THE INDIANA SRN SPORTSPAGE SATURDAY JANUARY 14, 2023

INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL

Alexandria	44	Elwood	23
Anderson	73	Lafayette Jeff	63
Argos	54	Oregon-Davis	33
Bedford North Lawrence	68	Mitchell	24
Benton Central	41	Lafayette Central Catholic	39
Bethesda Christian	79	Indianapolis International	19
Bloomington North	71	Martinsville	60
Bloomington South	64	Columbus East	54
Blue River	78	Randolph Southern	69
Boone Grove	69	South Central (Union Mills)	66	OT
Borden	61	Austin	45
Brownsburg	57	Fishers	51
Calumet Christian	61	Lighthouse CPA	60	OT
Carroll (Fort Wayne)	82	Fort Wayne Luers	55
Cascade	47	Cloverdale	39
Castle	78	Hopkinsville (Ky.)	62
Charlestown	71	Perry Central	43
Chesterton	51	LaPorte	41
Christel House Manual	69	Purdue Poly Englewood	60
Christian Academy	50	Lanesville	40
Christian County (Ky.)	69	Evansville Central	55
Clay City	52	Eastern Greene	21
Clinton Prairie	72	Carroll (Flora)	66
Columbia City	44	Huntington North	34
Columbus North	58	Mooresville	53
Concord	44	Plymouth	41
Corydon Central	60	Clarksville	52
Covington	55	Parke Heritage	50
Crown Point	63	Merrillville	46
Culver Academy	67	Marquette Catholic	50
Danville	64	North Montgomery	34
DeKalb	52	East Noble	51	OT
Eastern (Greentown)	41	Delphi	32
Eastern (Pekin)	39	North Harrison	38
Eastern Hancock	72	Union County	29
Edgewood	52	Owen Valley	49
Elkhart	59	Bremen	39
Evansville Christian	75	Springfield Southeast (Ill.)	61
Evansville Harrison	64	Rock Creek Academy	38
Evansville Memorial	75	Evansville Mater Dei	52
Evansville North	62	Vincennes Lincoln	48
Fort Wayne Canterbury	49	Lakewood Park	34
Fort Wayne Concordia	61	Fort Wayne South	55
Fort Wayne North	74	Fort Wayne Northrop	73
Fort Wayne Wayne	61	Fort Wayne Dwenger	43
Fountain Central	69	South Vermillion	67
Frankfort	54	Western Boone	44
Frontier	65	North White	31
Gary 21st Century	64	Indianapolis HomeSchool	62
Goshen	51	Warsaw	48
Greenfield-Central	73	New Castle	48
Guerin Catholic	51	Covenant Christian	42
Hammond Central	82	Hammond Morton	28
Hammond Noll	67	River Forest	46
Hanover Central	66	Griffith	46
Hebron	49	Westville	41
Henryville	77	New Washington	46
Homestead	50	Fort Wayne Snider	40
Indianapolis Attucks	82	Indiana Math & Science	48
Indianapolis Lutheran	57	Indianapolis Scecina	46
Indianapolis Shortridge	74	Indianapolis Washington	62
Jeffersonville	63	Floyd Central	58
Knox	54	LaVille	50
Kokomo	74	Harrison (West Lafayette)	53
Kouts	37	Washington Twp.	20
Lake Station	76	Calumet	27
Lapel	60	Hamilton Heights	54
Lawrenceburg	54	Madison	37
Lebanon	63	Tri-West	51
Lewis Cass	56	Pioneer	42
Liberty Christian	61	Seton Catholic	53
Linton-Stockton	42	Bloomfield	41
Logansport	62	McCutcheon	56
Loogootee	44	Barr-Reeve	36
Madison-Grant	53	Frankton	47
Manchester	71	Wabash	60
Marion	80	Indianapolis Tech	70
Michigan City	63	Valparaiso	54
Milford (Ill.)	70	South Newton	42
Mishawaka	69	Wawasee	43
Monroe Central	36	Shenandoah	28
Morgan Twp.	67	Tri-Twp.	27
Mount Vernon (Fortville)	59	Avon	47
Mount Vernon (Posey)	58	Southridge	55
New Haven	56	Leo	55
Noblesville	37	Zionsville	35
North Central (Farmersburg)	37	Paris (Ill.)	36
North Daviess	81	Shakamak	55
North Decatur	52	South Decatur	39
North Judson	63	Winamac	42
North Newton	43	Faith Christian	36
North Posey	62	Tecumseh	57
North Putnam	51	Greencastle	46
NorthWood	51	Northridge	46
Northfield	56	North Miami	42
Norwell	69	Bellmont	54
Oak Hill	73	Eastbrook	37
Orleans	56	Crawford County	23
Paoli	60	Northeast Dubois	51
Penn	94	Jimtown	40
Peru	74	Maconaquah	72
Pike Central	72	Heritage Hills	70	3OT
Plainfield	77	Monrovia	41
Portage	65	Lake Central	43
Princeton	45	Gibson Southern	43
Rensselaer Central	46	West Lafayette	43
Richmond	46	Muncie Central	41
Rising Sun	56	Milan	54
Riverton Parke	83	Attica	14
Robinson (Ill.)	71	Evansville Bosse	68
Rossville	65	Tri-Central	60
Rushville	59	Morristown	34
Scottsburg	73	Salem	32
Seeger	52	Southmont	50
Shoals	50	North Knox	41
South Bend Riley	65	New Prairie	48
South Bend St. Joseph	58	John Glenn	51
South Central (Elizabeth)	70	Crothersville	40
South Putnam	73	Northview	67
South Spencer	56	Forest Park	53
Southwestern (Hanover)	62	Switzerland County	48
Southwestern (Shelbyville)	56	Brown County	49
Southwood	62	Whitko	40
Springs Valley	56	West Washington	51
Sullivan	72	West Vigo	52
Taylor	65	Clinton Central	32
Terre Haute North	53	Terre Haute South	36
Tippecanoe Valley	48	Rochester	24
Tipton	54	Northwestern	46
Tri	64	Cambridge City Lincoln	49
Trinity Lutheran	55	Shawe Memorial	39
Triton	26	Culver	24
Twin Lakes	65	Kankakee Valley	57
Union City	51	Union (Modoc)	26
University	67	Muncie Burris	52
Vincennes Rivet	53	Oblong-Palestine-Hutsonville (Ill.)	37
Washington	78	Boonville	66
West Central	55	Tri-County	51
Westfield	55	Hamilton Southeastern	43
Whiting	58	Wheeler	37
Winchester	76	Hagerstown	60
Wood Memorial	64	Washington Catholic	40
Allen County Conference Tournament
Woodlan	67	Southern Wells	25	SF
Adams Central	43	Heritage	36	SF
Clerc Tournament
Indiana Deaf	70	Florida Deaf	53	Con
Delaware County Tournament
Yorktown	81	Cowan	61	SF
Wapahani	57	Delta	53	SF
Johnson County Tournament
Franklin	30	Greenwood	29	SF
Center Grove	73	Whiteland	50	SF
Marion County Tournament
Lawrence North	65	Pike	59	SF
Ben Davis	63	Southport	52	SF
Northeast Corner Conference Tournament
Central Noble	45	Lakeland	44	SF
West Noble	39	Prairie Heights	33	SF
Southern Roads Conference Tournament
Pleasant View Christian		Seven Oaks Classical		6:00 pm
Medora	41	Madison Christian	35	R1

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL

Alexandria	55	Elwood	13
Avon	57	Franklin Central	50
Batesville	42	South Dearborn	29
Blackford	67	Mississinewa	38
Bloomington Lighthouse	49	Traders Point Christian	46
Carroll (Fort Wayne)	59	Fort Wayne Luers	52
Cascade	74	Cloverdale	12
Charlestown	50	Providence	31
Chesterton	40	Hanover Central	35
Christian Academy	48	Louisville Southern (Ky.)	39
Clinton Central	69	Taylor	15
Clinton Prairie	52	Carroll (Flora)	45	OT
Danville	61	North Montgomery	13
Delphi	67	Eastern (Greentown)	26
Fishers	54	Brownsburg	49
Fort Wayne Concordia	71	Fort Wayne South	41
Fort Wayne Northrop	89	Fort Wayne North	30
Fort Wayne Snider	68	Homestead	62	OT
Fort Wayne Wayne	66	Fort Wayne Dwenger	43
Franklin County	57	Connersville	43
Greencastle	46	North Putnam	14
Greenfield-Central	59	New Castle	48
Hamilton Southeastern	54	Westfield	35
Harrison (West Lafayette)	41	Merrillville	33
Indianapolis Herron	50	Indianapolis Riverside	27
Jac-Cen-Del	58	Southwestern (Shelbyville)	18
LaVille	48	Knox	41	OT
Lebanon	50	Tri-West	29
Marian Catholic (Ill.)	39	Andrean	35
Noblesville	73	Zionsville	64
North Miami	65	Northfield	43
Northeastern	73	Knightstown	25
Northview	44	South Putnam	26
Owen Valley	39	Edgewood	28
Pendleton Heights	57	New Palestine	35
Riverton Parke	32	Attica	28
Rossville	34	Tri-Central	29
Seeger	47	Southmont	36
South Bend Clay	69	Mishawaka Marian	40
South Bend Washington	88	South Bend Adams	33
Sullivan	69	West Vigo	39
Terre Haute North	46	Terre Haute South	27
Tri-Twp.	56	Morgan Twp.	52
Trinity Lutheran	52	Brown County	48
Triton	30	Culver	23
Valparaiso	59	Michigan City	23
Western Boone	53	Frankfort	24
Allen County Conference Tournament
Woodlan	50	Southern Wells	19	SF
Jay County	72	South Adams	31	SF
Indianapolis City Tournament
Heritage Christian	55	Indianapolis Cathedral	49	1st
Northeast Corner Conference Tournament
Central Noble	59	Eastside	37	SF
Fairfield	62	West Noble	16	SF

NBA Scoreboard
New Orleans	116	Final
Detroit	110
Atlanta	113	Final
Indiana	111
New York	112	Final
Washington	108
Golden State	144	Final
San Antonio	113
Oklahoma City	124	Final
Chicago	110
Phoenix	116	Final
Minnesota	121
Orlando	108	Final
Utah	112
Denver	115	Final
LA Clippers	103
Houston	114	Final
Sacramento	139

Men’s College Basketball
Nebraska	55	Final
3 Purdue	73

Women’s College Basketball
2 Stanford	72	Final
8 UCLA	59
Arizona State	0	9:00 1st Qtr
10 Utah	0
14 Arizona	65	Final
Colorado	72
Washington	58	Final
21 Oregon	65

NHL Scoreboard
Winnipeg	4	Final
Pittsburgh	1
New Jersey	6	Final
Anaheim	2
Edmonton	7	Final
San Jose	1

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES

SEAN MCVAY DECIDES TO KEEP COACHING, STAYS WITH LA RAMS

LOS ANGELES (AP) Sean McVay has decided to return for a seventh season with the Los Angeles Rams after taking a break to contemplate his future following the first losing season of his career.

The youngest head coach in NFL history to win the Super Bowl has decided not to take a break from coaching after his Rams finished 5-12 in the worst season ever by a defending champion. The Rams confirmed his decision with a tweet Friday.

McVay, who turns 37 later this month, became the youngest head coach in modern NFL history six years ago Thursday. Everything about McVay’s coaching career has been precocious, but he decided not to get an early start on retirement as well.

McVay is sticking with the Rams at their lowest point in his tenure after a year of what he described as heavy mental fatigue and stress. The Rams’ innovative offensive mind has also spoken frequently about his desire to start a broadcasting career, although this break didn’t appear to be about weighing a move to the booth.

McVay openly acknowledged a near-constant feeling of burnout near the end of the past few seasons, even while his coaching fortunes soared. He went 67-41 with the Rams, who racked up five winning seasons, four playoff berths, three NFC West titles, two Super Bowl appearances and one championship in his first half-decade in charge before everything crashed down in the past year.

McVay was still the NFL’s youngest head coach after six seasons holding the title, but the job weighs heavily on a coach who laments his obsessive work habits and an inability to delegate responsibilities. He has spoken repeatedly in recent weeks about the exhaustion and frustration of this difficult season being compounded by the mental stresses of his grandfather’s death and his worries about his wife’s family in Ukraine.

“Tom Brady had a quote before about (how) he hopes that his kids can find something that they’re as passionate about as he is about football, but he wouldn’t wish that torment on anybody else, and I can really relate to that,” McVay said Monday.

After the Rams beat Cincinnati in their home stadium to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl title last February, McVay’s fame ballooned, and he landed endorsement deals that included a series of national television commercials. He also got a new contract from the Rams that reportedly made him one of the top-paid coaches in North American sports.

McVay said Monday that he would take time to think about his decision instead of following his naturally impulsive instincts, but he also allowed his assistant coaches to look for new jobs this week.

McVay denied speculation that he was thinking about walking away because of the work that will be necessary to return the Rams to contention. Even though the Rams don’t have their first-round pick after trading it to Detroit for Matthew Stafford, McVay said he doesn’t believe the Rams need a major rebuild with Stafford, Super Bowl MVP Cooper Kupp and star cornerback Jalen Ramsey all returning healthy for 2023.

Los Angeles also hopes to have seven-time All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald, who hasn’t said what he’ll do after he missed the final six games of this season with a sprained ankle. Donald, who will be 32 in the fall, strongly contemplated retirement last year after winning his first ring.

McVay’s success riveted the rest of the NFL, particularly after he led the Rams to a Super Bowl loss against New England in just his second season in charge. That led to heavy yearly turnover on his staff: Four of McVay’s former assistant coaches have already become head coaches who have led their teams to the playoffs, and several more assistants have left him for better jobs.

On Monday, McVay lost another key assistant when offensive coordinator Liam Coen returned to the same job at the University of Kentucky. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is among the interviewed candidates for the vacant head coaching jobs in Denver and Indianapolis.

But Coen’s departure opens the door for McVay to hire a strong offensive coordinator who could take some of the burden off McVay, an offense-minded coach who calls the Rams’ plays. McVay’s hard work was no match for the Rams’ injuries this season: Los Angeles finished last in the NFL with 280.5 total yards per game.

That struggle to reload his coaching staff each season contributed to McVay’s stress, and the short offseason following the Rams’ championship run last year led to a haphazard offseason that left McVay notably uncomfortable last summer. He still began a new season with optimism – but the Rams were blown out by Buffalo in their season opener, and a cascade of significant injuries soon unraveled any hopes of contention for a Super Bowl repeat.

The Rams were 27th in scoring with 18.1 points per game, lifted up mostly by a 51-point performance in a Christmas victory over Denver that cost Nathaniel Hackett his job with the Broncos.

NFL ALL-PROS: KELCE, JEFFERSON UNANIMOUS; 16 FIRST-TIMERS

(AP) — Travis Kelce and Justin Jefferson are unanimous choices for The Associated Press 2022 NFL All-Pro Team, and Sauce Gardner is the first rookie cornerback selected in 41 years.

The Chiefs’ Kelce and the Vikings’ Jefferson received first-team votes Friday from all 50 members of a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league.

Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa and Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones each got 49 of 50 first-team votes. The Chiefs and Niners led the way with four players each on the first team.

Gardner, the fourth overall pick by the New York Jets, was named on all 50 ballots, receiving 43 first-place votes. Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott was the last rookie cornerback chosen for the first team in 1981.

“That’s a big deal to me,” Gardner told the AP. “It was one of my goals before training camp. It’s something I pray for. I worked so hard for it. It’s a true blessing for sure.”

Kelce’s older brother, Jason, also earned first-team honors for the fifth time in his career to stay one ahead of his pass-catching brother. Jason Kelce’s fellow Philadelphia Eagles linemate, right tackle Lane Johnson, joins him on the squad.

“Big honor, especially happy for (Johnson) who is the best tackle in the NFL without question, especially on the right side,” Jason Kelce told the AP.

Johnson, a second-time All-Pro, has missed the past two games with an adductor injury but hopes to return when the No. 1 seed Eagles host a divisional round playoff game next week.

“We put in a lot of time and effort in the game, especially as you get older, you start to cherish it,” Johnson told the AP.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is among the 16 first-time All-Pros. Jacobs led the NFL in rushing with 1,653 yards, scored 12 touchdowns rushing and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. The Raiders had three first-team picks despite finishing 6-11.

“The year definitely didn’t go the way we wanted it to but, individually, it’s definitely an honor to be selected,” Jacobs told the AP.

Jefferson, who had a league-best 128 catches and 1,809 yards receiving, is the other newcomer on offense. Miami’s Tyreek Hill made it for the fourth time, third as a receiver. Hill had 119 catches for 1,710 yards and seven TDs in his first season with the Dolphins. Raiders wideout Davante Adams got the nod for a third time. Adams had 100 receptions for 1,516 yards and 14 TDs in his first season in Las Vegas.

Cowboys right guard Zack Martin is a six-time All-Pro, 49ers left tackle Trent Williams and Browns left guard Joel Bitonio made it for the second straight season.

Mahomes also was an All-Pro in 2018 when he was the NFL MVP. He led the league with 5,250 yards passing and 41 TDs, helping the Chiefs go 14-3 to capture their seventh straight AFC West title. Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts got one first-team vote, preventing Mahomes from being a unanimous choice.

Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons, 49ers linebacker Fred Warner and Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick are the only returning All-Pros on defense. It’s a third time for Fitzpatrick. Parsons, who had 13 1/2 sacks, made it as a linebacker his rookie season last year.

Bosa, Jones, Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, Bills linebacker Matt Milano, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II and Niners safety Talanoa Hufanga all earned their first All-Pro selection.

Bosa led the NFL with 18 1/2 sacks. Williams had 11.

“I tell my wife my goals every day so she can keep me accountable and make sure I do the right thing and it was become a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro,” Williams told the AP. “To get this news, all the work I put in has paid off and I gotta continue to do the same thing.”

All six special-teams players are first-timers, too.

They are: Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson, Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend, Packers kick returner Keisean Nixon, Patriots punt returner Marcus Jones, Commanders special teamer Jeremy Reaves and Vikings long snapper Andrew DePaola.

This was the first year for the AP’s new voting system. Voters chose a first team and a second team. First-team votes are worth 3 points, second-team votes are worth 1.

CHARGERS’ WR WILLIAMS DOWNGRADED TO OUT WITH BACK FRACTURE

(AP) — Mike Williams will miss the Los Angeles Chargers’ AFC wild-card round game against the Jacksonville Jaguars due to a lower back fracture.

