THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2023

“THE SCOREBOARD”

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL-SEMI STATE MATCH-UPS

6A

WESTFIELD (11-1) AT CROWN POINT (12-0)

CENTER GROVE (11-1) AT BEN DAVIS (11-1)

5A

MERRILLVILLE (10-2) AT FORT WAYNE SNIDER (11-1)

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH (11-1) AT DECATUR CENTRAL (10-2)

4A

NORTHWOOD (11-2) AT LEO (11-2)

NEW PALESTINE (11-2) AT EAST CENTRAL (13-0)

3A

KNOX (13-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD (13-0)

GIBSON SOUTHERN (11-2) AT HERITAGE HILLS (12-1)

2A

LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC (10-3) AT FORT WAYNE LUERS (10-3)

NORTH JUDSON (9-4) AT ADAMS CENTRAL (13-0)

1A

INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN (11-0) AT SHERIDAN (10-3)

SOUTHMONT (8-5) AT NORTH POSEY (12-1) (SATURDAY)

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCORES

BORDEN 61, CLARKSVILLE 27

BOWMAN ACADEMY 51, OREGON-DAVIS 49

COLUMBUS EAST 36, E. CENTRAL 25

CONNERSVILLE 59, CENTERVILLE 20

EASTBROOK 69, NORTHFIELD 27

EDINBURGH 47, CROTHERSVILLE 33

EVANSVILLE CENTRAL 71, BOONVILLE 29

FRANKLIN CENTRAL 59, NEW PALESTINE 44

LAWRENCE NORTH 69, NORTH CENTRAL 33

LEWIS CASS 51, KOKOMO 33

SILVER CREEK 45, CHARLESTOWN 33

TRITON CENTRAL 57, MONROVIA 41

UNIVERSITY 66, ARSENAL TECH 26

WESTERN 44, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 37

WHITNEY YOUNG, ILL. 72, LAPORTE LALUMIERE 36

NFL WEEK 11

CINCINNATI BENGALS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (THU) 8:15P (ET) 8:15P PRIME VIDEO

DALLAS COWBOYS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

PITTSBURGH STEELERS AT CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

CHICAGO BEARS AT DETROIT LIONS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT GREEN BAY PACKERS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P FOX

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT HOUSTON TEXANS 12:00P (CT) 1:00P CBS

TENNESSEE TITANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS AT MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P CBS

NEW YORK GIANTS AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 1:00P (ET) 1:00P FOX

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 1:05P (PT) 4:05P FOX

NEW YORK JETS AT BUFFALO BILLS 4:25P (ET) 4:25P CBS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS 1:25P (PT) 4:25P CBS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS AT DENVER BRONCOS 6:20P (MT) 8:20P NBC*

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (MON) 7:15P (CT) 8:15P ESPN/ABC

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

MIAMI OH 23 BUFFALO 10

OHIO 34 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 20

THURSDAY, NOV. 16

BOSTON COLLEGE AT PITT | 7 P.M. | ESPN

NICHOLLS AT SE LOUISIANA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

FRIDAY, NOV. 17

SOUTH FLORIDA AT UTSA | 9 P.M. | ESPN2

COLORADO AT WASHINGTON STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1

SATURDAY, NOV. 18

NO. 3 MICHIGAN AT MARYLAND | 12 P.M. | FOX

CHATTANOOGA AT NO. 8ALABAMA | 12 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+

UL MONROE AT NO. 13 OLE MISS | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

RUTGERS AT NO. 12 PENN STATE | 12 P.M. | FS1

NO. 10 LOUISVILLE AT MIAMI (FLA.) | 12 P.M. | ABC

NO. 14 OKLAHOMA AT BYU | 12 P.M. | ESPN

NO. 25 TULANE AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

COASTAL CAROLINA AT ARMY | 12 P.M. | CBSSN

MICHIGAN STATE AT INDIANA | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

SOUTHERN MISS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+

PURDUE AT NORTHWESTERN | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

ABILENE CHRISTIAN AT TEXAS A&M | 12 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+

EAST CAROLINA AT NAVY | 12 P.M. | ESPNN/ESPN+

SMU AT MEMPHIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN2

BUCKNELL AT MARIST | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

GEORGETOWN AT HOLY CROSS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

LAFAYETTE AT LEHIGH | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

DARTMOUTH AT BROWN | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

HARVARD AT YALE | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

EASTERN ILLINOIS AT ROBERT MORRIS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

FURMAN AT WOFFORD | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

WESTERN CAROLINA AT VMI | 12 P.M. | ESPN+

UMASS AT LIBERTY | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

MORGAN STATE AT HOWARD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

COLUMBIA AT CORNELL | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE AT BRYANT | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT GARDNER-WEBB | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

UT MARTIN AT SAMFORD | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

MOREHEAD STATE AT PRESBYTERIAN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

THE CITADEL AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

FORDHAM AT COLGATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

PRINCETON AT PENN | 1 P.M. | ESPN+

LOUISIANA TECH AT JACKSONVILLE STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

UTEP AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

RICE AT CHARLOTTE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

APPALACHIAN STATE AT JAMES MADISON | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

KENT STATE AT BALL STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

DELAWARE STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE AT NORFOLK STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

ILLINOIS STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

CENTRAL ARKANSAS AT AUSTIN PEAY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT EASTERN KENTUCKY | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

MONTANA STATE AT MONTANA | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

PORTLAND STATE AT NORTHERN COLORADO | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

INDIANA STATE AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

YOUNGSTOWN STATE AT MURRAY STATE | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

SOUTH DAKOTA AT WESTERN ILLINOIS | 2 P.M. | ESPN+

NO. 22 UTAH AT NO. 17 ARIZONA | 2:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

CINCINNATI AT WEST VIRGINIA | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+

DUKE AT VIRGINIA | 3 P.M. | CW NETWORK

NORTH TEXAS AT TULSA | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

TEMPLE AT UAB | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

TEXAS STATE AT ARKANSAS STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

ALABAMA STATE AT PRAIRIE VIEW A&M | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

ALCORN STATE AT JACKSON STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

SACRAMENTO STATE AT UC DAVIS | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

MISSOURI STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

UIW AT HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

TENNESSEE TECH AT TENNESSEE STATE | 3 P.M. | ESPN+

NO. 1 GEORGIA AT TENNESSEE | 3:30 P.M. | CBS

WAKE FOREST AT NO. 19 NOTRE DAME | 3:30 P.M. | NBC

ILLINOIS AT NO. 16 IOWA | 3:30 P.M. | FS1

NO. 20 NORTH CAROLINA AT CLEMSON | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN

SAM HOUSTON AT WESTERN KENTUCKY | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

UCLA AT USC | 3:30 P.M. | ABC

NC STATE AT VIRGINIA TECH | 3:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

BAYLOR AT TCU | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+

LOUISIANA AT TROY | 3:30 P.M. | NFL NETWORK

UNLV AT AIR FORCE | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN

BETHUNE-COOKMAN VS. FLORIDA A&M (ORLANDO, FLORIDA) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPNU

MINNESOTA AT NO. 2 OHIO STATE | 4 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK

NO. 6 OREGON AT ARIZONA STATE | 4 P.M. | FOX

NO. 23 OKLAHOMA STATE AT HOUSTON | 4 P.M. | ESPN2

NEW MEXICO STATE AT AUBURN | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

NORTHERN ARIZONA AT EASTERN WASHINGTON | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

MCNEESE AT LAMAR | 4 P.M. | ESPN+

UCF AT TEXAS TECH | 5 P.M. | FS2

MARSHALL AT SOUTH ALABAMA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT UNI | 5 P.M. | ESPN+

OLD DOMINION AT GEORGIA SOUTHERN | 6 P.M. | ESPN+

NORTH ALABAMA AT NO. 3 FLORIDA STATE | 6:30 P.M. | CW NETWORK

CAL AT STANFORD | 6:30 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK

NO. 21 KANSAS STATE AT NO. 25 KANSAS | 7 P.M. | FS1

BOISE STATE AT UTAH STATE | 7 P.M. | CBSSN

SOUTHERN UTAH AT UTAH TECH | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

IDAHO STATE AT IDAHO | 7 P.M. | ESPN+

NO. 5 WASHINGTON AT NO. 11 OREGON STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ABC

FLORIDA AT NO. 9 MISSOURI | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL AT ARKANSAS | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU

KENTUCKY AT SOUTH CAROLINA | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK

NEBRASKA AT WISCONSIN | 7:30 P.M. | ABC

NO. 7 TEXAS AT IOWA STATE | 8 P.M. | FOX

GEORGIA STATE AT NO. 15 LSU | 8 P.M. | ESPN2

SYRACUSE AT GEORGIA TECH | 8 P.M. | ACC NETWORK

WEBER STATE AT CAL POLY | 8 P.M. | ESPN+

NEW MEXICO AT FRESNO STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1

SAN DIEGO STATE AT SAN JOSE STATE | 10:30 P.M. | CBSSN

MEN’S TOP 25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

#19 TEXAS 80 RICE 64

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TOP 25 SCOREBOARD

#14 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 90 ELON 35

#16 NOTRE DAME 110 NORTHWESTERN 52

#17 NORTH CAROLINA 62 HAMPTON 32

#23 OLE MISS 80 TEMPLE 63

#25 OKLAHOMA 92 ALABAMA STATE 46

NBA SCOREBOARD

DALLAS 130 WASHINGTON 117

NEW YORK 116 ATLANTA 114

BOSTON 117 PHILADELPHIA 107

MILWAUKEE 128 TORONTO 112

ORLANDO 96 CHICAGO 94

PHOENIX 133 MINNESOTA 115

SACRAMENTO 125 LA LAKERS 110

CLEVELAND 109 PORTLAND 95

NHL SCOREBOARD

PHILADELPHIA 3 CAROLINA 1

EDMONTON 4 SEATTLE 3 OT

COLORADO 8 ANAHEIM 2

VANCOUVER 4 NY ISLANDERS 3 OT

NATIONAL SPORTS RELEASES/HEADLINES

NFL NEWS

NFL PREVIEW: THE STARTING 11 – STELLAR PRIMETIME GAMES BOOKEND WEEK 11 AS PLAYOFF CONTENDERS BEGIN TO EMERGE

​NEW YORK ­: Fantastic finishes are firmly synonymous with the National Football League.

Six teams – ARIZONA, CLEVELAND, DENVER, DETROIT, HOUSTON and SEATTLE – converted walk-off field goals in Week 10, the most game-winning scores with no regulation time remaining in a single week in NFL history.

How could the NFL possibly top that?

Well, how about a Super Bowl rematch? And in this case, PHILADELPHIA (8-1) at KANSAS CITY (7-2) on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC) carries a Super Bowl level of storylines. Here’s a sampling:

• Not only do Philadelphia and Kansas City own the best records in their respective conferences this season, they’ve also exerted their dominance over the league for two calendar years. Since Dec. 1, 2021, including the postseason, Philadelphia (26-5, .839) has the NFL’s best record while Kansas City (26-6, .813) ranks second.
• Kansas City head coach ANDY REID faces Philadelphia, where as Eagles head coach he won more games (140 from 1999-2012) than any coach in franchise history. Since joining the Chiefs in 2013, Reid has won a franchise-best 136 games. Among existing NFL clubs, no other individual in history owns the wins record for multiple teams.
• Reid also is the seventh coach in league annals to guide multiple franchises to Super Bowls, joining JOHN FOX, MIKE HOLMGREN, DAN REEVES and Pro Football Hall of Famers DON SHULA, BILL PARCELLS and DICK VERMEIL.
• NICK SIRIANNI, on the opposite sideline Monday, owns the league’s second-best record (33-14, .702) since taking the reins of the Eagles before the 2021 season. Only Reid (38-11, .776) has a better mark in that span.
• Monday’s game marks just the ninth rematch of teams that competed in the previous season’s Super Bowl, the first since New England defeated Atlanta in 2017. Including that Patriots victory, the team that captured the prior Super Bowl has won four straight rematches (also Denver over Carolina in 2016, Seattle over Denver in 2014 and Green Bay over New England in 1997). What’s more, over the last six rematches, six of those teams went on to play in the next Super Bowl: New England returned in 2017, Seattle in 2014, Green Bay in 1997, both Dallas and Buffalo in 1993, and Pittsburgh in 1979.
• Quarterbacks in their primes rarely meet in Super Bowl rematches. This week’s game pairs Texas natives PATRICK MAHOMES and JALEN HURTS in their third overall meeting (Mahomes has won each of the first two, including Super Bowl LVII). Since 1998, Hurts (31-12, .721) is tied for the NFL’s fifth-best record for a quarterback over his first 43 starts. Only Mahomes (35-8, .814), LAMAR JACKSON (35-8, .814), Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (35-8, .814) and BEN ROETHLISBERGER (32-11, .744) have better marks in that period.

But long before the lights go on in Kansas City, the NFL will be hard at work. Thanksgiving and Black Friday are just over a week away. The grocery stores and shopping malls can wait. Week 11 kicks off in 48 hours.

The Starting 11 entering Week 11…

1.   SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE: The blue-collar AFC North is a legitimate four-team race and all four teams have division games on the Week 11 slate. To date this season, no other division has had all four of its teams playing division foes in the same week (the AFC North also had all four teams involved in division games during Week 2).

• Before 2021, when the NFL expanded the postseason, a maximum of three teams from the same division could mathematically qualify for the playoffs. In 2023, the AFC North could be the first division to earn four entries.
  • Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are tied for the NFL lead with plus-10 turnover margins. They’re also among four NFL teams with 18 takeaways, tied for the most in the league. Cincinnati’s defense leads the NFL with a 3.974-percent interception rate (12 interceptions, 302 opponent pass attempts). Baltimore’s defense is allowing 15.7 points per game, fewest in the league. Cleveland’s defense is allowing 242.7 yards per game, also fewest in the NFL.
  • Baltimore (15.7), Cleveland (18.9), Pittsburgh (20.2) and Cincinnati (21.3) are each allowing less than 22 points per game this season. The last time four teams from the same NFL division finished a season each allowing 21 points or less per contest was the AFC North in 2011.

2.   NUMBER OF THE WEEK – 218: The number of players, including No. 1 overall choice JOE BURROW, selected before Baltimore chose GENO STONE in the 2020 NFL Draft. Stone leads the NFL with six interceptions entering this week’s game between BALTIMORE (7-3) and CINCINNATI (5-4) on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video).

• Both the Bengals and Ravens saw four-game winning streaks snapped last week. Quarterback LAMAR JACKSON is 14-3 (.824) as a starter in his career following a Ravens loss, having won his last six following losses. The Bengals, meanwhile, are 9-4 (.692) following a loss since the start of the 2021 season, the NFL’s fourth-best record in that span. Burrow has started each of those games.

3.   CEEDEE LEADING DALLAS TO TDs: The DALLAS COWBOYS (6-3) rank second in the NFL with 29.9 points per game entering their matchup with the CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-8) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX). Wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB has helped to set up many of those points. Lamb, who needs 25 receiving yards to reach 1,000 this season, is the first player in NFL history with at least 10 receptions and 150 receiving yards in three consecutive games. In last week’s win, Lamb caught 11 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.

• ​​​Also last week, Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT passed for 404 yards and four touchdowns, his 10th career 400-yard game. Prescott also has 33 career games with at least three touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (33) for the fourth-most games by a player in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (42) and PEYTON MANNING (37) as well as PATRICK MAHOMES (38, in seventh season) have more.​​

4.   SPOTLIGHT – INDIVIDUAL MATCHUP: Seahawks cornerback DEVON WITHERSPOON leads all rookies and ranks tied for fourth in the NFL with 12 passes defensed. Rams wide receiver PUKA NACUA leads all rookies with 64 receptions and 827 receiving yards. They’ll be on opposite sides when SEATTLE (6-3) visits the LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-6) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). Witherspoon was inactive when the two clubs met in Week 1.

• In Week 9, Nacua (64) surpassed SAQUON BARKLEY (62 in 2018) for the most receptions ever by a player in his first nine NFL games. Nacua (827) also is the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era with 800 receiving yards in his first nine career games, joining MARQUES COLSTON (869 in 2006), JA’MARR CHASE (835 in 2021) and ODELL BECKHAM JR. (829 in 2014).
  • This week, Nacua needs eight receptions and 152 receiving yards to establish the respective records for a player in his first 10 career games. Beckham (71) and Barkley (64) had the most receptions ever over their first 10 games, while BILL GROMAN (978), Beckham (972), HARLON HILL (919), ANQUAN BOLDIN (876), Colston (869), Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (869), BILLY HOWTON (869), Chase (867), JUSTIN JEFFERSON (848) and MIKE EVANS (827) had the most receiving yards in their first 10 contests.

5.   SPOTLIGHT – TEAM MATCHUP: CHICAGO (3-7) squares off with DETROIT (7-2) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX) in an NFC North battle featuring teams that put a premium on running the ball and stopping the run. Both the Bears and Lions rank in the NFL’s top five in rushing offense and rushing defense.

• Detroit has won six straight division games, dating to 2022, for the first time since 1995. With a win this week, the Lions will extend the streak to seven, something the franchise has not done since the 1970 merger. Detroit’s last NFC North loss was Sept. 25, 2022. Since the beginning of last season, only two other NFL teams own better marks within their divisions than Detroit (6-1, .857): San Francisco (8-0, 1.000) and Kansas City (8-1, .889).
  • Last week, Lions wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN recorded eight catches for a career-best 156 yards with one touchdown, becoming the first Detroit player with four consecutive 100-yard games since Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON authored an eight-game streak in 2012.
  • Also in the win, rookie running back JAHMYR GIBBS posted a career-high two rushing touchdowns. Over his last three games, Gibbs is averaging 142.3 scrimmage yards per game, including 99.0 rushing yards (51 attempts, 297 yards, four touchdowns).

6.   STREAK SPEAK: The MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-4) have emerged from steep adversity this season to enter Week 11 with the league’s longest active winning streak, five. This week, the Vikings meet another team with momentum, the DENVER BRONCOS (4-5), on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC). Denver has won three in a row, including victories over Kansas City and Buffalo. Other than Minnesota and Denver, the only other team with an active winning streak of at least three games is Philadelphia (three).

