybody. We just have to keep the same level of focus.”

Jaylen Brown led Boston with 24 points, Marcus Smart had 15 and Grant Williams 14.

“We just have to come in right off the gate with high energy,” Smart said. “We come in all sluggish and then try to wake up, that’s when we get ourselves in trouble. It’s going to happen. We understand it. You’re going to have game’s like that.”

Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum missed the game due to personal reasons. The 24-year-old is the team’s leading scorer (30.2 points) and rebounder (8.2), and fifth in the league in scoring.

Boston center Robert Williams III played his second straight game after missing the first 29 following left knee surgery in September. He had six points and five rebounds in 17 minutes.

The Celtics hit 12-of-47 on 3-point attempts.

“I like the shots we got and, nah, you don’t adjust your approach,” Boston’s interim coach Joe Mazzulla said.

With Boston trailing 93-92, Smart stole the inbounds pass and went to the floor, calling timeout with 9.8 seconds to play before the Celtics turned it over on the other end.

Moritz Wagner sank two free throws with 5.3 seconds left before Grant Williams front-rimmed a 3-point attempt from the left corner.

Grant Williams had a put-back and was fouled, hitting the free throw that gave Boston a one-point edge with just under four minutes left, but Banchero nailed a 3 on the Magic’s next possession and they never trailed again.

“They’re believing and they’re understanding that they’re doing it by committee,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “That’s who this team has to be: Gritty, tough and fighting for one another.”

Boston had sliced it to 93-92 on Malcom Brogdon’s 3 but Markelle Fultz snatched the rebound on Banchero’s miss and Orlando called timeout.

Boston lost Friday’s game 117-109.

LUKEWARM WELCOME

Stuff the Magic Dragon, Orlando’s mascot, was part of a group from around sports that was on hand for Kids’ Day. It received a spattering of boos when shown on the Jumbotron.

TIP-INS

Magic: It was Banchero’s seventh straight game with 20 points or more and his 19th this season. . Recalled R.J. Hampton from their NBA G League affiliate. . In a somewhat slow-paced, lackluster opening half, the Magic held a 50-41 lead at intermission.

Celtics: Center Al Horford was fined $25,000 by the league for making what it called “unnecessary and excessive contact” to the lower body of Magic center Moritz Wagner during Friday’s loss. . Missed 18 of their initial 21 on 3-point attempts and went just 5-of-24 in the opening half. . Brown picked up his second foul without time going off the clock, when he was whistled before the ball was inbounded after being called for his first.

UP NEXT

Magic: At the Hawks Monday in the third of a four-game trip.

Celtics: Host the Pacers Wednesday in their third of a seven-game homestand. They don’t play on the road again until 2023.

Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving lead Nets past Pistons, 124-121

DETROIT (AP) Kevin Durant scored a career-high 26 of his 43 points in the third quarter, helping the Brooklyn Nets overcome a 17-point halftime deficit in a 124-121 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night.

Kyrie Irving added 38 points in Brooklyn’s seventh straight victory over Detroit. Bojan Bogdanovic led the Pistons with 26 points.

Durant was 8 of 10 from the floor, going 3 of 3 on 3-pointers and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line as he outscored the Pistons 26-25 in the third.

“I got a few free throws, and then I got some really good looks off of screens,” he said. “I wanted to stay locked in on defense, because that usually gets me going on offense.”

However, his turnover led to a Bogdanovic 3-pointer that cut Brooklyn’s lead to 120-119 with 40 seconds left.

“We’ve been talking all day about the World Cup fnal – what a game that was,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “Our mission tonight was to be even more exciting.”

Irving missed a 3-pointer at the other end, but Killian Hayes was called for a foul. Pistons coach Dwane Casey unsuccessfully challenged the call, and Irving hit two free throws before missing the third to make it 122-119 with 29 seconds left.

Bogdanovic missed, but Alec Burks hit a layup before fouling Durant, who made both free throws to keep it a three-point game.

Bogadanovic’s last attempt was tipped by Nic Claxton and Durant grabbed the rebound as time expired.

“We almost take Nic for granted, but he’s a unique player,” Durant said. “His ability to guard guys on the perimeter with his length adds a new dimension to our team.”

Durant has scored at least 40 points in his last three games against Detroit – the first player to do that since Rick Barry in 1966-67 – including an arena-record 51 in Brooklyn’s 116-104 win in Detroit on Dec. 21, 2021.

“They are a long, athletic team that plays us hard, so we’re always in tight games with them,” Durant said. “I just keep trying to get downhill.”

The Pistons led 71-54 at halftime, but Durant’s third-quarter run ended with a 3-pointer with three seconds left to give the Nets a 98-96 lead.

“We talked about it before the game and again at halftime – that’s a great team and you know they are going to come guns blazing,” Casey said.

Durant scored 20 of his 26 points in the final 3:18 of the period.

“The scoring was coming back in our favor a little bit, and we’re thinking about how we’re going to climb the rest of the way back into it,” Vaughn said. “Then he started to string possessions together and we suddenly had the lead.”

With Durant getting a rest, Irving scored eight points in the first 4:20 of the fourth, helping Brooklyn to a 109-104 advantage.

TIP INS

Nets: Durant passed John Havilcek (26,395) and Paul Pierce (26,397) on the NBA scoring list in the first quarter. He is currently at 26,437 – 61 behind Tim Duncan. … Durant has scored at least 25 points in his last 12 visits to Detroit, the second-longest streak behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 23.

Pistons: Jalen Duren finished with 11 rebounds, his sixth straight game with at least 11, the longest streak by a teenager since Dwight Howard had seven straight for Orlando in 2005.

STRUGGLING STARTERS

Detroit’s starters were outscored 102-72 against Brooklyn after trailing Sacramento’s starters 99-66 in a 122-113 loss on Friday night.

“I don’t know if it is having two rookies in the starting lineup, but they have to understand it’s going to be a street fight,” Casey said.

UP NEXT

Nets: Host Golden State on Wednesday night.

Pistons: Host Utah on Tuesday night.

Poole scores career-high 43, Warriors win 1st without Curry

TORONTO (AP) Jordan Poole scored a career-high 43 points, Klay Thompson had 17 and the Golden State Warriors won for the first time in five tries this season without the injured Stephen Curry, beating the Toronto Raptors 126-110 on Sunday night.

Draymond Green returned after sitting out Friday’s loss at Philadelphia because of a sore right quadriceps and finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in 37 minutes as Golden State snapped a three-game losing streak and improved to 3-14 on the road.

“Everybody needs to step up when one of our leaders goes down,” Poole said. “We did that tonight from the top to the bottom of the roster.”

Kevon Looney added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors, whose last road win came Nov. 27 at Minnesota.

“It shows how good we can be,” Looney said of winning without Curry. “It’s always going to be hard to win when you’re missing one of the best players in the league. He’s going to be gone for a while so we’ve got to get used to trying to win without him. Hopefully we’re in a good spot when he comes back.”

Curry missed his second straight game after injuring his left shoulder in last Wednesday’s loss at Indiana. The two-time MVP and eight-time all-star is not expected to need surgery, but his return date is unclear.

Poole shot 14 for 23, a career-high for made baskets, and went 5 for 11 from 3-point range.

“He was incredible on both sides of the ball,” Green said.

Poole topped 30 points for the fifth time this season and 16th time in his career. His previous career high was 38.

“He’s played a lot of great games for us,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “If it’s not the best, it’s definitely one of the few best, because he was great at both ends.”

Pascal Siakam scored 27 points, Fred VanVleet had 22 and Scottie Barnes 17 as Toronto’s losing streak hit a season-high five games. The Raptors have lost three straight at home.

“This is a terrible stretch,” VanVleet said. “You don’t want this, you don’t expect this and you can’t accept this.”

Green scored Golden State’s first nine points on a trio of 3-pointers, one more than he’d made in any complete game all season.

“That was a great start,” Kerr said. “Draymond was feeling good right from the beginning of the game.”

Golden State led 68-54 at halftime and took a 102-80 lead to the fourth.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Poole shot 10 for 11 at the free throw line. . JaMychal Green matched his season-high with 15 points.

Raptors: G Gary Trent Jr. (left quadriceps) sat for the second straight game. F O.G. Anunoby (left hip) missed his fourth straight. Before the game, coach Nick Nurse said Anunoby will likely return later this week. . Started 7 for 9 from the field in the first quarter, but shot 1 for 11 the rest of the period. . Buffalo Bills receiver Stefon Diggs sat courtside.

SHARING THE BALL

Golden State came in leading the league in assists at 29.4 per game and recorded 11 helpers on 13 made baskets in the first quarter. The Warriors had more assists (18) in the first half than rebounds (17). They finished with 31 assists on 43 made baskets.

NO CANADA

Warriors F Andrew Wiggins sat for the seventh straight game because of a strained right adductor, missing another chance to play in his Canadian home town for the first time since Jan. 30, 2018, when he was with Minnesota.

BEEN A WHILE

Thompson and Green played in Toronto for the first time since Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals. Curry has not played north of the border since that series.

UP NEXT

Warriors: At New York on Tuesday night.

Raptors: At Philadelphia on Monday night.

Timberwolves beat Bulls 150-126 to break team scoring mark

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Anthony Edwards had season highs with 37 points and 11 assists and the Minnesota Timberwolves broke the franchise record for points in a game, routing the Chicago Bulls 150-126 on Sunday night.

D’Angelo Russell added 28 points after missing two games and Minnesota made a season-high 23 pointers to roll past Chicago despite missing four regulars.

Rudy Gobert missed his second straight game because of a sprained left ankle. Karl-Anthony Towns (right calf strain) and top reserves Jordan McLaughlin (left calf strain) and Taurean Prince (right shoulder) also sat out.

Russell was a game-time decision after sitting out with a knee injury.

“Confidence, right approach, seeing familiarity with our rotation and some things like that,” Russell said. “That just allows you to be confident and comfortable out there. Coach is allowing us to make things happen, trust in our group. It just gives you that energy and confidence that you want to have.”

Starting a four-game trip, Chicago lost its fourth straight and sixth in eight games. It is the fourth-most points the Bulls have ever given up in regulation; the most since allowing 152 to Detroit on Nov. 3, 1982.

“It should be the ultimate be lesson learned of what it’s like you let something slip, not being connected, not being one, not understanding what needs to be done collectively to help out each other,” said DeMar DeRozan, who led Chicago with 29 points. “It’s embarrassing to give up that many points. Nothing against Minnesota, but it’s not like we playing against the 2016 Golden State Warriors.”

Nikola Vucevic added 23 points and Zach LaVine had 22.

Chicago coach Billy Donovan spoke about a lack of collectiveness, especially defensively, and backup guard Goran Dragic said the Bulls need to trust each other.

“We have to sacrifice for each other to make a better play, to make a better stop, to screen somebody, to make a sweet swing pass,” Dragic said. “It’s a small detail. Anybody in this league can beat you.”

Edwards scored six points in a 9-1 surge for a 106-89 lead late in the third quarter. But Edwards saved his best shot of the quarter for a buzzer-beater.

With 2.1 seconds left, he stole an inbounds pass on the logo at center court, continued right and made a 32-foot pull-up jumper. As the ball went through the hoop to make it 113-97, Edwards turned to face the crowd and, after a couple of seconds of basking with a huge smile, began to high-five the fans.

“We talked about getting up more 3s and we’ve been trying to do that, tonight was obviously an exaggerated example of it,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.

Russell made seven of his eight first-half shots, including 6 of 7 from deep. That included a 34-foot desperation heave from the logo early in the second quarter as the shot clock expired.

TIP-INS

Bulls: Vucevic had nine rebounds. . Javonte Green missed the game with right knee soreness. He missed three games earlier this month with right knee pain. . Chicago is 4-11 on the road, including 1-7 against Western Conference opponents.

Timberwolves: Nathan Knight scored a season-high 16 points. . Naz Reid, who scored the first 10 Minnesota points, left in the second quarter with trapezius tightness. . Edwards had a steal to extend the NBA’s longest active streak of at least one steal to 16 games.

UP NEXT

Bulls: At Miami on Tuesday night.

Timberwolves: Host Dallas on Monday and Wednesday nights.

Nuggets’ Jokic has career-high 27 rebounds in triple-double

DENVER (AP) Nikola Jokic had 40 points and a career-high 27 rebounds in yet another triple-double to help the Denver Nuggets beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-115 on Sunday night.

Jokic also had 10 assists for his fifth triple-double of the season and 81st overall. He had 20 rebounds in the first half.

Wilt Chamberlain is the only other player with at least 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in an NBA game. He did it four times, the last when he had 53 points, 32 rebounds and 14 assists for Philadelphia on March 18, 1968.

Jokic sealed the victory with two free throws with 13 seconds left. Nuggets coach Michael Malone said he didn’t realize the numbers Jokic was putting up during the course of the game, particularly the amount of rebounds. “I didn’t know it was a 40-27-10 nightm but I knew he was having another Nikola Jokic stellar performance, efficient,” Malone said. “And it’s not just about Nikola. It’s about his ability to make every one of his teammates better. Yeah, Nikola is a generational talent.”

Jokic’s rebounds supercharged the other aspects of his game, helping the Nuggets get defensive stops and igniting Denver’s transition game with quick outlet passes to teammates off the rebounds. But many of the rebounds also came from just happening to be in the right place at the right time, Jokic said.

“To be honest, I think it’s because of our defense and I was just in the right spot to rebound the ball,” Jokic said. “It’s not that I was grabbing for them or whatever, chasing for them. It just happened, you know? I wish it could be every night, to be honest.”

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 20 points and Aaron Gordon had 19 as the Nuggets sent the Hornets to their eighth consecutive loss.

LaMelo Ball had 31 points for Charlotte. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 16 points and Gordon Hayward had 15.

Up by three at the half, Denver stretched its lead to 94-80 going into the fourth quarter, fueled by Jokic’s 11-point third period.

Charlotte fought back, though, getting to 107-104 on Ball’s fadeaway jumper with 3:29 remaining. The Nuggets regained a cushion when Gordon went in for a reverse layup off a feed from Jokic before Jokic put in a hook shot on the Nuggets’ ensuing possession for a 111-104 lead with 1:57 remaining.

Jokic completed the triple-double with a pass setting up Bruce Brown’s 3-pointer that gave Denver an eight-point advantage with 1:20 left.

But again Charlotte got back within two on a dunk by Washington before Jokic hit a pair of free throws and Charlotte could not get a shot off in the final moments after turning the ball over.

SMALL CLUB

Others have come close, but not matched the 40-27-10 stat line. Elgin Baylor had 52 points, 25 rebounds and 10 assists on Dec. 13, 1961. DeMarcus Cousins had 44 points, 23 rebounds and 10 assists on Jan. 22, 2018. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a 44-point, 20-rebound, 11-assist game on Feb. 26, 1972, and Oscar Robinson finished with 42 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists in a game on Jan. 9, 1965.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: F Michael Porter missed a 12th straight game with a left heel strain but has made steady progress in his rehabilitation and is nearing a return, coach Michael Malone said. “He’s been doing more and more with the training staff,” Malone said. “Maybe there’s a chance in the next week to 10 days we can try to get him back and work him back into that rotation. We miss Michael Porter. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do here.”

UP NEXT

Hornets: Continue six-game trip Monday night at Sacramento.

Nuggets: Host Memphis on Tuesday night.