The sixth-year wide receiver was downgraded to out on Friday after further rests. The Chargers said the X-ray on Sunday and an MRI on Monday both were negative but a rescan Friday morning showed a small transverse process fracture.

Williams won’t travel with the team and will remain in Los Angeles to continue receiving treatment.

Williams didn’t practice all week after being injured late in the first half of last Sunday’s 31-28 loss at the Denver Broncos. Coach Brandon Staley said earlier in the week he thought Williams would be on the practice field at some point and the injury didn’t appear serious.

Williams’ injury will ratchet up the heat on Staley, who played his starters a significant amount against the Broncos in a regular-season finale with nothing at stake.

The Chargers (10-7) wrapped up the fifth seed when Baltimore lost to Cincinnati earlier in the day.

On Thursday, Staley reiterated he stood behind the decision, as well as saying Williams would travel to Jacksonville.

“It’s very difficult to decide who plays and who doesn’t and who is more valuable than the rest,” he said. “What you are trying to do is set a standard for your program about how you do things. That is what I believe in. I didn’t want anybody to get hurt in that game, regardless of their status, because everybody is important.”

Williams has dealt with back issues throughout his career. He missed the first five games of his rookie season in 2017 because of a back injury.

Williams was sidelined for four games this season because of an ankle injury. He had 63 receptions for 895 yards and four touchdowns in 13 games.

The Chargers are the first team in NFL history to have six players with 500 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns, mainly because of injuries to their wide receiver group.

Keenan Allen missed seven games because of a hamstring injury, while DeAndre Carter was the only wide receiver to play all 17 games. Austin Ekeler set a team record with 107 receptions, the third most in NFL history by a running back in a season.

Joshua Palmer, who is second on the team in receptions (72) and yards (769), will start in place of Williams.

“He is such a productive player and a big part of what we do, but we have had to battle it out without him a few games already this season,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said of Williams. “Josh Palmer does a good job of stepping up when he has been out. If Mike is not going, then the other guys will step up. We’ll do our best to make it work.”

VIKINGS TO GET CENTER BRADBURY BACK FOR PLAYOFFS VS. GIANTS

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury has been cleared to return to the starting lineup after missing the last five games of the regular season with a back injury.

Coach Kevin O’Connell announced Friday that Bradbury would start against the New York Giants in the wild card round playoff game Sunday. He fully participated in practices Thursday and Friday.

Austin Schlottman started the first four games in Bradbury’s absence until breaking his lower leg, when backup guard Chris Reed took over at center.

The Vikings listed three players as questionable for the Giants game: cornerback Cam Dantzler (ankle/personal matter), kickoff returner/running back Kene Nwangwu (illness) and safety Harrison Smith (knee). O’Connell said he expects Smith to play.

VALANCIUNAS SCORES 33 POINTS, PELICANS BEAT PISTONS 116-110

DETROIT (AP) Jonas Valanciunas scored 13 of his 33 points in the first quarter and the New Orleans Pelicans went on to beat the Detroit Pistons 116-110 on Friday night.

“JV had a monster game,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “He dominated in the post and he dominated on the boards and we needed every point and every rebound.”

New Orleans’ CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III each had 19 points and Naji Marshall added 17. The Pelicans played without a trio of injured players: Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Herbert Jones.

“For our team to be really successful everybody has to eat,” Murphy said.

With key players out of the lineup, Pelicans such as Murphy are taking advantage of increased roles.

“It helps with the growth of all of our guys,” Green said. “The ability to get meaningful minutes pays dividends.”

Detroit is banged up, too, missing Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren, Marvin Bagley III and Cade Cunningham.

“We started out with five centers and now we’re down to one,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 14 of his 22 points in the first quarter and made a jumper with 3:17 left to pull the Pistons within three points.

Detroit was called for a second delay of game violation coming out of a timeout, giving the Pelicans a free throw that Murphy made.

“Those things are so subjective,” Casey said. “That was a tough call. I’m going to save my money.”

Moments later, Valanciunas made a shot in the lane to give them a six-point lead.

Saddiq Bey had 20 points for Detroit, Jaden Ivey had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists, reserve Hamidou Diallo scored a season-high 19 points before fouling out and Killian Hayes had 17 points.

The 7-foot Valanciunas took advantage of Detroit’s thin and short frontcourt, making 12 of 15 shots and grabbing 16 rebounds.

“Valanciunas is a different animal,” said Casey, who coached the Lithuanian center a decade ago with the Toronto Raptors. “I’ve known him since he was a pup and he’s a handful down low.”

TIP-INS

Pelicans: Williamson, who is out with a strained right hamstring, has missed 14 games this season and played in 29 games. He signed a five-year, $193 million extension that has the potential to be worth as much as $231 million after missing all of last season with a foot injury and being limited to 85 games over his first two seasons. … Ingram (toe) and Jones (back) were also out of the starting lineup. … New Orleans improved to 7-4 without Williamson and Ingram in the lineup.

Pistons: Stewart (shoulder) was ruled out after the team’s shootaround. .. Cunningham atttended his first game since having shin surgery last month.

THE STREAK

New Orleans has scored at least 100 points in 31 straight games, the longest active streak in the league.

HOMECOMING

Green is from Detroit and played for Detroit Mercy before playing for five NBA teams.

“I’m appreciative to have grown up in Detroit and all the lessons I learned from so many different people here,” he said.

UP NEXT

Pelicans: At Cleveland on Monday.

Pistons: Host New York on Sunday.

KNICKS HOLD OFF WIZARDS 112-108 DESPITE KUZMA’S 40

WASHINGTON (AP) Jalen Brunson scored 34 points, including a couple crucial free throws with 13.9 seconds left, and the New York Knicks held off a furious Washington rally in a 112-108 victory over the Wizards on Friday night.

Julius Randle had 23 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who won for the sixth time in seven games. He also provided the game’s biggest highlight with his left-handed dunk in the third quarter over Washington’s Daniel Gafford.

The Knicks went on a 14-0 run early in the fourth, and they still led 105-94 with 2 minutes remaining before Washington nearly took the game back. A layup by Kyle Kuzma cut the lead to three with 27 seconds remaining, and then Randle made just one of two free throws.

Kuzma was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left, but he made only two of three attempts from the line. Then Brunson made both of his free throws to make it 110-106.

Kuzma and Rui Hachimura missed at the other end, and two more free throws by Brunson made it a six-point game with 3.5 seconds to play. Kuzma then made a shot at the buzzer to finish with 40 points on the night.

“Jalen Brunson. He just took over the game,” Kuzma said. “He’s an All-Star this year. He’s been playing phenomenal basketball. … You can just tell from the team last year to this year, they have more poise and patience, and they look for him, and he delivered tonight.”

Kristaps Porzingis contributed 21 points for Washington, which lost for the fourth time in five games.

The Wizards trailed 80-79 early in the fourth before they went about 3 1/2 minutes without scoring. A three-point play by RJ Barrett put New York up by eight, and Isaiah Hartenstein followed with a dunk for the first double-digit lead by either team.

A jumper by Brunson and a three-point play by Immanuel Quickley made it 94-79.

The Wizards are still without Bradley Beal because of a hamstring injury.

In the third quarter, Randle dunked over Gafford, who ended up on the floor and was also whistled for a foul on the play. Randle’s free throw put New York up 69-64, although the Wizards scored six straight after that.

The Knicks held the Wizards to 39% shooting from the field.

“It’s very difficult to guard guys individually in this league. So you need everyone tied together,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. “There’s five guys guarding the ball.”

AROUND THE RIM

In addition to Randle’s dunk, the Knicks had a handful of other plays in which they scored while being fouled. They ended up with a 50-28 edge in the paint.

“Everybody was being aggressive. That’s what we need from our team,” Quickley said. “When we attack the rim our 3s open up.”

TIP-INS

Knicks: Quickley scored 18 points and Barrett scored 17. … Brunson had eight rebounds and eight assists.

Wizards: Beal missed a fourth consecutive game. … Monte Morris (right hamstring) did not play either. … Kuzma finished one point shy of his career high.

UP NEXT

Knicks: At Detroit on Sunday.

Wizards: Host Golden State on Monday.

WARRIORS TOP SPURS 144-113 BEFORE NBA-RECORD CROWD OF 68,323

SAN ANTONIO (AP) In an environment they had never faced, the Golden State Warriors relied on their experience to make it feel like just another game.

Jordan Poole scored 25 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 22 and the Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs 144-113 on Friday night before an NBA-record crowd of 68,323 at the Alamodome.

“It was pretty electric, a really special occasion playing in front of the largest crowd in NBA history,” Poole said. “I’m glad we got the win.”

The attendance shattered the previous regular-season record of 62,046 who watched Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls play the Atlanta Hawks at the Georgia Dome on March 27, 1998.

“Obviously, I hate to lose. But with the turnout, how can you be mad?” Spurs forward Keldon Johnson said. “The Spurs fanbase surpassed anything we could imagine. That made tonight special.”

The Spurs normally play at the AT&T Center but returned to their former home as the franchise celebrates its 50th anniversary.

While returning to the Alamodome stirred fond memories of the franchise’s first NBA championship in 1999 for San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich and fans, reality wasn’t as kind.

Golden State set its season high in points, surpassing its previous high in a 143-141 victory in double-overtime against Atlanta on Jan. 2.

The game started with a video tribute to Steve Kerr, who played four seasons for the Spurs beginning in the 1999 and ended with the Warriors coach embracing Popovich, his friend and mentor.

“The presentation of the game was spectacular,” Kerr said. “For me it was a bit of a trip down memory lane. I got emotional before the game. They played the video and introduced me. To get an ovation from 68,000 fans gives you chills. This was a really special night. The Spurs made it special.”

Kerr knew how difficult playing in the cavernous facility is after playing at the Alamodome. That’s why he ran a long practice Thursday night to help his players acclimate to the new surroundings, and it helped.

The Warriors had eight players score in double figures. Klay Thompson had 16 points and Stephen Curry added 15.

Golden State had 38 assists while leading by as many as 39 points.

Tre Jones had 21 points for San Antonio, which has lost four straight and seven of eight. Johnson added 17 points.

After the Warriors missed their first three shots, Thompson drained a 3-pointer to spark a 17-4 run. Golden State would shoot 39% on 3s and 50% from the field in the opening quarter.

“It was a really cool environment,” Kerr said. “Very unique with the court in the middle of the dome. Maybe it took a little bit for our guys to get adjusted, but all in all our guys came and were very aggressive.”

When the Warriors opened a 30-point lead in the four quarter, Spurs fans responded with the wave for five minutes straight.

“The fans enjoyed themselves, even though we were getting our ass kicked,” Popovich said. “They seemed to be having a hell of a time, so there must have been a lot of beer sales out there.”

TIP-INS

Warriors: The blowout enabled Kerr to sit Curry and Thompson in the fourth quarter. They played about 23 minutes before both exited with about three minutes left in the third quarter. . Golden State is 4-16 on the road this season. The Warriors were 22-19 last season away from home.

Spurs: San Antonio G Devin Vassell missed the game following left knee surgery Wednesday in New York. Popovich said the surgery went well. There is no timetable for his return, but Popovich said it will be after the All-Star break. . San Antonio opened a four-game homestand that concludes Jan. 20 against former Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers.

UP NEXT

Warriors: At Chicago on Sunday.

Spurs: Host Sacramento on Sunday.

GIDDEY SCORES 25, LEADS THUNDER TO 124-110 WIN OVER BULLS

CHICAGO (AP) Josh Giddey matched a season high with 25 points and added 10 rebounds, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 124-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

Rookie Jalen Williams scored 22 points and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 21 for the Thunder, who have won two straight, four of five and completed a sweep of their season series against Chicago.

“I thought we drifted from our identity, especially in the third quarter,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said. “But we got it back on track to start the fourth quarter. Those were growth points for us.”

Zach LaVine scored 25 points and Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Bulls lost their third straight. Leading scorer DeMar DeRozan missed a second straight game due to a quadriceps injury suffered in Monday’s loss at Boston.

The Bulls trailed by as many as 18 points early in the second half before going on an 18-5 run and closing within 91-90 by the end of the third period. Chicago never did overtake Oklahoma City, which got consecutive baskets off Chicago turnovers to push the lead to 104-94 midway through the final period.

“We were able to get the car back on the road,” said Darius Bazley, who came off the bench to add 14 points and three of the Thunder’s 10 steals. “When we get stops like that and teams aren’t even getting shots at the rim, it feels really good.”

The Bulls never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.

“Self-inflicted wounds,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said after his team’s 16 turnovers turned into 23 Thunder points. “We knew going in they were a hard-driving team and we needed to stop a little bit shorter and defend one on one.”

Giddey said the Thunder’s ability to shake off Chicago’s third-quarter charge shows how far its young core has come.

“Twelve months ago, if a team goes on a run like that, maybe we crumble a little bit more; maybe guys go into their shells,” he said. “Tonight guys stood up and were ready for the challenge.

“We didn’t flinch when they threw their punch.”

Gilgeous-Alexander scored six points during a first-half-ending 18-6 run that gave the Thunder a 72-58 lead at the break.

LaVine, who averaged 35.5 points in his last four games, was 14 for 15 from the free-throw line. Coby White added 19 points.

TIP-INS

Thunder: Oklahoma City has won two straight road games after a six-game skid away from home. . C Mike Muscala made his third start of the season.

Bulls: DeRozan (quadriceps) was in street clothes for the second straight game. Coach Billy Donovan said the team doesn’t want to rush him back and risk a setback. The All-Star had played in Chicago’s first 41 games. . G Lonzo Ball (left knee) posted videos of himself dunking during a rehab workout to his Instagram account earlier in the day, but Donovan said a return isn’t imminent. “There’s going to be a significant ramp-up period before he’s ready to play,” the coach added. Ball, who last appeared in a game Jan. 14, 2022, underwent surgery in September.

UP NEXT

Thunder: At Brooklyn on Sunday.

Bulls: Host Golden State on Sunday.

EDWARDS, TIMBERWOLVES BOUNCE BACK TO BEAT SHORT-HANDED SUNS

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, D’Angelo Russell had 17 and the Minnesota Timberwolves held off the short-handed Phoenix Suns 121-116 on Friday night.

Taurean Prince added 16 points off the bench and fellow reserve Naz Red had 13 points for Minnesota. The Timberwolves won for the fourth time in five games and bounced back from a 135-118 loss in Detroit on Wednesday night.

“The start was perfect, but the finish was bad,” Edwards said. “Everything won’t be perfect, but we could’ve finished a little better, for sure.”

Damion Lee led Phoenix with a career-high 31 points and Mikal Bridges had 24. The Suns were again without stars Chris Paul and Devin Booker, along with Cameron Johnson and backcourt backups Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet.

Deandre Ayton returned after missing two games with a left ankle sprain and had 11 points and 11 rebounds, but the big center struggled against Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert. Ayton shot just 5 of 18 from the field.

The Suns are 6-17, the third-fewest wins in the NBA, since ending November with a 15-6 record. They have been without Booker, their leading scorer for much of that stretch.

“I told the guys we’ve got to keep our spirit in a good place because when it all starts to come together, it can multiply,” Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. “We just got to keep plugging away.”

Edwards scored seven points during a 12-0 run by the Timberwolves in the first quarter that established a 21-9 lead. Minnesota never trailed again, taking the lead out to 24 points against a depleted Suns team that had beaten the Wolves in the previous six meetings.

Minnesota won four straight games between a pair of disappointing losses to the Pistons, who were in last place in the East at the time.

“Feel like that was lacking, our focus, our communication, our overall just energy and effort wasn’t there versus Detroit,” said veteran guard Austin Rivers. “So, we wanted to come in here and play at a high level. We were about to do that for, probably, like 40 minutes of the game. Those last eight minutes, it got a little weird.”

Phoenix closed within six in the final minutes, but Edwards helped Minnesota withstand the late run.

“We’ve had a habit all season of building the lead and kind of hijacking our momentum with bad shots and turnovers that lead to crazy offense for our opponents,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “So, tonight was a classic example of that. But, you know, for the most part, I thought we did things well for 80% of the game.”

LEE GETS A CHANCE

Saben Lee, a third-year guard on a two-way contract, helped the Suns come back. He scored 12 points and had two assists in the fourth.

“What a tough situation to come into but a privilege at the same time,” Williams said. “He knows about 20% of what we do. The kid plays hard. He gets into the ball. He’s getting to the paint, which is something we haven’t had.”

TIP-INS

Suns: Booker has missed 17 of the past 18 games with a left groin strain and only played four minutes in the one game he played. The team is 4-14 in that stretch. . Paul has missed the last four games with right hip soreness. Payne (right foot sprain) has missed the last five games and Shamet (right hip soreness) has missed three in a row. . Johnson, who’s been out since Nov. 4 after knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear, warmed up before the game. . Phoenix had 19 turnovers leading to 17 points.

Timberwolves: Gobert only took one shot, but he finished with four points and 12 rebounds. … Minnesota had 15 turnovers that led to 25 points. . The Wolves scored 64 points in the paint.

UP NEXT

Suns: Finish a four-game trip Monday in Memphis.

Timberwolves: Host Cleveland on Saturday night.

LAURI MARKKANEN SCORES 28 POINTS, JAZZ BEAT MAGIC 112-108

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Lauri Markkanen scored 28 points and blocked Franz Wagner’s 3-pointer in the closing moments to power the Utah Jazz past the Orlando Magic, 112-108 on Friday night.

Jordan Clarkson, who had 23 points, scored the go-ahead layup, and rookie Walker Kessler made two free throws after rebounding Collin Sexton’s second of two missed free throws with 11.8 seconds to play.

I said a little quiet prayer to myself and it happened. I was relieved,” said Kessler, who shoots 55.7 percent from the line, of his late free throws.

Clarkson saw Kessler’s big smile after the ball went through the hoop, but he wasn’t surprised.

“I was talking to him as he got ready and told him he was going to knock those down. I have confidence in him,” Clarkson said.

Markkanen switched onto Wagner beyond the 3-point line and blocked the attempt to tie just as the shot left Wagner’s hand.

Wagner, who scored 26 points, matched a career best of five 3-pointers, including an off-balance 28-foot runner to beat the third-quarter buzzer.

“We were just switching everything and I thought he’d probably shoot a 3, so I tried to stay down and not to foul, but I got a piece of it and we won,” Markannen said.