• Minnesota owns a 4-1 (.800) road record, tied for the second-best mark in the league behind Jacksonville (4-0, 1.000). The Vikings also are 19-8 (.704) overall since the start of 2022. In that span, only Philadelphia (22-4, .846), Kansas City (21-5, .808) and San Francisco (19-7, .731) have better records.
  • Vikings tight end T.J. HOCKENSON has 71 receptions, the third most ever by a tight end through his first 10 games of a season, trailing only ZACH ERTZ (77 in 2018) and JASON WITTEN (73 in 2012).
  • His quarterback, JOSHUA DOBBS, has compiled a 101.4 passer rating, 110 rushing yards and no interceptions in two games since joining the Vikings. He is the first player in NFL history with 400 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and no interceptions in his first two games with a team. Plus, including his time in Arizona this season, Dobbs leads all qualifying NFL players with 5.9 yards per carry (62 attempts, 368 yards, five touchdowns).
  • Vikings linebacker DANIELLE HUNTER is tied with MYLES GARRETT for the NFL lead with 11 sacks.
  • Denver quarterback RUSSELL WILSON has thrown just four interceptions this season, tied for the second fewest among qualified passers behind C.J. STROUD (two).
  • Since the beginning of Week 6, including two games against Kansas City, Denver is 3-1. During that stretch, the Broncos are tied for the league’s best turnover margin (plus-six) and tied for the NFL’s third-fewest points allowed per game (16.8).
  • Since entering the league in 2016, Denver safety JUSTIN SIMMONS leads the NFL with 30 interceptions.

7.   DID YOU KNOW?: Regardless of whether he scores touchdowns, the 49ers’ CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY has been one of the NFL’s most consistently productive players since joining San Francisco midway through the 2022 season. His next feat could be leading the NFL from wire-to-wire in rushing yards, something he’s accomplished so far this season. And not only does he lead the league with 747 rushing yards, he also leads all running backs with 339 receiving yards. Since the 1970 league merger, only one running back has led the NFL in both categories over a full season, the Texans’ ARIAN FOSTER in 2010.

• When SAN FRANCISCO (6-3) hosts TAMPA BAY (4-5) on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX), the 49ers will be tested in the red zone. Inside the 20 this season, the Buccaneers’ defense is the stingiest in the NFL, allowing just nine touchdowns on 29 opponent possessions (32.1 percent).  
  • BROCK PURDY, who leads the NFL with a 109.9 passer rating, faces a starting quarterback selected No. 1 overall in a prior NFL draft for a third consecutive game. This week, he faces Tampa Bay’s BAKER MAYFIELD (2018), following JOE BURROW and TREVOR LAWRENCE. In last week’s win over Lawrence, Purdy passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions (148.9 rating). In the process, he became only the second quarterback in NFL history with three games of three-or-more touchdown passes and a passer rating of 140-or-higher in his first two seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER. Purdy’s first NFL start came against Tampa Bay in Week 14 last season.
  • San Francisco’s GEORGE KITTLE had 116 receiving yards and a touchdown last week. Kittle (559 receiving yards this year) is the fourth tight end in NFL history with 500 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons, joining ROB GRONKOWSKI (first 11 seasons), Pro Football Hall of Famer OZZIE NEWSOME (first eight) and KEITH JACKSON (first seven).
  • The 49ers’ defense leads the NFL with 13 interceptions.

8.   UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE: The PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-3), who bus to CLEVELAND (6-3) this week for another AFC North showdown on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), own the NFL’s best record in one-score games, 6-0. Over a longer stretch, the Steelers have won nine straight one-score games dating to last year.

• Steelers running back JAYLEN WARREN, who made three stops in college before signing as a non-drafted free agent in 2022, posted a career-high 101 yards on 15 carries with one touchdown in last week’s win. Over his last two games, both Pittsburgh wins, Warren has averaged 7.3 yards per carry (26 attempts, 189 yards).
  • Browns running back KAREEM HUNT has a rushing touchdown in five straight games, the NFL’s longest active streak.
  • Cleveland defensive end MYLES GARRETT (11 sacks) and Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT (10.5), both drafted in 2017, enter the game ranked tied for first and third, respectively, among league leaders in sacks this season. It’s a familiar perch for each pass-rusher. Since they joined the league in 2017, Watt has an NFL-leading 88 sacks while Garrett has 85.5, second in the league.
  • Watt has 88 sacks in 96 career games and surpassed his brother, J.J. WATT (87.5), for the second-most sacks by a player in his first 100 NFL games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (105) has more.
  • Meanwhile, Garrett has 85.5 sacks in 93 career games and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DEMARCUS WARE (85) for the fourth most sacks by a player in his first 100 NFL games since 1982. Garrett is also the fourth player to reach double figures in six of his first seven NFL seasons since 1982, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (seven seasons) and DEMARCUS WARE (six) as well as VON MILLER (six).

9.   TREND TIME: The NFL has a 76.2 passer rating against the defense of the NEW YORK JETS (4-5), fourth-lowest in the league. Only BALTIMORE (70.0), CLEVELAND (72.7) and NEW ORLEANS (75.1) have lower marks. The Jets, who travel to BUFFALO (5-4) this week for a rematch with JOSH ALLEN and the Bills on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), have also faced DAK PRESCOTT, PATRICK MAHOMES, RUSSELL WILSON, JALEN HURTS and JUSTIN HERBERT this season. The Jets have not allowed a 300-yard passer in 27 straight games.

10. NEXT GEN STAT OF THE WEEK: With six receptions for 86 yards, Las Vegas wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS accounted for 87.0 percent of the Raiders’ total team air yards in last week’s win. That effort marked the sixth-highest share of air yards in a game since 2016.

• Adams and LAS VEGAS (5-5) head to MIAMI (6-3) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS). The Raiders’ ANTONIO PIERCE could become the franchise’s first head coach to win his first three games with the organization since BILL CALLAHAN opened 4-0 en route to a Super Bowl berth in 2002.
  • Miami is one of three NFL teams undefeated at home this year (the Dolphins, Cowboys and Eagles are each 4-0).
  • The Dolphins’ TYREEK HILL needs 114 receiving yards to surpass JULIO JONES (1,189 in 2015) and establish the best pace by any NFL player through his team’s first 10 games of a season.
  • Miami running back RAHEEM MOSTERT is tied with CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY for the league lead with 13 scrimmage touchdowns. Meanwhile, Dolphins linebacker BRADLEY CHUBB is tied with MYLES GARRETT and TRENT MCDUFFIE for first in the NFL with four forced fumbles.
  • Raiders running back JOSH JACOBS and Dolphins quarterback TUA TAGOVAILOA played together at Alabama from 2017-18, helping the Crimson Tide earn berths in consecutive College Football Playoff national championship games.​

11. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: KYLER MURRAY, the first overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, leads ARIZONA (2-8) into HOUSTON (5-4) to meet C.J. STROUD, the second overall choice in the 2023 NFL Draft, on Sunday at NRG Stadium (1 p.m. ET, CBS).

• While Houston head coach DEMECO RYANS served as San Francisco defensive coordinator from 2021-22, Murray won his only start against the 49ers in that stretch, Oct. 10, 2021.
  • In last week’s win, Stroud passed for 356 yards and one touchdown and ran for another score, running back DEVIN SINGLETARY recorded 150 rushing yards and one touchdown, and wide receiver NOAH BROWN registered 172 receiving yards. That trio made Houston the first team with a 350-yard passer, 150-yard rusher and 150-yard receiver in the same game since the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS on Nov. 29, 1998 (Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING – 357 passing yards; Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK – 192 rushing yards; TORRANCE SMALL – 153 receiving yards).
  • Stroud has 2,626 passing yards this season and surpassed CAM NEWTON (2,605 in 2011) for the third-most passing yards by a rookie in his first nine career starts in NFL history. Only JUSTIN HERBERT (2,699 in 2020) and ANDREW LUCK (2,631 in 2012) have more.
  • Stroud, who had a single-game rookie record 470 passing yards in Week 9, is the second rookie quarterback ever with 350 passing yards in consecutive games, joining CAM NEWTON (Weeks 1-2, 2011). He’s also the third rookie quarterback in NFL history with three games of 350 passing yards, joining ANDREW LUCK (2012) and Newton (2011).

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL CAPSULE

CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-4) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3)

DATE: Thursday, November 16, 2023 GAME TIME: 8:15 PM ET

Prime Video: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung

Westwood One: Tom McCarthy, Jason McCourty

SiriusXM (team name linked to SXM App) CIN: 81 or 226 BAL: 83 or 225 National: 88

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY

REG. SEASON: BAL leads series, 29-26 (won 2 of past 3)

POSTSEASON: CIN leads series, 1-0

THE LAST TIME …

REG. SEASON: 9/17/23: BAL 27 at CIN 24

POSTSEASON: 1/15/23 AFC-WC: BAL 17 at CIN 24

BENGALS NOTES:

QB JOE BURROW completed 27 of 40 atts. (67.5 pct.) for 347 yards & 2 TDs last week, his 5th-straight game with 2+ TD passes, longest active streak in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row with 340+ pass yards. Passed for 222 yards & 2 TDs in Week 2 meeting. Has 7 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 108 rating in 3 career starts on Thursday. • RB JOE MIXON aims for 4th in row with rush TD. Aims for 3rd in row on road with 90+ scrimmage yards. Had 95 scrimmage yards (59 rush, 36 rec.) in Week 2 meeting. Has rush TD in each of his past 2 on Thursday. Has 60+ scrimmage yards in 8 games this season, tied-most among RBs. • WR JA’MARR CHASE had 5 catches for team-high 124 yards & TD last week, his 4th game this season with 100+ rec. yards. Aims for 3rd in row on road with 10+ catches, 100+ rec. yards & rec. TD. Has 5+ catches in each of 6 career games vs. Bal., incl. playoffs. Aims for his 3rd in row on Thursday with 75+ rec. yards. • WR TEE HIGGINS aims for 3rd in row with 5+ catches & 65+ rec. yards. Had 8 catches for 89 yards & 2 TDs in Week 2 meeting. • WR TYLER BOYD set season highs in catches (8) & rec. yards (117) in Week 10, his 13th-career 100-yard game. Aims for 3rd in row with 55+ rec. yards. Had 52 rec. yards in Week 2 meeting. • WR TRENTON IRWIN had 1st TD catch of season last week. • CB CAM TAYLOR-BRITT had season-high 9 tackles & had 2 PD & INT last week. Has INT in 4 of past 5 & in each of past 2. Has 6+ tackles in 3 of past 4. • S DAX HILL had 7 tackles & 2 PD last week. • LB GERMAINE PRATT had 9 tackles & TFL in Week 10. Aims for 3rd in row with 9+ tackles. • LB LOGAN WILSON had 5 tackles, half sack, PD & 1st FF of season last week. Aims for 6th in row with 5+ tackles.

RAVENS NOTES:

RAVENS lead NFL in rushing offense (154.9 rush yards per game). • QB LAMAR JACKSON totaled 264 yards (223 pass, 41 rush) last week. Has 0 INTs & 90+ rating in 3 of past 4. Completed 24 of 33 atts. (72.7 pct.) for 237 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs with 112.8 rating & rushed for 54 yards in Week 2 meeting. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Cin. with 50+ rush yards. Has 8 TDs vs. INT with 105.8 rating in 3 career starts on Thursday. Leads QBs with 481 rush yards in 2023 & can become 1st QB ever with 500+ rush yards in each of 1st 6 career seasons. • RB GUS EDWARDS has rush TD in each of past 4 & can become 4th player in franchise history with rush TD in 5 straight games. Rushed for 62 yards & TD in Week 2 meeting. • RB KEATON MITCHELL (rookie) aims for 3rd in row with 65+ scrimmage yards & rush TD. • TE MARK ANDREWS had TD catch in Week 2 meeting & aims for his 4th in row vs. Cin. in reg. season with rec. TD. Has TD catch in 3 of 4 career games on Thursday. Leads TEs with 6 rec. TDs in 2023. • WR ZAY FLOWERS (rookie) led team with 5 catches for 73 yards last week. Has 5 catches in 2 of past 3. Had 62 rec. yards in Week 2 meeting. Ranks 2nd among rookies with 50 catches. • WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. aims for 3rd in row with TD catch. • LB ROQUAN SMITH had career-high 21 tackles in Week 10, most tackles by any player in a game this season & tied-most in franchise history. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 108 tackles in 2023 & has 5+ tackles in 33 straight games, 2nd-longest active steak in NFL. • LB JADEVEON CLOWNEY had 6 tackles & 2 sacks last week, 2nd game this season with 2 sacks. Had sack & PD in Week 2 meeting. • DT JUSTIN MADUBUIKE aims for 8th in row with 0.5+ sacks & 6th in row with full sack. • S GENO STONE aims for 6th in row with PD.

BROWNS QB DESHAUN WATSON OUT FOR REST OF SEASON WITH SHOULDER FRACTURE; ROOKIE TO START VS. STEELERS

CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson’s season is over, once again leaving the Cleveland Browns without a franchise quarterback.

Watson will miss the rest of his second year with Cleveland after sustaining a fracture in his throwing shoulder, an injury that came during his best performance since joining the team following a controversial trade in 2022.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Watson said Wednesday.

Watson will undergo surgery to repair the fracture in his right shoulder, which happened during Sunday’s 33-31 win in Baltimore on an unspecified hit in the second quarter. The team said an MRI revealed a displaced fracture to the glenoid.

The Browns (6-3) must go forward without Watson and coach Kevin Stefanski said rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3).

It will be the second start for Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round pick from UCLA who made an emergency start on Oct. 1 against Baltimore when Watson was ruled out just before kickoff with a shoulder strain.

Thompson-Robinson had a rough pro debut, throwing three interceptions in a 28-3 loss. But now he’ll have more time to get ready, and Stefanski is confident Thompson-Robinson will fare better.

“I want to give him a week where he knows he’s a starter,” Stefanski. “He gets a full week of preparation.”

Stefanski’s other option was P.J. Walker, who started two games and came off the bench in another for Watson. Walker had six turnovers in three games, throwing a late interception that led to a loss in Seattle.

Watson said he has “no idea” when the fracture happened, but knew by the end of the first quarter there was a problem.

“I kind of recognized something was wrong, but during the midst of the game, I was just pushing through whatever I was feeling,” said Watson, who was also in a walking boot. “And then after the game, and Monday and Tuesday we got testing done and that’s when I found out from the doctors that it was something worse than what we thought it was.”

Watson paused for several seconds when asked about his emotions at his season being over.

“It’s very tough,” he said. “But I’m going to make sure I keep my head above water and make sure I stay in touch with all the guys and support them as much as I possibly can and attack this rehab process after surgery and make sure that I’m doing whatever I can to be beneficial for the team while not actually being on the field with them and also prepping for the next year.”

Browns general manage Andrew Berry said the fracture is not related to the strained rotator cuff that Watson sustained earlier this season.

“We are very disappointed and devastated for Deshaun, especially given all that he has battled and gone through medically this season,” Berry said. “We look at this as an incredible challenge and opportunity for our organization.”

Berry credited Watson for staying on the field against the Ravens and leading the Browns to the last-second win despite his shoulder injury and a high left ankle sprain.

“He really didn’t start even really feeling it to the second half of the game and that he didn’t even really raise it until well after the game,” Berry said. “It’s an incredible display of physical toughness for him to play with that and not even notice it given the severity of the injury.”

Watson will go on season-ending injured reserve, a devastating blow to the Browns, who are in the playoff race and invested $230 million into the 28-year-old whose arrival seemed to end their long search for an elite QB.

Now, Watson will have to work his way back from a shoulder injury with just three seasons left on his deal.

It’s the latest setback for the Browns, who have managed to stay in the playoff hunt despite losing star running back Nick Chubb and Pro Bowl right tackle Jack Conklin to season-ending injuries and playing without Watson for several games.

Berry said the team will add a third quarterback, but did not give any details.

The Browns traded three first-round draft picks last year to Houston for Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler who wound up being suspended for 11 games by the NFL after he was accused of sexual assault and harassment by more than two dozen women during massage therapy sessions.

BEARS SAY QB JUSTIN FIELDS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO START AGAINST LIONS

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears will have Justin Fields back at quarterback Sunday against the Detroit Lions for a stretch of games that could be critical to his future with the team.

Coach Matt Eberflus announced the move following four missed starts by Fields because of a right dislocated thumb.

“Our plan is to start him on Sunday,” Eberflus said. “He continues to progress this week. Returning to practice today is going to be a big part of the evaluation.”

A decision on Fields’ fifth-year contract option is due next spring and the Bears can use this seven-week stretch to help decide if they want to go forward with Fields or possibly use one of their two first-round draft picks on a quarterback.

“I think seven weeks is enough time to show consistency and being the high performer that we expect him to be,” Eberflus said. “I know he’s had some good performances along this year, certainly the last few have been solid.

“We expect consistency out of all our positions.”

Fields threw four touchdown passes in back-to-back starts against the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders, then was struggling in a 19-13 loss to the Minnesota Vikings when he suffered the thumb injury. He has a career-best passer rating of 91.6 to go with 11 touchdown passes and six interceptions, while completing a career-best 61.7% of passes (100 of 162).

He started the season struggling for three games in losses to Green Bay, Tampa Bay and Kansas City before improving in his starts in a win over the Commanders and loss to the Broncos.

Adding Fields back after undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent had run the team for 4 1/2 games gives the Bears more of a running threat from the QB position.

“I think you have some different options,” Eberflus said. “You have some different options there, different movement passes that you might run that you wouldn’t run with a different quarterback in there certainly opens up your package a bit.”

The Bears are also making offensive line changes with players returning to health. Right guard Nate Davis is back from an ankle injury and replacement Teven Jenkins is moving back to his starting spot at left guard. As a result, long-time starting guard and center Cody Whitehair will be benched. Lucas Patrick will remain at center.

Whitehair has played and started in 117 games since coming to the Bears in the second round of the 2016 draft. He made the Pro Bowl in 2018 at center.