Lakers overcome Davis’ absence to beat reeling Wizards

LOS ANGELES (AP) LeBron James had 33 points and nine assists, Lonnie Walker scored 21 points and the Los Angeles Lakers overcame the absence of Anthony Davis to beat the Washington Wizards 119-117 on Sunday night.

Davis, the Lakers’ leader at 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds, injured his right foot Friday night in a victory over Denver and is expected to be sidelined for several weeks.

Thomas Bryant added 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Lakers win for the third time in their last four games and hand Washington its 10th straight loss and 13th in 14 games.

James appeared to lose the ball near midcourt, but regained possession and found Bryant underneath for a tiebreaking dunk with 7.1 seconds remaining. Former Laker Kyle Kuzma missed a 3-pointer for Washington with 2.1 seconds left.

Bradley Beal scored 29 points in his return to the Wizards. He missed the past six games because of a hamstring injury, last seeing action Dec. 4 in a 130-119 home loss to the Lakers,

Kuzma scored 22 points and Kristaps Porzingis added 21 for Washington. The Wizards last won Nov. 28 at home against Minnesota.

The Wizards led 102-98 with 6:43 remaining after an alley-oop dunk by Daniel Gafford. But an 8-0 run from Lakers, capped by James’ three-point play, gave Los Angeles a 106-102 lead with 5:09 remaining. The Lakers never trailed again.

Austin Reaves hit a pair of floaters as the Lakers went up 115-111 with 1:17 remaining. But the Wizards tied it on consecutive baskets from Gafford and Beal.

James put the Lakers ahead 117-115 when he brought the ball down court and split the lane for an uncontested dunk with 27.1 seconds remaining. Beal tied it again at 117 on a pair of free throws with 23.1 seconds left.

DAVIS DOWN

Davis was injured Friday when his foot was twisted against the leg of the Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.

The severity still is being determined. He was set to see a specialist Sunday night.

Davis missed 36 of the Lakers’ 72 regular-season games in the 2020-21 season, then didn’t play in 42 of their 82 games last season. Sunday was just his fourth absence this season.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Gafford sustained an ankle injury in the first half but returned after halftime. . G Delon Wright, who hasn’t played since Oct. 25 because of a hamstring injury, continues to progress toward a possible return by the end of the month.

Lakers: With Davis out, Bryant received his third start of the season against his former team. . Reaves stepped on the foot of Gafford just past the midway point of the third quarter and went to the locker room with an ankle injury before he returned in the fourth

UP NEXT

Wizards: At Phoenix on Tuesday night.

Lakers: At Phoenix on Monday night.

AP source: Lakers’ Davis has foot injury, set to miss weeks

(AP) — Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers has a right foot injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

The severity of the injury was still being determined Sunday and that was keeping the team from forming a specific timetable for his return, said the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Davis nor the Lakers had released any information publicly.

The Athletic first reported that Davis was facing an extended absence, and multiple media outlets also confirmed the injury status.

Davis – who leads the Lakers with averages of 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game, numbers that had him in the NBA’s MVP conversation – was injured in the first half of the Lakers’ win over Denver on Friday night. He did not play after halftime.

It is yet another in a long line of injury woes for the eight-time All-Star and four-time All-NBA selection. He missed 36 of the Lakers’ 72 regular-season games in the 2020-21 season, then didn’t play in 42 of their 82 games last season.

And now, another extended absence awaits. The Lakers entered Sunday’s game against Washington with a 12-16 record, good for only 12th place in the Western Conference and outside the playoff picture.

Ex-NBA star Amar’e Stoudemire charged with punching daughter

MIAMI (AP) Former Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks star Amar’e Stoudemire is facing a misdemeanor battery charge after he allegedly hit one of his teenage daughters in the face.

Miami-Dade County court records show that Stoudemire, 40, was arrested early Sunday and later released on $1,500 bond with a no-contact order issued.

Miami Police officials did not immediately respond to a phone message from The Associated Press.

But The Miami Herald, citing a police report, said Stoudemire struck one of his two teenage daughters during an argument at his Miami home Saturday night. The newspaper says he has two daughters, ages 17 and 14, but the report doesn’t specify which one he allegedly struck.

According to the paper, the 6-foot-10 (2.1 meters), 255-pound (115 kilogram) Stoudemire confronted the girl and accused her of being disrespectful to his mother during a phone call. When she denied it, he told her “You’re talking back again,” and punched her in the jaw, leaving her bleeding, the report says.

The girl contacted her mother, Stoudemire’s ex-wife, who came to home and picked up the two girls, their two brothers and then contacted police.

The report says that when officers went to Stoudemire’s home, he told them the teen had called her mother “because she was sad” and she “was sad because she received a whooping from him for being disrespectful and a liar.” He then invoked his right to remain silent.

No attorney for Stoudemire is listed in court records. His Instagram page shows he had received his master’s degree earlier Saturday from the University of Miami.

Stoudemire played 15 seasons in the NBA, winning the Rookie of the Year award after the 2002-03 season after being drafted by the Suns. After eight seasons with Phoenix, he was traded to New York, where he played five years. He finished his NBA career with one season each with the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat, before playing in Israel. He retired in 2017.

During his NBA career, Stoudemire made six All-Star teams, averaging 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game.

Judge’s 62nd home run ball sells for $1.5 million at auction

RUNNEMEDE, N.J. (AP) The ball New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit for his American League-record 62nd home run has sold for $1.5 million at auction.

The price is the second highest paid for a baseball auction, according to Goldin Executive Chairman and Founder Ken Goldin. He identified the buyer as a prominent Midwestern businessman and collector.

Bidding on the ball opened on Nov. 29 and ended Saturday. The minimum opening bid was set at $1 million.

The home run ball was consigned to Goldin in November by Cory Youmans. He was sitting in the front row of section 31 in left field at Globe Life Field on Oct. 4 when Judge led off the second game of a doubleheader between the Yankees and Rangers and connected. Youmans snared the drive on the fly with his glove.

“That’s the magic of sports – this ball didn’t only change Aaron’s life, it changed the life of the fan who was in the stadium that night, too,” Goldin said in a statement. “We’re so proud to have been trusted by Cory to present this piece of history for public auction.”

Youmans identified the buyer only by his first name.

“Congratulations to Joe! Given the historical significance of (hash)62, it was important to me that the selling process was fair, accessible and transparent,” Youmans said in a statement. “Joe seems like a great man and the perfect steward for this special piece of MLB history.”

Roger Maris, a former Yankee, set the old record of 61 in 1961.

The highest price paid at auction for a baseball is $3 million. It was for one hit by Mark McGwire on Sept. 27, 1998, to reach 70 for the season. Comic book creator and artist Todd McFarlane bought the ball.

After completing one of the greatest seasons and winning the AL MVP, Judge agreed to a nine-year, $360 million contract with the Yankees.

Judge said in a conference call before the auction that he was not going to bid on the ball.

“He caught the ball, he’s the one that made the play out there in left field, so it’s his right to do what he wants with it,” Judge said of Youmans. “Hopefully he’s making the right decision for him and his family.”

Kaprizov, Wild beat Senators 4-2 for 5th straight win

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Kirill Kaprizov came to the rink dressed like an elf at the request of teammate Ryan Reaves, with a fuzzy green-and-red hat that stayed on his head for the Christmas-themed warmups.

Minnesota’s star forward kept the fun going all game with his one-of-a-kind skills.

Kaprizov had a goal and two assists for the Wild, who held on to beat the Ottawa Senators 4-2 on Sunday afternoon for their fifth straight win.

“Every practice he’s trying new things, and just the chemistry he has with the guys and the vision he has is like none other I’ve seen,” captain Jared Spurgeon said. “I think it all starts with just how hard he works and the passion he has for the game.”

Mats Zuccarello had a goal and an assist and Spurgeon also scored for the Wild. Sam Steel had two assists to back Filip Gustavsson in his stoppage of Ottawa’s four-game winning streak with 25 saves – including several high-danger stops – against his former team. Right after one of them, Kaprizov got the Wild on the board near the midpoint of the first period with his 19th goal.

“It’s just how hockey goes sometimes. They have the pressure and got some great looks, and then we take the momentum away right away by scoring a nice goal,” Gustavsson said.

Mark Kastelic spoiled the shutout bid for Gustavsson with a goal early in the third period. With 1:40 left, Claude Giroux knocked in a rebound with the Senators to cut the lead to one. Frederick Gaudreau answered with a slap shot on the empty net to seal it with 25 seconds left.

“Can’t fault our effort at the end, but we’ve got to be better in the second period,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said.

The 24-year-old Gustavsson, who was traded to Minnesota on July 12 for fellow goalie Cam Talbot, started the Wild’s streak with 35 saves for his first career shutout on Dec. 10 at Vancouver. He’s fourth in the NHL with a 2.31 goals against average this season.

“The first two periods, they were definitely the better team. They gave us no room to breathe out there,” Kastelic said.

The Wild welcomed Ryan Hartman back from a 21-game absence due to a shoulder injury, slotting him in at right wing on the second line. Steel has proven to be a valuable pivot between Zuccarello and Kaprizov, where Hartman used to be. In the 14 games since Steel was moved up to the first line, the trio has combined for 21 goals and 31 assists.

Early in the second period, Kaprizov broke loose up the right wing and snapped a shot that Senators goalie Anton Forsberg turned aside for a long rebound. Steel snagged it and set up Zuccarello for a one-timer.

That gave Kaprizov 200 career points in his 167th game, the fastest Wild player to reach that milestone and the fourth-fastest player in the NHL since the 2000-01 season to get there behind Sidney Crosby (142), Alex Ovechkin (165) and Evgeni Malkin (166).

Kaprizov still had some more playmaking in store, when he burst between two Senators to thread a slick up-ice pass that Spurgeon snagged in stride before a cut inside to knock a backhander in for the 3-0 lead midway through the second period.

“Even as a teammate you never really know what Kirill’s going to do,” Spurgeon said.

TALBOT RECOGNITION

Talbot, who backstopped Ottawa’s 6-3 victory Saturday at Detroit, flashed a reluctant smile and a gave a wave to the crowd when he was shown on the video board during a first-period timeout.

All four wins on Ottawa’s streak were with Talbot, who became the odd man out with the Wild after they re-signed Marc-Andre Fleury to a two-year, $7 million contract.

GAME NOTES

Forsberg made 19 saves. He gave up goals to Kaprizov and Zuccarello on Oct. 27 in a 4-2 win by the Wild in Ottawa. … The Wild are 13-4-2 in their last 19 games against the Senators. … Zuccarello has seven goals and 10 assists in 18 career games against the Senators. … Senators RW Austin Watson was fined the maximum allowable amount ($4,054) by the NHL for interference in the last game.

UP NEXT

Senators: at Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Wild: at Anaheim on Wednesday.

Staal’s goal caps Hurricanes’ comeback win vs. Penguins

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Two of the NHL’s hottest teams clashed Sunday and the Carolina Hurricanes really warmed up at just the right time.

Jordan Staal scored with 6:27 remaining as the Hurricanes rallied past Pittsburgh for a 3-2 victory, snapping the Penguins’ seven-game winning streak.

“I thought we started to build the game,” Staal said. “I thought the third period we kind of took control of the puck. We started to play our style and play in their end a little bit and created some offensive changes.”

Derek Stepan and Brady Skjei both had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, who stretched their points streak to 11 games (9-0-2) by scoring twice in the final 8 1/2 minutes.

Staal won five of seven third-period face-offs as the Hurricanes, who are amid a grueling stretch on the schedule, refused to wilt.

“We managed to right the ship and kind of get into a good flow,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Proud of the group, they’re tired for sure.”

Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, a rookie who had Saturday night off but was appearing for the eighth time in nine games, stopped 24 shots. Two of his nine victories this season have come against Pittsburgh.

Rickard Rakell and Brock McGinn scored for the Penguins. Goalie Casey DeSmith made 26 saves.

The Penguins had the longest active winning streak in the NHL. Pittsburgh won every game since a 3-2 overtime loss at home to the Hurricanes on Nov. 29.

“There’s a fine line some nights between winning and losing,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “This is a good team that we’re playing against. We feel like we’re a good team. It was an evenly matched game for the most part.”

While the Hurricanes ended up in an overtime game Saturday night in defeating the Dallas Stars, the Penguins had already practiced earlier in the day in Raleigh. Yet the Hurricanes generated energy late in another game.

“We’ve all been on that side of the schedule,” Sullivan said. “Those are challenging games without a doubt.”

McGinn scored his ninth goal of the season 5:03 into the third period as Pittsburgh took its first lead of the game.

Skjei scored his sixth goal of the season at 8:17 of the period to pull the Hurricanes even.

Stepan had the game’s first goal 3:25 into the second period for his second goal of the season – both coming in a three-game span.

Rakell’s 13th goal of the season came five seconds into a second-period power play.

TAKE YOUR SHOTS

The Hurricanes were playing for the second night in a row and for the third time in four days. They had only seven first-period shots on goal, but eventually got going.

“The more pucks you put on net, good things will come,” Staal said.

Sullivan would like to see the Penguins shooting more frequently, particularly when an opposing defense is keeping them on the perimeter.

“We’ve got to get inside,” he said. “I think one of the best ways to get inside is to shoot the puck a little bit more.”

STAAL’S STUFF

Staal has scored four goals this month, including two game winners. He played the first six of his 17 seasons with the Penguins. He now has scored five goals in 29 games vs. Pittsburgh.

“I thought he was the best player, maybe in the game, but certainly in the third period,” Brind’Amour said.

ICE MATTERS

The Penguins lost for the first time this season when McGinn, a former Hurricane, has scored. They’re 7-1-1 in those games. . The Hurricanes are 5-0-0 in the second game of games on back-to-back days this season.

UP NEXT

Penguins: Host New York Rangers on Tuesday night.

Hurricanes: Host New Jersey on Tuesday night.

Panarin leads surging Rangers to 7-1 win over Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) Artemi Panarin had a goal and two assists, Igor Shesterkin stopped 29 shots and the New York Rangers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 7-1 on Sunday night for their seventh straight win.

Vincent Trocheck, Filip Chytil and Kappo Kakko each had a goal and an assist, and Vitali Kravtsov, Braden Schneider and Jacob Trouba also scored for the Rangers. Adam Fox had three assists, and Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad each had two.

The Rangers have outscored opponents 33-14 during their winning streak.

“We had trouble scoring the first part of the season, and now we’re getting more goals, but the obviously defense has been really good, and goaltending has been excellent,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said.

Philipp Kurashev scored for Chicago and Arvid Soderblom finished with 19 saves.

“I think we have to find a way to have more fight and more pushback and not like, feel exhausted, look exhausted,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. “Whether it’s mentally or physically, you know we just have to find a way to get out of it.”

The Rangers have not lost since a 5-2 defeat at home to the Blackhawks on Dec. 3. Chicago has lost seven straight since then and is 1-14-1 since mid-November.

“It’s a completely different two games,” Panarin said of the Chicago contests. “They were a different team when they played against us, and we didn’t play with the confidence we have now. I don’t want to say we’re pretty good right now, because that’s when things go bad.”

Chytil, Panarin and Kakko scored on consecutive shots in a 5:59 span to make it 3-0 late in the first period. Chytil scored his eighth with 6:56 left, Panarin got his eighth with 3:05 remaining and Kakko added his eighth with 57 seconds to go.