The Magic erased a 12-point fourth quarter lead with a 19-6 run that was capped by Markelle Fultz’s layup with 42.1 seconds to play that made it 108-107 for Orlando.

“I think the fight was there. The intensity was there,” Wagner said. “I think there was a bunch of moments in the game where we didn’t quit and that’s definitely something to build on.”

Remarkably, Markkanen led the game in scoring despite not having a single field goal after the first quarter.

“I felt like I spent most of the game on the ground after those fouls,” Markkanen said.

Facing strong closeouts, Markkanen often took the ball to the basket and the Magic – without much rim protection – were forced to foul. The 7-foot Finnish star set career highs on both free throws made (17) and attempted (21).

Before this season, Markkanen only had five games where he shot more than 10 free throws. The aggressive Markkanen has shot double-digit free throws five times in his last seven games.

Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter, Jr. each had 19 points for the Magic. They are gone 2-2 on a five-game Western trip.

Sexton returned to the Utah lineup after missing the past five games with a hamstring strain to score 18 points, while Kessler had 13 points, nine rebounds and a career-high seven blocked shots.

The Jazz won back-to-back games for the first time in ten starts.

TIP-INS

Magic: Gary Harris left with a right hand injury. . The Magic went 10 for 16 from the line, lower numbers than Markkanen by himself. . Fultz had six assists and has 34 over his last five games.

Jazz: Regular starters Kelly Olynyk (ankle) and Mike Conley (rest) sat out. . The Jazz missed 14 straight 3-point attempts from the first to third quarter. . Clarkson has drawn flagrant fouls in consecutive games on fourth-quarter 3-point jumpers.

UP NEXT

Magic: At Denver on Sunday night.

Jazz: Host Philadelphia on Saturday night.

NUGGETS BEAT CLIPPERS 115-103 FOR 5TH STRAIGHT WIN

LOS ANGELES (AP) No Nikola Jokic, no problem for the Denver Nuggets. Especially when it comes to the Clippers.

Jamal Murray scored 24 points and Michael Porter Jr. added 22 in a 115-103 victory over Los Angeles on Friday night that Jokic missed because of right wrist management.

“We got a lot of guys that can play,” said Murray, who rolled his ankle.

The Nuggets gained sole possession of first in the Western Conference over the idle Memphis Grizzlies with their fifth straight win.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal of Nikola not being here,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “That’s disrespectful to those other players.”

The Nuggets defeated the Clippers for the second time in a week, although this one was much closer than the 31-point beatdown they handed out at Ball Arena.

At least until the fourth quarter. That’s when the Nuggets pulled away, stretching a three-point lead into double digits. They scored nine in a row to go up 104-92, their largest lead of the game. Aaron Gordon hit a 3-pointer and Bruce Brown added four points. Gordon finished with 17 points.

Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points for the Clippers. He didn’t have running mate Paul George, who sat out with a hamstring injury. Norman Powell added 18 points off the bench and John Wall had 16. They’ve dropped seven of eight.

“The effort is there,” Leonard said. “The execution part wasn’t in that second half.”

Murray crashed into a woman sitting courtside while chasing the ball in the fourth. She emerged laughing and he grabbed her hand to make sure she wasn’t hurt. He finished with eight rebounds and four assists in 39 minutes.

“Jamal Murray is more than a scorer. Jamal Murray is a complete basketball player,” Malone said. “He’s a guy who should be given All-Star recognition because of the way he impacts the game.”

Denver’s Zeke Nnaji got posterized twice – first by Leonard on a one-handed jam in the third and then by Wall on a dunk in the fourth. Both drew raucous cheers.

Trailing by five, the Nuggets outscored the Clippers 20-8, including nine in a row, to lead 81-74 in the third. Former Clipper DeAndre Jordan and Porter dunked and Gordon hit a 3-pointer.

“It was a great opportunity for a lot of people to play,” Jordan said. “It was really good for us.”

Robert Covington hit a 3-pointer and Wall made a pair of free throws to leave the Clippers trailing 86-81 going into the fourth.

The Clippers controlled the first half, when they led by seven.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Malone said he’s hoping Jokic’s wrist calms down so he can play Sunday. … Improved to 3-0 over LA this season.

Clippers: Their bench outscored Denver’s reserves, 46-30. … Luke Kennard (right calf soreness) sat out his third straight game. … Fell to .500 at 22-22. … Have dropped five straight to the Nuggets.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: Host Orlando on Sunday to open a five-game homestand.

Clippers: Host Houston on Sunday.

SABONIS HAS TRIPLE-DOUBLE, KINGS ROUT SKIDDING ROCKETS

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Domantas Sabonis had 19 points, a career-high 16 assists and 15 rebounds in his fourth triple-double of the season, and the Sacramento Kings beat the skidding Houston Rockets 139-114 on Friday night for their third straight win.

The Kings (23-18) moved five games over .500 for the first time since April 2006, when they made their most recent playoff appearance.

“You don’t just feel it at the arena, you feel it out and about in Sacramento,” Kings coach Mike Brown said of the response to the highest-scoring team in the NBA. “It’s genuine. You genuinely feel their joy when you talk to them… We love them to death, and we are happy that we can bring some joy to them.”

Sabonis joined Oscar Robertson as the only players in franchise history with at least 15 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists in a game. Robertson did it 15 times for the Cincinnati Royals.

Harrison Barnes scored 27 points and De’Aaron Fox added 24.

“They were making a ton of 3s in transition,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “We are a help team and we’re gonna give up some, but too many.”

With 11:09 left, Malik Monk, Chimezie Metu, Tari Eason and Garrison Matthews were all ejected. Monk and Matthews went face-to-face after a foul was called on Monk during a fast break.

“I had no issue with it,” Barnes said of the altercation. “At the end of the day that’s the fight that we need as a team, that’s the fight that we’ll need this season, and that’s the fight we’ll need for the playoffs.”

Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr. each scored 27 points for the Rockets (10-32). They have lost nine consecutive games and 14 of 15.

“Just my teammates trusting me,” Smith, the No. 3 pick, said of his career night. “Me trying to get to the basket more and trying to expand my game a little bit.”

TIP-INS

Rockets: G Kevin Porter Jr. was ruled out with a bruised left foot.

Kings: G Kevin Huerter was ruled out for the second consecutive game with a non-COVID-19 illness. Terence Davis started in his place and scored 22 points.

UP NEXT

Rockets: Travel to Los Angeles to face the Clippers on Sunday.

Kings: Travel to San Antonio to face the Spurs on Sunday.

SOTO ($23M), HADER ($14.1M) REACH DEALS WITH PADRES

SAN DIEGO (AP) Outfielder Juan Soto agreed to a $23 million, one-year contract with the San Diego Padres on Friday, a raise from his $17.1 million salary last season.

San Diego also reached a $14.1 million, one-year agreement with Josh Hader, the largest salary for an arbitration-eligible relief pitcher.

The 24-year-old Soto hit .242 with 27 homers, 62 RBIs and a major league-leading 135 walks for Washington and San Diego, which acquired the 2020 NL batting champion from the Nationals in a trade on Aug. 2.

The two-time All-Star and winner of last year’s Home Run Derby hit .236 with six homers and 16 RBIs in 52 games for the Padres. San Diego reached the playoffs and beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series before losing to Philadelphia in the NL Championship Series.

Soto is eligible for salary arbitration after next season and can become a free agent following the 2024 World Series. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time after the 2020 season as a so-called Super 2 – players with more than two but fewer than three years of arbitration – and had an $8.5 million contract in 2021.

Hader, a hard-throwing 28-year-old left-hander, was obtained from Milwaukee on Aug. 1 and was 1-1 with a 7.31 ERA and seven saves for San Diego. He finished 1-1 with a 4.24 ERA and 29 saves last year, when he had an $11 million salary.

A four-time All-Star with Milwaukee, Hader has 132 saves in six big league seasons. He is eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.

ALONSO, METS AVOID ARBITRATION WITH $14.5M, 1-YEAR DEAL

NEW YORK (AP) Pete Alonso agreed Friday on a $14.5 million contract with the New York Mets for next season to avoid salary arbitration.

The slugging first baseman nearly doubled his $7.4 million salary from 2022, when he tied for the major league lead with 131 RBIs and finished eighth in NL MVP balloting. He batted .271 with 40 home runs and an .869 OPS in 160 games.

The two-time All-Star and 2019 NL Rookie of the Year can become a free agent following the 2024 season.

Five of the six other Mets who began the day eligible for arbitration agreed to one-year deals: catcher Tomas Nido ($1,575,000), reliever Drew Smith ($1.3 million), infielder Luis Guillorme ($1.6 million) and right-handers Elieser Hernandez ($1.6 million) and Jeff Brigham ($760,000).

The only one who did not was All-Star second baseman Jeff McNeil, the reigning big league batting champion. McNeil asked for $7.75 million, while the Mets offered him $6.25 million.

Friday was the deadline for arbitration-eligible players to swap proposed salaries with their teams. If the Mets and McNeil are unable to strike a deal, they would go to a hearing before a three-person arbitration panel sometime between Jan. 30 and Feb. 17 in St. Petersburg, Florida.

In another move, the Mets acquired minor league outfielder Luis De La Cruz from Baltimore as the player to be named in the trade that sent catcher James McCann to the Orioles last month.

De La Cruz, 20, has batted .252 with one home run, 19 RBIs and a .405 on-base percentage over 60 career games in the Dominican Summer League.

GUERRERO, BLUE JAYS REACH $14.5M DEAL TO AVOID ARBITRATION

TORONTO (AP) Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays avoided salary arbitration Friday night by agreeing to a $14.5 million contract for next season.

Toronto had 12 players eligible for arbitration – only Tampa Bay with 14 had more. The lone member of that Blue Jays group who did not settle by Friday’s deadline was shortstop Bo Bichette.

Bichette and the Blue Jays are relatively far apart. He requested $7.5 million this year, and the team offered $5 million. If the sides are unable to strike a deal, they would go to a hearing before a three-person arbitration panel sometime between Jan. 30 and Feb. 17 in St. Petersburg, Florida. The panel would award either number.

Also agreeing to one-year contracts were Toronto closer Jordan Romano ($4,537,500), catcher Danny Jansen ($3.5 million), right-hander Adam Cimber ($3.15 million), outfielder Daulton Varsho ($3.05 million), infielder Cavan Biggio ($2.8 million), infielder Santiago Espinal ($2.1 million), left-hander Tim Mayza ($2.1 million), right-hander Trevor Richards ($1.5 million), reliever Erik Swanson ($1.25 million) and right-hander Trent Thornton ($1 million).

Guerrero, runner-up in 2021 AL MVP voting, earned $7.9 million last season. The two-time All-Star batted .274 with 32 homers, 97 RBIs and an .818 OPS in 160 games. He also was a surprise Gold Glove winner at first base.

Bichette had 189 hits to lead the American League in that category for the second consecutive season. He batted .290 with 24 home runs, 43 doubles, 93 RBIs and an .802 OPS in 159 games.

SCHEIFELE SCORES TWICE AS JETS RACE BY PENGUINS 4-1

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Winnipeg Jets are finding their footing at the season’s midway point. The short-handed Pittsburgh Penguins are still searching for traction.

Mark Scheifele scored twice, including the go-ahead goal late in the second period and the Jets raced by the Penguins 4-1 on Friday night.

“That was probably about one the best games we’ve played all year,” Jets coach Rick Bowness said. “It really was, in terms of how we want to play and how you can be successful moving forward. Certainly no passengers tonight. Everyone contributed.”

Scheifele’s first goal with 2:02 left in the second off a pretty feed by Blake Wheeler put the Jets ahead to stay. Nikolaj Ehlers doubled the advantage 22 seconds later to send surging Winnipeg to its seventh win its last eight games.

“Those are obviously big,” Scheifele said. “Then in the third period, we buckled down, we did the right thing. We got the puck deep. … If we play like that, we’re hard to beat.”

David Rittich stopped 22 shots for the Jets, who dominated the depleted Penguins, particularly in front of the Pittsburgh crease.

Drew O’Connor scored his second goal of the season for the Penguins but Pittsburgh had trouble keeping up with the Jets. Missing injured defensemen Kris Letang and Jeff Petry and with Marcus Pettersson out sick, Pittsburgh allowed the Jets to control play for most of the night.

“I don’t think it’s the standard that’s been set here by our group,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I know we’re capable of a lot more regardless of who’s in our lineup.”

Dustin Tokarski, who earned the win in relief of Casey DeSmith against Vancouver on Tuesday, played well in his first start with the Penguins but faced a steady barrage. Tokarski finished with 36 saves for Pittsburgh, which has just three wins over its last 11 games and sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings halfway through the season.

The Penguins have made the playoffs 16 straight years, the longest active streak in major North American professional sports. They have endured an uneven first half in which they have two losing streaks of at least six games and a stretch in which they won 12 of 14.

“I think right now, it’s been a tough schedule but I think we’ve just got to keep at it,” Kapanen said. “We’ve got to stick to our game. … Today wasn’t our best.”

Winnipeg has no such issues and hardly looked tired while playing its second game in two nights.

Wheeler scored on the power play after a scramble in front 11:19 into the first to give Winnipeg the lead.

It might have been even worse if not for a pair of calls that didn’t count. Dylan Samberg’s redirect was overturned on replay after the Penguins successfully challenged that the Jets entered the zone offside. Neal Pionk had a goal waved off by officials who ruled that Pierre-Luc DuBois interfered with Tokarski.

The reprieve allowed the Penguins to tie it when O’Conner flipped a cross-ice feed from Kasperi Kapanen over Rittich.

It stemmed the tide briefly but couldn’t stop it. Scheifele’s first goal put the Jets in front to stay late in the second and his second of the night and 26th of the season 6:39 into the third gave the Jets just their fourth win in their last 20 games against Pittsburgh.

“It was a total buy-in from everybody tonight,” Winnipeg defenseman Dylan Demelo said. “First line, second line, third line, fourth line, we all looked the same without the puck. … It was a great job by everybody and a big two points for us.”

NOTES: Kyle Conner assisted on Ehler’s goal to extend his points streak to nine games (6G, 9A). … Kapanen’s assist was the 100th of his career. … Cole Perfetti tied a career-high with three assists for the Jets.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host Arizona on Sunday.

Penguins: At Carolina on Saturday night.

HUGHES, BRATT LEAD DEVILS’ 6-2 ROUT OF DUCKS

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Jack Hughes had two goals and an assist, and Jesper Bratt also scored two goals in the New Jersey Devils’ third straight victory, 6-2 over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

Hughes got his 50th point of the season by scoring in New Jersey’s three-goal first period. He added his 28th goal of the season in the final minutes of a blowout win in the first stop of the Devils’ four-game West Coast road swing.

“Thought we rolled them pretty well in the first (period),” Hughes said. “Came out fast there. Needed a game like that.”

Vitek Vanecek made 31 saves, while Jesper Boqvist and Dougie Hamilton added a goal and an assist in only the Devils’ second victory in their last eight trips to Anaheim. New Jersey improved to a stunning 16-2-1 on the road this season with its fifth straight victory away from home.

“The whole team effort was working,” Bratt said. “When we have the team playing like this and paying attention to details, it’s good for us. … We didn’t really give them too much, except for the last few minutes of the second period.”

Adam Henrique and Trevor Zegras scored and John Gibson stopped 33 shots for the last-place Ducks, who finished the longest homestand in franchise history at 3-6-1, winning just once in regulation.

Anaheim hasn’t played on the road since Dec. 20, but the struggling club was outscored 19-5 while losing the final three games of a homestand that tied for the third-longest in NHL history.

“Obviously we haven’t seen the improvement,” Ducks forward Ryan Strome said. “I think it’s real easy to hang your head and feel sorry for yourself, but it’s not a league where anyone cares. … Right now, it feels like everything is going against us, but this is how you learn. You’ve got to go through hard times like these. To come to the rink every day and dust yourself off after the performances we’ve had is tough, (but) these are hopefully moments we learn from.”

Hamilton, Bratt and Hughes scored for New Jersey in the first period. Bratt made it 4-0 with a wraparound goal in the second period, but Henrique finally got the Ducks on the board moments later, cleaning up a rebound of Troy Terry’s breakaway attempt. Henrique was drafted by New Jersey in 2008 and spent parts of eight seasons with the Devils before getting traded to Anaheim in late 2017.

Boqvist got his fifth goal of the season on a breakaway after an exceptional long pass by Damon Severson, who had three assists.

“They’re playing high-octane hockey,” Anaheim coach Dallas Eakins said of the Devils. “They’ve got a lot of speed. They stretch the ice out very quickly. They’re a very, very good team. They’ve got a lot of skill, a lot of speed, and they’re very hard to handle.”

Zegras’ third-period goal improved the Ducks’ power play to 4 for 32 on the homestand.

Jakob Silfverberg played in his 700th career NHL game for Anaheim. The 32-year-old Swede is having the worst offensive season of his 11 years in the NHL by far, averaging just 0.24 points per game.

UP NEXT

Devils: At Los Angeles on Saturday.

Ducks: At Pittsburgh on Monday to open a six-game road trip.

MCDAVID HAS 2 GOALS, ASSIST AS OILERS BEAT SHARKS 7-1

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist, and the Edmonton Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 7-1 on Friday night.

Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins each a goal and two assists, and Klim Kostin, Jesse Puljujarvi, and Ryan McLeod also scored for the Oilers. Jack Campbell made 25 saves in Edmonton’s second straight win.

Oskar Lindblom scored for the San Jose, and Kaapo Kahkonen finished with 34 saves. The Sharks have lost four of their last five games (1-3-1).

McDavid showed off his hands by streaking down the middle of the ice on the power play with a quick shot that beat Kahkonen over the far side to give the Oilers a 1-0 lead with 9:01 left in the first period.

Kostin doubled the lead with his eighth of the season with 1:46 remaining in the opening period.

Draisaitl found McDavid on the power play with a sweet back door pass behind his back for his 37th to make it 3-0 at 8:22 of the second.

Mattias Janmark found Nugent-Hopkins from behind the net for a short-handed goal after Sharks defenseman Matt Benning couldn’t hold the puck in the offensive zone. It was Nugent-Hopkins’ 21st goal of the season, making it 4-0.

McDavid stole the puck on a forecheck and found Draisaitl in the slot for his 24th goal with 2:05 left in the second.

Puljujarvi and McLeod scored 34 seconds apart in the third period to make it 7-0 with 7:14 to go.

Lindblom’s tip-in on a shot by Matt Benning ended Campbell’s shutout bid with just under 5 minutes left.