“Those are always hard, when you get back to full strength and Cody has been a true pro,” Eberflus said. “Obviously a captain here for many years, had a great, long career and is still going to continue to help us as we go.

“That’s our starting lineup for this week and you know things can happen like that and he’s back into the mix at center, guard wherever it might be. We’re fortunate that we have the flexibility to do that — to move Teven to both sides; to have Cody play guard or center.

Eberflus also said fullback Khari Blasingame is returning from a concussion.

GIANTS’ DABOLL: DEVITO SHOWING IMPROVEMENT, WILL START VS. COMMANDERS

New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito will start in the team’s Week 11 matchup against the Washington Commanders, head coach Brian Daboll confirmed Wednesday.

“I think he’s a good young quarterback to work with. Try to improve him this week from last week. … He’s done a good job improving,” Daboll said, according to Jordan Raanan of ESPN.

Daboll added that DeVito is dealing with a shoulder injury but is healthy enough to start, per Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News.

DeVito made his first career start in the team’s 49-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10. The young signal-caller struggled to move the ball consistently, completing 14 passes for just 86 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

The 25-year-old has played in three games this year, as he replaced an injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 8 and was forced into action when Daniel Jones suffered a torn ACL in Week 9.

New York’s injury woes could get worse, as wide receiver Jalin Hyatt, cornerback Adoree’ Jackson, and edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux are in concussion protocol, Dabbol said.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS

WHEN IT COMES TO FOOTBALL COACHES, THE SEC JUST MEANS MORE IMPATIENCE. 2 COACHES FIRED ALREADY

Welcome to life in the Southeastern Conference, where you can coach against each other one day and be fired the next. Or the day after that.

Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher and Mississippi State’s Zach Arnett are the SEC’s first head coaches to lose their jobs this season, but there is no guarantee they will be the last. No matter the cost.

Even Fisher’s guaranteed money was no guarantee. Fisher walks away with more than $75 million as a buyout, a cool $1 million-plus for every game he has coached the Aggies. Arnett gets a fraction of that from his four-year, $12 million deal. Fisher was fired a day after the Aggies’ 51-10 win Saturday over the Bulldogs, and Arnett was ousted on Monday after coaching just 11 games. He took over following the death of Mike Leach last December.

Perhaps in the SEC, it just means more … impatience.

“Since when have college fan bases been patient? That’s what I’d like to know,” Florida coach Billy Napier said. “Everywhere I’ve been, the fan base is impatient in my life.”

Expectations are perpetually high throughout a league that has won the last four national championships. And schools often don’t want to wait until after the season with a December signing period looming for recruits.

Even Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin finds himself surprised by the volatility in major college coaching. And he was once famously fired from USC in the wee hours at an airport following a loss.

“It’s not like it used to be,” Kiffin said. “There used to be time to build things and you had years to build classes and see them develop before people made decisions. That’s obviously not what’s going on. To be let go 10 games into your first season when you get hired late like Zach, I mean, I don’t know how you do that that fast or how the expectation is to judge you that fast about the job that you did.

“Unfortunately, it’s kind of the in thing to fire people fast. To me, it’s a lot of grass is always greener.”

With a couple of regular-season games remaining, plus bowls for most league teams, here’s a look at how green the grass is for the SEC coaches:

HOT SEAT

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman got his tenure off to a strong start, but his Razorbacks (3-7, 1-6 SEC) have dropped seven of their last eight games and are coming off a 48-10 home loss to Auburn. Pittman said he came to Fayetteville intending for it to be his final job before retirement.

“I’m not close to that year right now, and the plan is to get this program back to where it deserves to be and stay here as long as we possibly can,” said Pittman, who is 22-24 with the Razorbacks. “I’m not worried about my job security at all. I think I’m the guy for the university and I want to stay here a long time.

“I just think it’s a much bigger issue with the media than it is with myself”

He already fired first-year offensive coordinator Dan Enos after a 7-3 loss to Mississippi State.

WARMING UP

South Carolina’s Shane Beamer and Florida’s Napier.

The Gamecocks have endured a four-game SEC losing streak that included squandering a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose to Florida 41-39 on Oct. 14. They’ve got to beat Kentucky this week and rival Clemson on Nov. 25 to guarantee the postseason.

Napier is 11-12 at Florida with losses to Vanderbilt and Arkansas, but Napier has a top-five recruiting class in the works that includes highly coveted quarterback DJ Lagway.

Napier was hired to rebuild the program from the ground up, and AD Scott Stricklin has indicated he plans to give him the time and resources to get it done. One could easily argue that Napier could have been included in the next category.

SAFE FOR NOW

Tennessee’s Josh Heupel and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea.

Heupel has maintained the Volunteers as a Top 25 program despite scholarship reductions. The Commodores have played a home season through stadium construction, and Lea also has quite the building job.

SOLID GROUND

LSU’s Brian Kelly, Mississippi’s Lane Kiffin, Missouri’s Eliah Drinkwitz and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops. Drinkwitz seemed to have a warm-ish seat entering the season but he has his team ranked 11th.

Kelly hasn’t been able to meet the high expectations fostered partly by his terrific debut season, but he has a proven track record — and a 10-year contract. Kiffin has consistently maintained one of the SEC West’s top teams — and leads the league in quips.

LIFETIME CONTRACTS

If any current coach had one, then it might well be Alabama’s Nick Saban and Georgia’s Kirby Smart. Saban has added six national titles to the Tide’s trophy cases. Smart has led the Bulldogs to back-to-back titles.

JUST GETTING STARTED

Things are looking up at Auburn, where first-year coach Hugh Freeze has the Tigers bowl eligible to start his rebuilding job. For future reference, they’re seldom patient with coaches on the Plains.

Then again, it’s the nature of the beast for coaches making millions. And with programs willing to fork over $75 million for a change.

“Nothing really surprises me relative to what universities are willing and can commit to,” Kelly said. “There’s a large financial piece that’s involved in this and everybody’s all in. So because of that I think everybody can assume that if you’re not getting the results that you want, change can easily happen.”

HISTORY AT STAKE AS NO. 1 GEORGIA VISITS NO. 18 TENNESSEE

No. 1 Georgia will try to make history when it visits No. 18 Tennessee in a Southeastern Conference showdown on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville, Tenn.

Georgia (10-0, 7-0) has won a school-record 27 consecutive games since the end of the 2021 campaign. A win this weekend would move the Bulldogs into a tie for the longest winning streak in SEC history, joining Alabama from 1978-80 and 1991-93.

This week, the Bulldogs also jumped Ohio State for the top spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.

“Rare air,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Those (Alabama teams) are guys I grew up watching as a little kid growing up in Alabama, with my dad being a high school coach.

“A lot of the credit goes to the people that come to this university and play, the players that made those sacrifices, the players who helped win those games. … It’s just all these guys that made sacrifices to do this and make it special.”

Tennessee (7-3, 3-3) would love to spoil the Bulldogs’ dream run. The Volunteers return home to Neyland Stadium, where they have won 14 consecutive games.

The Volunteers fell five spots in the CFP rankings after losing 36-7 to then-No. 14 Missouri on the road last weekend. Tennessee trailed 13-7 at the break and was outscored 23-0 in the second half.

For Volunteers coach Josh Heupel, this week presents an opportunity to erase the ill taste of the loss.

“A lot to learn from,” Heupel said. “At the same time, you’ve got to wash it. Whether you win or lose and you’ve got to move on to the next one. …

“We understand the quality of the opponent that’s coming to town this week. Our guys understand who they are, what they’re about, the way that they’re going to play. It’s going to be a great test for us.”

It has been a one-sided rivalry in recent years. Georgia has won six straight games against Tennessee, which last knocked off the Bulldogs in 2016 in Athens, Ga.

This year’s Georgia squad is led on offense by quarterback Carson Beck, who has passed for 3,022 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. Beck’s top target is tight end Brock Bowers, who returned from injury last week and who leads the team with 44 catches for 601 yards and five touchdowns.

On the ground, Daijun Edwards paces Georgia with 691 rushing yards and 10 scores.

Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III will try to keep pace with Georgia’s high-potent offense. He has passed for 2,283 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

Volunteers wideout Squirrel White has a team-high 49 catches for 609 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Jaylen Wright has amassed 848 rushing yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, Georgia has the edge.

The Bulldogs have allowed 289.2 yards per game, which ranks ninth in the nation. The Volunteers have given up 340.6 yards per game, which ranks No. 39.

A fast start helped Georgia in the team’s most recent meeting last year. The Bulldogs jumped to a 24-6 lead at halftime and held on for a 27-13 victory in Athens.

NO. 21 KANSAS STATE IN BIG 12 TITLE PURSUIT, DRAWS NO. 25 KANSAS

The football rivalry between Kansas State and Kansas is pretty intense when neither team is any good.

When one of the teams is good, it raises the temperature a little.

But when both teams are good, like they are in 2023, the intensity is palpable.

No. 21 Kansas State, still with a decent chance of playing in the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 2, will meet No. 25 Kansas — which also has a slight chance to reach the title game — on Saturday evening in Lawrence, Kan.

“It’s light years different,” Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said of Kansas’ improvement since Lance Liepold took over the Jayhawks. “It’s even light years different from Lance’s first year. They keep improving each year.”

Kansas State has won 14 straight in the rivalry, but those 14 games don’t mean a thing this week.

Kansas State (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) is in a four-way tie for second place in the Big 12. If the Wildcats win their last two games, including at Kansas and at home against Iowa State, there’s a strong possibility that they’ll face Texas in Arlington. But the Wildcats can’t look past the Jayhawks.

“They’re really good at a number of different positions,” Klieman said. “They’re a really sound defense. They don’t give up explosive plays; they tackle really well. We’re gonna have to come up with a really good game plan to win, especially on the road.

“They’re also really good and really creative on offense, no matter who’s behind center. They’re always going to be creative with shifts and motions and misdirection, as well as having the ability to give it to the two running backs and just pound it at you.”

Quarterback Will Howard is playing well of late, even in an overtime loss at Texas two games ago. He threw for 327 yards and four touchdowns. Against Baylor last week, he threw three more touchdowns in a convincing win. He’s had at least three touchdowns in five games this season, tying a Kansas State record, and he’s now the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes.

While the QB position is an area of strength for the Wildcats, it’s a problem right now for Kansas (7-3, 4-3 Big 12). Starter Jalon Daniels has missed six straight games with injuries. Backup Jason Bean had to leave last Saturday’s game against Texas Tech with a head injury.

Liepold was optimistic Monday that Bean could play Saturday.

“I’m not going to get into the nature of injuries in-depth, but he did not practice last night,” he said. “But my latest (stance) is I’m very optimistic that he’ll be playing on Saturday.”

The third stringer, walk-on freshman Cole Ballard, had to step in against Texas Tech. He performed well, almost leading his first career game-winning drive before making his first career start. But Tech kicked a game-winning field goal to win 16-13.

Ballard, the son of Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard, has the football pedigree. But the questions will remain until he proves he can do it in live action.

“I thought he’d do just about what he did — compete his tail off — and he won’t flinch,” Leipold said. “He will give you everything he has. I don’t think he ever had that deer-in-the-headlights look about him, where the moment was too big.

“That locker room really likes Cole Ballard and they have for a long time. It’s his makeup, it’s in his DNA and he’s going to be a fine player here.”

The biggest question is whether that will happen this Saturday.

NO. 5 WASHINGTON AIMS TO STAY HOT VS. NO. 11 OREGON STATE

While No. 5 Washington maintains pursuit of a College Football Playoff spot, keeping coach Kalen DeBoer in Seattle has become a hot topic.

The coach who is 21-2 in less than two seasons with the Huskies will try to lead Washington to its 18th consecutive victory when it faces No. 11 Oregon State in Pac-12 play on Saturday night at Corvallis, Ore.

If Washington (10-0, 7-0 Pac-12) defeats the Beavers (8-2, 5-2), it will clinch at spot in next month’s Pac-12 title game.

As for DeBoer, his name is one of the hottest in college football after the quick revival of the Washington program.

He received a $1 million raise to $4.2 million 12 months ago, but his contract that runs through the 2028 season will need massive reworking to lift him into the upper echelon of coaching salaries.

DeBoer insists he wants to stay put and he also offered that new athletic director Troy Dannen has made overtures about sweetening his deal.

“There’s just a lot of things that I love about this place,” DeBoer said. “This is a championship football program. I’ve said it since Day One. It’s got the bones of championships. I love the way we’ve been accepted into this place. It’s a great place to coach.

“Like I said earlier, (Dannen) is doing everything he can to help myself and the staff continue this journey that we’re on.”

The journey currently has Washington on the outside of the playoffs as it enters the 108th meeting with Oregon State.

The school’s first met in 1897 and there are no guarantees of the series continuing with Washington leaving for the Big Ten next season and the Beavers hung out to dry on the realignment front.

DeBoer also is aware that Saturday’s game decides whether the Beavers continue to harbor long-shot CFP aspirations.

“Oregon State still has an opportunity, if they win out, to get in the way I see it, knowing that they are going to bring everything they got,” DeBoer said. “They are playing at home and they are playing well and they have good momentum and we are realizing we are going to get their best shot.”

Beavers coach Jonathan Smith stopped short of calling it the biggest game in his six seasons as Oregon State coach. But he knows it is huge.

“Kind of where the records are, that makes it big,” Smith said. “That’s a good program. They win a lot of games. We’re playing late, Game 11. You want to play in the biggest games at the end of the year. This is a big one.”

Washington ranks fifth nationally in scoring offense at 41.0 points per game and sixth in total offense at 503.9 yards per contest. Heisman Trophy candidate Michael Penix Jr. has passed for 3,533 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions while running back Dillon Johnson (790 yards, 11 touchdowns on the ground) is thriving after back-to-back efforts of 256 yards against Southern California and 104 in last weekend’s 35-28 win over then-No. 16 Utah.

Oregon State is coming off a 62-17 annihilation of visiting Stanford. Damien Martinez tied the school record of four rushing touchdowns in the first half before calling it a day. He has rushed for 1,024 yards while DJ Uiagalelei has thrown for 2,254 yards, 20 touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Beavers also have developed a rabid atmosphere at remodeled Reser Stadium. Oregon State is 16-1 at home since the start of the 2021 season.

“They a good football team and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Smith said.

PENDING BIG 12 BEDFELLOWS NO. 17 ARIZONA, NO. 22 UTAH PUSH FOR WIN NO. 8

No. 17 Arizona has been one of the most surprising teams in the country and will be going for its fifth consecutive victory when it plays its home finale against No. 22 Utah on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

The Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Pac-12) still have an outside shot at playing in the Pac-12 championship game, but that involves beating the Utes (7-3, 4-3) and Arizona State to end the regular season.

Oregon, in turn, must lose one of its final two games to create a tie-breaking scenario behind league-leading Washington.

“Our only focus is beating Utah,” Arizona coach Jedd Fisch said. “This is a great team coming in.”

Arizona hasn’t won five consecutive games since starting the 2014 season with a 5-0 record.

Utah has navigated through myriad injuries all season, going 3-3 in its past six games, with each of the losses to ranked teams – at Oregon State, vs. Oregon and, last week, at Washington 35-28.

The Utes responded with resounding victories — 34-14 over Cal and 55-3 at Arizona State — the first game after their previous two losses.

“You’ve got to rebound; you’ve got to respond,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Our team has been good at that this year, at least the first couple times. We’ve got to do the same thing this time around. …

“We lean on the leadership of the team a lot and we lean on the coaches to set the tempo, set the mindset and move forward.”

Utah has won five in a row in the series. That includes the 45-20 decision last season in Salt Lake City.

The Utes were the more physical team in recent years and remain strong on both lines, ranking 30th nationally in rushing (184.9 yards per game) and fifth in rushing defense (85.6 yards allowed per game).

Defensive end Jonah Ellis is having an All-American season, with 12 sacks among his 16 tackles for loss.

The game should feature strong matchups in the trenches. Arizona has a potential 2024 first-round left tackle in Jordan Morgan, who is helping running back Jonah Coleman average 7.15 yards per carry. The Wildcats’ defense is 13th nationally against the run, yielding 99.4 yards per game.

But most of the buzz around Arizona is on redshirt freshman quarterback Noah Fifita, who has started the past six games. For the season, he is 165 of 224 for 1,735 yards, with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Fifita struggled some in the first half against Colorado last week but led a second-half comeback as Arizona won 34-31 on a last-play field goal.

“He never flinched,” Fisch said. “What Noah was able to do is what good quarterbacks do. It’s one play at a time, one play at a time.”

Utah running back Ja’Quinden Jackson has rushed for 627 yards on 122 carries and has three 100-yard games this season. Bryson Barnes has settled in at quarterback, completing 103 of 176 passes for 1,197 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The final matchup between these programs as Pac-12 schools was considered a betting pick-em early in the week. Both teams will be joining the Big 12 next season.

BIG 10 FOOTBALL

NO. 16 IOWA IN BIG TEN TITLE GAME IF HAWKEYES BEAT ILLINOIS

For No. 16 Iowa, a win Saturday means a spot in the Big Ten championship game. For Illinois, a win Saturday means a bowl berth. But there’s at least one big question affecting this game that likely won’t be answered until Senior Day kickoff at Iowa: Who’ll start at quarterback for Illinois?

Will it be senior backup John Paddock, who threw for a Memorial Stadium-record 507 yards in his first Illinois start and earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after leading the Illini (5-5, 3-4) to a 48-45 overtime win over Indiana?

Or will it be usual starter Luke Altmyer, who sat out last week’s game with a concussion but has been cleared to play? It’s not Illinois coach Bret Bielema’s style to penalize a starter for getting hurt.

“I’ve never been a coach that has ever put a player (out of) a position that they’ve lost by injury,” Bielema said Monday. “Obviously, John has played exceptionally well, from the time he entered the game two weeks ago at Minnesota to the way he played last week. I think our guys will know the plan very clear Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and we’ll make a decision as it gets closer. The good news is that we feel we’ve got two guys that we feel can play.”