Kurashev got the Blackhawks on the scoreboard at 1:33 of the second with a shot that deflected off Trouba’s stick and in for his fourth.

Trouba scored his second nine minutes later to restore the Rangers’ three-goal lead and Trocheck converted on a power play for his 11th with 16 seconds remaining in the period to make it 5-1.

“There are moments when you play good hockey, make one mistake and it ends up in the back of your net,” Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said. “Right now those moments seem to sting more than they usually do. When things go wrong, they go really wrong, and are snowballing in the wrong direction. Mentally, we’re having a difficult time recovering as a team.”

Kravtsov’s second of the season on a breakaway made it 6-1 at 8:56 of the third. Chicago defenseman Caleb Jones, pursuing Kravtsov on the play, dove after the Rangers’ forward and ended up sliding into Soderblom. The goalie was shaken up but remained in the game.

Schneider capped the scoring with his fifth with 6:23 left.

STATS

Panarin has 18 points in his last 13 games, while Trocheck had 10 points in his last seven. Chytil has six points in six games since coming back from a lower-body injury. He was checked hard by Sam Lafferty early in the second period and did not return.

SELECT COMPANY

Shesterkin improved his road record to 9-0-1, becoming the 11th goalie in NHL history to open a season with points in his first 10 road games.

TOEWS-KANE MILESTONE

Blackhawks forwards Toews and Patrick Kane were in the starting lineup to mark their 1,000th game together, the 11th such pair in NHL history to reach the milestone. Chicago is 530-347-123 in those games. If they stay with the team, they could match defensive pair Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith, in the same lineup for 1,069 games early next season. However, Toews and Kane are both in the last year of $10.5 million contracts and it’s possible one or both could ask for a trade to a contending team.

UP NEXT

New York: At Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

Chicago: Host Nashville on Wednesday night.

Late McCann goal lifts Seattle Kraken over Winnipeg Jets 3-2

SEATTLE (AP) Jared McCann scored the late game-winner to give the Seattle Kraken a 3-2 win against the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night.

Jordan Eberle and Ryan Donato also scored for the Kraken, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 15 shots, with both Winnipeg goals coming on the power play.

The Kraken snapped a two-game losing skid and won for just the second time in seven games.

“Just a bit more grit. I think we kind of lost that the last couple of games,” McCann said. “We haven’t played with that jam, that relentlessness, and I feel like we had that tonight.”

Mark Scheifele and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored for the Jets. David Rittich had 32 saves. The loss ended Winnipeg’s five-game road winning streak, which tied a franchise record.

The Jets were on the second night of a back-to-back after winning in Vancouver on Saturday and were playing their seventh game in 11 days.

“We were half a step behind physically, and mentally we complicated the game a little bit,” Winnipeg coach Rick Bowness said. “When you do that, you’re back on your heels.”

Seattle generally held an advantage throughout the night in even strength and outshot the Jets 34-17, although Winnipeg took advantage of power play opportunities.

The Jets managed only three shots in the first period but still took a 1-0 lead. Seattle was whistled for a pair of penalties less than a minute apart. Winnipeg took advantage of the five-on-three, scoring off the initial faceoff after the second penalty when Scheifele redirected a shot by Josh Morrissey past Grubauer.

Eberle tied the game in the second period with a nice spinning backhand from the left circle, but the Jets quickly regained the lead with another power play opportunity as Dubois tapped in a rebound with about seven minutes left in the period.

Donato tied the game again just 16 seconds into the third period, redirecting a Yanni Gourde shot past Rittich. It was the third straight game with a goal for Donato, tying his career best.

McCann gave the Kraken the lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in the game, putting the puck over Rittich’s shoulder from the right circle. It was McCann’s team-leading 14th goal.

“We’ve got to be really comfortable staying with games like this and winning games like this,” Kraken coach Dave Hakstol said. “The offense doesn’t come easy. The goals don’t come easy. We had to work real hard tonight to get the three that we got.”

GOING STREAKING

Morrissey’s first-period assist gave him a nine-game point streak, setting a franchise record for the longest streak by a defenseman. “It’s definitely something I don’t take for granted. It’s a pretty cool achievement,” he said.

Morrissey also became the first defenseman to reach 30 assists this season. Kyle Connor extended his scoring streak to nine games with a second period assist, tying Morrissey for the longest Jets streak this season.

NOTES

Seattle D Justin Schultz was back in the lineup after missing two games with an undisclosed injury. . The Kraken reassigned D Gustav Olofsson to Coachella Valley. . Kraken rookie Shane Wright was named Canada’s captain for the upcoming World Junior Championship.

UP NEXT

Jets: Returns home to host the Senators on Tuesday.

Kraken: Hosts the Blues on Tuesday.

Lindholm scores twice as Flames beat Sharks 5-2

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Elias Lindholm scored two goals 19 seconds apart in the first minute of the third period, and the Calgary Flames beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2 Sunday night.

Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist, and Milan Lucic and Dillon Dube also scored for the Flames, who had lost five straight. Jacob Markstrom had 23 saves for his ninth win.

Tomas Hertl had a goal and an assist, and Timo Meier also scored for the Sharks, who lost their second straight and fell to 3-6-3 in their last 12. Kaapo Kahkonen finished with 20 saves.

Jonathan Huberdeau, appearing in his 700th career game, made a nice cross-ice pass to Lindholm, who had a wide-open net for a power-play goal 16 seconds into the third to give the Flames a 3-1 lead.

Less than 20 seconds later, Lindholm got a pass from Rasmus Andersson in the left circle and beat Kahkonen for his 11th of the season to give Calgary a three-goal lead.

Dube made it 5-1 at 2:10 with his sixth, before Hertl scored a power-play goal for his 11th at 7:56.

Toffoli got the Flames on the scoreboard first as he skated into the slot and fired a shot from between the circles that beat Kahkonen for his 11th at 7:13 of the first period.

Meier tied it nearly four minutes later with a one-timer on the power play in the first period. Erik Karlsson found Meier after a fake slap shot and pass for career point 700, becoming the first defenseman in the NHL to reach 40 points this season.

Lucic put the Flames back ahead for good with a one-timer through traffic for his first of the season 6:01 into the second.

With 8:51 remaining in the second, Sharks forward Jonah Gadjovich and Flames defenseman Dennis Gilbert got into a fight. Both players traded haymakers, with Gilbert taking the worst of it after Gadjovich threw a right hook knocking Gilbert to the ice.

700 CLUBS

Huberdeau played in 671 games for the Florida Panthers before being traded to Calgary in the offseason. … Karlsson became just the 27th defenseman in NHL history to reach the 700-point mark.

UP NEXT

Flames: At San Jose on Tuesday night.

Sharks: Host Calgary on Tuesday night.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES

Game Rewind: Pacers 106, Knicks 109

The Empire (State) emerged victorious on Star Wars Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Hitting all six of their free throw attempts in the final 45 seconds, the New York Knicks (17-13) eked out a 109-106 win over the Indiana Pacers (15-16) Sunday in Indianapolis.

The game was a battle from start to finish, as the teams traded the lead 19 times.

Indiana had a pair of chances to tie it in the final ticks, but both 3-point attempts by Tyrese Haliburton – including a half-court prayer at the buzzer that just barely missed – didn’t fall.

“It was a great basketball game – highly, highly, highly competitive,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “It came down to the razor-thin margins of plays at the end of the game. They made some big plays and we were unable, and so that’s the difference. There’s so many positives in this game except the result and some of the things that we didn’t do well down the stretch, but we’ll learn and keep working on things and get better.”

New York, winners of now seven straight – the longest streak in the league – had a trio of 20-plus-point performances. Jalen Brunson led the visitors with 30 points, Julius Randle totaled 25 points to go along with 14 rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 24.

Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith set new career-highs for points (23) and rebounds (10) in a game, achieving his first NBA double-double. Buddy Hield also scored 23 points while Tyrese Haliburton had 15 points and 10 assists for the Blue & Gold. Off the bench, rookie Bennedict Mathurin scored 15.

Indiana was outrebounded 49-44 and outscored 52-40 in the paint. While the Pacers made 13 total 3-pointers to the visitors’ eight, the Knicks went 23-for-30 from the free throw line while the Pacers made 15-for-23 freebies.

In the first half, the teams tied five times and traded the lead seven times.

The Pacers took a 12-5 lead four minutes into the game, on five points by Hield and two baskets from rookie Andrew Nembhard, but the Knicks responded with a 9-2 run to tie the game at 14 with 5:08 left in the first quarter.

Indiana answered with two 3-pointers from Haliburton and scores from Hield and Nesmith, to lead 24-19 by the 2:49-mark, but the Knicks wouldn’t back down.

The Pacers stayed ahead until a 3-pointer by the Knicks’ Immanuel Quickley with seven seconds left in the first quarter gave the visitors a 29-28 advantage.

After the Knicks went on a 6-0 run to start the second quarter, the Pacers scored seven unanswered points to re-tie the game.

An 8-0 Knicks run gave the visitors a 46-37 advantage with 5:49 left in the half before Mathurin scored five straight points, including an and-one off a thunderous dunk, Nesmith hit a 3-pointer and Haliburton got a layup and foul shot to go to make it 48-48.

The teams traded blows in the final 3:52 of the half, but it was the Knicks who would come out on top at 54-53.

Ten different Pacers recorded a point in the first half, with Mathurin leading the team with 10. RJ Barrett led all scorers with 16 points – scoring 12 in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, the Pacers were 7-for-16 on 3-point attempts while the Knicks hit 11 of 13 free throws as the Blue & Gold held an 85-84 lead going into the fourth quarter.

Out of the break, the Pacers made their first three baskets – including 3-pointers by Hield and Nesmith – and drained two free throws to lead 63-57 with 9:49 left in the third quarter.

The Knicks again answered, using a 9-0 run to go up 78-72, before 3-pointers from Nesmith and Myles Turner and a floater from Haliburton made it 80-80.

The Pacers would then held a one-point load going into the final frame.

From 7:32 to 5:19 in the fourth quarter, the Pacers outscored the Knicks 8-2 – capped by a crowd-roaring dunk from Nesmith – to give the home team a 99-93 lead.

However, like they did all game, the Knicks found a way to get back into it, as five straight points from Brunson made it a one-point game with 1:21 left.

The Knicks retook the lead 105-104 after an Indiana foul before both teams turned the ball over on the next two possessions.

Down the final stretch, the Knicks held on for the Eastern Conference win.

Haliburton said the Pacers slowed the pace down in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t the reason the team lost.

“We slowed down in the fourth because you’re attacking mismatches and stuff like that, but I felt we were getting wide-open shots today,” Haliburton said. “Myles missed a couple, I missed a couple. It just happens…I’m not really concerned about the pace that we’re playing in the fourth. We’ve just got to make shots and get stops.”

In the fourth quarter, the Pacers made one of nine 3-point attempts.

New York shot 47 percent from the field and the Pacers were 43.3 percent from the floor.

Pacers guard Chris Duarte played in his first game for the Pacers since injuring his ankle on Nov. 4 against the Miami Heat. In his 14:32 of action, Duarte totaled six points and two rebounds.

Inside the Numbers

Haliburton recorded his 18th double-double of the season, which is the most by any NBA guard.

The Pacers bench outscored the Knicks reserves 35-14.

Hield has made five or more 3-pointers 10 times this season.

In games decided by three points or less, the Pacers are 3-4 this season.

The Pacers are 3-4 when their opponents have three or more players with 20+ points and 4-5 when an opponent has a scorer with 30+ points.

All 11 players that played in Sunday’s game for the Pacers recorded a point.

You Can Quote Me On That

“Right now, New York is as good as any team in the NBA.” – Carlisle on the Knicks winning seven straight

“(Nesmith) was tremendous, and this is one of the reasons that he’s earned the opportunity to start. For this team and for his teammates, he will run through a wall. He’s just that kind of a team guy, and he gets really dialed into any kind of an individual challenge that you give him in a game.” – Carlisle on Nesmith’s career night

“We’ve gotta finish games. We were playing well for like (three) and a half quarters. We’re losing it at the end. We’ve got to figure that out. We’ve got to fix that.”  – Nesmith on giving up late leads the last two games

“It’s on everybody collectively. “ – Hield on the loss

“Going out there, that was a great opportunity. I appreciate the opportunity. They allowed me to go down there and be part of those two games. I feel like that helped me to get in shape, helped me to test my ankle, helped me a lot.” — Duarte on playing two games in Fort Wayne as part of his rehab assignment

Stat of the Night

Against the Knicks, Nesmith set new career highs for points (23) and rebounds (10) in a game. Nesmith, who is in his third NBA season,  made 9 of 12 shot attempts (4-for-6 3-point range) in just over 31 minutes while recording his first double-double.

Noteworthy

Sunday’s game concluded a stretch where the Pacers played 19 games in 33 days.

The Knicks hold a 96-92 all-time record against the Pacers, but the Blue & Gold are still 62-34 at home against their rivals.

Up Next

The Pacers head to Boston to take on Jayson Tatum and the Celtics on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7:30 PM ET.

Tickets

The Pacers will be back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after Christmas to host Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 7:00 PM ET.

No. 4/3 Hoosiers Fly Past the Eagles

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Freshman guard Yarden Garzon led all scorers with 16 points as the No. 4 ranked Hoosiers flew past Morehead State, 87-24, on Sunday afternoon in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

KEY MOMENTS

Senior forward Mackenzie Holmes opened up the game for the Hoosiers (11-0) scoring six straight points. Garzon would hit back-to-back three pointers with nearly six minutes left to play, jump starting a 22-1 run to end the quarter.

Outscoring Morehead State, 16-8, in the second, IU continued to push the pace with Holmes and Garzon combining for nine points giving Indiana 44-12

Holding the Eagles (4-7) to single digits, Indiana called on their second unit as they went on a 17-3 run to extend the lead.

Freshman forward Lilly Meister scored seven points and grabbed seven rebounds in the second half. The Hoosiers would lead as many as 63 in the fourth quarter.

IU finished the game with 40 points in the paint and 27 bench points.

NOTABLE

IU improved to 11-0 for the third time and first time under ninth year head coach Teri Moren. It’s the first time since 2013-14, when the program started its program best 14-0. Additionally, the program went 11-0 in 1992-93 and the program’s inaugural season of 1971-72.

The Hoosiers recorded new points allowed in each quarter this season against the Eagles while holding an opponent to the fewest first and second half points in a game this season as well.

Indiana holds the Eagles to four points in the first quarter. This is the fewest points allowed in a quarter for the season.

The Hoosiers recorded the third largest margin of victory in program history winning by 63 points. It’s the largest margin of victory since it defeated Illinois by 60 (76-16) on Dec. 6, 1974.

Today’s win is the 18th time in program history the Hoosiers have held an opponent to under 30 points.

Morehead State’s 24 points are the fewest points allowed by an opponent since 1975 against Taylor.

Four Hoosiers finished with double figure scoring led by 16 points from Garzon, who went 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.

Freshman forward Lilly Meister finished with seven points, eight rebounds and set a new career high with two steals in 16 minutes.

Freshman guard Lexus Bargesser recorded a new career high in assists with six.

Sophomore guard Mona Zaric recorded a new career high, seven points on 75 percent shooting from the floor.

Graduate student forward Alyssa Geary finished with six points, five rebounds and set a new season high in blocks with three.

The Hoosiers held the Eagles to shooting 9-51 from the field and 5-23 from three.