The Sharks finished the game 0 for 4 on the power play.

600 CLUB

Leon Draisaitl played in his 600th career game.

UP NEXT

Oilers: At Vegas on Saturday night.

Sharks: Host New Jersey on Monday night.

TOP INDIANA TEAM RELEASES

COLTS INTERVIEW DETROIT LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BEN JOHNSON FOR HEAD COACH POSITION

The Colts on Friday completed an interview for the team’s head coaching position with Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

Johnson, in his first season as the Lions’ offensive coordinator, guided Detroit to the NFL’s fifth-highest scoring average (26.6 points/game) and third-highest total offense average (380 yards/game).

Johnson served as the Lions’ tight ends coach from 2020-2021, and was an offensive quality control coach for Detroit in 2019. Prior to Detroit. Johnson spent eight years with the Miami Dolphins as an offensive assistant (2012), assistant quarterbacks coach (2013-2015), tight ends coach (2015), assistant wide receivers coach (2016-2017) and wide receivers coach (2018).

Prior to the NFL, Johnson spent three seasons at Boston College as a graduate assistant (2009-2010) and tight ends coach (2011).

GAME REWIND: PACERS 111, HAWKS 113

The Pacers were down three starters on Friday night against Atlanta, but you wouldn’t have known it watching them play.

Despite being shorthanded, Indiana scrapped and fought until the bitter end, though they ultimately fell in heartbreaking fashion. John Collins’ putback layup with 0.7 seconds left gave Atlanta (20-22) a 113-111 win and snapped the Pacers’ six-game win streak on their homecourt.

Indiana led 101-92 with eight minutes remaining in Friday’s contest following a dunk by Oshae Brissett, but the Hawks clawed back. Trae Young converted a three and two free throws before De’Andre Hunter drilled back-to-back triples that gave the visitors a 103-101 lead with 5:46 remaining.

Brissett converted a jumper with 4:53 to play to end the Pacers’ scoring drought and tie the game. Jalen Smith put the hosts back in front with two free throws 20 seconds later, then added a layup the next time down the floor.

Free throws by Young and Dejounte Murray helped the Hawks cut the deficit back to 107-106. The visitors moved in front when Onyeka Okongwu blocked Andrew Nembhard, triggering a breakaway layup by Murray with 2:08 remaining.

The two teams traded misses before Mathurin drove into the paint and spun past Hunter, converting the go-ahead layup and drawing a foul with 58.7 seconds to play. He missed the free throw, however, and Young drained a step-back three with 31.3 seconds left.

On the other end, Hield drove and was met at the rim by Okongwu, but drew enough contact to earn a whistle. The veteran sharpshooter knocked down both free throws to tie the game with 21.5 seconds remaining.

With the shot clock off, Young appeared content to hold the ball for the last shot, but when the Pacers sent a double team, he launched a deep three with five seconds still on the clock. The shot was short, but the rebound fell right to Murray on the left elbow. He hoisted and missed a jumper, but Collins was there on the left block to tap it back in.

“The angle was just weird,” second-year Pacers center Isaiah Jackson said of the sequence. “It was a lot going on. (Collins) was just there to tip it in. They were just in the right spots at the right time. There was really nothing we could do about it.”

The buzzer initially sounded, but after review, 0.7 seconds were put back on the clock. Nembhard tried to lob the inbound to the rim, but the Hawks swatted it away to secure the victory.

Mathurin finished with a team-high 26 points to lead six players in double figures in the loss, going 9-for-18 from the field and 8-for-11 from the free throw line. Hield added 18 points on 5-of-12 3-point shooting and Brissett tallied 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench as the Pacers nearly won despite missing three starters.

Indiana announced on Thursday that star point guard Tyrese Haliburton will be sidelined at least two weeks with a left elbow sprain and mild left knee bone contusion. Indiana was also without starting center Myles Turner (back spasms) and forward Aaron Nesmith (non-COVID illness) on Friday, as both players missed their second straight games.

Others stepped up in their absence — like Jackson — who started for Turner at center and racked up 10 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high seven blocks, but it wasn’t quite enough.

Young had 26 points and 11 assists for Atlanta, going 6-for-11 from 3-point range. Hunter added 25 points on 6-of-9 3-point shooting, while Okongwu had a monster night with 18 points, 20 rebounds, and four blocks.

Young knocked down a three on Friday’s opening possession and set up Okongwu for a couple early dunks as Atlanta jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead.

After a timeout by Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, the Blue & Gold found their flow offensively. Indiana outscored the Hawks 16-7 over the next five minutes. That run was capped by the Pacers taking their first lead of the night when T.J. McConnell stole the ball from Collins, triggering a break where Chris Duarte connected with a streaking Mathurin for a breakaway layup with 4:47 remaining in the opening frame.

Indiana led 24-21 following Brissett’s three-point play at 3:49, but the Hawks owned the final minutes of the quarter. Young and Jalen Johnson hit back-to-back 3-pointers and Okongwu scored four times in the paint as Atlanta outscored Indiana 15-3 over the remainder of the frame to take a 36-27 lead into the second quarter.

Mathurin and the Pacers attacked the paint in the ensuing frame. The rookie guard scored 10 points in the first six minutes of the second quarter — including eight straight Pacers points on four layups.

Indiana tied the game five times in the latter half of the quarter. They finally moved back in front just before halftime.

With the score knotted at 55, A.J. Griffin missed a three. Jackson secured the rebound and passed ahead to Mathurin, who found Hield spotting up on the left wing. Hield shotfaked and then calmly buried the go-ahead trey just before the buzzer to give the hosts a 58-55 lead at the intermission.

Indiana scored the first four points of the second half before the Hawks caught fire from deep. Hunter hit back-to-back threes, Young drained a trey from nearly 30 feet, and Murray added a triple of his own during a 14-0 Atlanta outburst over just 2:04 of game time.

“The 14-0 run in the third quarter was probably the biggest killer in the game,” Carlisle said. “During that stretch we had poor communication and we didn’t get to shooters and we had empty possessions. It put us up against it.”

The Hawks led 82-74 with three minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Blue & Gold closed the frame with a flourish. Smith scored six points — including the go-ahead layup — during a 12-0 Indiana run. Young hit two free throws with 6.2 seconds remaining to end the Hawks’ drought, but once again, Hield closed a quarter strong, swishing in a three at the buzzer to give the Pacers an 89-84 lead entering the fourth quarter.

The hosts added to their lead early in the final frame. One particular sequence sent the crowd into a frenzy. First, Jackson rejected Griffin on the baseline for his sixth block of the night. McConnell went diving into the crowd to try to save the ball. He couldn’t quite get there, but his hustle drew a loud ovation.

The crowd grew even louder seconds later, as Jackson swatted away Griffin’s jumper off the inbound, triggering a break that culminated in another three from Hield that pushed Indiana’s lead to 99-90.

The Blue & Gold appeared on their way to a seventh straight home victory at that point, but the Hawks rallied to snap Indiana’s streak.

Smith finished with 14 points and six rebounds in the loss. McConnell added 13 points, seven boards, seven assists, and two steals.

The Pacers won’t have much time to rest, as they hit the Fieldhouse floor again on Saturday night against Memphis.

Inside the Numbers

Mathurin topped 20 points for the 17th time this season.

Brissett recorded his first double-double of the season and the 10th of his career.

Okongwu’s 20 rebounds were a new career high, five more than his previous best.

The Pacers struggled from 3-point range, going 7-for-30 (23.3 percent) from beyond the arc. Those seven 3-pointers matched Indiana’s lowest total in a game this season. Aside from Hield, Indiana went just 2-for-18 from beyond the arc.

The Hawks, conversely, went 16-for-33 (48.5 percent) from 3-point range.

Indiana outscored the Hawks 64-40 in points in the paint.

The Pacers outscored Atlanta 30-19 in fastbreak points and came within two points of their season high in transition.

You Can Quote Me On That

“Rebounding has been a nemesis of ours and it got us on the last play.” -Carlisle on Collins’ tip-in

“I felt like we jelled. I felt like it carried over from the New York Knicks game (on Wednesday). Just the toughness that everybody was playing with, we tried to bring it out tonight. It’s a learning experience for us. We’re down some guys and we don’t know when they’re going to be back. It’s next man up. I feel like everybody’s taking on that role and stepping up.” -Jackson on playing with new lineups

“I thought the chemistry was good. I felt like we moved the ball really well…I feel like today we did a good job of bonding together, especially at the end. We were right in there. We made a couple good plays, a couple silly plays, but it’s all a learning process.” -Brissett

“This is what is important for the development of this team and the future of our franchise is to put these young guys in a position like this tonight and commit to it and say basically, ‘You guys are gonna win or lose the game for us. We’re putting it in your hands.'” -Carlisle on playing so many young players with Haliburton and Turner sidelined

“We’re good teammates and we’re growing off the court. It’s a relationship that keeps going. Buddy will wind up being one of the greatest shooters of all time. And me coming up as a rookie — I’m an alpha, he’s an alpha…At the end of the day, we just want to see each other succeed.” -Mathurin on playing alongside and learning from Hield

“It’s something that I can do when I’m given time. When I’m out there, it’s my opportunity and I’m just going to take advantage of it. I know that that’s something that Coach really loves about my game.” -Brissett on getting 10 rebounds

“Isaiah Jackson has been great the whole year. His impact on the game is just crazy…he had seven blocks, it’s a game-changer.” -Mathurin on Jackson’s performance

Stat of the Night

Jackson’s seven blocks were two more than his previous best. He had five blocks against Oklahoma City on Feb. 25 of last season and again against Detroit on Oct. 22.

Noteworthy

The Pacers and Hawks have split a pair of games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this season and will meet once more in Atlanta on March 25 to determine the season series.

With all the injuries, Mathurin started for the third time this season and the first time at home.

Indiana is now 12-5 on the season when six or more players reach double figures.

The Pacers are 3-5 when playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Up Next

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the second half of a home back-to-back to take on Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, Jan. 14 at 7:00 PM ET.

INDY FALLS TO CINCINNATI, 3-1

CINCINNATI– The Fuel headed to Cincinnati to start their weekend where they hoped to find their first win in Cincy this year but despite scoring first they fell to the Cyclones, 3-1.

There were two penalties handed out to each team in the first period but they were all successfully killed off. The only goal of the first period came from Seamus Malone who is now the sole leader in goals for the Fuel this season with 13. At 17:57 in the first, Malone made it 1-0 with the help of Luc Brown and Chase Lang. 

The Fuel did start the second period on the power play but could not capitalize on it. About seven minutes into the second period, both teams got offsetting minor penalties for roughing. A minute into those penalties, Cam Hillis was called for tripping causing Indy to play over a minute of 4-on-3 hockey. 

The Cyclones were able to tie up the game on the power play with a goal by Louie Caporusso. Just a minute after that goal, Kirill Chaika was issued a five minute misconduct for boarding. Additionally, he was issued a game misconduct penalty and did not return to the match.

Arvin Atwal was able to capitalize on the power play for Cincinnati again and made it 2-1 with their first lead over Indy of the game. A few moments later, a shot by Atwal hit the post as well. Soon after that, Matt Watson took a hooking call putting the Fuel back on the penalty kill that they were able to kill off. 

Despite being down 2-1 at the end of the second, the Fuel were outshooting the Cyclones 17-13. 

The first ten minutes of the third period went by quickly with Cincinnati dominating possession and steadily surpassing Indy in shots, however both goalies stood strong and did not allow any more goals. With about six minutes to go in the third, Shane Kuzmeski took a hooking penalty that the Fuel were able to kill off. Soon after, Cincinnati was able to add another goal by captain Justin Vaive. 

Indy pulled Driscoll from the net soon after that and despite a late push, the Fuel were not able to mount the comeback and fell to the Cyclones 3-1. 

The Fuel are back at Indiana Farmers Coliseum tomorrow where they host the Kalamazoo Wings for Star Wars Night. Tickets are still available HERE but they are going fast!

NO. 17 INDIANA WRESTLING DOWNS NO. 16 RUTGERS, 24-16

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– Indiana Wrestling continued its winning ways on Friday night, defeating No. 16 Rutgers, 24-16, in the dual meet at Wilkinson Hall.

The No. 17-ranked Hoosiers have won two matches in a row and improved to 6-1 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten with the win.

This was Indiana’s third ranked victory of the season and their first win over Rutgers since Nov. 29, 2008.

KEY MOMENTS

• Indiana suffered three consecutive defeats in the opening bouts and trailed 10-0 as a result.

• From there, the Hoosiers picked up wins in three straight matches in the 149, 157 and 165 lbs. weight classes to take a 12-10 lead.

• At 157 lbs., Indiana’s No. 18-ranked Derek Gilcher was able to secure a chance in Sudden Victory against No. 23 Andrew Clark via his riding time point to make it 3-3 entering overtime. In Sudden Victory, Gilcher earned a takedown and a 5-3 win.

• Redshirt junior Nick South (165) flipped the momentum of the dual after trailing Robert Kanniard the entire time, stunning him with a pin in the third period to put Indiana in front.

• No. 18 DJ Washington (174) dominated his way to a 14-5, major decision victory over Jackson Turley and put IU in front, 16-10.

• After Rutgers tied the match at 16 from a pin at 184, Nick Willham (197) picked up a 2-1 decisive victory by way of his riding time point.

• Jacob Bullock put the exclamation point dual win, winning by tech fall, 15-0, over John O’Donnell.

NOTABLES

• The 6-1 start is the best start to the season in the Angel Escobedo era at Indiana.

• No. 18 Derek Gilcher has won three bouts in a row over ranked opponents. His win over No. 23 Clark was the second time that Gilcher has beaten Clark this season, winning the first time at Midlands in December.

• Washington’s win was also a rematch, he previously lost to Turley in the 2021 NCAA Championships.

• With Bullock’s win tonight, he improves to 14-2 on the season.

UP NEXT

• Indiana Wrestling will stay in Bloomington for their next match when IU hosts Minnesota on Friday, Jan. 20 for a 6:00 p.m. match at Wilkinson Hall.

FULL RESULTS

125: No. 13 Dean Peterson (RU) def. Jacob Moran (IU)                |Dec. 8-4 |             Score: Rutgers up 3-0

133: No. 14 Joe Heilmann (RU) def. No. 31 Henry Porter (IU)       |Dec. 6-1 |              Score: Rutgers up 6-0

141: No. 29 Joe Olivieri (RU) def. Cayden Rooks (IU)                   | MD, 15-2 |        Score: Rutgers up 10-0

149: No. 33 Graham Rooks (IU) def. Anthony White (RU)             |Dec. 7-1 |        Score: Rutgers up 10-3

157: No. 18 Derek Gilcher (IU) def. No. 23 Andrew Clark (RU)     |SV-1, 5-3 |       Score: Rutgers up 10-6

165: Nick South (IU) def. Robert Kanniard (RU)                           |Fall (5:42) |    Score: IU up 12-10

174: No. 18 DJ Washington (IU) def. Jackson Turley (RU)             |MD, 14-5 |      Score: IU up 16-10

184: No. 14 Brian Soldano (RU) def. Clayton Fielden (IU)             |Fall (2:45) |     Score: Tied 16-16

197: Nick Willham (IU) def. Billy Janzer (RU)                               |Dec. 2-1 |    Score: IU up 19-16

285: No. 17 Jacob Bullock (IU) def. John O’Donnell (RU)  |TF, 15-0 (5:22) |      Score: IU up 24-16

EXHIBITION MATCH

184: Drayton Harris (IU) def. Michael Toranzo (RUT)                   | Dec. 2-1 |

PAINTER WINS 400TH GAME AS #3 PURDUE ROLLS NEBRASKA

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Third-ranked Purdue relied on an old-school combination Friday night. Fletcher Loyer and Zach Edey made it work as perfectly now as it ever has for the Boilermakers.

Loyer scored a season-high 27 points, Edey added 12 points and 13 rebounds and the Boilermakers routed Nebraska 73-55 to become the 11th Division I school with 1,900 victories.

“Purdue’s a special palace,” Boilermakers coach and former player Matt Painter said. “They (the fans) understand if you’re playing hard and playing together. They might not all understand it, but collectively they do and that’s the one thing you’ve got to be able to do. You’ve got to play the right way and you’ve got to play hard.”

Few have been more successful at making their points than Painter, who also joined Bob Knight, Gene Keady, Tom Izzo and Lou Henson as the only Big Ten coaches to win 400 games at one school with the victory. Painter played for Keady before succeeding him in 2005.

And Painter’s style hasn’t changed much over the years, as was the case again Friday when Purdue improved to 16-1 for the first time since 1993-94. Loyer, a freshman, also had a season-best six 3-pointers, while Edey added 13 rebounds for his 14th double-double for the Big Ten-leading Boilermakers (5-1).

Derrick Walker had 19 points, six rebounds and four assists to lead the Cornhuskers (9-9, 2-5), who fell to 0-9 at Mackey Arena. Keisei Tominaga had 16 points for Nebraska, which played without two injured starters — guard Sam Griesel (hip) and forward Juwan Gary (left shoulder).

“Obivously we were very short-handed especially on the glass,” Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said. “But this game had nothing to do with that. What did us in was the start to both halves and give credit to Purdue for that.”

Loyer got it started with a quick flurry, four 3s in less than eight minutes, helped the Boilermakers jump to a 15-4 lead. Nebraska never fully recovered.

But when the Cornhuskers finally closed the deficit to 29-24 late in the first half, Purdue responded by scoring the final six points of the first half and the first 11 of the second half to make it 46-24. Nebraska never got close again.

“It’s huge,” Purdue forward Mason Gillis said after scoring 10 points. “Every time he (Loyer) shoots it, we think it’s going in. So we want him taking those open shots, being creative.”

BIG PICTURE

Nebraska: The Cornhuskers are making progress under Hoiberg. But after pushing Purdue into overtime on its home court in December, losing two starters Friday made it virtually impossible to replicate on the road against a motivated foe.

Purdue: Painter’s team has relied largely on its power game, but the early 3s gave the Boilermakers a different look — and the versatility they’ll need to make a deep postseason run. This one couldn’t have come at a better time, either, after a brutal sequence that included a home loss to Rutgers, a narrow win at No. 24 Ohio State and a slide from No. 1 to No. 3.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Figuring out this season’s best team has been a challenge all season. But the one-loss Boilermakers will remain in that discussion as long as they continue winning this way. In fact, with a little help this weekend, the Boilermakers could reclaim the top spot Monday.