Perhaps the Paddock/Altmyer debate doesn’t address the biggest question of all: Will Illinois be able to score a touchdown against Iowa (8-2, 5-2) regardless of who’s running the offense?

Over the last four weeks, the Hawkeyes have surrendered just one touchdown. For the year, Iowa has given up 11 touchdowns in 10 games while building the nation’s third-best scoring defense (12.3 points per game) and fourth-best pass-efficiency defense (100.14 rating).

“We’re clearly a better defense than we were 6-8 weeks ago,” said Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. “But that’s what you hope for with all your guys. You hope they’re all improving. The guys have played well. They work hard in practice. They prepare. They study. And then the other component is, you gain some confidence when you do have success.”

“They’re just so, so consistent,” said Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. “They make you earn every, every inch that you get. They make you earn it. And they very rarely make mistakes. That’s probably the unique nature of it is they’re just so rigid and systematic and they’re physical and tough. A lot of good qualities I’m describing. All these adjectives I’m saying would be the earmark of a great defense – and that’s what this is.”

Junior defensive back Cooper DeJean serves as the poster boy for Iowa’s defense. DeJean was named a Bednarik Award semifinalist this week – keeping him in the running for National Defensive Player of the Year – to go with his semifinalist status for the Jim Thorpe Award and the LOTT Impact Trophy.

On the flip side, Iowa’s offense hasn’t exactly been prolific. Last week’s 22-point outburst against Rutgers represented the Hawkeyes’ second-biggest Big Ten output this season. To put it a different way: Paddock threw for more yards last week (507) than Iowa quarterback Deacon Hill has thrown for in the last four weeks (441).

Ferentz, though, cares about only one number: The one in the win column. The Hawkeyes need just one win in the next two weeks to clinch their second West Division crown in the last three years.

“One thing you try to explain to the players – and I think they’ve figured this out,” Ferentz said. “There’s really no downside to winning and there’s a lot of downside to losing.”

NO. 2 OHIO STATE VOWS NOT TO LOOK PAST MINNESOTA

Ohio State has one more obstacle before its showdown at Michigan — the No. 2 Buckeyes will host banged up Minnesota on Saturday in Columbus.

The Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) fell one spot in the College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday after holding the top spot the first two weeks. Georgia is ranked first, Michigan third.

Ohio State will play at Michigan on Nov. 25, with the winner advancing to the Big Ten championship game.

While the Buckeyes know wins in the next two games should secure one of the four playoff spots even if they were to lose in the conference title game, the Golden Gophers (5-5, 3-4) are vying to become bowl eligible by winning at least one of their final two games. Minnesota will finish the season at home against Wisconsin.

The Gophers are coming off a 49-30 loss to Purdue in which Minnesota starting linebacker Cody Lindenberg did not play because of an injury and backup Maverick Baranowski exited after the first series. Also, safety Aidan Gousby was out with an injury.

“Unfortunately, some of our best players are out, and it seems like every week it’s just the inconsistency of who’s actually out there,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said Monday. “There’s no excuses. I mean, 100 percent falls on the coaches and what we have to do to get better.”

Ohio State played its most complete game of the season last Saturday, a 38-3 win against Michigan State in which the usually slow-starting Buckeyes scored on five of six drives in the first half.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Tuesday he has no concerns that the Buckeyes will look past the Gophers.

“Coming to work every day with these guys, this is a great team to be around,” Day said. “We’re going to do it again this week and keep swinging. … The urgency has to be at an all-time high at this point of the season.

“P.J. does a great job. They’re going to come in here and play hard. We’re going to have to prepare for it like any other game.”

The Buckeyes will look to receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to lead them again. Against Michigan State, he had a 19-yard run for his first career rushing touchdown and caught seven passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns despite being pulled along with several other starters after the first series of the third quarter.

“The Heisman Trophy goes to the most outstanding player in the country. … I get to see him every day,” Day said. “I think he is the most outstanding player in the country.

“He wants to be great. I know that. You can just tell that, and his actions back that up, and his production speaks for itself on the field.”

Harrison is second nationally with 12 receiving TDs and seventh with 1,063 receiving yards.

Fleck knows the Gophers’ defense will have a task trying to contain Harrison.

“I think he has a great knack and feel for how defenses are going to be played and how they are going to stop him and what the route concept is and what the route calls for,” Fleck said.

NO. 3 MICHIGAN VIES FOR WIN NO. 1,000 IN CLASH VS. MARYLAND

Michigan’s football program is making a serious run for a College Football Playoff berth and America’s favorite soap opera at the same time.

The controversy swirling around coach Jim Harbaugh and his staff has taken many twists and turns. The team’s drive for a national championship, however, remains undeterred.

The Wolverines (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten), ranked No. 3 in the latest poll, will play their penultimate regular-season game against Maryland on Saturday at College Park, Md.

A victory would be the 1,000th in the program’s history.

Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti suspended Harbaugh for the remainder of the regular season amid an NCAA investigation into an alleged signal-stealing scandal. The school tried to secure a court injunction on Saturday to allow Harbaugh to coach against Penn State, but the hearing was delayed until this Friday.

A defiant Harbaugh said he’s looking forward to his day in court.

“Always kind of felt like it would be cool to get up there and thunder away at a jury like Tom Cruise in ‘A Few Good Men.’ Or be a judge like Judge Judy,” he said. “But alas, I did not go to law school. So this will be the first time I’ve ever really been (in) this situation.”

Harbaugh was suspended for the first three games this season for failure to cooperate with a separate NCAA investigation. If Friday’s hearing doesn’t go Michigan’s way, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore again will fill in for Harbaugh.

A tearful Moore expressed his love for Harbaugh and the program after a 24-15 win last week at Penn State, Michigan’s first close game all season.

The Wolverines relied heavily on their running game in the second half to wear down the Nittany Lions. Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards combined for 36 carries, 197 yards and three touchdowns.

“I’m feeling a galvanized Michigan. … Everybody fighting like the team we’re supposed to be,” Harbaugh said. “That’s going to be tough to beat.”

With a showdown against No. 2 Ohio State looming on Nov. 25, the Wolverines easily could overlook the Terrapins (6-4, 3-4).

Maryland snapped a four-game losing streak and became bowl eligible on Saturday, but it wasn’t pretty. The Terrapins needed a last-second field goal from Jack Howes to edge Nebraska 13-10.

Maryland coach Mike Locksley is looking to pull off a shocker.

“We need to go into this game with confidence. Any time you win, it helps your confidence,” he said. “I think our team is excited about this opportunity. I mean, very few times in your career do you get to have what I call a breakthrough type of game, and you know, what a breakthrough this would be for our program.”

The Terrapins will need a big performance from quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa to pull off an upset. He’s passed for 2,769 yards and 22 touchdowns while getting picked off eight times.

Michigan has limited opponents to an average of 7.5 points per game.

“They are a well-oiled machine, especially on the defensive side of the ball. They play really sound,” Locksley said. “They don’t make a lot of mistakes, meaning you are going to have to execute at a really high level.”

The Terrapins aren’t focusing on Michigan’s off-field issues.

“What’s going on up in Ann Arbor has nothing to do with us,” Locksley said.

OFFENSES UNDER SCRUTINY AS RUTGERS VISITS NO. 12 PENN STATE

Besieged this week by questions about the firing of his offensive coordinator, Penn State coach James Franklin implored reporters to address the No. 12 Nittany Lions’ next opponent.

“At some point during this press conference I’d love to get just a few questions about Rutgers,” he said Monday.

Despite Franklin’s efforts, the visiting Scarlet Knights (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) received little attention from the press corps ahead of the Saturday clash with the Nittany Lions (8-2, 5-2) in University Park, Pa.

Franklin, who is in his 10th season, has been feeling the heat since the Nittany Lions’ 24-15 home loss to Michigan last week. The defeat exposed a sore subject that has been brewing all season: a conservative offensive approach.

On Sunday, Penn State fired Mike Yurcich, who had been the offensive coordinator since 2021.

Sharing the role will be tight ends coach Ty Howle and running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider. During games, both will remain in their usual roles, with Howle in the booth upstairs and Seider on the sideline, Franklin said.

“They both will have a role in play-calling,” Franklin said.

Additionally, graduate assistant Danny O’Brien, who played quarterback at Maryland when Franklin was the Terrapins’ offensive coordinator, will help oversee the QBs. Yurcich also served as the quarterbacks coach.

Franklin added that he hopes to have a new offensive coordinator in place before Penn State’s bowl game.

The Nittany Lions will try to figure out how to add more punch to an offense that includes two of the Big Ten’s top 10 rushers, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton.

Drew Allar has thrown for 21 touchdowns with just one interception but averages only 6.3 yards per pass. That figure pales in comparison to Big Ten quarterbacks such as Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy (10.3) and Ohio State’s Kyle McCord (9.3).

In the Michigan game, Penn State’s unwillingness to throw downfield was particularly evident. Allar completed 10 of 22 passes for 70 yards and one touchdown, which came with 1:59 left, when the outcome was essentially decided.

On Monday afternoon at Rutgers, coach Greg Schiano also was peppered with questions about the Scarlet Knights’ conservative approach following a 22-0 loss at Iowa.

“The way we’ve played the game has allowed us to be in every single game this year going into the fourth quarter,” Schiano said. “In the past, that wasn’t the case. To me, that’s incremental improvement.”

Rutgers’ offense was able to generate only 127 total yards and seven first downs. The Scarlet Knights never crossed the Hawkeyes’ 40-yard line as nine of their 11 possessions ended with a punt.

Schiano said he has not considered benching quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, who completed 7 of 18 passes for 93 yards with one interception against the Hawkeyes.

The slate in November is tough with Rutgers having to face the defenses of Penn State, Ohio State and Iowa, which are ranked Nos. 2, 4 and 8, respectively, in yards allowed per game in the FBS.

Penn State is 31-2 all-time against Rutgers, including wins in each of the past 16 meetings. The Nittany Lions beat the Scarlet Knights 55-10 last year in Piscataway, N.J.

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL NEWS

HOT-SHOOTING NO. 19 TEXAS EASES TO VICTORY OVER RICE

Tyrese Hunter scored 18 points and No. 19 Texas shot 60.4 percent from the floor on the way to an easy 80-64 victory over Rice on Wednesday in a matchup between former Southwest Conference rivals in Austin, Texas.

The Longhorns (3-0) led by nine points at halftime, by 18 points 6 1/2 minutes into the second half and never let Rice get closer than a dozen points the rest of the way.

Texas hit 10 of its 22 3-point attempts (45.5 percent) and dominated despite committing 16 turnovers and missing 10 free throws.

Kadin Shedrick added 15 points and Max Abmas put up 11 for the Longhorns, who forged a 37-27 edge on the glass. Texas’ Dillon Mitchell grabbed 13 rebounds.

Anthony Selden led Rice (1-2) with 17 points. The Owls were held to 38.3 percent shooting and made just 4 of 22 from beyond the arc (18.2 percent).

The Longhorns never trailed, roaring out of the gate and taking a 17-8 lead on an Abmas jumper at the 13:23 mark of the first half. Texas pushed its lead to 12 points on two occasions before the break.

The Owls chipped away, whittling the deficit to 36-32 when Seldon canned a 3-pointer with 2:21 left in the half. Texas answered with a basket from beyond the arc from Hunter and then a pair of free throws by Chendall Weaver to build the lead back to 41-32 entering intermission.

Hunter led all scorers before halftime with 10 points while making all three of his shots (all 3-pointers) and canning a free throw. The Longhorns shot 60.9 percent from the floor in the half but also committed eight turnovers that led to 11 points for Rice.

Selden’s nine first-half points paced the Owls, who were only 11 of 30 (36.7 percent) on field-goal attempts and 2 of 10 from beyond the arc over the first 20 minutes.

The Longhorns increased their advantage to 18 points when Abmas poured in a 3-pointer with 13:37 to play.

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 17 NORTH CAROLINA CRUSHES HAMPTON

No. 17 North Carolina dominated visiting Hampton in a 62-32 victory on Wednesday morning in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Ten Tar Heels scored led by guard Deja Kelly’s 12 points and 11 from Paulina Paris.

North Carolina (3-0) built a 20-point lead in the second quarter with suffocating defense and forced 29 turnovers, eight from Pirates guard Camryn Hill, the team’s top scorer (20 ppg) this season.

The Tar Heels led 32-13 at halftime.

Hampton (0-2) missed its first eight 3-point attempts and finished 2 of 10 from deep.

–No. 25 Oklahoma 92, Alabama State 46

Skyler Vann joined the Sooners’ 1,000-point club and No. 25 Oklahoma ripped through Alabama State in a 92-46 decision in Norman, Okla.

Vann had a team-high 16 points and nine rebounds along with three of the team’s 20 steals.

Oklahoma (4-0) took a 41-20 lead on Vann’s free throw with 4:22 left in the first half that got her in the Sooners’ milestone club.

Sahara Williams had 14 points and seven rebounds for Oklahoma.

The Lady Hornets were paced by Shmya Ward’s 17 points and four rebounds.

Alabama State failed to generate a rally with perimeter shots not falling. The teams combined to make 8 of 38 3-pointers. The Lady Hornets missed 13 of 16 attempts.

NBA NEWS

REPORT: NBA SUSPENDS WARRIORS F DRAYMOND GREEN 5 GAMES

The NBA is suspending Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green for five games, ESPN reported Wednesday night.

Green was at the center of a skirmish during the opening minutes of Tuesday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in San Francisco.

After Anthony Edwards missed a 3-pointer, Golden State’s Klay Thompson and the Wolves’ Jaden McDaniels started grabbing at each other as both teams made their way to the other side of the court.

Thompson and McDaniels then got in an altercation, and Minnesota big man Rudy Gobert came over to try and separate the two. That’s when Green came charging in, putting Gobert in a headlock before dragging him toward the Warriors’ bench.

Thompson, McDaniels and Green were all ejected just 1:43 into the game, and ESPN reported Wednesday that Thompson, Gobert and McDaniels were being fined $25,000 apiece.

Green, 33, is averaging 8.8 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in nine games (all starts) this season. He is eligible to return for Golden State’s game against the host Sacramento Kings on Nov. 28.

Green has already been ejected from two games this season, also getting tossed against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.

The Warriors (6-6) have lost four straight games heading into Thursday’s home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

NBA ROUNDUP: DOWN 2 STARTERS, CELTICS STILL TOP 76ERS

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:11 remaining for an eight-point cushion, as the short-handed Boston Celtics defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers 117-107 on Wednesday night.

Derrick White added 27 points and Jrue Holiday contributed 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Celtics, who have won four games in a row.

The Celtics played without Jaylen Brown (non-COVID illness) and Kristaps Porzingis (knee).

Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey led the Sixers with 20 points apiece while Robert Covington, De’Anthony Melton and Tobias Harris each netted 16. The Sixers have dropped two games in a row after an eight-game winning streak.

Suns 133, Timberwolves 115

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant scored 31 points apiece as Phoenix ended visiting Minnesota’s seven-game winning streak.

Booker was back in action after missing the previous five games due to a right calf strain. Eric Gordon had 15 points, Grayson Allen scored 14, Drew Eubanks added 13 and Josh Okogie chipped in 12 for Phoenix, which led by as many as 28 in the third quarter. The Suns shot 60 percent from the field, including 17-for-31 (54.8 percent) from 3-point range.

Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 25 points. Mike Conley scored 14 points, while Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid each scored 13. Rudy Gobert recorded a game-high eight rebounds for the Wolves, whose seven-game win streak was their longest since 2004.

Mavericks 130, Wizards 117

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored a season-high 31 points off the bench while Luka Doncic added 26 points and 10 assists to help visiting Dallas breeze to a victory over Washington.

Hardaway scored 22 points over the first two quarters, accounting for his highest-scoring half of the season. He finished the game, making 11 of 20 shots from the floor and 7 of 11 from 3-point range.

Doncic converted four times from beyond the arc and added seven rebounds as the Mavericks coasted to victory despite playing without star guard Kyrie Irving.

Bucks 128, Raptors 112

Damian Lillard had 37 points and 13 assists and visiting Milwaukee defeated Toronto for the Bucks’ second straight win.

Malik Beasley added a season-best 30 points and made eight 3-pointers for Milwaukee, which played without Giannis Antetokounmpo because of a right calf strain.

Scottie Barnes scored 29 points for the Raptors, who are 1-1 on their four-game homestand. Jakob Poeltl had 13 points and 11 rebounds.

Kings 125, Lakers 110

Domantas Sabonis scored a season-high 29 points and grabbed 16 rebounds as visiting Sacramento beat Los Angeles to extend its winning streak to four games.

De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points and Kevin Huerter matched his season high with 28 points while making six 3-pointers for the Kings in the opener of a six-game road swing.

LeBron James produced 28 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for his first triple-double of the season as the Lakers saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. D’Angelo Russell added 28 points.

Knicks 116, Hawks 114

Julius Randle scored a game-high 29 points to go along with 10 rebounds and eight assists while leading New York Knicks to a win over host Atlanta.

Jalen Brunson added 24 points on 6-for-10 3-point shooting for the Knicks, who won their second game in as many tries against the Hawks this season. Immanuel Quickley also put in 20 for the Knicks, who have four victories in their past five games overall.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Hawks with a season-high 28 points. Jalen Johnson totaled 18 points, going a perfect 4-for-4 from 3-point range.

Magic 96, Bulls 94

Paolo Banchero scored 17 points, capped by the game-winning floater with 1.4 seconds left, and Goga Bitadze notched 15 points and 11 rebounds to lift Orlando past host Chicago.

Slow-starting Chicago challenged Orlando down the stretch, whittling a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to two on a Zach LaVine 3-pointer with 17 seconds left and tying the game on another LaVine trey with 7.5 seconds to go.

Magic rookie Anthony Black split a pair of free throws prior to the second of the two late LaVine 3-pointers, but Chicago ultimately left Orlando and Banchero too much time on the clock.

Cavaliers 109, Trail Blazers 95

Donovan Mitchell recorded 34 points and six rebounds to lead Cleveland past host Portland, the Blazers’ fifth straight loss.

Evan Mobley added 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots and Caris LeVert had 17 points for Cleveland, which completed a 2-2 road trip.