Indiana recorded 21 assists off 33 made field goals, the sixth time its dished 20 or more assists in a game this season.

The Hoosiers outrebounded Morehead State 43-26.

Indiana recorded 36 points off 25 Eagle turnovers.

QUOTABLE

Indiana head coach Teri Moren

“Well, we are grateful for the crowd this afternoon on a cold Sunday. There was a lot to be excited about. Anytime we get to play anybody, I think that is a really cool day for us. We tried like crazy to get Henna Sandvik some shots at the end because we wanted everybody to score. In a game, especially in the second half, when you have a lead like that, one of the challenges to your group is to come out and try to play clean, really good basketball. I thought for the most part, we did. We did turn it over turnover 12 times, but I liked how we stayed focused on trying to play the way that we practice. We had a lot of different lineups in there, we had a big lineup there at the end, some kids playing out of position, but I thought they did a really nice job, as we call it, trying to play clean down the stretch. I am happy on a game like today where everyone can get in and play and score except for Henna. I think we did some really good things. The challenge for our group was to come out of the gates early and to be enthusiastic and play with a bunch of energy. We have had 10 days off, so there was a concern that we would be a little bit flat coming out of the beginning of the game. We challenged them at shoot around and once in our pregame talk just to come out and get off on the right foot. I was proud how they responded to that.”

UP NEXT

The Hoosiers close out non-conference play on Wednesday when it host Butler at 1 p.m. ET at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

ButlerUWBB Falls at (RV) Marquette 67-46

MILWAUKEE – Marquette led Butler by 10 at the half, and would outscore the Bulldogs 21-8 in the third quarter to cruise to a 67-46 victory. With the setback, Butler moves to 5-6 on the season with an 0-3 mark in the BIG EAST. Marquette improved to 9-2 and 2-1 in the conference.

How it Happened

Chloe Marotta scored the first four points of the game for the Golden Eagles, but the ‘Dawgs would jump out in front 5-4 after a 3-pointer from Tenley Dowell. The one point lead would hold until the first media timeout with Butler on top of Marquette 9-8. Marotta had six points for the home team over the first six minutes of action and Dowell led Butler with five.

Jordan King scored her first two points of the day after the first timeout of the contest. Her driving layup was part of an 8-0 Marquette scoring run that gave the Golden Eagles a 14-9 lead. Rachel McLimore broke up the scoring spree, but the home team would lead Butler 18-11 after the first quarter.

Marquette outscored Butler by three in the second quarter to hold a 10-point edge at the half 34-24. Rose Knumu contributed to the lead with nine points in the first half. She hit four of her first five shots including just her second made 3-pointer of the year. Butler had Sydney Jaynes in the box score with nine points and McLimore would chip in with six.

Marquette scored the first four points of the second half leading to a quick Butler timeout. The 4-0 run grew to 10-0, pushing the Marquette lead to 20 points at 44-24. Butler went to the bench midway through the third looking for a spark. Kendall Wingler stepped up for the second unit and hit a corner 3-pointer for the Bulldogs, marking their first points of the second half.

Wingler hit another third quarter 3-pointer that caused Marquette to burn a 30-second timeout with 3:20 to play. Her six points were it for the Bulldogs until Jaynes added a pair of free throws with 33 seconds left.

Jessica Carrothers supplied BU with their first five points of the fourth quarter to push her game total to nine. Marquette countered with an 8-0 run moments later to double BU up in the fourth frame 10-5. The Bulldogs would go to the bench for the final five minutes of action and Marquette would end the week with a 67-46 victory.

Stat of the Game

Rose Nkumu scored 15 points for the Golden Eagles, just one point shy of her career-high. She went 7-for-8 from the field and added three steals in 25 minutes of action. Nkumu entered the game averaging 5.4 points per game.

Inside the Box Score

– Butler was limited to just five made 3-pointers, tying their season-low team total

– Jessica Carrothers led BU with 14 points and a team-high three steals

– Sydney Jaynes joined Carrothers in double figures with 11 points

– Kendall Wingler went 2-for-2 from downtown to net six points

– Tenley Dowell led Butler with five rebounds

– Marquette outrebounded Butler 39-25

– The Golden Eagles pulled down 10 offensive rebounds

– Marquette scored 23 points off 20 Bulldog turnovers

– Anna Mortag and Kendall Wingler returned to action at Marquette

– Tenley Dowell started for the second consecutive game

Up Next

Butler will play their final non-conference opponent on Wednesday, Dec. 21 when the Bulldogs travel to Bloomington to face #4 Indiana. Tip on Big Ten Network+ will go up at 1 PM at Assembly Hall.

Men’s Basketball Team To Cap Non-Conference Slate At Indiana Classic

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The IUPUI basketball team will cap its non-conference slate at the Indiana Classic this week when the Jaguars play a pair of games in Fort Wayne. The Jaguars will face off against Southern Indiana on Monday (Dec. 19) before taking on Texas A&M Commerce on Tuesday (Dec. 20) inside Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. Both games will tip-off at 4:00 p.m. and both will be broadcast on ESPN+.

IUPUI (2-9) is coming off a home loss to Eastern Illinois on Saturday to close out its home non-conference slate. The Jaguars got a team-high 16 points from freshman Vincent Brady II and 15 from graduate transfer Chris Osten. The game was nip-and-tuck throughout before the Panthers pulled away midway through the second half, shooting better than 60 percent from the floor after the break. IUPUI struggled offensively, shooting under 39 percent and committing 22 turnovers.

Sophomore Boston Stanton III tallied a season-high seven points against EIU while junior John Egbuta grabbed a season-high seven boards in just 12 minutes.

Brady has been hot of late, scoring at least 16 points in each of IUPUI’s last four games and most recently earning his second #HLMBB Freshman of the Week Award of the season. During that span, he’s averaging 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 60 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range. He’s the first IUPUI rookie to score 15 points or better in four straight games since Alex Young did so in December 2008.

Osten has also been hot of late, hitting 16-of-18 shots in two games last week, averaging 17 points per game in those contests. The 6-foot-9 Louisiana-native has a team-high 12 dunks on the year and is shooting 65.2 percent from the floor.

QUOTABLE

“I thought we fought hard but I was disappointed with our execution. We missed a ton of open looks and were just far too careless with the basketball. We knew there would be growing pains with this many new guys and this many freshmen and the injuries we’ve had so far,” head coach Matt Crenshaw said following Saturday’s loss to EIU.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN INDIANA

Southern Indiana enters the week at 6-5 overall, including an overtime win over Indiana State and an early season win over Southern Illinois. USI is a perfect 5-0 at home and 1-5 away from home this season. Jelani Simmons is one of six USI players scoring in double-figures at 14.7 points per game and Trevor Lakes checks in at 11.5 points per game. The duo has combined to hit 55 threes in 11 games this season. Jacob Polakovich averages 10.3 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds per game. Collectively, USI is shooting 46 percent from the floor and 40.8 percent from three-point range on the season.

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M COMMERCE

Texas A&M Commerce enters the event at 4-7 overall, but with wins over Air Force, Eastern Kentucky and Hawaii. Demarcus Demonia (15.0 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is the team’s top performer and C.J. Roberts is also averaging in double-digits at 10.0 points and 2.4 assists per game.

UP NEXT

IUPUI will return to action after the Christmas holiday when it hosts Northern Kentucky inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN+.

Ebo, Miles Help Irish Notch Second Top-10 Win

Notre Dame’s ACC opener was anything but a cakewalk, but the Irish (9-1, 1-0) passed the test.

On a Sunday afternoon in Blacksburg, No. 5 Notre Dame faced No. 6 Virginia Tech (10-1, 1-1) in a battle of the ACC’s top-two teams, at least per the current AP Poll. The Irish came out on top by a score of 63-52.

Nearly 40 percent of Notre Dame’s offensive output came in the final 10 minutes, as the Irish outscored the Hokies 23-9 to add a second top-10 win to their resume before Christmas. The game was tied at 22 at the half, and the Irish were held under 10 points in the first quarter for the first time this year. They didn’t flinch.

“What I loved most about this game today was our toughness, our competitiveness, and the way that we battled and fought a great Virginia Tech team on their home court,” Karen & Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said.

Olivia Miles was on triple-double watch once again, as Notre Dame’s All-American point guard had 16 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Ten of those points came during the team’s fourth-quarter push.

It was her 40th career game in double-figures. She has played just 48 contests in an Irish uniform.

Just behind Miles was center Lauren Ebo, who posted 15 points in 22 minutes of play. Her performance was part of a dominant paint-point showing; Notre Dame outscored Virginia Tech 42-16 down low.

“The guards were feeding me the ball,” Ebo said with a laugh when what led to her success on Sunday.

On the opposite end of the court, reigning ACC Player of the Week Elizabeth Kitley and star guard Georgia Amoore scored 36 of Virginia Tech’s 52 points. Kitley played a full 40 minutes, and Ebo was tasked with keeping her in-check.

“I think I approach every game [trying] to hold whoever I have to guard below their average,” Ebo said. “I think we did a great job preparing this week. Obviously, she’s a great player, so she’s going to score.”

While Ebo stood out, Notre Dame’s defense as a whole was firing on all cylinders. Outside of a 108-44 win over Merrimack on Dec. 10, 52 points is the fewest Notre Dame has allowed in a game this season and nearly 10 points under their season average entering Sunday (61.4). Both Sonia Citron and Kylee Watson tied their respective career highs with three blocks. Maddy Westbeld — Notre Dame’s block leader entering Sunday – added two more to her season stat sheet as well.

Before a brief Christmas break, Notre Dame has its final non-conference game of the regular season this week. Western Michigan (5-5) heads to South Bend on Wednesday for a noon tipoff on ACCNX. Notre Dame is 9-0 all time against the Broncos.

Irish Couldn’t Sustain Rally In 77-62 Loss To Georgia

ATLANTA – It was a three-point game with just under eight minutes remaining in the game, bu the Notre Dame men’s basketball team (7-4) couldn’t ride its momentum to garner the lead and seize the win in an Atlanta showdown with Georgia (8-3). The Bulldogs closed on a 19-7 scoring spree to take it 77-62.

Nate Laszewski did what he could on both ends of the floor, registering his second straight 20-point performance and fourth of the season. He shot 7-of-10 from the floor, with a 4-of-7 mark from deep – which tied his season high. On the defensive end, Laszewski took three charges.

Cormac Ryan followed right behind with 15 points and a season-high tying six rebounds. Ryan was 3-for-5 from three, as he is now 18-of-26 from deep over the last five games.

Freshman JJ Starling recorded his third straight game in double figures with 14 points on 6-of-14 shooting.

As a team, the Irish knocked down 11-of-23 from beyond the arc (48%) and were 23-of-54 overall (43%). Georgia won the rebound battle 35-25 and forced a season-high 15 Irish turnovers. The Bulldogs were 27-of-54 (50%) from the floor and scored 40 points in the paint.  

How It Happened

Lazewski and Ran connected on back-to-back three-pointers to give the Irish a 13-7 lead at the first media timeout at 14:16. Later, Georgia claimed its first lead of the game at 19-18 after a 6-0 run, but Wertz stymied the rally with and-one on the other end, thus a 21-19 ND lead.

From 7:31-4:04, the Irish made three field goals – all three-pointers, and from three different Irish – Laszewski, Ryan and Wertz.

With the Irish up at that point 30-26, the Bulldogs turned the tide with a swift 8-0 run in 49 seconds, which led to them ending the half on a 15-6 scoring spree. Therefore, Georgia led Notre Dame, 41-36, at the break.

The theme for a majority of the first half was Notre Dame three’s vs Georgia in the paint. Seven of ND’s first 11 made shots came from beyond the arc (finished 7-of-13 at the half), while UGA at one point had 18 of its 29 points in the paint (finished with 24).

Ryan was in double figures at the midway point with 10 points on a perfect 4-for-4 from the field. Five different Irish contributed to the seven three’s. The Irish shot 52 percent from the floor to the Bulldogs’ 50 percent.

Laszewski got into double figures right away in the second half with back-to-back dunks, but then the Irish suffered from a 1-of-10 shooting stretch from the field. Ryan ended the drought with a three to shorten the gap to 52-45 at 12:35.

Right when the defense needed it the most, they got a kill and converted each time on the offensive end with back-to-back jumpers from Starling and a big three from Laszewski. As a result, the Irish cut it to one possession, down 58-55, with 7:43 remaining.

However, the Georgia response was a rally-killing 11-0 run over the next three minutes to push their lead to 69-55, which they then rode to the 77-62 final. 

Up Next

With the fall semester wrapped, the Irish will stay out on the road and practice in Tallahassee for the next couple of days to get ready for an ACC matchup with Florida State on Wednesday, Dec. 21. Tip-off for that contest is scheduled for 8:30 pm ET on ACC Network.

Women’s Basketball Takes on Tarleton and Richmond at Puerto Rico Classic

Game 11 | Ball State (8-2) vs. Tarleton (6-3)

Dec. 19 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Coliseo Roberto Clemente | 2 pm ET

Game 12 | Ball State (8-2) vs. Richmond (8-3)

Dec. 20 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Coliseo Roberto Clemente | 2 pm ET

Opening Tip:

– Ball State (8-2) will try to remain in the win column and extend its win streak to eight when it travels to the Puerto Rico Classic (Dec. 19 & 20). The Cardinals will first face Tartleton State on Monday before closing out the two-game tournament versus Richmond on Tuesday. Both games are set to tipoff at 2 pm ET.

– Before taking a week’s break for finals, Ball State earned a 68-66 overtime road victory against ACC foe Pitt, Dec. 11. With the win, Ball State head coach Brady Sallee has now defeated five Power 5 conference teams during his tenure with the Cardinals— Minnesota (54-51, 2012-13), Iowa (77-72, 2015-16), Vanderbilt (88-79, 2017-18), Purdue (66-60, 2017-18) and Pitt (68-66, 2022-23).

– Against Pitt, Alex Richard led Ball State with a career-high 18 points. Thelma Dis Agustsdottir chipped in 14 points, while teammates Madelyn Bischoff and Ally Becki finished the day with 10 apiece. Becki also led the Cardinals with 12 rebounds for her second double-double of the season.

– Monday’s game against Tarleton will be the first-ever meeting between the Cardinals and the Texans.

– Tuesday’s game will be the second all-time meeting between Ball State and Richmond with the Cardinals leading the series, 1-0. The last time Ball State and Richmond met was on Dec. 29, 2008 at the Alabama Tournament, resulting in a 77-71 win for the Cardinals.

– The 2022 Puerto Rico Classic will be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente.

Fast Facts:

– Redshirt senior Anna Clephane currently leads the Cardinals is scoring averaging 12.3 points per game. Clephane has 900 points for her career and only needs 100 to become the 10th player under Brady Sallee to reach the 1,000 point milestone.

 – Sophomore Marie Kiefer has proven to be a great defender for the Cardinals. She currently sits in 12th place all-time in blocked shots with 59 and so far has 11 total this season. Kiefer averages 1.4 blocks per contest.

– Graduate senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir has found her rhythm behind the arc again as she currently leads the team with 23 three’s so far this season. Agustsdottir has 240 total 3-pointers for her career and sits in fifth place all-time. She needs 13 more to move up to fourth place which is currently being held by former Cardinal John Goff (2001-04) with 253 3-pointers.