HE SAID IT

“He’s one of the best in the business and he does such a phenomenal job recruiting to his system. And he learned from a great one, Gene Keady,” Hoiberg said of Painter’s milestone. “I’m happy for him, not happy he got his 400th against me, but I’m happy for him.”

UP NEXT

Nebraska: Hosts Ohio State on Wednesday.

Purdue: Visits Michigan State on Monday.

(Postgame Notes)

• Purdue improved to 16-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten with a 73-55 win over Nebraska on Friday night in Mackey Arena. The win was Purdue’s third in a row, including second straight by at least 13 points.
• The win came in front of a sold-out crowd of 14,876, Mackey Arena’s 50^th consecutive sellout, the fourth-longest streak in the country (Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga).
• The victory was the 400^th win at Purdue for head coach Matt Painter, the fifth Big Ten coach to reach 400 victories in the Big Ten (Tom Izzo, Bob Knight, Gene Keady, Lou Henson). He also won his 199^th career Big Ten game, needing one win to become the seventh coach with 200 league wins.
• Purdue became the 11^th program to win 1,900 all-time games, now with a 1,900-1,054 record.
• Purdue’s 16-1 start is its best record through 17 games since the 1993-94 season (16-1). A win over Michigan State on Monday would give Purdue a 17-1 record for just the second time in school history (1987-88).
• Purdue is 5-1 in the Big Ten for the first time since the 2017-18 season (12-0).
• Purdue improved to 9-0 all-time against Nebraska in Mackey Arena. The average margin of victory in the nine games is 16.6 points per game.
• Since the start of last season, Purdue is now 45-9 (.833), the fourth-most wins in America (Kansas, Houston, Arizona).
• Purdue has held all 17 opponents to 70 points or fewer. Minnesota and Marquette both scored 70 points against Purdue’s defense. Purdue has held its last eight opponents to 59.6 points per game. Purdue has held 29 straight opponents under 75 points, the second-longest streak in America (North Texas – 49).
• Purdue made 11-of-29, 3-pointers, the second time in the last three games it has made at least 11 3-pointers. Over the last three games, Purdue is 32-of-78 (.410) from 3-point range.
• Purdue’s freshman class accounted for 39 of Purdue’s 73 points.
• Fletcher Loyer tallied a career-high 27 points with three assists. His 27 points are the seventh most by a Purdue freshman in school history, while his six 3-pointers were the most by a freshman in school history.
• Loyer now has 41, 3-pointers on the season, already the sixth most by a freshman in a season in school history.
• Over his last three games, Loyer is 13-of-25 (.520) from 3-point range.
• Zach Edey recorded his 14^th double-double of the season (26^th career) with 12 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks. He has recorded nine straight double-doubles, tied for the third-longest streak in school history behind just Terry Dischinger (12 in 1959-60) and Dave Schellhase (11 in 1965-66).
• Braden Smith had 10 points, five rebounds, four assists in another strong floor game. He was 4-of-5 from the field with just one turnover in 31 minutes.
• Mason Gillis tallied 10 points with five rebounds. In games during his career that he scores 10 or more points, Purdue is 13-2.

LUKOSIUS NETS 28 TO LEAD BUTLER OVER VILLANOVA FRIDAY NIGHT

A career-high 28 points from Simas Lukosius and 57-percent shooting gave Butler a 79-71 win over visiting Villanova Friday night at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

With the win, Butler improves to 11-8 on the season and 3-5 in BIG EAST play. Villanova is now 8-10 (2-5).

DAWG OF THE NIGHT: Lukosius went 9-for-13 from the field, including a career-best five three-pointers, to net his career-high 28. He made all five of his free throw attempts. He added three assists, three steals and a block. His previous high of 27 came against Xavier in the 2022 BIG EAST Tournament.

STAT OF THE GAME: Butler shot 57 percent from the field, topping 50 percent in each half. The Bulldogs were 9-for-21 from behind the arc and 18-for-21 at the free throw line.

HOW IT WENT DOWN:

Butler created some breathing room in the first half as a 10-0 run gave the Bulldogs a 34-22 lead with 3:47 remaining in the half.

After Butler took a 40-30 halftime lead, Villanova responded by opening the second half with a 16-1 run that gave the visitors a 46-41 lead. Butler then went to work.

An Eric Hunter Jr. three-pointer as the shot clock expired knotted the game at 48-48 with 11:03 to play.

Butler took its last lead at the 4:54 mark of the game on two Lukosius free throws to lead 64-62. At that point in the game, he had 24 points. That was part of an eventual 7-0 run that gave Butler a 67-62 lead they would not relinquish.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

Lukosius led four Bulldogs in double figures as Chuck Harris (12), Jalen Thomas (11) and Hunter (10) also hit the plateau.

Thomas went 5-for-6 from the field and collected a team-high five rebounds.

Hunter led Butler with seven assists, setting a new season-high and just one shy of his career-high.

Butler forced Villanova into 15 turnovers, which featured 11 Butler steals.

Eric Dixon (22) and Caleb Daniels (21) led Villanova in scoring.

Villanova shot 52 percent from the field and held a 27-20 rebounding advantage.

OF NOTE:

Butler played without Manny Bates, who sat out the contest with a knee injury he has been dealing with in recent games. Butler was also without DJ Hughes, Myles Wilmoth and John-Michael Mulloy due to various injuries.

Jayden Taylor only took three shots from the field and scored seven points, but was +18 in plus/minus, which was the best mark of the game.

Butler is now 8-2 at Hinkle Fieldhouse this season.

With Bates missing his first game of the season, Butler adjusted its starting line-up for the third consecutive game with both Ali Ali and Jalen Thomas as part of the starting five.

Thomas has led the Bulldogs in rebounding in four of his eight games this season.

Butler is now 11-0 when leading at the half.

Butler is now 11-0 when scoring 70 or more points.

This is the tenth game this season that Butler has shot at least 50 percent from the field.

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs conclude a two-game homestand Tuesday night, hosting Creighton at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available for the contest, which will air nationally on FS1.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TRAVELS EAST FOR TWO-GAME ROAD TRIP

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The IUPUI women’s basketball team continues league play when they travel east for a two-game road trip with stops at Robert Morris on Saturday, January 14 at 1:00 PM and Youngstown State on Monday, January 16 at 7:00 PM.

IUPUI snapped snapped their four-game win streak after a loss to Cleveland State on the road on last Sunday, 92-59. Jazmyn Turner, Rachel Kent and Nakaih Hunter all scored in double figures for the Jags.

IUPUI has found success beyond the arc setting a Horizon League and IUPUI record with 17 three-point field goals in its 85-72 win over Northern Illinois. The Jags also hold the league’s best 35.6 percent from long range, averaging 8.5 threes per game. Destiny Perkins and Rachel Kent pace the way with 30 made threes each. Kent holds a 41.7 percent (30-for-72) from behind the arc while Perkins follows with a 37.0 percent (30-for-81).

Three Jags rank in the top ten in scoring in the Horizon League with Turner coming in at fourth (14.5), Perkins at sixth (13.4) and Kent holding the eighth spot (11.9)

The Jags will face Robert Morris on Saturday with a tip off of 1:00 PM. The Colonials enter the weekend 7-9 overall and 1-6 in conference. IUPUI will then go head-to-head with Youngstown State on Monday at 7:00 PM. The Penguins enter the weekend 12-4 overall and 6-1 in the Horizon League.

Both games can be watched on ESPN+.

JAGUARS TO HOST CLEVELAND STATE ON ALUMNI DAY AT THE COLISEUM

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI basketball team will continue its four-game homestand on Saturday (Jan. 14) when the Jaguars host Cleveland State at noon inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum. Approximately 30 former IUPUI players are expected to be in attendance as part of Alumni Day inside the Coliseum.

IUPUI (3-15, 0-7 HL) showed marked improvement against Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, holding the Mastodons under 40 percent shooting and outrebounding the opposition by four boards. In addition, the Jags committed just 12 turnovers, well under their season average. However, the Jags flat out struggled shooting the basketball, particularly from the outside. IUPUI made a season-low one three, from Vincent Brady II, and saw PFW can 11 from distance to account for a 30-point difference.

Graduate transfer Chris Osten continued his hot play with 12 points (6-of-8 FG) and eight rebounds and freshman DJ Jackson tossed in a season-high nine points in his third start of the year. Sophomore Jlynn Counter added nine points and five assists off the bench and Brady closed with seven.

On Saturday, alum from virtually every era have confirmed their attendance, ranging from the program’s early days to recent IUPUI graduates.

QUOTABLE

“We just didn’t make shots, plain and simple. We let some of their guys get going early and it’s really hard to match when you’re getting twos and giving up threes. That was a veteran team that knows how to play together and we’re playing a lot of new guys who are still figuring our what college basketball is all about. ” liked our fight. We didn’t back down and in fact, I thought we punched back. We’ve got a lot more basketball to play, so I think our guys learned a lot about themselves tonight,” head coach Matt Crenshaw said following Thursday’s defeat to Purdue Fort Wayne.

SCOUTING CLEVELAND STATE

Since starting the season 0-3, Cleveland State has rebounded nicely, climbing to 9-8 on the year and 4-2 in Horizon League play. The Vikings have alternated wins and losses in their past six games, but also had a six-game winning streak earlier this season. Tristan Enaruna (12.6 ppg), Deshon Parker (10.6 ppg), Tae Williams (9.8 ppg) and Drew Lowder (9.5 ppg) pace a balanced attack with Lowder doing the bulk of his damage off the bench. Enaruna also leads the team in rebounds (6.2 rpg) and Williams grabs 6.0 boards per game. CSU hangs its hat at the defensive end, holding foes to 65.9 points per game and keeping opponents to 41.5 percent shooting.

UP NEXT

IUPUI will continue the homestand against Oakland on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7:00 p.m. at the Coliseum. It will be Favorite Professor Night inside the Coliseum as faculty and staff from all over campus will be honored for their work with student-athletes. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here.

Tidbits heading into Saturday’s game (click here for full game notes (.pdf))

    OSTEN POWERS

    In the four games in the 2023 calendar year, graduate transfer Chris Osten has been nothing short of awesome. In those four contests, Osten is averaging 16.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting a nearly ridiculous 78.4 percent (29-of-37) from the field. Osten had a career-high 21 points (8-10 FG, 5-7 FT) at Robert Morris on Monday (Jan. 9).

    Osten is currently shooting 65.8 percent for the season, chasing the school record for single-season shooting percentage (Jon Avery – 67.9 percent in 2008-09).

    Coming into this season, he had scored in double-digits just one time in his Division I career

in stops at both Arizona State and Northern Illinois, and never had a double-double. However,

in 17 games this season, Osten has hit double-figures nine times and registered four

double-doubles.

    THREE TIMES

    IUPUI freshman Vincent Brady II has won the #HLMBB Freshman of the Week Award three times this season, tops in the league. Brady, a 6-foot-4 guard, is second on the team in scoring (9.8 ppg) and leads the squad in minutes played (30.2 mpg) and threes made (29).

    Brady comes in having made at least one three in 12 straight games and in 15 of the team’s 17 games this season.  

    FRESH DUBS

    It would appear that Brady will be hovering around double-digits in scoring all season long as he’s hit for double-digits in seven of IUPUI’s last 10 games after failing to do so in the season’s first seven games.

    The Dec. 5 Green Bay game was his 4th straight game of 15 points or more, becoming the first IUPUI freshman to have at least four straight games of 15 points or more since Alex Young in ’08.

    Freshmen scoring in double-digits has been a rarity for the IUPUI program as just two have done so in the program’s Division I-era. Young went on to score 2,286 points in his four-year career and Hill scored 1,619 points in three-plus seasons before being drafted in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft.

    Alex Young – 10.8 ppg (2008-09); George Hill – 10.7 ppg (2004-05)

    TOPS IN THE COUNTRY

    IUPUI is tops in the nation, having had 12 different players miss at least one game due to injury or illness, 10 of whom are scholarship student-athletes. Highest on the list are Zach Gunn (out for the season), Bryce Monroe (14 games missed) and DJ Jackson (11 games). Other scholarship student-athletes who have missed multiple games this season include Armon Jarrard (6 games), John Egbuta (5 games),  Cooper Dewitt (3 games) and Amhad Jarrard (3 games).

    Behind IUPUI, Wyoming, Vanderbilt and Iona have all had eight student-athletes miss time and both Dayton and Texas State have had seven miss time. 

    SOLID AS A ROC

    Jlynn Counter, known as Roc, had a fantastic two-game Indiana Classic just before Christmas, averaging 25.0 points in the two contests. He had a career-high 27 points (10-19 FG, 7-7 FT) and five rebounds against Southern Indiana on Dec. 19 and followed up with 23 points (9-13 FG, 1-1 3’s, 4-4 FT) in the Dec. 20 win over Texas A&M Commerce.

    The Oklahoma-native is No. 14 in the Horizon League in scoring (12.9 ppg) and sixth in field goal percentage (49.2%).

    ALL DAY-LAN

    Quietly, junior Daylan Hamilton has scored in double-digits in four of IUPUI’s last six games, averaging 9.2 points per contest during that span. Hamilton had scored in double-digits just twice in the season’s first 12 games before doing so in four of the past six.

    COMEBACK EFFORT

    At Robert Morris on Monday (Jan. 9), IUPUI trailed 44-29 at halftime, but rallied to come all the way back in the second half. The Jaguars tied the game at 61 all and again at 63-63 before being outscored 14-7 over the game’s first five-plus minutes in the 77-70 loss.

    IUPUI outrebounded RMU by nine for a season-high rebounding margin.

    IN LEAGUE PLAY… QUICK HITTERS

    In seven Horizon League games, IUPUI is outrebounding opponents by 2.3 rebounds per game as Chris Osten (6.4 rpg) and Vincent Brady II (4.7 rpg) lead the way.

    The flip side – IUPUI’s turnover margin in league play has been astonishing as the Jaguars turn it over nearly seven times more than their opponents (-6.42 to/gm) and turn it over 16.9 times per game. Jlynn Counter (26 ast/25 to), Amhad Jarrard (16 ast/12 to) and DJ Jackson (4 ast/2 to) are the only three regulars to have more assists than turnovers in league play.

    The three-point line has continued to be problematic in league play as well as the Jaguars are making just 4.1 treys per game in the league and yielding 9.9 threes per game in the seven games.

    Brady (11.9 ppg), Counter (11.0 ppg) and Osten (11.0 ppg) are all scoring in double-digits in league play.

    MAGIC MARLON

    On New Year’s Eve against Northern Kentucky, Marlon Taylor took full advantage of a rare opportunity for extended action. Coming into the game, Taylor had exactly seven points and eight rebounds in his collegiate career, which began as a walk-on at Indiana State in 2018. He had made 16 prior appearances for the Jaguars and actually took two years away from basketball from 2020-2022. Suffice it to say, he likely wasn’t on the scouting report.

    With virtually half the active roster sidelined with injuries, Taylor was awarded 26 minutes of action and responded with a career-high eight points (4-8 FG), nine rebounds and two assists.

    He later had a career-high 10 points (4-4 FG, 2-2 3’s) at Youngstown State on Jan. 7, doing so in just 11 minutes of work.  

    FRESHIES   

    Of the seven Horizon League Freshman of the Week Awards this season, three have gone to IUPUI players as Vincent Brady II is a two-time recipient and Armon Jarrard is the reigning honoree.

    Jarrard came off the bench to average 10.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in the two-game Indiana Classic, including a career-high 16 points (4-7 FG, 2-3 3’s, 6-7 FT) against Southern Indiana.

    IUPUI has relied on freshmen since the start of the season with Brady and the Jarrard twins being fixtures in the rotation. A fourth rookie, DJ Jackson, also came in with high expectations, but suffered an injury at the start of the season, and returned to game action on Dec. 31.

    Here’s a look at how the four have performed so far this season.    

Vincent Brady: 30.2 mpg (leads team), 9.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 30 3’s made (leads team)

Amhad Jarrard: 22.9 mpg (5th on the team), 5.7 ppg, 2.1 apg (3rd on the team), 7 steals

Armon Jarrard: 17.5 mpg (7th on the team), 4.3 ppg, 7 3’s made (2nd on the team), 15 steals

DJ Jackson (7 games): 16.9 mpg, 4.1 ppg, 2.0 rpg

    FRESH STARTERS

    IUPUI had three freshmen in the starting lineup in the opener as Vincent Brady II, Amhad Jarrard and Armon Jarrard all got the starting nod. The trio, all of whom are Indianapolis natives, combined on four points, five boards and an assist in the opener at Iowa State.

    A fourth freshman, DJ Jackson, made his first collegiate start on Dec. 31 against NKU.

    TIGHTEN UP

    In the win over Texas A&M Commerce, IUPUI tightened up to an eight-man rotation by both necessity and success. Daylan Hamilton earned his second straight start and chipped in a career-high 14 points (5-10 FG, 4-7 FT) and four assists. Boston Stanton III, also making a second straight start, had four points and a career-high seven rebounds.

    The only three that saw time off the bench were Armon Jarrard (5 pts), Jonah Carrasco (3 pts, 3 reb) and Cooper Dewitt (season-high 17 min).

    4K

    IUPUI hosted its annual NCAA Readers Become Leaders game on Dec. 12 against Spalding University and had a program best 4,114 fans in attendance. The game attracted roughly 3,500 3rd graders from Central Indiana and stressed the importance of creating reading habits at a young age. The 4,114 fans easily surpassed the previous record for an IUPUI home game – 3,327 against Indiana State inside Conseco Fieldhouse on Dec. 23, 2008.

    The previous record for an IUPUI game inside Indiana Farmers Coliseum was 3,159 in the inaugural game against Indiana State on Nov. 14, 2014.

    THE MONROE EFFECT

    After missing the first three games of the season to injury, junior transfer Bryce Monroe came in and made a major impact in the Jaguars’ lineup. In his four appearances, Monroe led the team in scoring (12.0 ppg) and assists (3.8 apg), despite suffering an injury in his third game back. More importantly, the team as a whole has improved its output. Without Monroe in the lineup, the Jags averaged just 53.4 points per game and scored 65.0 points per game with him available.

    The San Diego-transfer had a monster game at New Orleans on Nov. 24, pumping in 29 points (13-20 FG, 3-6 3’s) and seven assists – both of which are the most by an IUPUI player this season. However, Monroe was injured during the New Orleans trip and is currently sidelined indefinitely. 