Max Strus registered 14 points and seven assists and Jarrett Allen had 11 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots for the Cavaliers.

NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: EVANDER KANE’S OT GOAL, HAT TRICK LIFT OILERS

Evander Kane scored his third goal at 2:57 of overtime as the Edmonton Oilers rallied for a 4-3 victory against the visiting Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.

Kane scored twice in the final 6:32 of regulation, the latter with 46 seconds remaining and the Edmonton net empty for an extra attacker, to force overtime.

Connor McDavid scored for the second consecutive game under new coach Kris Knoblauch after an eight-game goalless streak as the Oilers won their third in a row, including a 4-1 decision Saturday at Seattle.

Jared McCann, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Alex Wennberg scored for the Kraken, who lost their third in a row. Joey Daccord stopped 27 of 31 shots.

Canucks 4, Islanders 3 (OT)

Quinn Hughes scored the overtime winner to cap a three-point game as host Vancouver claimed a comeback victory over struggling New York.

Hughes, J.T. Miller and Brock Boeser all produced one goal and two assists and Filip Hronek also scored for the Canucks, who erased a two-goal deficit while improving to 10-1-1 in their past 12 games. Vancouver goaltender Thatcher Demko made 30 saves.

Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat scored in his first game back in Vancouver since being traded to New York in January. Pierre Engvall and Brock Nelson also tallied for the Islanders, who have lost six consecutive games (0-4-2). Mathew Barzal notched two assists, and goaltender Ilya Sorokin made 39 saves.

Avalanche 8, Ducks 2

Valeri Nichushkin scored two goals, Joel Kiviranta had a goal and two assists, and Colorado buried Anaheim in Denver.

Samuel Girard and Devon Toews had a goal and an assist each, Ross Colton, Fredrik Olofsson and Andrew Cogliano also scored, and Alexandar Georgiev turned away 15 shots for Colorado. Cale Makar added three assists and Nathan MacKinnon, Logan O’Connor and Jack Johnson had two assists each for the Avalanche.

Sam Carrick and Max Jones scored and Lukas Dostal had 30 saves for Anaheim.

Flyers 3, Hurricanes 1

Goaltender Carter Hart returned to action for Philadelphia and made 31 saves in a victory at Raleigh, N.C.

Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny and Ryan Poehling scored as the Flyers posted their third consecutive victory. Hart, who hadn’t played since Nov. 1 because of a back injury and illness, missed five games.

Stefan Noesen scored for the Hurricanes, who began a five-game homestand. Carolina goalie Pyotr Kochetkov stopped 21 shots.

WOMEN’S GOLF

LPGA TO AWARD $4 MILLION TO SEASON FINALE WINNER NEXT YEAR UNDER EXTENSION WITH CME GROUP

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Already offering the single-largest payday in women’s golf, the LPGA said Wednesday that next year’s winner of the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship will receive $4 million, equal to the PGA Tour’s new signature events.

The big increase — double what the winner gets this year — comes from a two-year extension with Chicago-based CME Group, which sponsors the season-long Race to CME Globe.

The extension includes a purse increase to $11 million next year — up from $7 million. Along with the winner receiving $4 million, the runner-up gets $1 million and all 60 players to reach the season finale are guaranteed at least $55,000.

A year ago, second place paid $550,000 and last place was worth $40,125.

“As a long-standing supporter of women in business and sports, CME Group is pleased to continue our partnership with the LPGA to further elevate women’s golf,” said Terry Duffy, chairman and CEO of CME Group.

He said the prize increase “will make our event even more exciting for the players and spectators, while bringing more parity to the game.”

The LPGA prize money tops $100 million, and while a big part of the increase has come from the majors, the CME Group Tour Championship has always stayed in step, and in this case has gone beyond with the $11 million prize fund in 2024.

The PGA Tour embarks on a new schedule next year with eight signature events that pay $4 million to the winner. The Players Championship winner received $4.5 million this year.

“CME Group has been pushing the LPGA forward at every step of our evolution since 2011 and with this extension they are once again helping take the LPGA, women’s golf and women’s sports to unprecedented heights,” LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said.

Lydia Ko took home the $2 million last year. She did not qualify for this year’s CME Group Tour Championship, which is for the leading 60 players from a points race. All 60 at Tiburon Golf Club have a chance at the top prize by winning the tournament.

TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS

INDY FUEL

THE FUEL HOST THE NAILERS ON FRIDAY NIGHT

GAME DAY TIMING:

6:00 P.M.: Doors open

7:00 P.M: Puck drop

SURVIVOR NIGHT:

Get your hands on special giveaways and challenges all night long as the Fuel try to vote the Wheeling Nailers off the island!

Special guest four-time Survivor challenger, Rupert Boneham, will be in attendance and available for a meet and greet at the main bar starting at 6:15 p.m.

PARKING: Parking at Indiana State Fairgrounds is $10. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to park due to anticipated large crowds at the Fairgrounds. Infield parking is not available at this time.

TICKETS: Tickets for today’s game can be purchased at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum Box Office or online HERE. Kids two and under do not need a ticket as long as they sit on the lap of a ticketed patron.

BAG POLICY: The Indy Fuel now follow the same bag policy as all Indiana State Fairgrounds events. All bags are subject to search upon entering the arena. All bags larger than 14” x 14” x 6” (backpacks, suitcases, duffel bags, etc.) are prohibited. Please plan accordingly to help facilitate a quick and efficient entry process. Please report suspicious bags to an Indiana Farmers Coliseum team member.

You can view the entire Game Day Guide with everything you’ll need to know by clicking HERE.

ABOUT THE HOCKEY:

INDIANAPOLIS- The Fuel will host the Wheeling Nailers for Survivor Night on Friday to begin their first three-in-three weekend of the season. This is also their first matchup with the second place Nailers.

LAST TIME OUT

The last time these two teams met was March 31, 2023 where the Fuel hosted the Nailers in a 3-1 win for Indy. Luc Brown scored the game winning goal for the Fuel while Cam Gray made 23 saves in net. Matus Spodniak scored his first goal in his first game as a member of the Fuel in that matchup.

CONSISTENT CAMERON

Defenseman Chris Cameron currently leads Fuel defensemen in +/- with +3. He also leads the team in penalty minutes with 16, leaving him just 19 away from the Fuel’s all-time penalty minutes record. Cameron has three points in three assists so far this season. He is on pace to have his highest scoring season yet.

THREE GAME WEEKEND

The Fuel will look to test their stamina this weekend with three games in three days at home against three different opponents. In hopes to sweep the weekend and collect six points, Indy could end up in the top half of the Central division standings by Monday.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME PREVIEW

INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – GAME 3 VS. WRIGHT STATE

Opening Tip

• Indiana University continues its 124th season of competition in men’s basketball with a non-conference matchup against Wright State at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 16, on BTN.

• The Raiders enter the contest with an 0-2 record after dropping games against Colorado State (105-77) and Toledo (78-77) to open the season.

• Wright State is coached by three-time Horizon Coach of the Year Scott Nagy. Under his leadership the Raiders have won at least 20 games in five of his seven seasons. Prior to Wright State, he spent 21 seasons with South Dakota State.

Game Information

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023 • 7 PM ET

Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall (17,222) • Bloomington, Ind.

TV: BTN (Kevin Kugler, Stephen Bardo)

Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)

Series History: Indiana leads, 2-0

Last Meeting: IU 67, WSU 44 on Nov. 14, 2010, in Bloomington

Series History

• The Hoosiers hold a 2-0 series edge over the Raiders with the last meeting coming in a 67-44 result on Nov. 14, 2010, in Bloomington. Verdell Jones III led the Indiana attack with 27 points, six rebounds, and three steals. Christian Watford added a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double.

• The two sides also met in the first round of the 1993 NCAA Tournament. The top-seeded Hoosiers won 97-54 behind 29 points and eight rebounds from current Director of Player Development Calbert Cheaney in just 21 minutes. IU would advance to the Elite 8 that season.

Last time Out

• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware continued his strong play in the early portion of the season with a career-high 20 points on 9-of-11 shooting. He added six rebounds, one steal, and one block in Indiana’s 72-64 victory over Army on Nov. 12.

• Sixth-year senior guard Xavier Johnson scored 19 points and handed out five assists. He knocked down all nine free throw attempts, including four in the final 45 seconds of play.

• Sophomore forward Malik Reneau posted career highs in minutes played (32), assists (5), and blocked shots (3) to go along with 14 points and seven rebounds against the Black Knights.

Transferable Skills

• Sophomore center Kel’el Ware, a transfer from Oregon, is tied for the team lead with 16.5 points per game on 11-of-16 shooting (68.8%) from the field. Ware tops the Hoosier rebounding list with 9.0 per contest and averages 2.0 blocks a night.

• The North Little Rock, Ark., native posted his first career double-double (13p, 12r) in his Indiana debut against Florida Gulf Coast on Nov. 7.

• The 7-foot standout has posted career highs in points (20), made field goals (9), rebounds (12), defensive rebounds (9), and assists (4) this season with IU.

• Junior forward Payton Sparks made his Hoosier debut in the 72-64 IU win over Army on Nov. 12. The Ball State transfer produced two points and four rebounds in just nine minutes of run.

X Marks the Spot

• Sixth-year guard Xavier Johnson returned for his sixth season of college basketball after receiving a medical hardship waiver following a season-ending injury in 2022-23.

• In his first game as captain of the Hoosiers, ‘X’ compiled 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor, four rebounds, and one assist.

• The former Pitt Panther is averaging 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.

• Johnson was born on Oct. 14, 1999, making him one of the 45 oldest players currently in college basketball. He is one of 70 players to be born prior to the year 2000.

Double Double, Double Double (CAREER)

Payton Sparks: 22; last vs. Toledo, 3/3/23

Xavier Johnson: 4; last vs. Arizona, 12/10/22

Anthony Walker: 4; last at Clemson, 2/27/21

Kel’el Ware: 1; last vs. Florida Gulf Coast, 11/3/23

Twenty Piece (CAREER)

Xavier Johnson: 21; last vs. North Carolina, 11/30/22

Payton Sparks: 9; last vs. Ohio, 3/9/23

Trey Galloway: 1; vs. Nebraska, 12/7/22

Kel’el Ware: 1; vs. Army, 11/12/23

WRIGHT STATE PRE-SEASON PREVIEW

2022-23:	18-15, 10-10 (T-6th, Horizon League)
	No Postseason
Location:	Dayton, OH
Coach:	SCOTT NAGY (8th Season)
Homecourt:	NUTTER CENTER (10,450)
Key Departures:	TIM FINKE (8 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 3.8 apg)
	AMARI DAVIS (8.5 ppg, 3 rpg, 0.9 apg)
Key Newcomers:	TANNER HOLDEN (transfer, Ohio State)
	BO MYERS (transfer, Malone)

ROSTER

#	Player	Pos.	Listed	Year	MPG	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
1	Trey Calvin	G	6-0	5th	34.3	20.3	2.9	3.7	1.3	0.3	49.2	39.0
3	Alex Huibregtse	G	6-3	R-Jr.	23.7	8.6	2.8	1.6	0.6	0.1	46.9	39.3
23	Tanner Holden*	G/F	6-6	5th	13.6	3.6	2.4	0.5	0.4	0.1	47.8	50.0
14	Brandon Noel	G/F	6-8	R-Jr.	29.2	13.0	8.7	1.4	0.8	1.0	60.9	35.7
12	AJ Braun	F	6-9	Jr.	20.7	9.4	4.9	0.7	0.3	0.7	60.9	–
4	Keaton Norris	G	6-0	Jr.	20.6	3.0	2.2	1.5	0.5	0.0	43.3	27.8
22	Andrew Welage	G	6-6	Sr.	16.8	6.7	2.2	1.4	0.5	0.2	52.0	47.7
2	Drey Carter	F	6-8	R-Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
5	Bo Myers*	G	6-6	5th	33.8	18.5	8.0	2.1	0.6	0.3	51.8	42.4
25	Logan Woods	G	6-5	R-Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
25	Dayjuan Anderson	G	6-2	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
30	Kaden Brown	G	6-0	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
13	Solomon Callaghan	G	6-2	Fr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
15	Braden Grant	F	6-7	Jr.	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–

FROM THE COACH

“In terms of last year, a lot of talent had left us. It allowed a guy like Brandon [Noel] to develop, but we had to depend on a lot of new guys with very little experience.”

—Scott Nagy

*** UPDATE: Per Jon Rothstein on 10/12, Tanner Holden has officially received a waiver and will be eligible to compete this season. Our breakdown below largely assumed he would be eligible but this news confirms he’s cleared to play immediately in 2023-24***

THE SCOOP

For a half decade, Wright State was the emperor of the Horizon League. Five years running, the Raiders found themselves either at the top of the leaderboard or within a game of the top spot. Scott Nagy’s machine was chuggin’.

It’s not often the Raiders look mortal amongst their Horizon League brethren. Alas, last year was that time, at least in spots. Still, a 10-10 finish is no reason to panic. Rather, it’s a reason for Nagy to get back to his roots and re-emphasize the foundation that took the program to new heights from 2018 to 2022.

No, Loudon Love isn’t walking through that door anytime soon. But if the Raiders can reimagine even a partial print of Love’s gritty DNA — a dastardly double helix of rebounding and interior toughness — they could soar back to Horizon dominance.

ROAD TO SUCCESS

Wright State’s offense can be a thing of beauty when operating on all cylinders. Nagy’s deceptively quick-hitting transition attack weaponizes skilled bigs on the inside and reliable shooters on the outside. 

A rebound and quick outlet usually ignites the break, where Trey Calvin, Wright State’s engine and the frontrunner for Horizon Player of the Year, goes to work. He operates just as comfortably against a set defense, too. When the game slows down, Calvin sees everything in slow motion. He’s amassed a highlight reel of buzzer-beater daggers as the end-game hero, so expect the ball to be in his hands when the pressure intensifies.

This season, he welcomes back his old running mate, Tanner Holden, who returns to the Nutter Center after a disappointing campaign at Ohio State. He’s dominated this league before, and he’s poised to do it again with a season of training at the highest level. As a devastating driver and relentless rim attacker, Holden’s punishing game is the yin to the yang of Calvin’s finesse. The only snafu might be the pesky NCAA’s waiver process for two-time transfers; that could sideline Holden all year if not approved.

The notion that Brandon Noel might be this team’s third leading scorer is a scary one for Horizon League foes. Noel is a slam dunk choice to be the league’s breakout player after posting monster numbers as a rookie — especially if Holden is on the shelf. He’s an excellent cutter and finisher, and he can shoot it from all three levels.

There are a couple remaining growth areas for Noel in Year 2. For starters, he must curtail the untimely turnovers. In three separate losses, Noel finished with five turnovers. He also looked mortal against premier frontline defenders. Again, all of this is acceptable for a green freshman in his first rodeo — and all of it can change in the blink of an eye this season. The so-called “sophomore leap” is real, and Noel’s got all the tools to harness it.

Noel’s fellow frontline mate AJ Braun is a known commodity. He does his damage in the belly of the defense where he’s a crafty, reliable finisher. Nagy could shift him back to a super-sub sixth man role, or thrust him into the starting lineup. Braun has earned his stripes in both roles after two full seasons under Nagy.

The perimeter edges are rounded out by Alex Huibregtse and Keaton Norris in the backcourt and Andrew Welage on the wing.

The first two are both heady guards who can drill it from distance, but only Huibregtse fulfilled that prophecy last year; Norris saw his long-range precision plummet after a sterling freshman campaign. Meanwhile, Welage aged like a fine wine last year after waiting his turn in line for two seasons. He posted airtight efficiencies from the free-throw line (83%), 2-point range (58%) and 3-point range (39%) while ascending into a fringe starter by season’s end.

POTENTIAL POTHOLES

There’s a surplus of scoring to be spread around the Raiders’ offensive brigade. However, it’s worth highlighting a minor flaw in a unit that regressed from the scorching standards of the previous three seasons.

A deep dive into the data reveals suboptimal shot allocation. Per ShotQuality, the Raiders’ effective shot selection rank — based on shots taken, regardless of who is taking them — ranked 354^th nationally, nearly dead last. The models didn’t like the Raiders’ relative preference for short and mid-range 2s over shots at the rim or 3-pointers.

However, there’s a flip side to this coin — and it’s why Nagy isn’t worried about the offense this year. ShotQuality’s effective shot-making metric, which incorporates who is taking those shots, scored the Raiders as 19^th best in the nation as a group. That’s elite, folks. 

In summary, the data may depict Wright State’s shot selection as less than ideal, but Calvin and crew know how to throw it in the ocean. If eligible, Holden’s ability to supplement on the offensive glass would help restore a second-chance scoring well that dried up last season.

The only other wrinkle to that Nagy must manage is the offensive pecking order if Holden is back in the mix. Here’s the context: Holden led the Raiders in scoring two years ago. That same year, Calvin was second, serving as Holden’s perimeter sidekick. Last year, it was Calvin who became the first-string superhero.

Now, Noel is bursting onto the scene, and Braun is a multi-year starter and a proven producer with untapped potential.

“Tanner can’t expect everything to revert back to exactly the way it was,” said Nagy. “Trey’s role has shifted, and now Brandon’s expected to make a big jump.”

All in all, there’s many mouths to feed. But Holden should still have a hearty serving in Nagy’s offense — if the NCAA allows him to sit at the table.

THE X-FACTOR

The conventional wisdom that defense wins championships holds merit, mostly, but there’s always exceptions. Take for instance the 2022 Wright State Raiders; elite on offense, shaky on defense. Despite the lopsided tilt, WSU rode its white-hot offense all the way to an NCAA Tournament bid and a First Four victory over Bryant.

If the offense shifts into overdrive again this year, Nagy can feel confident knowing that he can win without a stellar defensive unit. But his best teams, historically, are built on balance — and he’s pounding this point into the ground this summer.

“Offense won’t be a problem for us this year,” Nagy promised. “Our mindset has to be, ‘Can I be a great defender? Can I be a great rebounder?’”