Backs, Crashers, and Keys:

For the second-straight season, the Cardinals are forgoing “traditional” positions and using their own such as backs, crashers, and keys, to bring a sense of team unity. That system proved to be the lift Ball State needed, especially with so many new faces on the court.

Ball State’s Bench:

The Cardinals bench has stepped up their game this season as they have combined to score 259 points including a season high 47 points against IU East. Ball State’s bench also scored 40 points in a win at Utah State.

Scouting Tarleton:

– Tarleton is 14-6 (.700) over the past two seasons in non-conference action and has won three of their last four contests.

– Teresa Da Silva leads the team in scoring averaging 16.7 points per contest.

– Tarleton is a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

– Through nine games, Tarleton has y et to have an outcome decided by fewer than double figures.

Scouting Richmond:

– Richmond is a member of the A-10 Conference and was picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll.

– Much like the Cardinals, the Spiders have well-rounded scoring. Addie Bunk leads Richmond in scoring with 13.0 ppg. Grace Townsend is second (11.6 ppg), Katie Hill is third (11.2) and Siobhan Ryan is fourth (10.5 ppg). Budnik also leads the squad in rebounding (7.1 rpg).

– The Spiders have won their last two contests — Longwood (119-55) and Elon (63-51). Richmond did play a fellow Mid-American Conference school this season when the Spiders fell to Northern Illinois (64-67) on Nov. 27.

Cain’s career day, clutch free throws help Sycamores snap two-game skid

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Chelsea Cain scored a season-high 17 points Sunday afternoon and Bella Finnegan added 13 off the bench, as Indiana State came from behind in the fourth quarter to defeat Purdue Fort Wayne, 64-56, inside Hulman Center.

Cain finished one rebound shy of her first double-double in a Sycamore uniform, while Del’Janae Williams and Adrian Folks added nine points apiece. Indiana State went 29-for-37 from the free throw line, including a 21-for-25 mark in the fourth quarter, while limiting Purdue Fort Wayne to a season-low four 3-pointers on 31 attempts.

The entirety of the game was a choppy affair, with 57 fouls combined. Neither team was able to get in an offensive rhythm, as seven players fouled out between the two teams. With Indiana State trailing in the fourth quarter, Cain blocked a shot on one end and converted a three-point play on the fastbreak on the other to put the Sycamores ahead for good. Indiana State made its trips to the charity stripe late in the game count, as the Sycamores knocked down 14 free throws in the last five minutes to snap a two-game skid.

First Half

Cain opened the scoring for Indiana State and got out to a strong start with the Sycamores’ first five points. Folks and Finnegan made layups in the late stages of the first quarter, but the Sycamores found themselves down 14-12 after the opening period.

Indiana State’s defense was clicking in the second quarter, as Purdue Fort Wayne shot 15.4 percent from the field in the period. The Sycamores capitalized on the Mastodons’ inability to make a basket, as Anna McKendree hit a 3-pointer from the Sycamore logo and Williams followed with a jumper in the paint to even the score at 17-all midway through. Folks scored five points in a four-minute span late in the quarter, as Indiana State took a 28-23 lead into the break.

Second Half

Purdue Fort Wayne came out of the intermission with a 10-2 run to regain the lead midway through the third. Hattie Westerfeld and Williams both scored baskets in the paint in the late stages of the quarter, but the Sycamores faced a 38-35 deficit with 10 minutes remaining.

ISU’s offense made an impact late in the game, with Cain and Finnegan combining for 21 points in the fourth. Cain’s three-point play, which followed a block and rebound by the forward on the previous defensive possession, gave Indiana State a lead it never relinquished. The Sycamores’ ability to convert from the line proved massive late in the game, with McKendree, Williams, Cain and Finnegan all knocking down multiple free throws late. Despite a combined 26 fouls in the fourth quarter, Indiana State overcame the adversity and prevailed 64-56 for its fourth win of the season.

Inside the Numbers

Purdue Fort Wayne’s 12.9 clip from behind the arc (4-for-31) was the worst anyone has shot from 3-point range against Indiana State this season.

Indiana State was plus-six in the rebound battle (42-34), with the Sycamores winning the rebound margin in three of the four quarters.

Bella Finnegan’s 13 points were a career high and marked the second time a Sycamore came off the bench to score in double-figures this season. Natalia Lalic is the other, as she scored 22 against Central Michigan.

Chelsea Cain’s 17 points and nine rebounds were both Indiana State highs. Cain has scored in double-figures three of the last four games.

Adrian Folks’ nine points and four rebounds were both season-highs.

News & Notes

Indiana State is 2-0 when scoring 25-plus points in the fourth quarter this season. The Sycamores had 29 Sunday and previously scored 31 in the fourth against Saint Louis.

Indiana State’s 37 free throw attempts were by far the most in a game under head coach Chad Killinger. It’s the first time the Sycamores took 35-plus attempts from the line since Dec. 21, 2015 against Butler (Indiana State took 35 in that game).

The Sycamores’ 21 made free throws and 25 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter are the most in a quarter in program history. Women’s basketball moved into the four-quarter format prior to the 2015-16 season.

Indiana State improved to 8-2 under head coach Chad Killinger when allowing fewer than 60 points.

With Sunday’s win, Indiana State has a chance to enter the holiday break with a winning record for the first time since the 2016-17 season. The Sycamores currently sit 4-4 and would accomplish the feat with a win over Detroit Mercy Wednesday evening.

Up Next

Indiana State closes non-conference play Wednesday evening against Detroit Mercy, with tipoff from Hulman Center set for 6 p.m.

Indiana State Staves Off Mastodons in Final Moments

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team fell to the Indiana State 64-56 in a foul-ridden contest on Sunday (Dec. 18) in the Hulman Center.

There were 57 combined fouls called, resulting in four Mastodons and three Sycamores fouling out. This caused both teams to struggle find any kind of offensive rhythm all afternoon. Shayla Sellers was the beneficiary of 10 of the fouls called on Indiana State. She scored 19 points with a 12-of-13 effort from the free throw line. Indiana State went 29-of-37 from the stripe, which was the difference in the game, as the ‘Dons went 20-of-29.

Purdue Fort Wayne forced Indiana State into 25 turnovers and held the Sycamores to just one 3-pointer. The one triple was the Sycamores’ fewest and the 25 turnovers was their most this season.

Jazzlyn Linbo corralled a career-high 10 rebounds and blocked a career-high five shots. She finished just one point shy of her first-career double-double.

Amellia Bromenschenkel joined Sellers in double-figures with 10 points. She also added four boards, a steal and an assist. Indiana State was led by Chelsea Cain, who finished with 17 points and nine boards.

The Mastodons had a lead two-point lead with 7:12 to go in the game when Sellers converted an old-fashioned 3-point play. Indiana State finished the game from there with a 21-11 advantage, with 17 of those points coming at the line. ISU was without a field goal for the final 3:49.

Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 4-7 while Indiana State moves to .500 at 4-4. The Mastodons will wrap up their non-league campaign with a matchup with No. 15 Maryland on Wednesday (Dec. 21) at the Gates Sports Center. The Terrapins’ roster features Shayla Sellers’ sister Shyanne.

Feit tallies double-double as Aces top SEMO, 64-53

EVANSVILLE – Knocking-down a season-best 29 free throws, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team ended a long break from playing at home with a 64-53 win over Southeast Missouri State on Sunday afternoon inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

Bouncing-back from a tough outing against Bellarmine, senior guard/forward Abby Feit poured-in a game-high 23 points, securing 12 rebounds to go along with it, earning her 27th career double-double in the process. Making a spot start on the day was senior forward Jossie Hudson, who finished just one point off of tying her career high with 13 points in 33 minutes of action. Also finishing in double-figures was freshman guard Kynidi Mason Striverson, who concluded her outing with 10 points and six boards in 21 minutes off the bench. Fifth-year senior guard Myia Clark reached the 1,000-point mark in her collegiate career in the win, tallying five points and joining teammate Abby Feit in the 1,000-point club. For the Redhawks, Rahmena Henderson was the leading scorer, finishing with 12 points.

As has been true much of the season, Evansville has seen its success go hand-in-hand with its ability to get to the charity stripe. The Aces did just that on Sunday and saw the win follow, attempting 41 free throws and making 29. The 41 attempts at the stripe are the most by an Evansville team since at least the 2012-13 season. Attempting just 13 first-half free throws, UE’s grip on the game was fueled by its 28 second-half attempts at the charity stripe.

After trailing by five in the opening moments of the first period, Evansville produced a key moment in the contest, going on a 7-0 run to take a 12-10 advantage, a lead the Aces would never relinquish.

Despite the impressive performance to get the offense going midway through the first quarter, it was the second frame that truly provided the win for Evansville. Leading 13-11 after a timid first period from both teams, the Aces outscored the Redhawks, 22-9, in the second half to earn a 15-point advantage at the halftime break.

SEMO was not without a few runs at Evansville lead in the second half, cutting to within single digits and as close as six in the final two minutes of the game. As has proven to be true in contests this season against EKU and Morehead State, the Aces have proven to be able to answer an opponent’s run with a needed basket and did so down the stretch against SEMO, earning the 11-point victory.

Evansville is back in Meeks Family Fieldhouse to continue its season-long four-game homestand at 6 PM on Thursday evening for its annual Ugly Sweater Game against UT Martin.

Eagles’ season-long road swing concludes with loss at Cincinnati

CINCINNATI – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball had its season-long five-game road swing conclude Sunday afternoon with a 99-57 loss at the University of Cincinnati. The game at Cincinnati wrapped up a two-game trip to Ohio during the weekend for USI.

Cincinnati jumped out to a 10-0 lead to open the game, connecting on three shots and two from three in the first three minutes. Senior guard Mya Jackson hit two from downtown during the early scoring run for the Bearcats.

USI scored at the 5:40 mark after a dump pass inside to senior forward Tara Robbe (Wildwood, Missouri) led to a trip to the free throw line where Robbe converted both free throw attempts. USI tightened up the defense in the second portion of the first quarter, earning multiple stops.

Senior guard Soffia Rieckers (Evansville, Indiana) scored twice in the last 2:30 of the first quarter, driving to the basket and hitting a mid-range, pull-up jumper to make it an 18-8 Cincinnati lead. USI’s defense forced a shot clock violation in the last minute of the first period, and then a buzzer-beating layup by senior forward Hannah Haithcock (Washington Courthouse, Ohio) made the score 18-10 Cincinnati going to the second quarter.

The momentum from the first-period buzzer-beater carried over into the second quarter for Haithcock, who scored two quick baskets in the first minute of the second to bring USI back within seven, 21-14. After that point, the Bearcats improved their advantage by mostly getting to the free-throw line halfway through the second quarter.

Following a layup by junior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) with 4:35 remaining until halftime, the Screaming Eagles endured a scoring drought for nearly a four-minute span. Southern Indiana cashed in on five free throws in the last 30 seconds of the first half to snap the scoring skid.

Cincinnati led 43-25 at halftime. Haithcock led USI with eight points after 20 minutes with Rieckers right behind her with 7 points.

At the start of the third quarter, the Screaming Eagles tallied buckets on a layup by Raley and a three-pointer by sophomore guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) to make the score 47-30 Cincinnati. Shafford made her second triple of the period with 5:37 left.

Later in the third, the Bearcats went on an 11-0 run to grab a 73-40 lead before USI’s senior guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana) penetrated inside for a layup with a little over 90 seconds left in the third quarter. Haithcock swished in a face-up jumper with 37 seconds remaining in the third to reach a dozen points in the game. Cincinnati took a 76-45 margin into the fourth period.

Haithcock went to work again to start the fourth period, getting a bucket in the paint to reach 14 points. The Bearcats responded with a 12-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to take an 88-47 lead. Southern Indiana answered with four points over the next couple of possessions, as Robbe was on the receiving end of a solid bounce pass from Haithcock preceding a made hook shot in the lane by Robbe.

Near the three-minute time stamp in the fourth, Screaming Eagles sophomore guard Aubrey Burgess (Linton, Indiana) drained a hook shot. Sophomore guard Takiya Howard (Chicago, Illinois) went 4-4 at the free-throw line late in the fourth quarter after attacking the basket, recording the final points of the day for USI.

For the game, Haithcock led the Screaming Eagles with 14 points on 6-11 shooting. Robbe was second on the day with nine points, hitting a pair of shots from the field and five attempts at the charity stripe.

USI went 20-52 from the floor for 38 percent and 15-19 for 79 percent at the line. Southern Indiana had 27 rebounds with 11 coming on the offensive glass.

Cincinnati was led by Jackson with 19 points on 7-10 shooting overall and four made triples. Three other players finished in double figures for Cincinnati. As a team, the Bearcats shot 30-60 for 50 percent from the field with nine made threes. Cincinnati pulled down 40 rebounds in the contest.

The Screaming Eagles will return home to Screaming Eagles Arena next Wednesday at 6 p.m. for a non-conference season finale against Brescia University (Ky.). The game will be Southern Indiana’s final tune-up before the start of the Ohio Valley Conference season on December 29.

Beacons Fend Off Phoenix for Home Victory on Sunday

The 3-point arc told the tale of the game’s outcome on Sunday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team made a season-most 10 triples while boasting a season best in terms of 3-point defense en route to a 71-66 victory over visiting Elon. Valpo built up an 18-point advantage before holding on for the triumph. 

How It Happened

The Beacons sprinted out to an 8-2 lead that included an early 3-pointer by Quinton Green (Columbus, Ohio / Homeschool [Cedarville]). The Phoenix responded to eventually tie the game at 14 on a made 3 with 12:49 to go in the half.

Elon took its first lead of the day on another 3 with 11:09 remaining of first-half time to make it 19-16, and a moment later the lead grew to five.

That’s when Valpo assembled a 10-point run capped off by a Kobe King (La Crosse, Wis. / La Crosse Central [Wisconsin]) traditional 3-point play to make it 26-21 in favor of the hosts.

Elon clawed back to within one at the 6:53 mark of the first half, but then a 13-0 Valpo run that started on a pair of Green 3s and finished with a pair of Connor Barrett (Chicago, Ill. / Loyola Academy) baskets enlarged the margin to 14 at 39-25.

Valpo took a 42-29 lead into the halftime locker room, and the edge reached 18 early in the second half.

The Beacons owned a 55-37 lead with 13:25 on the second-half clock, but a sudden 14-0 Elon burst made it a four-point game at 55-51 with 7:39 to go. Nick Edwards (Atlanta, Ga. / Grayson [Glenville State]) finally ended the scoring drought with a bucket at the 7:00 mark.

Edwards and King responded by helping Valpo lift the lead back to 12 with 2:12 to go. The Phoenix fought to within six with 53 second remaining, but Valpo raised the lead back to 11 with 36 ticks to go before Elon scored the game’s final six points. 

Inside the Game

King poured in a game-high 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 6-of-7 at the free-throw line. He was a perfect 5-of-5 from the floor in the opening half.

King scored in double figures for the 31st time in his 35 Valpo games and the 12th straight game to begin this season. He scored 15+ points for the 10th time in 12 games this year and 20+ for the fifth time this season.

Edwards celebrated the season of giving by handing out a season-high 13 assists, three shy of a single-game program record, which was set by John McIlvain on Jan. 13, 1983 at UIC.

Edwards became just the 10th player in the nation this season with 13 or more assists in a game.