    BOOK WORMS

    The Jaguars put together a 3.03 team grade point average during the fall semester with 12 members of the team earning a 3.0 or better. Junior John Egbuta was most impressive with a perfect 4.0 mark during the fall. 

BALL STATE HOSTS MIAMI FOR SATURDAY SHOWDOWN

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team returns to Worthen Arena for a Mid-American Conference showdown with Miami presented by LifeStream Services. The Cardinals and RedHawks are scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip, following the Ball State versus the Miami women’s basketball game.

BSU students, be among the first 400 in The Nest and receive a free hot dog, a slice of pizza, a fountain drink, or a beer. Arrive early, cheer loud, and enjoy responsibly. Vouchers will be passed out at the conclusion of the women’s game.

Last Time Out

Ball State suffered its first MAC loss on the road against Ohio, 76-71. Jarron Coleman recorded his 15th-straight game in double figures with a 17-point effort. He added a team-high four assists with two steals and two rebounds. Jalen Windham produced 13 points along with four rebounds and one assist. Payton Sparks finished in double figures with 12. He brought down a team-high eight rebounds. Sparks dished out one assist and had one steal.

Boogie on Down

Coleman has a team-best 14.4 points per game. He leads the team with 36 made 3-pointers and is shooting 36.7 percent from behind the arc. He leads the team with 52 assists and is second in steals with 22. Coleman has added nine blocks, which is tied for third on the squad.

Sensational Sellers

Sellers is second on the team with 13.8 points per game. He is shooting 53.1 percent from 3-point range, which leads the team. He is fourth on the team with 4.5 rebounds per game. He has produced a field-goal percentage of 50.0 on the season. Sellers has collected 13 assists, 12 steals and six blocks. He has notched four games with 20 or more points for the season.

Spark Plug

Sparks paces the team with 7.9 rebounds per game, which is tied for 88th in the country and fourth in the conference. His 3.31 offensive rebounds per contest have him ranked 26th in the nation and third in the MAC. He is third on the team averaging 13.1 points per game. He is shooting 61.5 percent from the field, which leads the team. He has four double-doubles on the season, which is tied for 81st in the country and is tied for third in the MAC. He is third on the team with 32 assists, second on the team with 13 blocks, and has added eight steals.

Spreading the Love

The Cardinals have four players averaging double-digit points. Demarius Jacobs closes out the double-digit scorers with 12.3 points a contest. He has a team-high 27 blocks, which is tied for 59th in the NCAA and most in the MAC lead. His 1.69 blocks per contest is 59th in the nation and first in the conference. He second on the team in assists with 49 and paves the team in steals with 23. He is averaging 3.8 boards per contest. Mickey Pearson Jr. is second on the squad with 5.1 rebounds per contest and is averaging 6.8 points a game. Pearson is third on the team shooting 53.6 from the field.

Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line

As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 25.5 free throws per game, which is seventh in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 17.6 free-throws made per contest, which is 14th in the nation and leads the conference. Sparks is seventh in the nation with 124 free-throw attempts, which leads in the MAC. The Cardinals are one of 23 teams in the NCAA that have made more free throws than their opponents have attempted.

Effective Shooting

The Cardinals are currently shooting 48.1 percent from the field, which is tied for 35th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 37.9 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 35th in the country and second in the MAC.

Series History with the RedHawks

Ball State and Miami will meet for the 109th time on Saturday. The RedHawks hold a 67-41 series advantage. The Cardinals won last season’s matchup 81-64 in Muncie. Ball State is 26-25 all-time in Muncie and is 13-11 inside Worthen Arena.

Scouting Miami

As a unit, the RedHawks are fourth in the NCAA shooting 80.8 percent from the free-throw line. Mekhi Lairy is shooting 91.4 percent from the free-throw line, which is 11th in the NCAA and second in the MAC. Lairy leads the squad with 17.5 points per game, 23 steals, and 69 assists. He is averaging 3.1 boards a game and has four blocks. Morgan Safford is second on the team with 14.9 points a game and has a team-best 5.8 rebounds per game. He has added 20 assists, 17 steals, and four blocks. Anderson Mirambeaux rounds out the double-digit scorers with 12.8 points a contest. He is second on the team with 5.6 rebounds a game. He has tallied 39 assists, a team-high 17 blocks, and has added 10 steals.  

IRISH EARN EXTRA POINT AGAINST GOPHERS

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The Irish opened their home series with the No. 2/2 Gophers, snagging the extra conference point in a 2-2 tie.

Just 24 hours after being named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, Ryan Bischel had a career performance, stopping 39 shots, including three saves in the shootout, to pick up the two Big Ten Conference points early in the second half of the year.

With the Irish putting pressure on the Gopher end halfway through the first period and drew a boarding penalty, the first infraction of the night. With four seconds left on the man-advantage, Justin Janicke fired a shot top shelf to give the Irish the 1-0 lead.

Moments later however, the Gophers would tie things up following an awkward bounce in the crease that sent the puck high in the air and nearly out of sight. On the downfall a Gopher tapped the puck past Bischel to even the score, a tie that would hold through to the end of the period.

The Irish found themselves on the man-advantage once more late in the period but were unable to capitalize and skated to their locker room tied 1-1 after one frame.

The two teams returned to the ice for the second period with the Irish on the powerplay but the Gophers killed the penalty and returned to full strength.

Minnesota native Trevor Janicke broke the stalemate at 9:34 of the second period to give the Irish a 2-1 edge halfway through the contest. The highlight reel goal was assisted by Jackson Pierson and Jesse Lansdell and was the senior’s third tally in the last two games.

After 40 minutes of action, the Irish continued to hold the narrow 2-1 lead with Ryan Bischel notching 24 saves between the pipes.

The two teams battled through the third period but both netminders stood tall in net, turning aside shot after shot. The Irish got another powerplay opportunity at 6:00 of the third period but despite multiple shots on the man-advantage, they were unable to extend the lead and continued with their one-goal lead late in the game.

With the net empty on the opposite end of the ice, the Irish doubled down defensively as Bischel made a series of saves while the blueliners jumped in front of shots to keep the puck off net. Although stepping up defensively, a tough shot with 24 seconds left in regulation beat Bischel as the Gophers forced the overtime session.

Through the overtime three-on-three session, the Irish and Gophers each had multiple rushes up the ice but were unable to find the ultimate game-winner and the two teams headed to a shootout.

Jackson Pierson was denied the first shot in the shootout but Bischel turned the Gophers’ attempt and both teams remained 0-0 through the first round. The Irish sent Ryder Rolston out second who wasted no time netting the go-ahead tally. Bischel made the next two saves as Notre Dame earned the extra conference point in the NCAA recognized tie.

GOALS

In the waning moments on the man-advantage, Landon Slaggert won the battle along the boards, finding Chayse Primeau at the bottom of the near circle. Without a clean shot, Primeau passed the puck through the slot to an open Justin Janicke who buried his shot for the Irish lead.

The elder Janicke scored the second goal to give ND the 2-1 lead halfway through the second period. Fending off a strong defensive effort, Trevor Janicke wound around for his seventh goal of the year. Jackson Pierson and Jesse Lansdell picked up assists on the goal.

KEY STATS

 The Irish finished with 22 shots on the night while Ryan Bischel recorded 36 saves through the overtime session. The senior netminder also stopped all three shootout attempts by the Gophers to give his team the extra point in conference play.

With three shots on goal each, Ryder Rolston and Drew Bavaro led the team in shots.

On the defensive side of the puck, Ben Brinkman jumped in front of three shots from his former team for a team-high blocked shots.

With the second goal Friday, Trevor Janicke now boasts three goals in his last two games and leads the team in goals (seven) and points (16).

UP NEXT

The two teams return to the ice at 6:05 p.m. Saturday night for the regular season series finale before the Irish take to the road for a pair of matchups at Penn State next weekend.

SYCAMORES RETURN HOME FOR MVC CLASH AGAINST DRAKE

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State plays its first home game since the calendar turned to 2023 when it welcomes Drake to Hulman Center Saturday afternoon for a 1 p.m. tip. The game will be carried on ESPN3 and 105.5 The Legend.

Game Day Sponsor

Toyota of Terre Haute is Saturday’s game day sponsor. For more information on our game day sponsor, click HERE.

Last Time Out

Indiana State’s two-game road win streak was snapped, as the Sycamores dropped a 65-54 decision to Evansville inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse.

Chelsea Cain led all scorers with 18 and was one of three Sycamores to grab a team-high five rebounds. Cain also reached the 1,000-point mark for her collegiate career. Del’Janae Williams had 15 points and five boards, while Bella Finnegan finished with eight points.

Indiana State got off to a strong start, but Evansville flipped the script after the opening quarter. The Sycamores trailed by double-digits in the third, but Williams and Cain led the Trees on a comeback charge, cutting their deficit to one possession in the fourth. Shots didn’t fall for the Blue and White in the final frame, though, as the home side held on in front of a frenzied crowd.

Welcome to the Club

Chelsea Cain finished with a game-high 18 points at Evansville and, in the process, hit 1,000 points for her collegiate career with a layup in the first quarter.

Cain scored 857 points in three seasons at Nicholls State and has 159 points for the Sycamores this year, giving her 1,016 career points. Cain has a chance to add on to that total in a big way, as she still has the rest of this season and all of next season to increase that total.

Milestone Watch

Two members of the Indiana State women’s basketball programs are nearing career milestones, with one having a chance of occurring Wednesday.

Del’Janae Williams is also closing in on 1,000 career points, as she is currently 123 points away from reaching the milestone with at least 16 games left on the schedule. Williams would be the 29th player in program history to reach the mark and would be the first Sycamore since Racheal Mahan in the 2014-15 season to accomplish the feat all at Indiana State.

Head coach Chad Killinger is also nearing a career milestone on the sidelines, as the Sycamore leader needs just three wins to reach 300 for his head coaching career.

Starting Off Strong

Despite the setback Wednesday night at Evansville, there were still bright spots for the Sycamores in the finale of their three-game road trip.

Indiana State jumped out to an 11-1 lead in the game and led 13-2 midway through the first quarter. The Sycamores hit five of their first seven shots, with 10 of their first 13 points coming in the paint. Indiana State also forced seven turnovers in the opening quarter, marking the second time in the last three games that the Sycamores forced seven first-quarter turnovers (seven at UIC).

Three’s Company

Good things have come in threes for the Sycamores this season. Indiana State is a perfect 4-0 this season when three or more players have scored in double-figures.

Conversely, the Sycamores are 3-7 when fewer than three players score in double-figures. Two of those three wins came during Indiana State’s recent road trip at UIC and Valparaiso.

Home Sweet Home

Indiana State is seeking its first home conference win this season in its first home game in two weeks. The Sycamores have yet to play a game inside Hulman Center since the start of the new year.

Indiana State was 5-2 at home during the non-conference portion of its season, with wins over Saint Louis, Central Michigan, Chicago State, Purdue Fort Wayne and Detroit Mercy.

Road Trip to Remember

A pair of Indiana State student-athletes stepped up for the Blue and White during the Sycamores’ recent three-game road trip, as Alona Blackwell and Lily Niebuhr both had their best games of the season during the stretch of games away from home.

Blackwell had seven points, three assists and three steals in the win over Valpo, while Niebhur had four points and two rebounds in the win over UIC.

Drake at a Glance

Drake enters the weekend at 8-5 overall and 3-2 in MVC play. The Bulldogs lost a nailbiting 70-69 contest to Northern Iowa at home in their last game.

Maggie Bair leads a high-powered Drake offense with 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Grace Berg (13.5), Megan Meyer (12.9), Katie Dinnebier (11.6) and Sarah Beth Gueldner (11.2) are all averaging in double-figures for the Bulldogs, who average 82.5 points per game. Drake will be without Meyer, though, as she will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury

Allison Pohlman is in her second season as the head coach at Drake after previously spending 14 seasons on the Bulldog coaching staff, first as an assistant coach and then as associate head coach. Pohlman guided Drake to the third round of the WNIT in her first season as head coach.

Series History Against Drake

Drake has a 61-24 advantage in the all-time series, with 17 of Indiana State’s 24 wins in the series coming at home. The teams split the season series last year, with each team winning on the road.

Last Game Against Drake (Mar. 5, 2022)

Del’Janae Williams had 17 points, including a game-high three 3-pointers, but visiting Drake shot over 60 percent from the floor in the second half to defeat Indiana State, 86-71, inside Hulman Center.

Natalia Lalic and Arianna Smith scored 12 points apiece, while Marie Hunter had nine points and a team-high five assists in her final home game. Nine different players scored in the game for the Blue and White.

Indiana State got off to a hot start for a second straight game, leading by as many as 18 midway through the second quarter. Despite a strong start to the third quarter where the Sycamores managed to push their lead back into double-digits, Indiana State couldn’t keep pace with Drake over the final 20 minutes, as the Bulldogs had 56 points in the second half to win their fifth straight game.

Up Next

Indiana State heads back on the road for its next two games, starting with a Friday night trip to Illinois State at 7:30 p.m.

MASTODON MVB TAKES DOWN DEFENDING DIII CHAMP CARTHAGE IN THREE SETS

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – It was a special night for the Purdue Fort Wayne men’s volleyball family on Friday (Jan. 13) when former Mastodon player and assistant coach JW Kieckhefer and his Carthage Firebirds came to town. The Mastodons beat the two-time defending Division III national champions 3-0 ( 25-22, 25-23, 25-23).

Prior to the match, Mastodon head coach Ryan Perrotte honored his former player and assistant coach, celebrating Kieckhefer’s back-to-back Division III national championships.

The current Mastodons took it to the former ‘Don’s team once the match started, jumping out to a 6-3 lead. Sergio Carrillo started the match with an ace. A 4-0 run later in the set put the ‘Dons up 18-13 thanks to a double-block from Bryce Walker and Jon Diedrich. The ‘Dons went up 23-17 from there, giving them enough cushion to out-last the 5-2 advantage to the Firebirds over the last seven points. Walker had five kills on six attempts in the first set alone.

Carthage opened the second set on a 7-1 run. After a Mastodon timeout, Walker served the Mastodons back in it, bringing the ‘Dons into an 8-8 draw. It was 6-1 run just a few points later that put the ‘Dons up for good in the set at 16-12. It started with a kill from Emmanuel Jurineack before the ‘Dons forced the Firebirds into five errors in six attempts. After 22-21, the ‘Dons got a block from Carrillo and Walker to bring up set point. Carthage held off two, but served into the net to put the ‘Dons up 2-0. Purdue Fort Wayne hit a scorching .429 in the second set.

The third and final set of the match was as closely contested as any. The ‘Dons eventually stretched it out to a 22-18 lead after a kill from Jurineack, but Carthage brought it back within one after holding off a pair of match points. Mark Frazier put the exclamation point on the night, however, sending a ball deep into the Carthage back line. It landed on the end line and was upheld despite a Carthage challenge.

Frazier finished the night with 10 kills, including four in both sets two and three without an error. Diedrich led all attackers with 13 kills on .556 hitting, his most efficient outing since February of last season.

Division III All-Americans Gene McNulty (40 assists) and Carter Schmidt (12 kills) led the Firebirds.

Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 2-1 while Carthage falls to 0-1. The Mastodons will be back in action next week (Friday, Jan. 20) against first-year program Missouri S&T.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BACK HOME SATURDAY VERSUS MISSOURI STATE

Valparaiso (2-11, 0-5 MVC)

Game #14 – Jan. 14, 2023 – 1 p.m.

Missouri State (9-5, 4-1 MVC)

Athletics-Recreation Center (5,000) – Valparaiso, Ind.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valpo women’s basketball team returns home to the ARC for its lone home game in a five-game stretch on Saturday afternoon as the Beacons welcome Missouri State to town to continue MVC play.

Previously: Valpo looked poised to capture its first MVC victory of the season Wednesday evening in Chicago, but it wasn’t to be, as host UIC claimed the 51-50 victory with a game-winning 3-pointer from Josie Filer with 1.9 seconds to play. The Beacons led by eight points with 4:58 to play and were still up two inside the final seconds before Filer’s shot.

Following Valpo Basketball: Streaming Video: ESPN+

Radio: WVUR (95.1 FM, Valparaiso)

Streaming Audio: TuneIn app

Links for live coverage: Available via ValpoAthletics.com

Head Coach Mary Evans: Mary Evans is in her fifth year at the helm of the program in 2022-23 and owns a record of 50-79. Evans has made an impact on the program in her first four years, raising the team’s level of play to be competitive in a strong Missouri Valley Conference. Evans’ preferred style of play has been a big part of the program’s turnaround, as Valpo has led the MVC in 3-pointers made per game in each of the last three seasons and in steals per game in two of the last three years.

Series Notes: The Lady Bears have earned victories in all 10 meetings in the all-time series between Valpo and Missouri State, all of which have come since Valpo joined the MVC prior to the 2017-18 campaign. Last season, MSU won 74-62 in Springfield and 66-46 at the ARC. Over those two games, Olivia Brown scored a combined 29 points on 11-of-13 shooting, including 6-of-7 from 3-point range.

@ValpoWBB…

…and @ValleyHoops

– Valpo was picked to finish in 10th place in the MVC preseason poll, totaling 197 points, just 10 points behind Evansville.

– Valpo is in its sixth season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.

– The Valley was ranked 10th in conference NET last year, was ranked seventh nationally in conference NET in 2020-21 and was eighth nationally in conference RPI in 2019-20.

…looking back at last year

– Valpo finished last year with an 11-19 overall record, but was strong in MVC play, going 9-9 in conference and finishing in sixth place – both of which match the program’s best since joining the Valley.

– The Beacons registered the first win at Drake and the first win at Bradley in program history.

– Valpo swept the season series over Drake, the program’s first two wins ever against the Bulldogs.

– The Beacons also tallied four top-100 wins within Valley play.

– Grace White was named MVC Sixth Player of the Year – the program’s first major postseason award since joining the Valley. Shay Frederick was a First Team All-MVC choice, while White was an All-Defensive Team selection and Olivia Brown earned a spot on the All-Newcomer Team.

…at UIC

– Valpo earned its largest lead of the game, 46-38, with 4:58 to play on a 3-pointer from Ilysse Pitts.

– The Beacons were limited to just one point over the next four-plus minutes as UIC closed to within 47-46.

– Olivia Sims hit two free throws with 19.5 seconds to play, countered by two UIC free throws with 10.7 seconds.

– Olivia Brown split a pair at the line to make it 50-48 with 8.6 to go, setting up Josie Filer’s game-winning triple.