Again, it’s worth noting there were improvements last season on this end. But Nagy knows it’s a far cry from the standard his teams set a few years prior. The focal point will be less about schematic changes, and more on emphasis. Rebounding remains of utmost importance to Nagy and the staff.

Meanwhile, the coach gushed about his younger newcomers, although there’s some complexity in that most of them occupy positions in an increasingly crowded backcourt.

“We’ll have to manage the challenge of our talent depth, especially at the guard position,” said Nagy. “We feel there are 13 scholarship guys all capable of starting, but only seven to eight are going to play the minutes they want. All of our inexperienced guys are really, really good.”

This is where frontcourt depth will carry a monumental impact this year, and there are more questions than answers in that domain. Drey Carter could be the latest big to bloom in Nagy’s pipeline, while proven D2 performer Bo Myers might pose mismatch issues at the 3 and the 4.

THE OUTLOOK

Bet against Scott Nagy with a prolific lead guard at your own peril. The subtle skid last year could be short lived, buoyed by the potential for the highly anticipated return of Holden.

Calvin is the straw that stirs the drink, but the skill is dripping up and down the roster, from long-range drillers outside to silky-smooth scorers inside. The cutting and passing is sure to be divine, as it always is under Nagy’s watch. 

It all comes back to defense, though. Without a devastating destroyer on this side of the ball, the Raiders must make strides from within.

A lot hinges on the veterans on both ends, but with or without Holden, there’s enough talent lurking on this roster along with talented young guns to provide support as needed.

INDIANA MEN’S SOCCER

HOOSIERS HOST LIPSCOMB IN NCAA TOURNAMENT KICKOFF

BLOOMINGTON — With two trophies in hand, Indiana men’s soccer (12-4-4, 4-2-2 B1G) has its eyes fully focused on a third and most important prize as it begins NCAA Tournament play on Thursday (Nov. 16) night, hosting Atlantic Sun Champion Lipscomb (10-3-4, 6-1-0 ASUN) on Jerry Yeagley Field at Bill Armstrong Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.

Admission is free for Indiana University students present a valid Crimson Card. Tickets can be purchased here; $10 for adults, $5 for youth (ages 3-18) and $3 for non-IU college students.

The match will stream live on the ESPN+ digital platform.

Parking availability has been updated due to the 7 p.m. start time for the Indiana men’s basketball game against Wright State. Indiana athletics has opened two lots accessible from 17th Street – the Briscoe Grass Lot and the Bell Tower Lot – while closing Gates 12 and 14.

KICKING OFF

• Indiana is appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the 48th time in 51 seasons and for the 37th straight season. The Hoosiers have advanced to 22 NCAA College Cups and 17 national finals, both NCAA records.

• IU captured the Big Ten Championship Double, winning a share of the Big Ten regular season title as well as the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Penn State.

• The Hoosiers have won nine of their last 10 matches, scoring 21 goals in that span. IU started the season 3-3-4 before the run pushed it to the current 12-4-4 record.

• Junior forward Samuel Sarver has recorded nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) in his last nine games and has set single-season career-highs in goals (8), assists (6) and points (22) while leading the team in all three categories.

ABOUT THE BISONS

• Lipscomb owns a 10-3-4 record, was 6-1-0 in ASUN regular season play and has a 2-2-3 mark in road matches. 

• The Bisons are led by 19th-year head coach Charles Morrow, who owns a 158-156-37 record during his time in Nashville.

• Lipscomb is making its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament and, like Indiana, was a national seed a year ago. However, the Bisons have not won a tournament match since 2018, when it knocked off Washington and No. 14-seeded UCF in the first two rounds. 

• The Bisons have scored 43 goals this season, an average of 2.53 goals per game. Redshirt junior forward Tyrese Spicer (13) and senior forward Javanne Smith (9) have combined for almost half of Lipscomb’s scoring.

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday’s match will mark the first-ever meeting between Indiana and Lipscomb.

INDIANA SWIMMING

NO. 5/9 INDIANA READY FOR MIDSEASON MEET

COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 5/9 Indiana swimming and diving is set for its midseason meet this week at the Ohio State Invitational, Thursday (Nov. 16) through Saturday (Nov. 18) inside the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the campus of Ohio State University.

Over the three days, Indiana will face seven teams including No. 14/5 Ohio State, No. 12/3 Louisville, and No. 17/NR Notre Dame in a championship format as swimmers and divers look to qualify for spring conference and national meets.

MEET INFO

Thursday (Nov. 16) – Saturday (Nov. 18)

Prelims: 9:30 a.m. ET | Finals 5:30 p.m. (Thursday and Friday), 6 p.m. (Saturday)

McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion • Columbus, Ohio

Opponents: Ohio State, Louisville, Notre Dame, Cincinnati, Ohio (Diving), Cal (Diving), Kenyon (Diving)

Live Results (Swimming): https://bit.ly/3G1upIB

Live Results (Diving): https://bit.ly/3jWYeCQ

Live Stream: bigtenplus.com

OF NOTE…

INDIANA CRUISES TO VICTORIES OVER NO. 10/18 AUBURN, NO. 20/RV MISSOURI

No. 5/10 Indiana swimming and diving won every event in tri-meet victories over No. 10/18 Auburn and host No. 20/RV Missouri on Wednesday inside the Mizzou Aquatic Center. Indiana diving saw four different Hoosiers win the men’s and women’s springboard events. Skyler Liu and Anne Fowler finished 1-2 on the 1-meter board before swapping podium positions on the 3-meter. Junior Quinn Henninger and Carson Tyler did the same thing on the men’s side. Hoosier divers recorded 12 NCAA Zone Qualifying marks during the meet.

PURDUE FOOTBALL

GAME 11 PREP: FOOTBALL HEADS TO NORTHWESTERN FOR FINAL ROAD GAME OF 2023

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – After getting back on track with a 49-30 victory over Minnesota, Purdue hits the road for the final time in 2023. The Boilermakers make the quick trip north to face Northwestern at Ryan Field. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET (11 a.m. CT) on BTN.

Purdue has won the past two meetings, a 17-9 win at Ross-Ade Stadium last season and 32-14 victory at Wrigley Field in 2021. The Boilermakers will play at Ryan Field for the first time since 2019, a 24-22 victory led by walk-on quarterback Aidan O’Connell making his first start. Cam Allen hauled in his first career interception in that game.

OPPONENT SNAPSHOT

• Northwestern enters Saturday’s matchup with a 5-5 (3-4 B1G) record following a 24-10 victory over Wisconsin.

• The Wildcats have alternated wins and losses throughout the entire 2023 season.

• While the Wildcats have fumbled 10 times this season, they have only lost one of them. The one fumble lost is the fewest in the Big Ten and second-fewest nationally.

• Ben Bryant has thrown for 1,121 yards on the season, while Cam Porter paces Northwestern’s ground attack with 454 yards.

• The duo of Cam Johnson and Bryce Kirtz have combined for 76 receptions for 998 yards and seven touchdowns. Johnson’s 40 catches are a team high, and Kirtz’s 526 receiving yards lead the Wildcats.

• David Braun, the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator, serves as Northwestern’s interim head coach.

LAST YEAR’S MATCHUP    

• Last season, Purdue closed out its home schedule with a 17-9 victory over the Wildcats (Nov. 19, 2022).

• The Boilermakers limited Northwestern to only 240 yards of total offense, including just 78 passing yards.

• Nic Scourton forced the first fumble of his career, while adding a sack.

• Kydran Jenkins registered a team-high seven tackles, including 2.0 tackles-for-loss.

• Dylan Downing led the rushing attack with 17 carries for 49 yards.

LAST TIME AT RYAN FIELD   

• Due to the Boilermakers and Wildcats playing at Wrigley Field during the 2021 campaign, Purdue has not made a trip to Ryan Field since 2019.

• Purdue won a thriller in 2019, 24-22, as Aidan O’Connell (Las Vegas Raiders) led the Boilermakers down the field to set a J.D. Dellinger 39-yard field goal with three seconds remaining (Nov. 9, 2019).

• A walk-on sophomore at the time, O’Connell made his first career start and threw for 271 yards with a pair of touchdowns.

• As a freshman, Cam Allen hauled in his first career interception.

QUARTERBACKS BEWARE   

• Big Ten quarterbacks definitely need to beware of two Boilermakers on both sides of Ryan Walters’ defense.

• Outside linebackers Kydran Jenkins and Nic Scourton have wreaked havoc throughout the season, sitting atop the Big Ten in sacks. Scourton leads the way with 8.0, ranking 14th nationally, and Jenkins has 7.0 for second in the league and 23rd in the country.

• With all of Jenkins’ sacks being solo stops, Jenkins ranks 10th nationally in solo sacks.

• The two Boilermakers also have combined for more tackles-for-loss than any duo in the Big Ten. Jenkins ranks second in the conference with 13.5 TFLs, while Scourton is closely behind in fourth with 13.0 TFLs.

GOPHER HOLES

• Coordinator Graham Harrell and the Purdue offense found holes in the Golden Gophers’ defense, exploding for 604 yards of total offense in the 49-30 victory.

• The 604 yards were a season high and the 11th most in a single game in program history.

• The Boilermakers scored touchdowns on each of their first four drives, accomplishing the feat for the first time since Sept. 11, 2004 (59-7 win over Ball State).

• Purdue scored 49 points, its most in a Big Ten game since a 49-20 victory over No. 2 Ohio State (Oct. 20, 2018).

• The Boilermakers ran for 353 yards on the ground behind 100-yard games from Devin Mockobee (153) and Tyrone Tracy Jr (122).

RUNNING AWAY TO VICTORY  

• Purdue racked up 353 rushing yards in the 49-30 win over Minnesota, the most rushing yards by any Big Ten team in a game this season.

• The ground total marked the most by the Boilermakers since 393 against Eastern Michigan 11 years ago (Sept. 15, 2012).

• Purdue had two 100-yard rushers (Devin Mockobee – 153 and Tyrone Tracy Jr. – 122) for the first time since Sept. 8, 2018, also against Eastern Michigan.

• The 8.0 yards per carry were also the best by any Big Ten team in a game this season.

• With Purdue’s previous longest run of the season going for 25 yards heading into the contest, the Boilermakers had three runs of 30-plus yards on the afternoon.

THIENEMAN EARNS FOURTH B1G FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONOR

• For the fourth time this season, defensive back Dillon Thieneman earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolades after helping the Boilermakers beat Minnesota.

• As the only defensive player in Big Ten history to win the award four times, Thieneman joined wide receivers Rondale Moore (2018) and David Bell (2019) as the only Boilermakers to be four-time B1G Freshman of the Week honorees. Both Moore and Bell went on to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in their respective debut seasons.

• Thieneman collected the latest honor after leading Purdue in tackles for the sixth time in 2023. The Westfield, Indiana native tallied a team-high nine tackles in the victory over the Golden Gophers. His five solo stops were also a Purdue best.

• With Thieneman at the back end of the defense, the Boilermakers limited Minnesota to 4-for-14 on third down (28.6 percent).

• Thieneman and the Purdue defense stepped up in the second half, allowing only 45 yards through the first 25 minutes before Minnesota added a late touchdown drive when the game was already in hand.

NO EASY ONES      

• Purdue’s schedule has proven to be one of the most difficult in the country, having not faced a team with a losing record to this point in the season.

• The Boilermakers battled Fresno State (8-2), Virginia Tech (5-5) and Syracuse (5-5) in non-conference play, while going up against unbeaten No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Michigan in Big Ten action.

• The other five games were against Big Ten West opponents. Four of those teams are 5-5, while Iowa sits atop the division at 8-2.

• Purdue is the only team in the Big Ten that has not played an opponent that currently has a losing record.

• Add in Northwestern this weekend, and Purdue opponents are a combined 71-39 (.645) on the season.

PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL

HARRIS COMMITS TO PURDUE

Gicarri Harris, son of Purdue legend Glenn Robinson, announced he’s the sixth member of a highly-touted Purdue 2024 class. His commitment was first reported by On3’s Joe Tipton with a social media post re-shared by Harris on X. Harris is a 6-foor-4 shooting guard from Grayson High School outside of Atlanta. He’s the 75th-ranked recruit nationally by 247Sports.

PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BOILERMAKERS HOST TEXAS A&M TO CAP 2-GAME HOMESTAND

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Playing its second of five major conference opponents ahead of Big Ten play and the first of three straight games against programs from the SEC, the Purdue women’s basketball team will host Texas A&M on Thursday night at Mackey Arena for a 7 p.m. tip on B1G+.

Tim Newton and Courtney Delks will be on the call for the Purdue Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM.

PROMOTIONS

• Lace Up 4 Pediatric Cancer- Join us in raising awareness for pediatric cancer.

• Gold Out – Fans are encouraged to wear Gold to Mackey on game day in support.

GAME INFORMATION 

Purdue vs. Texas A&M

Thursday , Nov. 16

Time: 7 PM 

TV/Stream: B1G+

Radio: 95.3 BOB FM 

Live Stats: Purduestats.com 

LAST TIME OUT

The Boilermakers bounced back in a 67-50 win over Southern on Sunday. Led by a career-high 21 points from senior Madison Layden, Purdue put four of its starting five players in double figures. Mary Ashley Stevenson joined the starting lineup for the first time in her career to go for 13 points and five rebounds in the win. Jeanae Terry totaled a team-high 11 rebounds and seven assists.

NOTES

• Purdue leads the all-time series with Texas A&M 4-1.

• The two clubs will meet for the second straight year after the Boilermakers pulled away to a 59-53 gritty, defensive win in College Station last season. The

• Thursday’s matchup is Purdue’s second against a major conference opponent in the non-conference and the first of three straight against SEC opponents, before facing Florida and Georgia in The Bahamas. • The Boilermakers will play their fifth and final major conference opponent prior to Big Ten play on Dec. 17 at Notre Dame.

• The Boilermakers finished with 19 assists on 20 made field goals against Southern. The 95% assisted shot rate was the second highest by a Purdue team since 2009 (2015 vs. Minnesota – 96%, 25 FGM, 24 Asts).

• Purdue now has a 19-4 regular season non-conference record under head coach Katie Gearlds for an 82.6% winning clip.

• Jeanae Terry came close to a non-point double-double with 11 rebounds and seven assists against Southern. Terry is the only Boilermaker in history to achieve a non-point double-double, hitting the mark three times last year.

• Freshman Mary Ashley Stevenson is averaging 10.5 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, one of three rookies from the Big Ten to average over double figures and three boards per night.

• Jeanae Terry and Madison Layden continue to rank in Purdue’s top-10 career assist-to-turnover chart. Terry owns the all-time record with a 1.94 mark, while Layden is sixth at 1.53.

• Purdue’s freshman class has been effective on the offensive end with 18.5 points per game this season. The last two freshman classes averaged 0.1 points in 2022-23 and 7.7 points in 2021-22.

• Jeanae Terry (5.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.0 apg) is one of four players in the nation averaging five points, nine rebounds and five assists.

• The Boilermakers saw 5,002 fans in Mackey Arena on Sunday against Southern for the fifth largest crowd of the Katie Gearlds era.

• Purdue’s season-ticket base continues to grow early in the year, reaching its highest amount since 2013-14.

The 2023-24 Purdue women’s basketball season is presented by Purdue Global, Purdue University’s online educational solution for working adults.

PURDUE SWIMMING

BOILERMAKERS SET TO HOST 11TH EDITION OF PURDUE INVITE

MEET INFORMATION

Purdue Men & Women host the Purdue Invitational

Thursday, Nov. 16 to Sunday, Nov. 19

Thursday: Swim Prelims at 10:30 a.m. / Dive Prelims at 1 p.m. / Finals at 6 p.m.

Friday: Swim Prelims at 10:30 a.m. / Dive Prelims at 1 p.m. / Finals at 6 p.m.

Saturday: Swim Prelims at 10:30 a.m. / Platform Diving Final at 1 p.m. / Finals at 6 p.m.

Sunday: LCM Time Trials at 10 a.m.

Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center / West Lafayette, Indiana

Visiting Teams: Illinois, Illinois State, Marshall, McKendree, Missouri State, Northwestern, Southern Illinois

MEET SCORING & REGULATIONS

• A Final Scoring: 20-17-16-15-14-13-12-11

• B Final Scoring: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

• Relay Scoring: 40-34-32-30-28-26-24-22

• Team Diving Scoring: 40-34-32-30-28-26-24-22

• Top 12 divers in springboard prelims advance to finals; Divers 13-16 in prelims also score

• Non-scoring C & D finals also offered; some women’s events may feature an E final

• One scoring relay per team, but teams may enter as many relays as they would like

• Each swimmer may swim a maximum of four individual events

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue swimming & diving’s annual midseason showcase once again features three full days of action at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center as teams from all across the Midwest visit campus this week for the 11th co-ed edition of the Purdue Invitational.

The meet returns to a Thursday-Friday-Saturday schedule this season but also features a bonus long course time trials session on Sunday morning. Swimmers will aim to qualify for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which is set to be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Downtown Indianapolis in June.

At the Purdue Invitational, swimming prelims begin daily at 10:30 a.m. ET. Springboard diving prelims get underway at 1 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Platform diving will be contested as a finals-only event Friday at 1 p.m. Finals sessions are set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. There is not expected to be much downtime Saturday with swimming prelims in the morning, platform diving in the afternoon, the first heat of the mile at approximately 3:30 p.m. and the finals session that night.

Admission is free for all sessions of the meet at the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center.

This year’s field features 13 teams representing eight universities. McKendree, Missouri State, Northwestern and Southern Illinois join Purdue with full co-ed representation. Women’s teams from Illinois, Illinois State and Marshall will also be in attendance. None of the teams are newcomers to the meet this year.

The Boilermakers have won the Purdue Invitational nine times – six by the men and three by the women. They’ve only swept the titles in the same year once before (2015). The Purdue Invite debuted as a men’s only meet in November 2003 and evolved into a co-ed midseason showcase two years later. There could be as many as 31 nations represented at the meet this year.