The last Valpo player prior to Edwards with 12 or more assists in a game was Bryce Drew on Jan. 21, 1995 vs. Eastern Illinois. Edwards became the first Valpo player with 13 assists in a single contest since at least the start of the 1989-90 season.

Prior to this season, only one Valpo player (Deion Lavender twice) had a double-digit assist output in the last decade. Now, two Beacons have turned the trick this season as Edwards joins Darius DeAveiro (Nov. 13 vs. Western Michigan).

Edwards added five points, six rebounds and two steals. Jerome Palm (Almere, Netherlands / Echnaton [Hillsborough CC]) paced the team on the glass with seven rebounds to go along with three blocks, the first three-block game by a Beacon this season. 

Green tied a career high for made 3s in a game with five, the third time this season he has reached that number. He tallied 16 points and grabbed six boards.

Barrett went 4-of-5 from the field en route to a season-high 13 points, outdoing his previous season best of three. This marked Barrett’s first double figure scoring output since his freshman season – Jan. 28, 2021, a 14-point performance vs. Bradley.

Senior Ben Krikke (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada / Jasper Place]) scored seven points to crack the top 20 on Valpo’s all-time scoring list. He now ranks 20th in program history with 1,202 career points after surpassing Lance Barker (1991-95; 1,196) on Sunday.

The 10 made 3s were Valpo’s most of the season as the Beacons shot 40 percent or better from long distance for the third time this year. This was the squad’s first game with 10 or more made 3s since last season’s MVC Tournament victory over Evansville (10).

Elon made just three of its 27 3-point tries, good for just 11.1 percent. This was Valpo’s best game in terms of 3-point defense since Feb. 23 of last season vs. Drake (10 percent).

The Beacons shot a season-best 51 percent from the floor.

Valpo improved to 3-0 this season in games decided by five points or fewer while also improving its home record to 4-1.

Postgame Comments

Up Next

Valpo (5-7) will attempt to close out the nonconference portion of the season on a winning note as Stonehill comes to town on Wednesday at noon for the program’s annual Community Day at the ARC. Upper bleacher tickets are available for the discounted price of $5 and children ages 18 and under will be admitted free of charge. The first 400 fans through the turnstiles will receive a free Valpo Santa Hat as part of Christmas at the ARC.

Bailey Places Fifth, Eiteljorge Sixth at Day Two of Midwest Classic

INDIANAPOLIS – The 43rd Midwest Classic is at its conclusion after two rigorous days of competition. The No. 4-ranked University Indianapolis wrestling team brought home two placements among the field of over 400 wrestlers. No. 4-ranked Breyden Bailey, landed in fifth for 133, the team’s top finish for this year’s tournament. Jack Eiteljorge in 165 earned a sixth-place finish as well. The Greyhounds landed at 14th in the field of 43 schools.

INS & OUTS

Bailey, after falling in the quarterfinals of day 1, started out hot in the consolation bracket. He picked up a 6-4 decision win in the fourth round against soon to be GLVC-foe Upper Iowa’s Kaden Anderlik, who came into the day ranked No. 12. That was followed up by a major-decision victory in the fifth round.

He went onto battle No. 7 Eric Bartos of Mercyhurst in the consolation semis, fighting for a chance in the third-place match. A big lead in the first period off of two takedowns by Bartos was what hurt Bailey, with his Mercyhurst foe holding a 6-2 lead after the first. An escape in the second and third, alongside a takedown, were not enough for Bailey to reduce the deficit, eventually falling 11-6.

Bailey bounced back big in the fifth-place match. Despite allowing an early takedown, Bailey stayed composed, fighting back big in the third period. A massive takedown with only five seconds left was the dagger, giving Bailey a 7-6 lead that he would hold onto to place fifth.

Eiteljorge, after a dominant victory on day one to send him into the semifinals, was faced with No. 1 wrestler in the country at 165. A trio of escapes out of UW-Parkside’s Shane Gantz was the difference maker, sending Eiteljorge to the consolation bracket.

In the consolation bracket, Eiteljorge faced Cole Ritter of Maryville in the consolation semifinals, falling to a late third period pin, sending Eiteljorge to the fifth-place match against No. 7 John Riddle of Central Missouri. Despite grabbing an early takedown, Eiteljorge struggled to gain momentum, eventually falling 4-3 in a close match.

UP NEXT

The Greyhounds have a couple weeks off before they are right back into the tournaments, this time the NWCA National Duals in Louisville, Ken. They will also battle the Mat Mayhem Open at the same location with the start time set at 10 a.m.

Battle of Indiana on Tap for UIndy Men’s Hoops

Monday, Dec. 19, 4 p.m. ET
at Purdue Northwest Pride
Watch | Live Stats | Listen

The UIndy men’s basketball team visits in-state Purdue Northwest on Monday, looking to reach double-digit wins before the holiday break. It will be the inaugural game between the Greyhounds and Pride.

Jesse Bingham (15.3) and Kendrick Tchoua (11.7) are averaging double figures in the scoring column for UIndy. Tchoua, fresh off his third double-double of the season, tops the team in rebounding with 7.6 boards per game, while Jakobie Robinson leads the Hounds with 13 steals.

Fun fact: UIndy and Purdue Northwest are the only two NCAA DII members in the state of Indiana. 

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC 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

NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
x-Buffalo Bills	11	3	0	.786	0.0	385	250	6 – 1 – 0	5 – 2 – 0	8 – 2 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	5 W
xy-Kansas City Chiefs	11	3	0	.786	0.0	414	322	5 – 1 – 0	6 – 2 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	4 – 0 – 0	2 W
Cincinnati Bengals	10	4	0	.714	0.0	369	288	5 – 1 – 0	5 – 3 – 0	6 – 3 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	6 W
Tennessee Titans	7	7	0	.500	0.0	255	293	3 – 3 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	4 L
Baltimore Ravens	9	5	0	.643	0.0	304	263	4 – 2 – 0	5 – 3 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 L
Los Angeles Chargers	8	6	0	.571	0.0	312	340	4 – 3 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	2 W
Miami Dolphins	8	6	0	.571	0.0	345	344	5 – 1 – 0	3 – 5 – 0	6 – 4 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	3 L
New England Patriots	7	7	0	.500	1.0	300	269	3 – 3 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	5 – 4 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	1 L
New York Jets	7	7	0	.500	1.0	281	263	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	3 L
Jacksonville Jaguars	6	8	0	.429	2.0	334	328	4 – 3 – 0	2 – 5 – 0	5 – 4 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	2 W
Las Vegas Raiders	6	8	0	.429	2.0	338	337	4 – 2 – 0	2 – 6 – 0	5 – 5 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	1 W
Cleveland Browns	6	8	0	.429	2.0	313	326	4 – 3 – 0	2 – 5 – 0	4 – 7 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	1 W
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	8	0	.429	2.0	251	309	2 – 4 – 0	4 – 4 – 0	2 – 7 – 0	1 – 3 – 0	1 W
Indianapolis Colts	4	9	1	.321	3.5	245	337	2 – 4 – 0	2 – 5 – 1	4 – 5 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	4 L
Denver Broncos	4	10	0	.286	4.0	218	253	3 – 4 – 0	1 – 6 – 0	2 – 8 – 0	0 – 4 – 0	1 W
Houston Texans	1	12	1	.107	6.5	235	344	0 – 6 – 1	1 – 6 – 0	1 – 7 – 1	1 – 1 – 1	9 L
National Football Conference
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
x-Philadelphia Eagles	13	1	0	.929	0.0	411	268	6 – 1 – 0	7 – 0 – 0	8 – 1 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	5 W
xy-Minnesota Vikings	11	3	0	.786	0.0	351	349	7 – 1 – 0	4 – 2 – 0	6 – 3 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 W
xy-San Francisco 49ers	10	4	0	.714	0.0	338	210	6 – 1 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	8 – 2 – 0	5 – 0 – 0	7 W
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6	8	0	.429	0.0	247	288	4 – 4 – 0	2 – 4 – 0	6 – 3 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	2 L
x-Dallas Cowboys	10	4	0	.714	0.0	394	269	7 – 1 – 0	3 – 3 – 0	7 – 3 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 L
New York Giants	8	5	1	.607	0.0	287	312	4 – 3 – 1	4 – 2 – 0	4 – 5 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	1 W
Washington Commanders	7	6	1	.536	0.0	265	276	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 2 – 1	4 – 5 – 1	1 – 3 – 1	1 L
Seattle Seahawks	7	7	0	.500	1.5	355	355	3 – 4 – 0	4 – 3 – 0	5 – 6 – 0	3 – 2 – 0	2 L
Detroit Lions	7	7	0	.500	1.5	369	364	4 – 4 – 0	3 – 3 – 0	5 – 4 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	3 W
Green Bay Packers	5	8	0	.385	3.0	263	302	3 – 3 – 0	2 – 5 – 0	4 – 5 – 0	2 – 2 – 0	1 W
Carolina Panthers	5	9	0	.357	3.5	276	314	4 – 4 – 0	1 – 5 – 0	4 – 5 – 0	3 – 1 – 0	1 L
New Orleans Saints	5	9	0	.357	3.5	286	315	4 – 4 – 0	1 – 5 – 0	4 – 6 – 0	2 – 3 – 0	1 W
Atlanta Falcons	5	9	0	.357	3.5	306	333	4 – 3 – 0	1 – 6 – 0	4 – 6 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	3 L
Los Angeles Rams	4	9	0	.308	4.0	218	296	3 – 5 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	3 – 7 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	1 W
Arizona Cardinals	4	10	0	.286	4.5	292	372	1 – 7 – 0	3 – 3 – 0	3 – 6 – 0	1 – 4 – 0	4 L
Chicago Bears	3	11	0	.214	5.5	290	358	2 – 5 – 0	1 – 6 – 0	1 – 9 – 0	0 – 4 – 0	7 L

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Milwaukee	21	8	.724	—	14-3	7-5	4-1	11-4	7-3	1 W
2 Boston	22	9	.710	—	11-4	11-5	4-0	14-7	5-5	2 L
3 Cleveland	20	11	.645	2.0	14-2	6-9	4-2	14-5	7-3	3 W
4 Brooklyn	19	12	.613	3.0	10-5	9-7	5-2	15-6	9-1	6 W
5 Philadelphia	16	12	.571	4.5	11-5	5-7	2-3	11-8	7-3	4 W
6 New York	17	13	.567	4.5	7-7	10-6	1-2	12-6	8-2	7 W
7 Miami	16	15	.516	6.0	9-6	6-9	5-1	8-9	6-4	4 W
8 Atlanta	15	15	.500	6.5	9-5	6-10	3-3	11-11	4-6	1 W
9 Indiana	15	16	.484	7.0	9-7	6-9	1-2	10-8	3-7	2 L
10 Toronto	13	17	.433	8.5	10-6	3-11	1-6	9-12	2-8	5 L
11 Chicago	11	18	.379	10.0	7-7	4-11	2-1	9-9	3-7	4 L
12 Washington	11	20	.355	11.0	8-7	3-13	3-3	7-13	0-10	10 L
13 Orlando	11	20	.355	11.0	8-9	3-11	2-3	7-15	6-4	6 W
14 Detroit	8	24	.250	14.5	4-11	4-13	0-5	3-15	3-7	2 L
15 Charlotte	7	23	.233	14.5	4-11	3-12	3-6	4-17	1-9	8 L
Western Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Memphis	19	10	.655	—	13-2	6-8	3-2	8-7	8-2	1 L
2 New Orleans	18	11	.621	1.0	12-3	6-8	5-1	12-8	7-3	3 L
3 Denver	18	11	.621	1.0	9-3	9-8	6-2	14-7	6-4	1 W
4 Phoenix	18	12	.600	1.5	13-3	5-9	6-0	15-8	4-6	2 W
5 Sacramento	16	12	.571	2.5	8-4	8-8	3-4	5-6	6-4	2 W
6 Portland	17	13	.567	2.5	7-6	10-7	4-2	13-8	6-4	1 W
7 LA Clippers	18	14	.563	2.5	10-7	8-7	3-4	11-11	5-5	1 W
8 Utah	17	15	.531	3.5	11-5	6-10	3-4	15-9	5-5	1 L
9 Dallas	15	15	.500	4.5	12-5	3-10	1-2	10-5	5-5	1 L
10 Minnesota	15	15	.500	4.5	8-7	7-8	4-4	8-11	5-5	2 W
11 Golden State	15	16	.484	5.0	12-2	3-14	4-3	9-8	4-6	1 W
12 LA Lakers	13	16	.448	6.0	8-7	5-9	0-5	7-10	6-4	2 W
13 Oklahoma City	12	18	.400	7.5	7-7	5-11	1-6	6-11	4-6	1 W
14 San Antonio	9	20	.310	10.0	5-11	4-8	1-3	3-17	3-7	2 L
15 Houston	9	20	.310	10.0	6-7	3-13	1-3	5-15	4-6	2 L

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Boston Bruins	30	24	4	2	50	22	116	66	16-0-2	8-4-0	7-1-2
2 New Jersey Devils	31	21	8	2	44	21	107	77	10-7-1	11-1-1	4-4-2
3 Carolina Hurricanes	31	19	6	6	44	17	92	81	8-3-1	11-3-5	9-0-1
4 Toronto Maple Leafs	32	19	7	6	44	19	103	78	11-2-3	8-5-3	7-2-1
5 Tampa Bay Lightning	30	20	9	1	41	20	110	86	12-4-1	8-5-0	8-2-0
6 New York Rangers	33	18	10	5	41	17	109	90	7-6-4	11-4-1	8-1-1
7 Pittsburgh Penguins	31	18	9	4	40	17	108	89	9-3-2	9-6-2	7-2-1
8 New York Islanders	32	18	13	1	37	18	104	91	9-6-0	9-7-1	4-5-1
9 Washington Capitals	33	16	13	4	36	16	100	96	9-5-1	7-8-3	7-2-1
10 Florida Panthers	32	15	13	4	34	14	108	104	8-4-3	7-9-1	5-5-0
11 Detroit Red Wings	30	13	11	6	32	12	88	97	7-6-3	6-5-3	2-6-2
12 Buffalo Sabres	31	15	14	2	32	14	124	107	7-8-2	8-6-0	6-2-2
13 Ottawa Senators	31	14	15	2	30	14	97	98	8-8-0	6-7-2	6-3-1
14 Montreal Canadiens	31	14	15	2	30	10	89	110	7-9-0	7-6-2	3-6-1
15 Philadelphia Flyers	32	10	15	7	27	10	77	106	6-9-1	4-6-6	3-5-2
16 Columbus Blue Jackets	30	10	18	2	22	10	83	123	8-10-1	2-8-1	3-6-1
Western Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Vegas Golden Knights	33	22	10	1	45	20	110	91	8-8-0	14-2-1	6-4-0
2 Dallas Stars	32	18	8	6	42	18	116	90	9-3-3	9-5-3	6-2-2
3 Winnipeg Jets	31	20	10	1	41	20	103	80	11-5-0	9-5-1	6-4-0
4 Los Angeles Kings	34	17	12	5	39	14	112	122	8-5-2	9-7-3	5-3-2
5 Minnesota Wild	31	18	11	2	38	15	100	89	11-6-1	7-5-1	8-2-0
6 Seattle Kraken	30	17	10	3	37	17	103	96	8-6-2	9-4-1	5-5-0
7 Edmonton Oilers	32	17	14	1	35	17	115	110	9-8-1	8-6-0	5-4-1
8 Colorado Avalanche	29	16	11	2	34	14	90	81	7-5-2	9-6-0	4-5-1
9 Calgary Flames	32	14	12	6	34	13	97	100	10-6-2	4-6-4	4-3-3
10 St. Louis Blues	31	15	15	1	31	13	94	113	6-7-1	9-8-0	4-5-1
11 Vancouver Canucks	30	13	14	3	29	12	102	117	5-8-1	8-6-2	6-4-0
12 Nashville Predators	29	12	13	4	28	10	72	90	7-5-2	5-8-2	3-5-2
13 San Jose Sharks	33	10	17	6	26	9	100	120	3-9-5	7-8-1	3-4-3
14 Arizona Coyotes	29	10	15	4	24	10	81	108	4-3-1	6-12-3	3-6-1
15 Anaheim Ducks	32	9	20	3	21	7	79	135	5-7-0	4-13-3	3-5-2
16 Chicago Blackhawks	30	7	19	4	18	7	68	116	4-11-2	3-8-2	1-9-0