– The 51 points allowed matched the lowest output by an opponent since Valpo held Purdue to 47 points on Dec. 6, 2020.

– The Beacons held UIC to 39% shooting, while on the offensive end, Valpo hit at a 45.9% clip. At the foul line, however, the Beacons were just 11-of-22 – including just 4-of-8 in the final two minutes – to the Flames’ 12-of-18.

– Sims matched her career high in the scoring column, with her final two free throws giving her a team-best 12 points on the night. The sophomore, who went 4-of-6 from the field and 4-of-5 from the foul line, has four 12-point efforts in her career.

…versus Indiana State

– Valpo led 14-3 just 4:01 into the ballgame, but went scoreless for the next 12 minutes as Indiana State claimed the lead.

– The teams were tied 23-all at halftime and the Beacons led 43-41 with 10 minutes to play.

– Consecutive 3-pointers from Maya Dunson and Ava Interrante gave Valpo a 54-49 lead with 5:20 to play, but Indiana State scored on seven of its next eight possessions to take control.

– Four Valpo players scored in double figures, led by 17 points from Olivia Brown, who went 5-of-8 from 3-point range — her second game in MVC play with at least five triples.

– Dunson set her career high by scoring 14 points — all of which came in the second half, 11 of them in the fourth quarter. She went an efficient 4-of-6 from the floor and hit all four of her free throw attempts..

– Interrante finished with 12 points to score in double figures for the third time this year, while Leah Earnest finished in double figures for the 10th time with 10 points.

– Earnest also led all players with 10 rebounds to register her fifth double-double of the campaign.

– Valpo outrebounded ISU 31-25 and gave up just seven offensive boards to a Sycamore team which outrebounded the Beacons by a combined 31 in the two matchups last season and grabbed 40 offensive rebounds over those two games.

– The +6 rebounding margin was the team’s second-best of the season and the first time in MVC play the Beacons have had the advantage on the glass.

– Valpo tied its season highs for both 3-pointers made and attempted by going 11-for-31 from the arc — the fourth time this year the Beacons have hit at least 10 triples. Valpo also matched a season high with 15 assists, five of which came from Brown to match her career best.

– The Beacons turned the ball over 22 times and forced just 10 miscues by the Sycamores. The 12-turnover disparity allowed ISU to hold a 20-6 edge in points off turnovers.

…looking ahead

– Valpo plays its next three in a row on the road, starting with the Iowa road swing at UNI Thursday, Jan. 19 and at Drake Saturday, Jan. 21.

– The Beacons will then step out of Valley play briefly on Wednesday, Jan. 25 to make up their postponed game at Wisconsin.

SPORTS EXTRA

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Boston	31	12	.721	—	17-5	14-7	5-0	17-8	8-2	5 W
2 Brooklyn	27	14	.659	3.0	13-6	14-8	5-3	20-8	8-2	1 L
3 Milwaukee	27	15	.643	3.5	16-5	11-10	4-3	15-11	5-5	1 L
4 Cleveland	27	16	.628	4.0	18-4	9-12	7-3	17-8	5-5	1 W
5 Philadelphia	25	16	.610	5.0	17-7	8-9	4-3	17-10	6-4	1 L
6 New York	24	19	.558	7.0	11-11	13-8	2-4	15-10	6-4	2 W
7 Indiana	23	20	.535	8.0	15-8	8-12	2-2	16-11	6-4	2 L
8 Miami	23	20	.535	8.0	13-9	9-11	5-1	9-12	7-3	2 W
9 Atlanta	20	22	.476	10.5	11-9	9-13	4-3	14-15	4-6	1 W
10 Toronto	19	23	.452	11.5	14-10	5-13	2-8	13-16	5-5	3 W
11 Chicago	19	24	.442	12.0	11-10	8-14	4-3	16-13	5-5	3 L
12 Washington	18	25	.419	13.0	11-9	7-16	4-3	11-15	6-4	1 L
13 Orlando	16	27	.372	15.0	10-12	6-15	2-5	7-18	4-6	1 L
14 Detroit	12	34	.261	20.5	6-15	6-19	0-6	4-20	4-6	1 L
15 Charlotte	11	32	.256	20.0	5-14	6-18	3-6	5-21	2-8	3 L
Western Conference
	W	L	Pct	Conf GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
1 Denver	29	13	.690	—	18-3	11-10	7-3	22-9	8-2	5 W
2 Memphis	28	13	.683	0.5	18-3	10-10	6-2	14-10	8-2	8 W
3 New Orleans	26	17	.605	3.5	17-5	9-12	7-3	16-10	5-5	1 W
4 Sacramento	23	18	.561	5.5	14-9	9-9	4-5	11-9	6-4	3 W
5 Dallas	24	19	.558	5.5	16-6	8-13	6-2	18-8	7-3	1 W
6 Golden State	21	21	.500	8.0	17-5	4-16	4-4	13-9	6-4	1 W
7 LA Clippers	22	22	.500	8.0	12-10	10-12	3-4	12-14	3-7	1 L
8 Utah	22	23	.489	8.5	14-7	8-16	3-4	16-14	3-7	2 W
9 Minnesota	21	22	.488	8.5	13-9	8-13	6-4	14-13	5-5	1 W
10 Phoenix	21	23	.477	9.0	14-7	7-16	8-0	18-12	2-8	2 L
11 Oklahoma City	20	23	.465	9.5	13-9	7-14	3-6	10-12	6-4	2 W
12 Portland	19	22	.463	9.5	9-8	10-14	4-6	13-13	2-8	5 L
13 LA Lakers	19	23	.452	10.0	10-9	9-14	1-7	8-15	6-4	2 L
14 San Antonio	13	30	.302	16.5	8-14	5-15	2-7	5-23	2-8	4 L
15 Houston	10	32	.238	19.0	6-14	4-18	1-8	5-24	1-9	9 L

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Boston Bruins	41	32	5	4	68	30	156	91	19-1-3	13-4-1	7-1-2
2 Carolina Hurricanes	42	26	9	7	59	23	136	115	12-5-1	14-4-6	6-3-1
3 Toronto Maple Leafs	43	26	10	7	59	26	144	113	15-3-4	11-7-3	6-3-1
4 New Jersey Devils	42	27	12	3	57	27	147	111	11-10-2	16-2-1	6-3-1
5 New York Rangers	43	24	12	7	55	22	140	117	11-7-4	13-5-3	6-2-2
6 Tampa Bay Lightning	40	26	13	1	53	25	144	119	17-4-1	9-9-0	6-4-0
7 Washington Capitals	44	23	15	6	52	23	143	123	13-6-3	10-9-3	6-2-2
8 Pittsburgh Penguins	41	21	14	6	48	20	134	125	11-5-4	10-9-2	3-5-2
9 New York Islanders	43	22	18	3	47	22	131	119	12-7-1	10-11-2	4-5-1
10 Detroit Red Wings	40	18	15	7	43	17	125	135	11-8-3	7-7-4	5-4-1
11 Buffalo Sabres	40	20	18	2	42	19	154	139	9-11-2	11-7-0	6-4-0
12 Florida Panthers	43	19	20	4	42	18	140	149	10-6-3	9-14-1	4-6-0
13 Ottawa Senators	41	19	19	3	41	18	125	130	11-10-1	8-9-2	5-4-1
14 Philadelphia Flyers	42	17	18	7	41	17	119	136	9-10-1	8-8-6	7-3-0
15 Montreal Canadiens	42	17	22	3	37	13	113	159	9-11-0	8-11-3	2-7-1
16 Columbus Blue Jackets	41	12	27	2	26	11	105	164	10-13-1	2-14-1	2-8-0
Western Conference
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
1 Vegas Golden Knights	43	28	13	2	58	25	144	122	13-10-0	15-3-2	6-3-1
2 Dallas Stars	43	25	11	7	57	24	147	113	12-4-3	13-7-4	6-3-1
3 Winnipeg Jets	43	28	14	1	57	28	145	113	16-6-0	12-8-1	7-3-0
4 Los Angeles Kings	45	25	14	6	56	21	152	152	14-7-2	11-7-4	7-2-1
5 Seattle Kraken	41	25	12	4	54	25	150	125	10-8-2	15-4-2	7-2-1
6 Minnesota Wild	41	23	14	4	50	20	132	117	12-8-1	11-6-3	5-3-2
7 Calgary Flames	43	20	14	9	49	19	133	128	12-7-2	8-7-7	5-2-3
8 Edmonton Oilers	44	23	18	3	49	23	160	146	10-11-2	13-7-1	5-4-1
9 St. Louis Blues	43	21	19	3	45	18	137	155	8-9-2	13-10-1	5-3-2
10 Nashville Predators	41	19	16	6	44	17	115	121	9-6-3	10-10-3	5-3-2
11 Colorado Avalanche	40	20	17	3	43	17	118	118	9-8-3	11-9-0	3-6-1
12 Vancouver Canucks	41	17	21	3	37	15	142	163	8-10-1	9-11-2	4-6-0
13 San Jose Sharks	44	13	23	8	34	12	134	168	4-12-6	9-11-2	3-5-2
14 Arizona Coyotes	41	13	23	5	31	12	113	154	7-6-2	6-17-3	3-7-0
15 Anaheim Ducks	43	12	27	4	28	9	100	181	8-13-1	4-14-3	3-6-1
16 Chicago Blackhawks	40	11	25	4	26	11	89	146	8-14-2	3-11-2	4-6-0

FOOTBALL HISTORY

January 14, 1940 – Gilmore Stadium, Los Angeles – The 2nd NFL All Star Game went on as scheduled as the Champion Green Bay Packers would play the best players from the remainder of the League. The All-Stars featured Washington’s Slingin’ Sammy Baugh and Bears Sid Luckman under center, with Detroit’s Cotton Price per the Pro-Football-Reference.com. Green Bay under coach Curly Lambeau had the star power of Don Hutson, Clarke Hinkle and Beattie Feathers. The Packers showed why they were the top team as they defeated the NFL All-Stars, 16-7.

January 14, 1946 – The NFL Draft for the 1946 season had Frank Dancewicz the flashy quarterback from the University of Notre Dame as the first pick by the Boston Yanks. The American Football Database tells us that Frank played three seasons in the NFL all with Boston. Quarterbacking runs strong in his bloodline because Frank’s grandson, Chris Pizzotti, was later the starting signal caller for Harvard’s football team.

January 14, 1951 – Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – The very first NFL Pro Bowl game took place. We had seen in prior years that the NFL used an All-Star game to celebrate their top players of the season against the team that had just recently won the title. The NFL broke away from that format to a closer facsimile to what we witness today except the players from the championship games would also participate. The first game itself was a good one too as the American Conference outlasted the National Conference, 28-27 per the Pro-Football- Reference.com. Cleveland Browns quarterback Otto Graham claimed the Most Valuable Player Award for the game.

January 14, 1961 – The AFL landed it’s first player that they signed away from the NFL. Former Chicago Bears Willard Dewveall inks a deal with the Houston Oilers according to a Medium.com story. There were others like the retired former Bear George Blanda who thought George Halas never gave him a fair shake at the QB position in Chicago.

January 14, 1962 – LA Memorial Coliseum – The 12th NFL Pro Bowl was played as the NFL’s Western Conference edged out the Eastern Conference, by the score of 31-30. MVPs were the great Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns and Green bay’s Defensive tackle Henry Jordan. Other stars in this contest of the NFL’s best players of 1961 included Jim Taylor who led the league in rushing that season with the Packers, Giants QB Y.A. Tittle, Mike Ditka the tight end of the Bears, Detroit Lions players Alex Karras, Yale Lary and Dick Night Train Lane and so many more legends which can be found on the Pro-Football-Reference website.

January 14, 1968 – Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida -In the day it was dubbed as the second AFL-NFL World Championship Game but it would later be known as Super Bowl II. The AFL’s Oakland Raiders met the NFL’s top team, the Green Bay Packers. The Washington Post has a great write up on the game I encourage you to check out for the details. Bart Starr showed why he was one of the best in the business and the Packers defense was phenomenal. Raider signal caller Daryle Lamonica was under siege most of the day and this pressure forced some crucial errors. One of these was the 60 yard pick six that Green Bay cornerback Herb Adderley had in the fourth quarter to pad an already big Packers lead. The Green Bay Packers played well as a team and upstaged the Oakland Raiders, 33-14. The game’s MVP was Bart Starr who was sacked 3 times but managed to throw for 202 yards and a score against a very good Oakland defense.

January 14, 1973 – LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California – Super Bowl VII featured a team on a mission that spoke about multiple times in this series, the Miami Dolphins. The franchise that stood in the way of gridiron immortality was the Washington Redskins. It was a hard hitting game and the Dolphins used running back Larry Csonka to fuel their offense and he pounded out a game high 112 yards on the ground against the fierce Redskin defense. The game got pretty exciting late in the contest according to a story on the WashingtonPost.com. The Dolphins held a 14-0 lead with over two minutes remaining. Washington forced Miami to attempt a 42 yard field goal to ice the game but instead the kick was blocked and the loose ball ended up in kicker Garo Yepremian’s hands and he unwisely tried to toss it forward but after a tip of the pass Washington’s Mike Bass grabbed the errant throw and found the endzone at the 2:07 mark in the final quarter. The Dolphins were forced to punt after a three and out and Washington was in business at their own 30 yard line with 1:14 remaining. The Dolphin defense came in and put an end to the comeback bid and the clock expired with two Miami defenders piled up on Redskin quarterback Billy Kilmer. The final score was Miami is a 14-7 thrilling finish to complete the first and so far the only undefeated championship season in the Super Bowl era. The game’s MVPwas Miami Safety Jake Scott.

January 14, 1990 – AFC Championship at Denver’s Mile High Stadium was a matchup of two teams that we had seen three times in a four year period of the late 1980’s, the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos. The website Taylorblitztimes.com has a great detailed article on the game. Denver Broncos beat Cleveland Browns 37-21

January 14, 1990 – Candlestick Park, San Francisco – The NFC Championship San Francisco 49ers crushed the Los Angeles Rams, 30-3 to advance to the Super Bowl per the Pro-Football-Reference.com. The only three touchdowns of the game occurred on the 21 unanswered points in the second quarter powered by Niners Bert Jones, Roger Craig and Joe Montana to John Taylor 18 yard scoring connection.

January 14, 1996 – Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh – The season’s AFC Championship featured the Indianapolis Colts and their gritty quarterback, Jim Harbaugh. Chuck Moody of the United Press International covered the game story as Pittsburgh’s Bam Morris plunged in with 1:34 left to put the Steelers up by four points late. The game got a little bit hairy after that though as Harbaugh launched a Hail Mary to the endzone that his receiver Aaron Bailey had in his hands momentarily until it rolled out to hit the artificial turf of Three Rivers Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers hung on to overcome the Indianapolis Colts, 20-16 and advance to the Super Bowl.

January 14, 1996 – Texas Stadium, Irving – The NFC Championship game had the Dallas Cowboys outlasted the Green Bay Packers, 38-27.

January 14, 2001 – Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland – The AFC Championship game had the Baltimore Ravens defeating the Oakland Raiders, 16-3.

January 14, 2001 – Giants Stadium, East Rutherford – NFC Championship,: New York Giants beat Minnesota Vikings, 41-0

BASEBALL HISTORY

1922       The Senators name Clyde Milan to replace George McBride, who guided Washington to a fourth-place finish with an 80-73 record in his only season as a big-league skipper. The team’s new player-manager, an outfielder with the club since 1907, will see his sixth-place club finish 16 games under .500 during his final year in baseball.

1954       Former Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio and actress Marilyn Monroe elope, getting married at City Hall in San Francisco where reporters and adoring fans mob the newlyweds. The couple, who had captivated the nation with their romance, will divorce just 274 days after the ceremony, with the filmstar accusing her husband of “mental cruelty.”

1963       The White Sox trade shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder Al Smith to the Orioles for knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, who will post during his six seasons in the Windy City a 41-33 record along with 98 saves while compiling a minuscule ERA of 1.92. Chicago also obtains outfielder Dave Nicholson, former Rookie of the Year Ron Hansen, and Pete Ward.

1970       After seeing his upstart team win the World Series three months ago, Mets general manager Johnny Murphy dies after suffering a massive heart attack. The 61-year-old baseball executive, a talented reliever for the Yankees in the 1930s and early ’40s, will be succeeded by Bob Scheffing, the team’s special assignment scout.

1981       Frank Robinson is named manager of the Giants, replacing Dave Bristol, who was dismissed by Bob Lurie at the winter baseball meetings in Dallas last month. Robinson becomes the first black skipper in the National League after being the first in baseball history when he managed the Indians in 1975.

1987       The BBWAA elects hurler Catfish Hunter and outfielder Billy Williams (Cubs, A’s) to the Hall of Fame. The right-hander, an ace with the A’s and Yankees, became one of the game’s first big-money free agents, and the Chicago flychaser established a National League record by playing in 1,117 consecutive games.

1998       The Astros trade James Mouton to the Padres in exchange for hurler Sean Bergman. The right-hander will post a 12-9 record in Houston, and the Friars’ new outfielder will hit a meager .190 in his only season in San Diego.

2002       Barry Bonds, stating his heart has always been in San Francisco, avoids arbitration by agreeing to a five-year, $90 million deal with the Giants. The contract also calls for a 10-year personal services commitment at the end of the 37-year-old left fielder’s playing days.

2006       The Dodgers trade right-hander Edwin Jackson and prospect lefty Chuck Tiffany to the Devil Rays to obtain All-Star penmen Danys Baez, Lance Carter, and a player to be named. Baez, who saved 41 games for Tampa Bay last season, will be the team’s closer until Eric Gagne returns from elbow surgery.

2007       According to an anonymous team official, the Blue Jays avoid arbitration by coming to terms with Lyle Overbay (.312, 22, 92). The 29 -year-old first baseman agrees to a four-year deal worth $24 million to stay in Toronto.

2008       The Cardinals and Blue Jays swap their All-Star third baseman when Scott Rolen (.265, 8, 62) goes north of the border, and Troy Glaus (.262, 20, 58) heads to the Gateway to the West. Rolen, known not to be a fan of Tony La Russa, his former manager, joins one-time teammate David Eckstein on the left side of the diamond in Toronto.

2008       To replace Andruw Jones, their former Glove Glover in centerfield, the Braves acquire Mark Kotsay from the rebuilding A’s in exchange for reliever Joey Devine and a minor league pitching prospect. Additionally, Atlanta will pick up approximately $5 million of their new outfielder’s $7.35 million salary.