BOILERMAKERS’ TEAM FINISHES AT PURDUE INVITATIONAL

Meet always held in November

• 2022: Men 1st, Women 3rd

• 2021: Men 1st, Women 4th

• 2019: Men 2nd, Women 3rd

• 2017: Men 4th, Women 4th

• 2015: Men 1st, Women 1st

• 2012: Women 1st, Men 2nd

• 2010: Men 1st, Women 4th

• 2009: Men 3rd, Women 4th

• 2007: Men 1st, Women 2nd

• 2005: Women 1st, Men 3rd

• 2003: Men 1st, Women DNC

Among active Boilermakers, 50 student-athletes (23 men, 27 women) have scored at the Purdue Invitational during their careers. Brady Samuels (2021 & 2022), Kate Beavon (2022), Maggie Love (2021) and Kendra Bowen (2019) have all scored in four individual events at a Purdue Invite. Jordan Rzepka (diving sweep), Sophie McAfee (springboard sweep) and Samuels (100 back & 100 fly) all won events last year. The Purdue men were also victorious in the 400 and 800 freestyle relays. The 400 team set a meet record and the 800 quartet came up just .02 hundredths shy of matching the program record. Rzepka was the first diver to win all three events at the Purdue Invite since David Boudia in 2010.

INVITATIONAL UPDATES IN THE DIVE WELL

• Team diving will be featured to open the finals sessions Thursday (women) and Friday (men) for the second year in a row. However, this year it will be scored in the same fashion as relays. Each team that chooses to compete will be comprised of three divers, with each diver executing two dives from a board – 1-meter, 3-meter, platform.

• With diving coaches from Wisconsin, Yale, Utah and UCLA leading the way as the authors of the proposal, there’s a continued push to make team diving an annual scored event at conference championship meets and the NCAA Championships. The event was designed to be diving’s equivalent of a relay race. The format (3 divers, 2 dives per board) is thought to be more inclusive at the college level than synchronized events.

• The addition of team diving to the finals sessions also means the springboard finals will be contested simultaneously Thursday (men on 1-meter, women on 3-meter) and Friday (women on 1-meter, men on 3-meter) beginning at 6:50 p.m.

WELCOME BACK

• Missouri State is making its meet-record 10th appearance by a visiting team at the Purdue Invitational, missing only the 2003 and 2019 editions.

• The state of Illinois will be well represented at the Purdue Invite this year. Of the 11 visiting teams, eight hail from the Land of Lincoln – co-ed representation from Northwestern (Evanston), Southern Illinois (Carbondale) and McKendree (Lebanon) plus women’s teams from Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) and Illinois State (Normal).

• Illinois State is set to appear at its fourth straight Purdue Invite, the longest active streak for visiting teams.

• Northwestern and Southern Illinois are also back at the meet. Both schools attended the first two editions of the Purdue Invite (2003, 2005) and SIU remained a regular through 2017, with the Salukis’ eighth appearance ranking second behind only conference rival Missouri State. Meanwhile, the Northwestern women won the meet in 2021 in their first appearance at the Purdue Invite since the inaugural co-ed edition in 2005. The Wildcats join Ohio State (2009 and 2010) and Indiana (2017) as Big Ten teams to have full co-ed representation at the Purdue Invite.

REPEAT APPEARANCES BY VISITING TEAMS

• Missouri State (10) – 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023

• Southern Illinois (8) – 2003, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2022, 2023

• Northwestern (5) – 2003, 2005, 2021, 2022, 2023

• Illinois State (4) – 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023

• McKendree (3) – 2019, 2021, 2023

• Marshall (2) – 2022, 2023

BUTLER VOLLEYBALL

BUTLERVB SHOCKS THE MUSKETEERS IN A 3-1 VICTORY

INDIANAPOLIS — The Butler volleyball team upset Xavier in four sets (23-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-21) to begin the final week of matches for the 2023 season. The Bulldogs won their third-straight match and boosted their conference record to 7-10 and overall record to 13-15.

Set 1: Xavier 25-23

The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 3-1 highlighted by a Elise Ward serving ace. Kills from Abby Maesch and Grace Boggess helped Butler lengthen their lead to 8-4. The Bulldogs would then maintain a four point lead until the Musketeers caught fire scoring seven-straight points to flip the score from a 23-18 Butler lead to closing out the set at 25-23. Cora Taylor registered a set-high 14 assists while Rylie Tam led the set with eight digs.

Set 2: Butler 25-22

The second set was a different story as Xavier would use a 3-0 run to take an early 5-4 lead. The Musketeers then carried the momentum to extend their lead to 16-10. However, this time, the Bulldogs stormed back using a 8-0 run on the back of three kills from Ward to take a 22-20 lead. Mariah Grunze then helped put the set to bed scoring the last two points for the Bulldogs to tie the match at 1-1. Ward led all hitters with an incredible seven kills in the set.

Set 3: Butler 25-18

The third frame started out slow with no team taking a significant lead until back-to-back 3-0 spurts gave Butler a 15-11 lead. The Bulldogs added onto their lead using a kill by Grunze and three-straight Xavier attacking errors to jump to 20-13. A kill by Laiya Ebo followed by a serving ace from Ward then gave Butler a 2-1 lead in the match. Ward hit for .750 while leading the set again with six kills. 

Set 4: Butler 25-21

The Musketeers took an early 4-1 lead in the fourth frame. Butler would soon cut the deficit to 10-8 after consecutive kills from Maesch and eventually tie the match at 12-12. The Bulldogs would gain their first lead of the set at 18-17 and wouldn’t look back. A 3-0 run with a block from Boggess and a kill from Destiny Cherry helped secure the upset victory over Xavier.

Stat of the Match

The Bulldogs hit for over .400 in the second and third sets to combine for a hitting percentage of .316, which was the third match in a row with a hitting percentage over .300. Laiya Ebo was the most accurate on the team hitting for .400 with 11 kills while Elise Ward led the match with 19 kills and a .333 hitting percentage.

Play of the Match – Kinley’s Kick Save

Jaymeson Kinley kept the play alive with a kick save, which then led to a crucial Butler block to help the Bulldogs secure the victory in Set 4.

Inside the Box Score

Taylor tallied 51 assists and 10 digs to earn her 12th double-double of the season.

Ward led the match with 19 kills along with nine digs and two serving aces.

Kinley posted 15 digs and nine assists, and now remains 25 digs away from breaking the all-time career digs record.

Rylie Tam played outstanding defense racking up 14 digs and three assists

Maesch collected 12 kills and a pair of digs.

Ebo contributed 11 kills while hitting for a hitting percentage of .400.

Grunze padded the

Grunze padded the stat sheet with eight kills, nine digs and three serving aces.

Boggess hit for .357 with eight kills and three blocks.

Up Next

The Bulldogs will have a break before heading out west for the final match of the season against Creighton on Sunday, Nov. 19 with the first serve slated for 1 p.m.

BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BUTLER MBB TRAVELS TO MICHIGAN STATE FRIDAY FOR GAVITT GAMES MATCH-UP

Butler (3-0) at #18/19 Michigan State (1-2)

2023 Gavitt Tip-Off Games

Friday, Nov. 17;  6:30PM

East Lansing, Mich.; Breslin Center

TV: FS1 – Kevin Kugler & Robbie Hummel

Radio: WXNT 1430AM, Varsity Network Radio App, SiriusXM 381 & SiriusXM App 971 – @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

Series with the Spartans

• Michigan State holds a 14-11 advantage in the all-time series with Butler.

• The series dates back to the 1926-27 season when Butler won a pair of match-ups between the teams.

• Following a match-up in the 1971-72 season, the teams did not play again until 2010.

• That 2010 game came in the Final Four in Indianapolis as Butler pulled out a 52-50 win in the national semifinals.

• The most recent meeting between the two programs also came as part of the Gavitt Games, as MSU won at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 2021.

Series: MSU Leads, 14-11

Streak: MSU, W1

In East Lansing: MSU Leads, 9-2

First Meeting: BU, 53-16; 1/14/1927 (at BU)

Last Meeting: MSU, 73-52; 11/17/21 (at BU)

Entering Friday Night

• Butler has outscored its first three opponents of the season by a combined 108 points in 120 minutes of play.

• Opponents are shooting only 30.6 percent from the field against the Bulldogs this season as Butler ranks No. 1 nationally in field goal percentage defense.

• Butler is 2-3 all-time in the Gavitt Games, with home wins over Minnesota (2019) and Northwestern (2016).

• Butler’s starting line-up is a combined 33-for-36 from the free throw line to start the season (92 percent).

• Butler has scored at least 80 points in all three of its games this season (going over the 90-point mark twice); the Bulldogs scored 80 or more only six times total during the 2022-23 season.

• Butler has had at least five players score in double figures in each of its three games to start the season; at least one player has come off the bench to score in double figures each game.

• Through three games, nine different Bulldogs have scored in double figures in at least one game. DJ Davis, Pierre Brooks II and Posh Alexander have each scored in double figures in all three games to start the season.

• Davis enters Friday’s game with 989 career points.

• Connor Turnbull had six blocks Monday night against ETSU, doubling his career-high. That total was one shy of the Butler single-game record.

• Turnbull is ranked seventh nationally at 3.33 blocks per game (through the games of Nov. 14).

• Landon Moore matched his career-high with four made three-pointers against ETSU.

• Jalen Thomas has led Butler in rebounds in all three games so far in 2023-24; he has a total of 22 boards in 47 minutes of play.

• Andre Screen is a perfect 8-for-8 from the field to start his Butler career.

• Alexander scored his 1,000th career point in his second game as a Bulldog Friday vs. SEMO; he swiped his 200th career steal Monday vs. ETSU.

• The Bulldogs forced ETSU into 19 turnovers and converted those into 36 points Monday night.

• Butler’s defense held ETSU to 31-percent shooting Monday, the third consecutive opponent Butler has limited to 32-percent shooting or less to open the season.

• No ETSU player reached double figures, the first time that Butler’s defense has accomplished that since the Feb. 29, 2020 win over DePaul.

• Butler limited SEMO to 29-percent shooting in Friday night’s win; the Bulldogs last held an opponent under 30 percent Jan. 1, 2023 at Georgetown.

• The Bulldogs went to the line 34 times, making 26 Friday against SEMO. That is more makes and attempts than Butler had in any game last season.

• The 60 second-half points by the Bulldogs against Eastern Michigan in the season opener were the most in a half by Butler dating back to a 63-point performance in the second half of a Jan. 16, 2017 game against Marquette.

• After committing nine turnovers in the first half against Eastern Michigan, Butler had only one miscue in the second half.

• Forty-eight (48) of Butler’s 94 points came in the paint in the season-opening win against Eastern Michigan.

• Butler is without freshman Augusto Cassia, who sustained a strain to a muscle in his right leg in late October. He is out indefinitely, and his status will be updated in the coming weeks.

• Entering the season, Thad Matta has won 453 games in his 18 seasons as a head coach, which averages out to 25.2 wins per season.

Going on the Defensive

• Butler’s defense has been suffocating through the team’s first three games of 2023-24 as the Bulldogs rank among the nation’s best in a number of categories.

• Butler’s opponents are shooting only 30.6 percent from the field, which places the Bulldogs first in the NCAA in field goal percentage defense. All three of Butler’s opponents have been held to 32-percent shooting or less.

• Butler is 11th nationally, allowing only 52.7 points per game.

• Butler’s stifling defense and a high-octane offense thus far have led to an average of +36.0 scoring margin, which is 12th nationally.

Six Degrees of Tom Izzo

• Butler assistant coach Maurice Joseph began his college playing career at Michigan State; he played in 52 games in two seasons (2005-06 and 2006-07), helping the Spartans to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths before transferring to Vermont.

• Butler’s Jahmyl Telfort and Michigan State’s Tyson Walker were teammates at Northeastern during the 2020-21 season.

• Butler’s Pierre Brooks played the last two seasons at Michigan State before transferring to Butler during the offseason. He saw action in 55 games over the course of those two seasons.

• While leading the Ohio State program, Thad Matta matched up with Michigan State 28 times, posting a 12-16 record against the Spartans from 2004-17.

Summering in Canada

• Jahmyl Telfort played for Canada’s U23 team in July as part of the GLOBL JAM event in Toronto, helping the Canadians to the silver medal in the four-team event. Telfort posted 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the gold medal game, a loss to the University of Kentucky, which represented the United States in the event. In the four games, Telfort averaged 10 points per game.

• Telfort, a transfer from Northeastern, ranked fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association in scoring in 2022-23.

You Must Be New Here…

• Only two players on the 2023-24 roster played in games for Butler last season (Jalen Thomas and Connor Turnbull). John-Michael Mulloy was also on the Butler roster a season ago, but didn’t play due to injury.

• Butler returns only 9% of scoring (191 of 2,088 points) and 9% of minutes played (563 of 6,400) from the 2022-23 season.

• The nine scholarship players on Butler’s 2023-24 roster who bring collegiate experience have combined for 237 double-figure scoring games entering the season; only eight of those games have come in a Butler uniform (all by Thomas during the 2022-23 season).

• Five of Butler’s incoming transfers averaged double figures during the 2022-23 season for their respective former teams.

What’s On Deck…Schedule Notes

• Includes eight games against teams ranked in the Top 10 of the preseason AP and coaches polls

• Includes 14 games against teams ranked in the Top 25 or receiving votes in the preseason AP and coaches polls

• Includes at least 12 games against teams in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25 (Oct. 9 edition)

• Includes at least 15 games against teams in Joe Lunardi’s 2024 Bracketology (Oct. 10 edition)

• The ESPN Events Invitational field includes opening-round opponent Florida Atlantic in addition to Texas A&M, Penn State, Iowa State, Virginia Tech, VCU, and Boise State.

• According to KenPom, Butler played the nation’s 19th-toughest schedule during the 2022-23 season. Twenty-three (23) of the team’s 32 games came against teams ranked among the KenPom Top 100.

Welcome Back, Barlow

• Alex Barlow, most recently the head coach of the Boston Celtics’ G-League affiliate in Maine, returns to Butler as an assistant coach.

• As a player, Barlow helped the Bulldogs to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2015.

• Since graduating from Butler, Barlow’s entire eight-year coaching career had been with the Boston Celtics organization in a variety of roles under his former Butler coach Brad Stevens.

• Barlow filled the staff vacancy that was created when Kevin Kuwik was named the head coach at Army.

In a message to the Butler University community Nov. 8, Butler Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier announced his retirement, effective April 30, 2024.

• Collier has served at the helm of the Butler University athletic department since August of 2006. Collier currently serves on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee (term: 2022-26).

• In celebration of his efforts, Collier was recognized with Under Armour AD of the Year honors in 2019, as announced by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).

• In July of 2013, Collier and Butler President James Danko oversaw the school’s move to the BIG EAST Conference on the heels of back-to-back appearances in the NCAA national championship game in 2010 and 2011.

• Collier’s first head coaching opportunity came at Butler in 1989. As Butler’s coach, Collier led the Bulldogs for 11 years and to six postseason campaigns. In 1997, Collier mentored the Bulldogs to an NCAA Tournament appearance, the school’s first in 35 years. That appearance was the first of three in a four-year span for Collier’s Bulldogs.

Evan Haywood Signs with Butler

• He will suit up for the Bulldogs beginning with the 2024-25 season.

• Haywood, a 6-4 guard from Carmel, Ind., is beginning his senior season at Brebeuf Jesuit High School in Indianapolis. He has played on the summer circuit with both the Progeny 2024 and EG10 17U programs.

• As a junior at Brebeuf, Haywood averaged 14.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 37 percent from three-point range. He earned both all-conference and All-Marion County honors following the season.

BUTLER SWIMMING

19TH ANNUAL HOUSE OF CHAMPIONS MEET UP NEXT FOR BUTLER SWIMMING

INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler swim team will compete in the House of Champions Invitational this week. Hosted by IUPUI at the IUPUI Natatorium, the three-day event will begin at 10 AM on Thursday and conclude Saturday night.

Butler will compete against IUPUI, Lewis, Milwaukee, UIC, Missouri St. Louis, Lynn, Quincy, North Texas and Arkansas Little Rock. The ‘Dawgs will look to repeat last year’s efforts when they set four school records at the 2022 meet.

Location

IUPUI Natatorium

901 W. New York Street

Scoring

Team points will be awarded to 24 places for individual events. A relays only will be scored.

Order of Events

Thursday

Session 1 – 10 AM

50 Back

500 Free

200 IM

50 Free

Session 2 – 6 PM

200 Free Relay

500 Free

200 IM

50 Free

400 Medley Relay

Friday

Session 3 – 10 AM

50 Breast

100 Fly

400 IM

200 Free

100 Breast

100 Back

Session 4 – 6 PM

200 Medley Relay

100 Fly

400 IM

200 Free

100 Breast

100 Back

800 Free Relay

Saturday

Session 5 – 10 AM

50 Fly

200 Back

100 Free

200 Breast

200 Fly

Session 6 – 6 PM

1650 Free

200 Back

100 Free

200 Breast

200 Fly

400 Free

IUPUI WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

JAGUARS FALL TO MARQUETTE, 92-58

INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI women’s basketball team fell to Marquette on Wednesday night in the Jungle, 92-58. Graduate transfer Tahlia Walton led the Jaguar offense with 14 points in her first game with IUPUI.

Marquette (3-0), coming off a victory over No. 23 Illinois 71-67 on Saturday (Nov. 11), got off to a quick start, leading to an early advantage. Sophomore Mackenzie Hare led her team early, scoring six of the first 11 points. 

After being held scoreless for most of the first quarter, Katie Davidson—the Jags’ leading scorer—led a 6-0 run that tied the game at 15 just before the end of the quarter. In her first game in a Jaguar uniform, graduate transfer Thalia Walton led the team in scoring with five points in the opening ten minutes.

The Golden Eagles would go on a run of their own, scoring the game’s next eight points. Defensively, the visitors picked up the intensity to start the second quarter, holding the Jags scoreless for three-plus minutes.

IUPUI’s offensive struggles continued throughout the quarter, shooting just 30 percent from the field. On the other end, Marquette shot just below 50 percent and outscored the hosts 25-11 to take a 16-point lead into halftime. 