FOOTBALL HISTORY

December 19, 1926 – National Football League Championship Game of 1926: With an outstanding 14-1-2 record the Frankford Yellow Jackets claimed the title. The Best record at the end of the season determined the NFL Champs in the first dozen years of the fledgling League. The Frankford franchise dates back to 1899 where after a couple of decades the Jackets became one of the premier independent gridiron squads in the nation. Frankford officially joined the NFL in 1924 and went on to post a respectable 11-2-1 record that initial season according to a Penn State Research article. The 1926 season though was a tough one as Pennsylvania law prohibited games on Sundays so the Yellow Jackets would often play games on back to back days, home on Saturdays then away on Sunday. The signing of Guy Chamberlain, who was with the Canton Bulldogs, as the player coach in 1925 made a world of difference for the Jackets. Guy led the Frankford eleven to a 12-1-1 record heading into the most important game of the season versus the undefeated Chicago Bears and their star player Red Grange. Philadelphia’s press was calling this the game for the NFL Title even though each team would still have two other games remaining on their respective schedules. More than the first half of the game was a defensive stalemate. Chicago finally broke the scoreless tie with a touchdown in the third quarter, but Guy Chamberlain managed to block the Bear’s extra point. The Yellow Jackets drove the field with little time remaining but faced a critical fourth down and three deep in Bear territory. There was only one choice and that was to go for it! On this vital play, Houston Stockton completed a touchdown pass to “Two Bits” Homan to tie it up on the scoreboard. Frakford made the extra point kick andthe Jacket victory put them alone atop the NFL standings. Frankford would win their last two while the Bears tied the Packers and beat Pottsvilles for second place. Unbelievably Frankford’s 14 victories in that 1926 season remained an NFL record for 58 years when finally broken by the 1984 San Francisco 49ers who achieved a 15 win season.

December 19, 1927 – The New York Giants with a stellar 11-1-1 record earned the 1927 NFL Championship. It was the third year in the League for the Giants and was the franchise’s very first NFL Title. According to the Bleacher Report the Giants shut out 10 of their opponents and allowed only three touchdowns being scored against them in a scoring delta of 197-20 for the sum total of their games in the season.

December 19, 1947 – Fort Pitt Hotel, Pittsburgh, PA – The Washington Redskins chose Harry Gilmer from University of Alabama with the first pick of the 1948 NFL Draft. Gilmer had a nice 9 year career with the Redskins and later with the Detroit Lions. Players picked later in the draft though that arguably had more productive careers were Bobby Layne picked third and Y.A. Tittle at pick number 6 per the American Football Database. The Redskins also had the fourth pick in this draft where they grabbed Gilmer’s Crimson Tide backfield mate Lowell Tew.

December 19, 1948 – Cleveland Municipal Stadium – Cleveland Browns demolished the Buffalo Bills 49-7 in 1948 AAFC championship game according to the Pro-Football-Reference.

December 19, 1948 – Shribe Park, Philadelphia – It is interesting that the AAFC decided to put their title game on the very same day as the NFL’s. Yes the 1948 NFL Championship Game also kicked off on this day as the Chicago Cardinals faced the Philadelphia Eagles. According to the PFRA ‘s Ken Crippen who put together a really nice article on the game the temperature at kick off was a frigid 27 degrees. Field maintenance workers had to remove almost 5 inches of snow off of the tarp that covered the field surface but strong winds and heavy snow kept falling throughout the contest forcing the stadium light to remain on during the whole contest of the day game. The snow was so bad, Crippen wrote that members of the officiating crew were assigned to guess where the goal line was and two others to guess where the sidelines were. Trust me as an official who worked on a grass field during a snowstorm it is not a pleasant experience to find white lines in the white snow! The game itself was pretty much dominated by the defenses as the only scoring came in the third quarter when Cardinal Ray Moulof fumbled the ball at his own 17 yard line and the Eagles pounced on it. A few plays later Philly’s Steve Van Buren carried the ball over the goal line. At the end it was the Philadelphia Eagles blanking the Chicago Cardinals, 7-0 in “the Philly Blizzard.”

We invite you to learn more and even join the awesome organization of the Pro Football Researchers Association. To find out all about it and how you can get their periodical on pro football history, “The Coffin Corner” click this link, PFRA.

December 19, 1976 – A Piper Cherokee airplane crashed into the Baltimore Memorial Stadium upper deck of the stands just minutes after the Colts and the Steelers got done playing an NFL game there. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt although Baltimore police officer Joe Sacco was hit by the aircraft according to the statter911.com website. In the game that was just completed by the way the Colts lost 40-14 to the Steelers.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR DECEMBER 19

December 19, 1909 – Seattle, Washington – Notre Dame guard Frank “Nordy” Hoffman was born. His bio on the NFF website states that in 1931 the Associated Press and Liberty Magazine named him to their All-America teams. The National Football Foundation selected Nordy Hoffman to enter into their College Football Hall of Fame in 1978.

December 19, 1926 – Santa Anna, Texas – Bobby Layne the legendary University of Texas quarterback celebrated his birth. The National Football Foundation says Bobby was not what one would call a great runner nor a classic passer but what he did out of the T-formation was remarkable. In 1945 Layne missed part of the season serving in the Merchant marine but returned near season’s end to help the Longhorns reach the Cotton Bowl and he completed 11 of 12 passes and was part of all six Texas touchdowns as his team blew out Missouri, 40-27. By the time Layne had finished his college career he was an All America and had set 11 school records on the gridiron. Bobby Layne found his way along inside the College Football Hall of Fame in 1968. Layne then went to the National Football League and continued a record- setting career with Detroit and Pittsburgh. As a Lion he threw a clutch last second pass to help Detroit win the 1953 NFL Championship game. During his 15 year NFL career Bobby had two seasons where he was voted as First-Team All-NFL, four other seasons as a Second Team All-NFL and claimed the 1956 NFL scoring title. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Bobby Layne in 1967.

December 19, 1961 – Chattanooga, Tennessee – The awesome University of Tennessee Defensive End, Reggie White shined into this world. The footballfoundation.org website states that many people called Reggie many things, “ The Minister of Defense” while some opponents called him “a nightmare.” As a member of the Vols defense he set records such as getting 4 sacks in one game, 15 on the season and 32 in his career. White was a unanimous All-America and held SEC Defensive MVP honors as well as being a finalist for the Lombardi Award. The National Football Foundation selected Reggie White to enter into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. After his collegiate career Reggie White signed with the USFL’s Memphis Showboats where he played for two seasons before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL. During his 13-year career with the Eagles and Packers, he was NFL Rookie of the Year, an 11-time Pro Bowl performer, and a member of a Super Bowl winning team. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Reggie White in 2006.

December 19, 1964 – Phoenix, Arizona – Arizona State’s great guard Randall McDaniel was born. Randall was a two time All-America on the Sun Devil’s offensive line and helped the team go to three bowl games while on the team including the school’s first appearance in the Rose Bowl in 1987. The NFF voted Randall McDaniel into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008. McDaniel played for 15 seasons in the NFL both with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Bucs and earned 12 trips to the Pro Bowl. In 1996 Randall received the honor of being named the NFL/True Value Man of the Year for his charity work. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined Randall McDaniel in 2009.

December 19,1972 – Orlando, Florida – Warren Sapp the University of Miami’s great Defensive Tackle. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used the 12th pick in the 1995 NFL Draft to choose Warren to play for their team. Sapp was the 1999 Defensive Player of the Years, made All-Pro four times and played in 7 Pro Bowls. With the Bucs he won Super Bowl XXXVII against the Raiders where he registered a sack, two tackles and two passes defensed. Warren played 13 seasons in the NFL and registered 96.5 sacks in his career. He played the last four seasons of his brilliant career as a member of the Raiders. Warren Sapp was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

December 19, 1974 – Boise, Idaho – The quarterback from Arizona State University, Jake Plummer celebrates his birth. The NFF says Jake was a first Team All-American in 1996, and that “Jake the Snake” finished third for the Heisman Trophy after leading Arizona State to an 11-1 season. Jake Plummer found his entry into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

December 19, 1978 – Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania – The great University of Miami Hurricane linebacker, Dan Morgan was born. The NFF voters inducted Dan Morgan into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

BASEBALL HISTORY

1928       The Senators trade their player-manager Bucky Harris to the Tigers for infielder Jack Warner. The future Hall of Famer will replace George Moriarity (68-86, 6th place) as the Motor City skipper.

1936       The Braves purchase Eddie Mayo from the Giants. The 26-year-old infielder will see limited playing time during his two seasons in Boston, hitting just .216, but will become a productive war-time player for the Tigers, being named the Most Valuable Player by The Sporting News in 1945.

1954       Wally Moon (.304, 12, 106) becomes the first Cardinal player selected by the BBWAA as the National League’s Rookie of the Year. The 24-year-old center fielder, who replaced Enos Slaughter in the St. Louis outfield, gets 17 of the 24 writers’ votes, with runners-up including future Hall of Famers Ernie Banks (4) and Hank Aaron (1).

1976       A single-engine Piper Cherokee plane crashes into the upper deck of Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, home of the Orioles, injuring the pilot, arrested for violating air safety regulations, and three others. Minutes before the mishap, the plane had buzzed the stadium during the final moments of the Steelers playoff 40-14 victory over the Colts.

1986       A judge fines Michael Sergio $500 and sentences him to 100 hours of community service for criminal trespassing after prosecutors drop the more serious charge of reckless endangerment for parachuting into Shea Stadium during the first inning of Game 6 of the World Series. In May, however, the 37-year-old actor and Mets fan will be sentenced to six months in a federal jail for contempt of court when he refuses to reveal the pilot’s name who flew the plane from which he skydived.

1990       At a press conference, Tiger management and WJR announce 1991 will be popular play-by-play announcer Ernie Harwell’s 32nd and final season in the broadcast booth. The dismissal of the broadcaster starts a furor among fans, including a threatened boycott of club owner Tom Monaghan’s Domino’s Pizza business and the rise of the slogan, “Say It Ain’t So, Bo,” appearing on bumper stickers and T-shirts, a reference to Bo Schembechler, the team president.

1991       The Blue Jays sign free-agent veteran Dave Winfield to be their designated hitter, a role the former Angel nicely fills when he hits .290 with 26 home runs along with 108 RBIs. The veteran, who will become a fan favorite, provides leadership and experience en route to the team’s first world championship.

1991       The Orioles sign former 1984 Cy Young Award winner Rick Sutcliffe (6-5, 4.10) as a free agent after the Cubs declined to offer him a contract due to recurring arm problems. During his two seasons with the Birds, the right-hander will compile a 26-25 record for the club and becomes Baltimore’s starter in the team’s first game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

2001       Several hours before a midnight deadline, Barry Bonds accepts the Giants’ offer of salary arbitration. San Francisco’s decision to go to arbitration avoids a bidding war for their franchise player, and this season’s National League MVP will be likely worth at least $20 million for one year of service.

2001       Free agent Moises Alou (.331, 27, 108) signs a $27 million, three-year deal with the Cubs. The former Astro All-Star’s presence in the Chicago lineup, along with Fred McGriff and Sammy Sosa, will give the team a fearsome 3-4-5 threesome.

2002       Japan’s most heralded player, 28-year-old outfield slugger Hideki Matsui (.334, 50, 107) reaches a preliminary agreement with the Yankees on a $21 million, three-year contract. ‘Godzilla,’ the three-time Most Valuable Player of Japan’s Central League, rejected the Yomiuri Giants’ $33 million, four-year offer, opting to play for Bronx Bombers.

2003       Agreeing to a $6 million, two-year contract with the Angels, Jose Guillen (.311, 31, 86) will become the team’s right fielder next season. The deal allows Tim Salmon to become Anaheim’s full-time designated hitter.

2003       Kevin Millwood agrees to the Phillies’ surprise offer of salary arbitration. The All-Star hurler will anchor an outstanding rotation that includes Randy Wolf, Vicente Padilla, Eric Milton, and Brett Myers.

2003       Gary Deporter, the managing partner of the late broadcaster Harry Caray’s area restaurants, submits the winning bid of $106,600 to obtain the foul ball that Steve Bartman deflected, which kept the Cubs from getting a much-needed out during Game 6 of the NLCS. Plans call for the ball’s destruction as an act of exorcism during a worldwide toast to Harry on his birthday, February 26th.

2006       The Yankees purchase left-handed pitcher Kei Igawa from the Hanshin Tigers for a $26 million posting fee, signing the Eiji Sawamura Award winner to a five-year deal worth another $20 million. The deal, prompted by Boston’s signing of Daisuke Matsuzaka, will prove to be disastrous for the Bronx Bombers when the 27-year-old southpaw compiles a 2-4 record in 14 starts along with an ERA of 6.66 over two seasons.

2007       “If he doesn’t do that then there aren’t many options as a fan for me other than to believe his career 192 wins and three Cy Youngs he won prior to 1997 were the end. From that point on the numbers were attained through using (performance-enhancing drugs). Just like I stated about Jose (Canseco), if that is the case with Roger, the four Cy Youngs should go to the rightful winners, and the numbers should go away if he cannot refute the accusations.” – CURT SCHILLING, urging Roger Clemens to renounce the final four of seven CYAs if obtained with PED assistance. With a 3,200-word post on his 38pitches.com blog, Curt Schilling urges Roger Clemens to give up the four Cy Young Awards won after 1997, the alleged period after he started taking performance-enhancing substances if the right-hander is unable to clear his name. The veteran Red Sox hurler acknowledged the help the 354-game winner gave him as a young pitcher but wanted to stay consistent, noting he previously urged Jose Canseco to forfeit the 1988 AL MVP award due to the slugger’s use of steroids.

2008       The Dodgers confirmed they have inked their current shortstop, Rafael Furcal, to a three-year deal believed to be worth $33 million. Braves president John Schuerholz thought he had an agreement in place to sign the 31-year-old infielder earlier in the week, described the negotiation for the free agent as dishonest, and said his team would never again deal with the Wasserman Media Group.

2008       The Marlins come to terms with Josh Johnson, projected to be their No. 1 starter next season. The right-hander, who returned from elbow surgery in midseason to compile a 7-1 record for the third-place Fish, agrees to a one-year, $1.4 million deal, including incentives for the number of games started in 2009.