2009       The Angels avoid arbitration when the team agrees to a $5,775,000, one-year deal with Chone Figgins, the club’s versatile switch-hitter. The 30-year-old, who led the team with 34 stolen bases last season, has employed mostly third base, but he has also played second, shortstop, and in the outfield by Halos’ skipper Mike Scioscia.

2010       Adam LaRoche, reportedly turning down a more lucrative two-year deal with the Giants, finalizes a one-year contract with the Diamondbacks that guarantees the first baseman $6 million for next season. The 30-year-old corner infielder played for Atlanta, Boston, and Pittsburgh last year, compiling a .277 batting average with 25 homers and 83 RBIs.

2012       The Yankees deal Jesus Montero, considered the top catching prospect in the major leagues, to the Mariners to obtain Michael Pineda, a promising 22-year-old starting pitcher. The trade adds an All-Star right-hander, who posted a 9-10 record along with an ERA of 3.03, averaging nearly a strikeout per frame in 171 innings of work last season in Seattle, to the Bronx Bombers’ starting rotation.

2015       The Braves continue their youth movement, dealing Evan Gattis and right-handed prospect James Hoyt to the Astros for minor leaguers Rio Ruiz, Andrew Thurman, and Mike Foltynewicz. Earlier in the offseason, Atlanta obtained four prospects from the Padres in exchange for Justin Upton and added starting pitcher Shelby Miller and Tyrell Jenkins, another pitching prospect, from St. Louis when they traded Jayson Heyward and reliever Jordan Walden to the Cardinals.

2016       “I think it is a plan that is in the best interest of the entire bay area, and I have to give him [St. Pete’s mayor Rick Kriseman] an awful lot of credit for perseverance and for crafting a plan that has the best interests of the citizens of St. Petersburg, protects their investment in that stadium and, at the same time, recognizes the fiscal reality of the situation.” – BOB BUCKHORN, mayor of Tampa, Florida. The St. Petersburg’s City Council votes 5-3, supporting a measure that allows the Rays to explore new stadium sites in Hillsborough County, which has not been up for discussion due to the team’s agreement to play at Tropicana Field until 2027. The heralded deal looks out for taxpayers while securing the franchise’s commitment to remain in the Tampa Bay area’s environs.

2016       At his home in Atlanta, the Japanese consul general presents Hank Aaron with the Gold Rays with Rosette, the fourth class of Order of the Rising Sun, one of Japan’s highest honors. The 81-year-old American home run king is commended, along with Sadaharu Oh, for his efforts towards the World Children’s Baseball Fair, an organization fostering an environment of world understanding and cultural exchange through the celebration of the sport.

2020       The Red Sox and Alex Cora mutually agree to part ways in light of Major League Baseball’s investigation of the team’s alleged use of electronics to steal signs. During his two seasons with Boston, the 43-year-old skipper compiled a 192-132 (.593), winning 108 games and capturing the 2018 World Series in his first year at the helm.

2021       A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle mint baseball card sets a new record with a $5.2 million price tag, surpassing the sale of the one-of-a-kind autographed Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Superfactor BGS 9 card that sold for $3.93 million last August. Entrepreneur and actor Rob Gough purchased the rare piece of memorabilia, one of only nine known to exist in its condition, in a deal brokered by PWCC Marketplace, a leader in the trading card investment market.

SPORTS NUMBERS

4 – 14 – 22 – 60 – 88 – 32 – 74 – 12 – 13 – 10 – 26 – 27 – 53

January 14, 1927 – Hap Day who wore the sweater with a Number 4 on it for the Toronto Maple Leafs scores the first hat trick in franchise history against the New York Rangers.

January 14, 1940 – Number 14, Green Packers End Don Hutson scored the lone touchdown in the 1940 NFL pro Bowl as the Packers defeated the All-Star team made up of the other 9 NFL clubs 16-7. With 38 ticks remaining in the 1st half, in a punting situation, Cecil Isbell fired a strike from his own goal line to a racing Hutson who scored on the 92 yard suprise passing play.

January 14, 1943 – Montreal Canadiens’ left wing, Alex Smart became the first NHL rookie to score a hat trick in his first NHL game, a 5-1 win at home over the Chicago Black Hawks

January 14, 1946 – Frank Boley Dancewicz was the top pick in the NFL Draft by the Boston Yanks. Boley, who played Quarterback for Notre Dame ended up wearing the Number 22 jersey for the Yanks.

January 14, 1951 – 1st NFL Pro Bowl, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American Conference beats National Conference, 28-27; The game MVP was Cleveland Browns, QB, Number 60, Otto Graham. This would be the final season that quarterbacks from the merged AAFC would be allowed to wear their old number in the NFL. The Browns signal caller would wear Number 14 for the balance of his career.

January 14, 1961 – Chicago Bears former player, Willard Dewveall became the first NFL player to join AFL. Dewveall wore Number 88 with both the Bears and his new team the Houston Oiler.

January 14, 1962 – 12th NFL Pro Bowl, LA Memorial Coliseum: Western Conference beats Eastern Conference, 31-30; MVPs: Number 32, Jim Brown, the Cleveland Browns, RB for the offense and on defense the top player selected was Green Bay Packers, DT, Number 74, Henry Jordan.

January 14, 1964 – 14th NBA All-Star Game, Boston Garden: East beats West, 111-107; MVP selected was a Point Guard, Number 14 of the Cincinnati Royals, Oscar Robertson.

January 14, 1968 – Super Bowl II, Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, FL: Green Bay Packers beat Oakland Raiders, 33-14; MVP: Bart Starr, Number 12, Green Bay, QB

January 14, 1969 – 19th NBA All-Star Game, Baltimore Civic Centre: East beats West, 123-112; MVP was Cincinnati Royals, PG, Number 14, Oscar Robertson

January 14, 1973 – Super Bowl VII, LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA: Miami Dolphins beat Washington Redskins, 14-7; MVP: Miami, Safety, Number 13, Jake Scott. It is interesting that the Dolphins had a Number 13 become a Super Bowl MVP and it was not Dan Marino.

January 14, 1975 – 25th NBA All-Star Game, Arizona Vets Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Az: East beats West, 108-102; MVP: NY Knicks, PG, Number 10, Walt Frazier

January 14, 1987 – Catfish Hunter (Number 27) and Billy Williams (Number 26) were elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

January 14, 1993 – Utah Jazz center Number 53, Mark Eaton blocks 2 shots in a 96-89 win over Seattle SuperSonics; becomes only 2nd player in NBA history (along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) to record 3,000 career blocks

TV SATURDAY

NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Kentucky at Tennessee	12:00pm	ESPN
West Virginia at Oklahoma	12:00pm	ESPN2
Seton Hall at DePaul	12:00pm	FS1
Davidson at George Mason	12:00pm	ESPNU
Miami (FL) at NC State	12:00pm	ACCN
Cleveland State at IUPUI	12:00pm	ESPN+
Drexel at Northeastern	12:00pm	FloSports
Loyola Chicago at Saint Joseph’s	12:30pm	USA
Wisconsin at Indiana	1:00pm	CBS
Georgia at Ole Miss	1:00pm	SECN
Columbia at Harvard	1:00pm	NESN
Maine at UMBC	1:00pm	ESPN3
Bryant at New Hampshire	1:00pm	ESPN3
Fairleigh Dickinson at Central Connecticut	1:00pm	NEC
Sacred Heart at St. Francis Brooklyn	1:00pm	NEC
Robert Morris at Detroit Mercy	1:00pm	ESPN+
Bowling Green at Western Michigan	1:00pm	ESPN+
Western Carolina at The Citadel	1:00pm	ESPN+
Holy Cross at Lafayette	1:00pm	ESPN+
Army West Point at Boston University	1:00pm	ESPN+
North Alabama at Queens	1:00pm	ESPN+
North Dakota State at Omaha	1:00pm	–
North Carolina at Louisville	2:00pm	ESPN
Kansas State at TCU	2:00pm	ESPN2
Providence at Creighton	2:00pm	FS1
Arkansas at Vanderbilt	2:00pm	ESPNU
Delaware at Hofstra	2:00pm	MSG
Charleston Southern at Radford	2:00pm	ESPN3
UMass Lowell at Binghamton	2:00pm	ESPN3
Miami (OH) at Ball State	2:00pm	ESPN3
Merrimack at Stonehill	2:00pm	NEC
Bucknell at Colgate	2:00pm	ESPN+
American at Lehigh	2:00pm	ESPN+
Penn at Dartmouth	2:00pm	ESPN+
Princeton at Brown	2:00pm	ESPN+
UCF at Tulane	2:00pm	ESPN+
North Florida at Kennesaw State	2:00pm	ESPN+
UNC Asheville at Gardner-Webb	2:00pm	ESPN+
Winthrop at Campbell	2:00pm	ESPN+
UTSA at Charlotte	2:00pm	ESPN+
North Texas at Florida Atlantic	2:00pm	ESPN+
Coastal Carolina at Georgia State	2:00pm	ESPN+
Stony Brook at North Carolina A&T	2:00pm	FloSports
Richmond at St. Bonaventure	2:30pm	USA
Pitt at Georgia Tech	3:00pm	ACCN
Monmouth at Towson	3:00pm	CBSSN
North Dakota at Denver	3:00pm	–
Youngstown State at Oakland	3:00pm	ESPN+
Fordham at La Salle	3:00pm	ESPN+
Jacksonville at Jacksonville State	3:00pm	ESPN+
Stetson at Eastern Kentucky	3:00pm	ESPN+
Texas State at ULM	3:00pm	ESPN+
Southern Miss at Arkansas State	3:00pm	ESPN+
Stephen F. Austin at Southern Utah	3:00pm	ESPN+
UTEP at Rice	3:00pm	CUSAtv
Missouri at Florida	3:30pm	SECN
LSU at Alabama	4:00pm	ESPN
Virginia at Florida State	4:00pm	ESPN2
Cincinnati at SMU	4:00pm	ESPNU
UAB at Louisiana Tech	4:00pm	Stadium
Arizona State at Oregon State	4:00pm	PAC12N
UIC at Murray State	4:00pm	MVC TV
UC Irvine at CSUN	4:00pm	Spectrum
Saint Louis at George Washington	4:00pm	NBCS-WSH
Mercer at ETSU	4:00pm	–
Valparaiso at Evansville	4:00pm	ESPN3
LIU at Saint Francis U	4:00pm	NEC
UNCG at Furman	4:00pm	ESPN+
Northwestern State at Nicholls	4:00pm	ESPN+
Southeast Missouri at Morehead State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech	4:00pm	ESPN+
FGCU at Bellarmine	4:00pm	ESPN+
Iowa State at Kansas	4:00pm	ESPN+
Tulsa at Wichita State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Troy at App State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Louisiana at South Alabama	4:00pm	ESPN+
Elon at Charleston	4:00pm	FloSports
Delaware State at Maryland Eastern Shore	4:00pm	Facebook
Howard at Norfolk State	4:00pm	–
Morgan State at Coppin State	4:00pm	–
South Carolina State at North Carolina Central	4:00pm	–
Alcorn State at Texas Southern	4:00pm	YouTube
UAPB at Florida A&M	4:00pm	Facebook
Mississippi Valley State at Bethune-Cookman	4:00pm	YouTube
Alabama State at Alabama A&M	4:30pm	–
Rhode Island at UMass	4:30pm	NESN+
Toledo at Northern Illinois	4:30pm	ESPN3
Buffalo at Central Michigan	4:30pm	ESPN3
Little Rock at Eastern Illinois	4:30pm	ESPN+
New Orleans at A&M-Corpus Christi	4:30pm	ESPN+
Houston Christian at McNeese	4:30pm	ESPN+
Duke at Clemson	5:00pm	ACCN
William & Mary at UNCW	5:00pm	CBSSN
UNI at Belmont	5:00pm	ESPN3
Southeastern Louisiana at UIW	5:00pm	ESPN+
Navy at Loyola Maryland	5:00pm	ESPN+
Austin Peay at Lipscomb	5:00pm	ESPN+
UC San Diego at CSU Bakersfield	5:00pm	ESPN+
Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis	5:00pm	ESPN+
Northern Arizona at Sacramento State	5:00pm	ESPN+
Abilene Christian at Tarleton	5:00pm	ESPN+
Lamar at A&M-Commerce	5:30pm	ESPN+
Arizona at Oregon	6:00pm	ESPN
Oklahoma State at Baylor	6:00pm	ESPN2
Chattanooga at Samford	6:00pm	ESPNU
Texas A&M at South Carolina	6:00pm	SECN
California at Washington	6:00pm	PAC12N
Weber State at Montana State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Idaho at Eastern Washington	6:30pm	SWX
Lindenwood at SIUE	6:30pm	ESPN+
Notre Dame at Syracuse	7:00pm	ACCN
Colorado State at UNLV	7:00pm	CBSSN
South Dakota State at South Dakota	7:00pm	–
UAlbany at NJIT	7:00pm	ESPN3
Air Force at Fresno State	7:00pm	MWN
Northern Kentucky at Green Bay	7:00pm	ESPN+
Wright State at Milwaukee	7:00pm	ESPN+
VMI at Wofford	7:00pm	ESPN+
Central Arkansas at Liberty	7:00pm	ESPN+
USC Upstate at Longwood	7:00pm	ESPN+
Presbyterian at High Point	7:00pm	ESPN+
FIU at WKU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Old Dominion at Marshall	7:00pm	ESPN+
Georgia Southern at James Madison	7:00pm	ESPN+
Chicago State at UTRGV	7:30pm	ESPN+
Colorado at UCLA	8:00pm	FOX
Texas Tech at Texas	8:00pm	ESPN
Wake Forest at Boston College	8:00pm	ESPN2
Bradley at Drake	8:00pm	ESPNU
Stanford at Washington State	8:00pm	PAC12N
Illinois State at Southern Illinois	8:00pm	ESPN3
Seattle U at Utah Valley	8:00pm	ESPN+
St. Thomas at Oral Roberts	8:00pm	–
Western Illinois at Kansas City	8:00pm	–
Mississippi State at Auburn	8:30pm	SECN
UT Martin at Southern Indiana	8:30pm	ESPN+
Pepperdine at BYU	9:00pm	BYUtv
New Mexico at San Diego State	9:00pm	CBSSN
Santa Clara at Pacific	9:00pm	NBCS-BAY
UTA at NM State	9:00pm	–
Sam Houston at Utah Tech	9:00pm	ESPN+
Idaho State at Montana	9:00pm	ESPN+
Jackson State at Prairie View A&M	9:00pm	–
Portland at Gonzaga	10:00pm	ESPN2
San Diego at Loyola Marymount	10:00pm	Stadium
Grand Canyon at California Baptist	10:00pm	ESPN+
Northern Colorado at Portland State	10:00pm	ESPN+
UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara	10:00pm	ESPN+
Utah at USC	10:30pm	PAC12N
Boise State at Wyoming	11:00pm	FS1
Saint Mary’s at San Francisco	11:00pm	NBCS-BAY
Long Beach State at Hawai’i	11:59pm	Spectrum
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: Sony Open in Hawaii	6:00pm	GOLF
NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Milwaukee at Miami	1:00pm	ABC
Boston at Charlotte	7:00pm	NBCS-BOS Bally Sports
Memphis at Indiana	7:00pm	Bally Sports
Atlanta at Toronto	7:30pm	Sportsnet Bally Sports
Cleveland at Minnesota	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Philadelphia at Utah	9:00pm	NBCS-PHI ATTSN-RM
Dallas at Portland	10:00pm	Bally Sports Root Sports
NFL PLAYOFFS	TIME ET	TV
NFC Wild Card Playoff: Seattle at San Francisco	4:30pm	FOX
AFC Wild Card Playoff: LA Chargers at Jacksonville	8:15pm	NBC
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
Calgary at Dallas	2:00pm	NHLN Sportsnet Bally Sports
Toronto at Boston	7:00pm	NHLN Sportsnet NESN
Vancouver at Florida	7:00pm	Sportsnet Bally Sports
Ottawa at Colorado	7:00pm	Sportsnet Bally Sports
Columbus at Detroit	7:00pm	Bally Sports
Montréal at NY Islanders	7:00pm	Sportsnet MSGSN
Philadelphia at Washington	7:00pm	NBCS-PHI NBCS-WSH
Pittsburgh at Carolina	7:00pm	Bally Sports ATTSN-PIT
Winnipeg at Buffalo	7:00pm	MSG-BUF Sportsnet
Arizona at Minnesota	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Buffalo at Nashville	8:00pm	Bally Sports MSG-BUF
Seattle at Chicago	8:00pm	NBCS-CHI Root Sports
Tampa Bay at St. Louis	8:00pm	Bally Sports
Edmonton at Vegas	10:00pm	Sportsnet ATTSN-RM
New Jersey at Los Angeles	10:30pm	MSGSN Bally Sports
SOCCER MATCHES	TIME ET	TV
English Premier League: Manchester United vs Manchester City	7:30am	USA
La Liga: Real Valladolid vs Rayo Vallecano	8:00am	ESPN+
Serie A: Cremonese vs Monza	9:00am	Paramount+
English Premier League: Brighton & Hove Albion vs Liverpool	10:00am	USA
English Premier League: Wolverhampton Wanderers vs West Ham United	10:00am	Peacock
English Premier League: Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City	10:00am	Peacock
English Premier League: Everton vs Southampton	10:00am	Peacock
La Liga: Girona vs Sevilla	10:15am	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Lens vs Auxerre	11:00am	beIN Sports
Serie A: Lecce vs Milan	12:00pm	Paramount+
English Premier League: Brentford vs AFC Bournemouth	12:30pm	NBC
La Liga: Osasuna vs Mallorca	12:30pm	ESPN+
Scottish League Cup: Celtic vs Kilmarnock	12:30pm	Paramount+
Ligue 1: Olympique Marseille vs Lorient	1:00pm	beIN Sports
Serie A: Internazionale vs Hellas Verona	2:45pm	Paramount+
La Liga: Real Sociedad vs Athletic Club	3:00pm	ESPN+
Ligue 1: Olympique Lyonnais vs Strasbourg	3:00pm	beIN Sports
Liga MX: Cruz Azul vs Monterrey	6:00pm	Univision
Liga MX: Toluca vs América	8:10pm	Univision
Liga MX: Juárez vs Tijuana	8:10pm	FS2
Liga MX: Santos Laguna vs Pumas UNAM	10:10pm	FS2