2008       Agreeing to stay in Anaheim, Juan Rivera (.246, 12, 45) agrees to a $12.7 million, three-year deal to roam the Angels’ outfield. The 30-year-old Venezuelan, who was the team’s best pinch-hitter, going 5-for-14, including two game-winning hits, could also be used as the club’s designated hitter.

2009       Scott Rolen agrees to a two-year contract extension to stay with the Reds, a team he was dealt to in July by Toronto for third baseman Edwin Encarnacion along with pitchers Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart. The seven-time Gold Glove winner appeared in only 40 games for Cincinnati, having his playing time diminished after getting hit in the head by a Jason Marquis fastball shortly after the trade.

2010       The Brewers obtain 27-year-old right-handed starter Zack Greinke, shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, and cash considerations from the Royals in exchange for shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain, and pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress. The acquisition of the 2009 American League Cy Young winner bolsters an already strong Milwaukee rotation that includes Shaun Marcum, a recent addition from Toronto in a deal that sent second-base prospect Brett Lawrie to the Blue Jays.

2011       After offering a reported posting fee of $51.7 million, the Rangers win the rights to negotiate exclusively with Yu Darvish, the 25-year-old right-hander Japanese pitching ace of the Nippon Ham Fighters. Texas now has thirty days to sign the two-time MVP, who posted a 93-38 record along with a 1.99 earned run average during his seven seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball Pacific League.

2011       The Phillies finalize a $33 million, three-year deal with Jimmy Rollins (.268, 16, 63), including a vesting option for 2015 at $11 million. The 33-year-old shortstop has been an integral part of Philadelphia’s recent success of winning five consecutive NL East titles and the 2008 world championship.

2011       The Diamondbacks and free-agent Jason Kubel agree on a two-year deal worth a reported $15 million. Arizona expects the former long-time Minnesota outfielder to add more punch to the reigning NL champs’ offense.

2014       The Rays complete a three-team, 11-player trade that sends outfielder Wil Myers, backstop Ryan Hanigan, and minor league prospects LHP Jose Castillo and RHP Gerardo Reyes to the Padres for catcher Rene Rivera, right-hander Burch Smith, and minor-league first baseman Jake Bauers. Tampa Bay also acquires outfielder Steven Souza and LHP prospect Travis Ott from the Nationals, who received RHP farmhand Joe Ross and a player to be named later, reported to be minor-league shortstop Trea Turner from San Diego.

SPORTS IN NUMBERS

52 – 9 – 99 – 13 – 33 – 10 – 21 – 7 – 13

December 19, 1904 – Dawson City Nuggets hockey team’s challenge to Lord Stanley’s Cup in the midst of the 1904 season was accepted by the Ottawa Silver Seven, the defending champs. Back prior to the 1926 seasons Cup control of the NHL, any hockey club in Canada could challenge for the trophy. The thing was that Dawson City was located in the middle of the Yukon Territory of the Klondike, some 4000 miles away from Ottawa. It was on this December 19, frigid Klondike day that the team began its legenday 9-day trek to Seattle to catch a train to Ottawa to play in Stanley Cup on January 13, 1905. To get to the Ottawa ice, the Nuggets had to travel by bicycle, dog sled, dingy railroad coach, boat and, the last vehicle mode; the transcontinental rail. The travel ended with the Silver Seven besting the Nuggets, finishing with a 23-2 embarassing loss by Dawson City. They did however play 23 exhibition games onthe return ride home winning 13 of them.

December 19, 1917 – 1st NHL game played on artificial ice in Toronto

December 19, 1917 – Quebec Bulldogs play their 1st professional hockey game

December 19, 1947 – 1948 NFL Draft: Harry Gilmer, Number 52 from University of Alabama first pick by Washington Redskins

December 19, 1974 – Number 9, Dave Kryskow scored the Washington Capitals 1st NHL shorthanded goal

December 19, 1984 – Edmonton’s Number 99, Wayne Gretzky, at 23 years old, became 18th and youngest NHL skater to score 1,000 points

December 19, 1987 – NHL Boston Bruins Number 13, Ken Linseman and St. Louis Blues Number 9, Doug Gilmour set a record for the fastest two goals in league history, scoring 2 seconds apart

December 19, 1989 – Boston Celtics legendary star Number 33, Larry Bird began a NBA free throw streak of 71 games

December 19, 2000 – Ballon d’Or: Real Madrid’s Portuguese midfielder Number 10, Luís Figo was named as the best soccer player in Europe ahead of Juventus midfielder Number 21, Zinedine Zidane and Milan striker Number 7, Andriy Shevchenko

December 19, 2010 – “Miracle at the New Meadowlands”, Philadelphia Eagles trail New York Giants by 21 points with eight minutes to play, before scoring 4 touchdowns in final 7 minutes, including dramatic walk-off punt returned for a touchdown by Number 10, DeSean Jackson

December 19, 2018 – Houston Rockets set NBA single-game record with 26 three-pointers in 136-118 victory over Washington Wizards; 8 players hit from deep as Rockets shoot 26-of-55 (47.3%); Number 13, James Harden led scoring surge, shooting 6-of-11 from beyond the 3 point arc.

TV MONDAY

COLLEGE BASKETBALL – MEN’S	TIME ET	TV
BOB JONES AT GARDNER-WEBB	11:00AM	ESPN+
CAL STATE LOS ANGELES AT PEPPERDINE	4:00PM	WCC
IUPUI VS. SOUTHERN INDIANA	4:00PM	ESPN+
GRAMBLING STATE AT LIBERTY	7:00PM	ESPN+
A&M-COMMERCE AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE	7:00PM	ESPN+
ANDERSON AT FURMAN	7:00PM	ESPN+
DELAWARE AT RIDER	7:00PM	ESPN+
ALLEN AT PRESBYTERIAN	7:00PM	ESPN+
DAVIS & ELKINS AT NORTH FLORIDA	7:00PM	ESPN+
CROWLEY’S RIDGE AT UT MARTIN	7:00PM	ESPN+
GLENVILLE STATE AT MARSHALL	7:00PM	ESPN+
MANHATTAN AT MARIST	7:00PM	ESPN+
MAINE AT AKRON	7:00PM	ESPN+
HOLY CROSS AT NEW HAMPSHIRE	7:00PM	ESPN+
ST. BONAVENTURE AT SIENA	7:00PM	ESPN+
HOFSTRA AT SOUTH FLORIDA	7:00PM	ESPN+
SACRED HEART AT SAINT JOSEPH’S	7:00PM	ESPN+
CHARLESTON AT COASTAL CAROLINA	7:30PM	ESPN+
NORTH AMERICAN AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN	7:30PM	ESPN+
DILLARD AT NEW ORLEANS	8:00PM	ESPN+
ALABAMA STATE AT ARKANSAS STATE	8:00PM	ESPN+
STONEHILL AT BRADLEY	8:00PM	ESPN+
CHICAGO STATE AT ILLINOIS STATE	8:00PM	ESPN+
JARVIS CHRISTIAN AT RICE	8:00PM	CUSATV
SPRING HILL AT SOUTH ALABAMA	8:00PM	ESPN+
DENVER AT OMAHA	8:00PM	–
NORTH DAKOTA AT ST. THOMAS	8:00PM	–
SOUTH DAKOTA AT KANSAS CITY	8:00PM	–
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT ORAL ROBERTS	8:00PM	–
WEBER STATE AT UTAH STATE	9:00PM	MWN
WESTMONT AT UTAH TECH	9:00PM	ESPN+
UTA AT SAN FRANCISCO	10:00PM	WCC
IDAHO AT CSUN	10:00PM	ESPN+
LIFE PACIFIC AT LONG BEACH STATE	10:00PM	ESPN+
SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN AT CAL STATE FULLERTON	10:00PM	ESPN+
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
MYRTLE BEACH BOWL: MARSHALL VS. UCONN	2:30PM	ESPN
NBA	TIME ET	TV
UTAH AT CLEVELAND	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS ATTSN-RM
TORONTO AT PHILADELPHIA	7:00PM	SPORTSNET NBCS-PHI
ORLANDO AT ATLANTA	7:30PM	BALLY SPORTS
SAN ANTONIO AT HOUSTON	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS ATTSN-SW
DALLAS AT MINNESOTA	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
MILWAUKEE AT NEW ORLEANS	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
PORTLAND AT OKLAHOMA CITY	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
LA LAKERS AT PHOENIX	9:00PM	NBATV BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
CHARLOTTE AT SACRAMENTO	10:00PM	BALLY SPORTS NBCS-CA
NFL	TIME ET	TV
LA RAMS AT GREEN BAY	8:15PM	ABC ESPN
NHL	TIME ET	TV
DALLAS AT COLUMBUS	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
DETROIT AT WASHINGTON	75:00PM	NBCS-WSH BALLY SPORTS
FLORIDA AT BOSTON	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS NESN
EDMONTON AT NASHVILLE	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
NY ISLANDERS AT COLORADO	9:00PM	MSGSN ALT
BUFFALO AT VEGAS	10:00PM	MSG-BUF ATTSN-RM
MONTREAL AT ARIZONA	10:00PM	SPORTSNET BALLY SPORTS
ST. LOUIS AT VANCOUVER	10:30PM	BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP: WIGAN ATHLETIC VS SHEFFIELD UNITED	3:00PM	ESPN+
COPA POR MEXICO: AMÉRICA VS TOLUCA	8:00PM	UNIVISION TUDN
COPA POR MEXICO: GUADALAJARA VS SANTOS LAGUNA	10:00PM	UNIVISION TUDN

TV TUESDAY

COLLEGE BASKETBALL – MEN’S	TIME ET	TV
JACKSONVILLE AT ULM	1:00PM	ESPN+
WOFFORD AT TEXAS A&M	2:00PM	ESPN+
TOLEDO AT VERMONT	2:00PM	ESPN+
UALBANY AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS	2:00PM	ESPN+
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT LONGWOOD	2:00PM	ESPN+
TOCCOA FALLS AT WESTERN CAROLINA	2:00PM	ESPN+
NORTH ALABAMA AT OLE MISS	3:00PM	ESPN+
A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI AT OKLAHOMA STATE	3:00PM	ESPN+
BRESCIA (KY) AT TENNESSEE STATE	3:00PM	ESPN+
IUPUI VS. A&M-COMMERCE	4:00PM	ESPN+
SOUTHERN INDIANA AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE	5:00PM	ESPN+
LEHIGH AT CORNELL	5:00PM	ESPN+
ARLINGTON BAPTIST AT SAM HOUSTON	5:30PM	ESPN+
LIPSCOMB AT LOUISVILLE	6:00PM	ESPN+
GEORGETOWN AT UCONN	6:30PM	FS1
DUKE AT WAKE FOREST	6:30PM	ACCN
NORTHWEST INDIAN AT EASTERN WASHINGTON	6:30PM	ESPN+
JACKSON STATE AT ALABAMA	7:00PM	SECN
ELON AT INDIANA	7:00PM	BTN
MARQUETTE AT PROVIDENCE	7:00PM	CBSSN
DARTMOUTH AT UMASS	7:00PM	ESPN+
ALCORN STATE AT DAYTON	7:00PM	ESPN+
ARMY WEST POINT AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT	7:00PM	NEC
MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE AT TEMPLE	7:00PM	ESPN+
KENTUCKY CHRISTIAN AT TENNESSEE TECH	7:00PM	ESPN+
USC UPSTATE AT KENNESAW STATE	7:00PM	ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL	7:00PM	–
CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK	7:30PM	ESPN+
QUEENS AT NEBRASKA	7:30PM	BTN+
AIR FORCE AT NORTHERN COLORADO	8:00PM	ESPN+
NORTHWESTERN STATE AT BAYLOR	8:00PM	ESPN+
PACIFIC AT LAMAR	8:00PM	ESPN+
SETON HALL AT XAVIER	8:30PM	FS1
VIRGINIA AT MIAMI (FL)	8:30PM	ACCN
MONTANA STATE AT ARIZONA	8:30PM	PAC12
UIC AT NORTHWESTERN	9:00PM	BTN
PITT AT SYRACUSE	9:00PM	ESPNU
LINDENWOOD AT BYU	9:00PM	BYUTV
MONTANA AT GONZAGA	9:00PM	WCC
IDAHO STATE AT GRAND CANYON	9:00PM	ESPN+
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT NEW MEXICO	9:00PM	MWN
FLORIDA VS. OKLAHOMA	9:30PM	ESPN2
CAL POLY AT SAN JOSE STATE	10:00PM	MWN
SAN DIEGO AT UC RIVERSIDE	10:00PM	ESPN+
HARVARD AT UC IRVINE	10:00PM	ESPN+
FRESNO STATE AT CSU BAKERSFIELD	10:00PM	ESPN+
UC SAN DIEGO AT SAN DIEGO STATE	10:30PM	FS1
UTAH VALLEY AT OREGON	10:30PM	PAC12
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
FAMOUS IDAHO POTATO BOWL: EASTERN MICHIGAN VS. SAN JOSE STATE	3:30PM	ESPN
BOCA RATON BOWL: LIBERTY VS. TOLEDO	7:30PM	ESPN
NBA	TIME ET	TV
UTAH AT DETROIT	7:00PM	ATTSN-RM BALLY SPORTS
GOLDEN STATE AT NEW YORK	7:30PM	TNT
CHICAGO AT MIAMI	7:30PM	BALLY SPORTS NBCS-CHI
WASHINGTON AT PHOENIX	9:00PM	NBCS-WSH BALLY SPORTS
MEMPHIS AT DENVER	10:00PM	TNT
NHL	TIME ET	TV
COLUMBUS AT PHILADELPHIA	7:00PM	NBCS-PHI BALLY SPORTS
NY RANGERS AT PITTSBURGH	7:00PM	MSG ATTSN-PIT
NEW JERSEY AT CAROLINA	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS MSGSN
TAMPA BAY AT TORONTO	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS SPORTSNET
OTTAWA AT WINNIPEG	8:00PM	SPORTSNET
ST. LOUIS AT SEATTLE	10:00PM	BALLY SPORTS ROOT SPORTS
ANAHEIM AT LOS ANGELES	10:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
CALGARY AT SAN JOSE	10:30PM	SPORTSNET NBCS-CA
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
COPA DEL REY: DIOCESANO VS GETAFE	1:00PM	ESPN+
COPA DEL REY: CD GUADALAJARA VS ELCHE	1:00PM	ESPN+
ENGLAND LEAGUE CUP: MILTON KEYNES DONS VS LEICESTER CITY	2:45PM	ESPN+
ENGLAND LEAGUE CUP: NEWCASTLE UNITED VS AFC BOURNEMOUTH	2:45PM	ESPN+
ENGLAND LEAGUE CUP: WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS VS GILLINGHAM	2:45PM	ESPN+
ENGLAND LEAGUE CUP: SOUTHAMPTON VS LINCOLN CITY	2:45PM	ESPN+
COPA DEL REY: REAL UNIÓN VS MALLORCA	3:00PM	ESPN+
COPA DEL REY: GUIJUELO VS VILLARREAL	3:00PM	ESPN+
COPA DEL REY: SESTAO RIVER VS ATHLETIC CLUB	3:00PM	ESPN+
COPA DEL REY: ATLÉTICO PASO VS ESPANYOL	4:00PM	ESPN+
COPA POR MEXICO: PUMAS UNAM VS NECAXA	8:00PM	TUDN
COPA POR MEXICO: ATLAS VS MAZATLÁN	10:00PM	TUDN