Following a two-point first quarter, the Golden Eagles’ leading scorer, Jordan King, led all scorers with nine points in the second stanza. Hare was the other player to reach double digits in the opening half, 

Out of the break, the home team scored the first five points, forcing a timeout from head coach Megan Duffy in the opening minute of the half. Duffy’s team executed out of the timeout, scoring yet another second-chance basket. However, on the other side, Walton buried a triple to cut the deficit to ten. 

Marquette would go on a 18-4 run to garner its largest lead of the game, 66-42. Jaela Johnson, Logan Lewis, and Abby Wolterman would each knock down shots from behind the arc in the closing minutes of play to cut the deficit to 21 heading to the final quarter. 

The Jags were outscored 22-9 in the final quarter of the game falling, 92-58.

Walton led the Jags in scoring with 14 points while Abby Wolterman added 11 and Logan Lewis totaled 10. Wolterman also added a team-high eight rebounds.

IUPUI is now 1-2 and will next travel to Chicago to face UIC on Sunday, Nov. 19 with tipoff set for 2:00 PM.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL

NO. 19 NOTRE DAME LIMPS INTO MEETING WITH WAKE FOREST

While the hopes of playing for a national championship evaporated weeks ago, No. 19 Notre Dame still believes it has plenty to play for on Saturday afternoon against visiting Wake Forest at South Bend, Ind.

“We have a shot to send the seniors out the right way,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said in advance of the final home game of the season. “That’s our motivation. We know Wake Forest will be motivated. This team will be ready to go. They will come in knowing they have to win to become bowl eligible. We know we have a challenge in front of us.”

The challenge not only will come from Wake Forest, but also replacing several key players who are sidelined with injuries.

Notre Dame (7-3) most recently lost players on the offensive line during a 31-23 loss at Clemson on Saturday.

Rocco Spindler went down with a knee injury and the right guard is out for the season. Starting center Zeke Correll is in concussion protocol and his backup, Andrew Kristofic, went down with a high ankle sprain.

Billy Schrauth is expected to start at guard against Wake Forest and Ashton Craig will remain at center after finishing Saturday’s game.

“Ashton Craig did a really good job filling in at the center position,” Freeman said. “I was really impressed with what he did.”

The Fighting Irish lost safety Luke Talich to a broken collarbone during practice last week, while wide receivers Deion Colzie, Jayden Thomas and Matt Salerno remain sidelined.

Complicating things even more for Notre Dame is the slow mesh offensive system that the Demon Deacons run, a complicated system of run-pass options that can leave a defense spinning.

“How do you defend it?” Freeman said. “Linebackers attack and then create open areas behind you. They are really good to answer when you react to their system. It’s not the triple option, but it’s a system and they have answers. We have to be aggressive though and that is important.”

Wake Forest (4-6) got off to a promising 3-0 start but has dropped six of its last seven games. The Demon Deacons most recently fell to visiting North Carolina State, 26-6 on Saturday.

“It was not even a competitive football game,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “It’s on me. It’s Game 10 and to show up like that is very disappointing.”

Wake Forest switched quarterbacks in the second quarter last week and Michael Kern led the Demon Deacons to their only touchdown, but he was then picked off on the two-point try and that was returned for two points the other way.

The rushing attack was even more shackled, as Wake Forest combined for seven net yards on 18 carries.

“On offense, right now, we’re broken,” Clawson said. “This isn’t anything like the offense that was put out there the last six years. I should have had us in a better spot with some of the personnel losses we had. We’re not getting the most out of these guys. I think we have good players, but they’re not playing well and it all boils down to coaching.”

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

OFFENSIVE ONSLAUGHT POWERS IRISH TO 110-52 VICTORY OVER WILDCATS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The offensive firepower that everyone anticipated has come to life for Notre Dame. For the first time since 2012, the Irish have posted back-to-back games with at least 100 points.

On Wednesday night, No. 16 Notre Dame (2-1) suffocated regional foe Northwestern (2-1), 110-52. After all five starters finished the game at NJIT with double-figure points, Sonia Citron (23), Anna DeWolfe (10), Hannah Hidalgo (21), Kylee Watson (10) and Maddy Westbeld (13) did it again. Citron also had 5 rebounds and 3 assists before leaving with a lower body injury during the third quarter. Hidalgo, the reigning ACC Rookie of the Week, had 21 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds and 6 steals.

The Irish came out a little flat, as Northwestern jumped out to an early 8-0 lead. After Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey called a timeout, Notre Dame went on a 15-0 run. The Irish added a 13-0 run and entered halftime with a 30-point lead. The offensive onslaught never let up, as the Irish went 12-19 from the floor in the fourth quarter (63.2 percent).

“Credit to Northwestern, they came out very aggressive,” Ivey said after the game. “We didn’t start very well, but we settled ourselves and then started playing Irish basketball. That’s just getting stops defensively and getting out and running in transition.”

Notre Dame drubbed the Wildcats on the boards, winning the rebounding battle, 49-29. Westbeld had 10 of those boards to post her second-straight double-double. She entered the NJIT game with just nine of them in her three-year career.

The bench played a huge role in sealing the deal as well, especially once Citron exited. Notre Dame had 33 bench points. KK Bransford made her season debut after dealing with a lower body injury to start the year. The sophomore who ended last year winning the final ACC Rookie of the Week honor finished with 7 points in just under 11 minutes of play. Walk-on turned scholarship guard Sarah Cernugel made her first career bucket from deep, too.

Up next, Notre Dame heads back on the road. This time, the Irish will face Illinois (2-1) on Saturday in the Citi Shamrock Classic in Washington, D.C.

NOTRE DAME HOCKEY

IRISH FLY TO MINNESOTA FOR WEEKEND TILTS

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 17/18 University of Notre Dame hockey program continues their run in Big Ten Conference play this weekend with a pair of games at No. 6/6 Minnesota, November 17-18. Both games are set to be played at 3M Arena at Mariucci with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. CT Friday and Saturday.

The Irish opened their conference slate on the road with a pair of ties against Penn State before returning home to sweep the Buckeyes behind 4-1 and 3-0 victories last weekend. The Irish now sit third in the Big Ten standings with nine points and a 2-0-2 record. With four conference points and a 1-2-1 record, the Minnesota Golden Gophers are currently sixth in the standings.

New this season, fans can view line charts for home games online at fightingirish.com/HKYLineCharts. Lines will be posted online approximately 90 minutes before puck drop (timing subject to change).

SERIES OVERVIEW

Opponent: Minnesota Golden Gophers

Location: Minneapolis, Minn.| 3M Arena At Mariucci

Schedule: 7 p.m. CT

TV: B1G+

Live Stats: FightingIrish.com

Radio: fightingirish.com/radioaffiliates/

Game Notes: Notre Dame | Minnesota

QUICK HITS

The Irish are coming off a weekend sweep of Big Ten foe Ohio State, backed by a series of 4-1 and 3-0 victories over the Buckeyes.

At the last line of defense, Ryan Bischel stopped 60 of 61 shots faced through the two-game series to post a .984 save percentage and improve his season average to .941 which ranks second nationally.

With his shutout Saturday, Bischel now leads the country with three this season and he now owns 10 career blankings, becoming just the sixth Irish netminder to record double-digits and first since Cale Morris.

Landon Slaggert’s assist on each Irish goal Saturday set a career-best for the senior forward and tied his career-high point total, also set against OSU (January 2022).

The captain now leads the Irish in points this season, owning 11 off eight goals and three assists. The Irish are 6-1-0 this season when Landon highlights the box score.

Two Irish skaters recorded their first goals with the program against Ohio State with Patrick Moynihan and Cole Knuble each finding the back of the net Saturday for their first goals in an Irish sweater.

Moynihan’s game winner came with two seconds to play in the first period before he extended the Irish lead halfway through the second with his second goal of the night.

Knuble found the empty net late in the third period to secure his first Irish goal, having tallied his first point earlier that night on Moynihan’s first period goal.

Notre Dame opened Big Ten Conference play at Penn State at the start of November, earning three points on the weekend between a pair of shootouts inside Pegula Ice Arena.

Maddox Fleming net his first career goal against the Nittany Lions, scoring the equalizer late in the third period night one to force overtime and the eventual shootout.

Trevor Janicke led the team in goals over the two-game series, scoring once each night. Drew Bavaro, Danny Nelson and Michael Mastrodomenico also had two points a piece over the weekend series.

Ryan Bischel stopped 76 of 81 shots faced over the two-game stretch for a .938 save percentage, including a season-best 48 stops in Sunday’s 2-2 tie. Over the course of two shootouts, the graduate netminder stopped five of six attempts by the Nittany Lions.

The Irish closed out their first month of contests with a weekend sweep over Mercyhurst, Oct. 26-27.

Despite trailing to start the third period against the Lakers, the Irish came back to notch the overtime game winner off the stick of Landon Slaggert night one before storming off to a 5-0 win the following night.

Ryan Bischel made 33 saves between the pipes in his ninth career shutout in game two against the Lakers, and second of the 2023-24 season.

With four goals against Mercyhurst, including two each night and the game-winner night one, Landon Slaggert led the nation in goal scoring last weekend and was named Big Ten Third Star of the Week for his performance.

Two Irish rookies recorded first career goals when Paul Fischer and Brennan Ali helped lift the Irish to their 5-0 victory Friday night against the Lakers.

Carter Slaggert also recorded his first career point over the weekend series with Mercyhurst, tallying an assist each night to embark on a two-game point-streak.

The Irish opened their season with a split against Clarkson inside Compton Family Ice Arena.

The first line chart of the season featured nine new faces while all 10 appeared on the ice at some point last weekend.

The new talent made an immediate impact on the Irish team with five 2023-24 additions recording their first points in an Irish sweater over the weekend.

Two Irish rookies net their first collegite goals on the weekend with Jayden Davis and Danny Nelson each finding the back of the net in Sunday night’s win.

Davis’ goal came off his first shot on goal in his NCAA debut. The goal in the second period proved to be the eventual game-winner.

With his first win of the season, Ryan Bischel picked up his eighth career shutout behind the 3-0 victory. He stopped all 22 shots faced in the contest to improve his season save percentage to .957 through two games played.

The Irish return 19 letterwinners from the 2022-23 season this year, including 2023 Big Ten Conference Goaltender of the Year, Ryan Bischel.

Classmate Trevor Janicke also returned for his fifth season with the Irish, serving as alternate captain for the second time in 2023-24.

Of those letterwinners returning, 17 saw game action last season while five appeared in all 37 games played for the Irish a season ago.

The veteran leadership consists of four graduate seniors, including new additions to the team in Patrick Moynihan (forward; Providence) and Ryan Siedem (defenseman; Harvard), and eight seniors

Ten new faces join the team this season, including eight freshmen. The new contributors consist of seven forwards and three defensemen. 

NOTRE DAME vs. MINNESOTA

In 72 all-time meetings between the Irish and the Golden Gophers, Notre Dame trails with a record of 25-41-6.

In Minneapolis, the Irish boast 15 wins.

Four current Irish icers found success against the Golden Gophers last season, including Justin Janicke with two goals against his homestate team.

His elder brother Trevor also had a goal against Minnesota last season while Zach Plucinski and Landon Slaggert are the lone returners to have had an assist in 2022-23.

IRISH HEADED HOME

The University of Notre Dame, in conjunction with The Odyssey Trust, announced the Irish would participate in the 2024 rendtion of the Friendship Four men’s college ice hockey tournament.

The annual tournament is set to be played in Belfast, Ireland, next November (2024) with the Irish joining Harvard, Merrimack and Boston University as participants competing for the coveted Belpot Trophy.

The tournament was last played in 2022 with Quinnipiac reigning victorious that fall before winning the national championship at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.

The tournament first began in 2015 and is designed to promote education, social welfare, and community interation.

Over the course of six previous tournaments, 24 games have been played dating back to the inagural games in 2015.

Northern Ireland remains the only destination outside of the United States to host consequential NCAA Divison I ice hockey games.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION

The 2022-23 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year was one of two unanimous selections for 2023-24 Preseason All-Big Ten Teams. He was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team ahead of the coming season. Bischel was also a Mike Richter Award semifinalist and a Hobey Baker nominee a season ago.

Drew Bavaro made an immediate impact at the blueline last season after joining the Irish and will look to continue that success this season as a senior. He was selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team for the preseason. Landon Slaggert also picked up preseason honors from the Big Ten when he was named an Honorable Mention heading into the season.

Following his performance against Mercyhurst, which included a nation’s best four goals on the weekend, Landon Slaggert was named the Big Ten’s Third Star of the Week October 31.

Two Irish were recognized for their play in the weekend sweep of Ohio State to open conference play at home. Bischel picked up First Star of the Week honors with a .984 save percentage in two games played. The graduate netminder stopped 60 of 61 shots faced and earned his 10th career shutout. With his third blanking of the season, Bischel leads the nation in blankings.

Landon Slaggert also picked up conference honors following the weekend against OSU, being tabbed Third Star of the Week by the Big Ten behind a goal and three assists.

FAMILY TIES

The 2023-24 Notre Dame roster features quite a few family connections to the program and hockey world.

Three sets of brothers are currently on the roster, including Justin and Trevor Janicke, Landon and Carter Slaggert, and Henry and Danny Nelson.

With the addition of the Nelsons this season, the Irish have had 17 sets of brothers lace up their skates together for the Irish.

Carter Slaggert also joins the Irish in 2023-24, becoming the third Slaggert brother to appear in a game for the Irish and joins his older brother Landon, who is a senior. Oldest brother Graham currently plays in the Buffalo Sabres organization and skated two years alongside Landon before graduating.

Senior forward Brady Bjork is the younger brother of former Irish All-American and current Chicago Blackhawk Anders Bjork.

Brady’s father, Kirt, played for the Irish from 1979-83 where he appeared in 141 and tallied 161 career points (76-85). When older brother Anders played for the Irish, they became the fourth set of father-son combinations within Notre Dame hockey.

The Slaggerts are part of the fifth set of father-son combinations to suit up for the Irish, joining their father and associate head coach Andy Slaggert.

Justin and Trevor Janicke are the sons of Curtis Janicke, who played for the Irish from 1989-93, appearing in 125 games while scoring 46 goals and adding 98 assists for 144 points.

Justin, Trevor and Curtis represent the sixth father-son duo to play for the Irish.

Freshman Paul Fischer is the nephew of Mike Gearan, a member of the first varsity hockey team at Notre Dame. Fischer will honor his uncle by wearing his number during his career with the Irish, No. 16.

Freshman forward Cole Knuble is the son of former NHLer Mike Knuble, who spent 16 seasons in the NHL, including stints with Detroit, New York Rangers, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. Cole was recently drafted by the Flyers’ organization where his father played during his early childhood. He will wear No. 22 with the Irish to honor his father.

Four current Irish skaters have siblings playing at the collegiate level, away from South Bend.

Cole Knuble’s brother, Cam, is a senior at Western Michigan University.

Ryan Siedem’s brother is a freshman at the University of New Hampshire.

Jayden Davis’ brother Matthew is a junior on the Denver Pioneers’ hockey team.

Maddox Fleming’s sister Delaney is a freshman on the Ohio State University women’s hockey team.

CURRENT IRISH AND THE NHL DRAFT

The 2023-24 roster features nine NHL draftees, including Jake Boltmann (CGY ‘20), Justin Janicke (SEA ‘21), Danny Nelson (NYI ‘23), Brennan Ali (DET ‘22), Paul Fischer (STL ‘23), Patrick Moynihan (NJD ‘19), Landon Slaggert (CHI ‘20), Cole Knuble (PHI ‘23) and Trevor Janicke (ANA ‘19).

The 2023 NHL draft saw three Irish rookies selected, the most since 2020, and 15th time in program history that at least three Irish icers were selected in a single draft class.

The trio of skaters selected in 2023, Danny Nelson (2nd Rd., 49 overall), Cole Knuble (4th Rd., 103 overall) and Paul Fischer (5th Rd., 138 overall) join fellow rookie Brennan Ali (DET ‘22) as draftees in the ND freshmen class.

When D. Nelson was selected in the second round of this year’s Draft, Notre Dame extended its streak of players drafted to 21 years (2004-present).

NOTRE DAME SWIMMING

IRISH HEAD TO MIDSEASON INVITATIONALS AT OHIO STATE AND IUPUI

Before heading home for Thanksgiving break, the Notre Dame swimming and diving programs will split up and compete at concurrent invitational meets from Nov. 16-18. Swimming will compete at the Ohio State Fall Invitational, while diving will make the trek to Indianapolis to compete at the IUPUI House of Champions.

In Columbus, the Irish swimmers will face a collection of very talented teams: No. 14 men/No. 5 women Ohio State, No. 5/No. 9 Indiana, No. 12/No. 3 Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio University (women only). Cal and Kenyon’s dive teams will also be there.

Season So Far —

The Notre Dame men are currently 5-0 and ranked No. 12 in the nation, while the women are 2-3.

Chris Guiliano and Tommy Janton have been the stars of the show thus far for head coach Chris Lindauer’s men’s team. Guiliano has notched wins in eight individual events, and Janton has seven wins of his own. In the diving well, Carlo Lopez Hernandez has already made his mark after transferring from Missouri. He won the 1-meter springboard at Louisville two weeks ago.

On the women’s side, junior Madelyn Christman has had a very successful dual meet season so far. She has won three individual events, most recently earning a victory in the 100 back at No. 3 Louisville.

Additionally, Calie Brady earned Co-ACC Diver of the Week honors in Week 1, and Grace Courtney has also put together multiple strong performances. She won both the 1-meter and 3-meter against Pittsburgh and Penn State.

What’s To Come —

The full meet psych sheet can be found here.

Notre Dame has three swimmers seeded first across five events.

Chris Guiliano — 50 free (19.35)

Cason Wilburn — 100 fly (46.45)

Tommy Janton — 100 back (45.86)

Tommy Janton — 200 back (1:41.29)

Chris Guiliano — 100 free (41.63)

All prelims sessions at Ohio State begin at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and Friday finals start at 5:30 p.m., while Saturday begins at 6:00 p.m. All sessions can be streamed on B1G+.

BALL STATE VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO TOLEDO IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

TOLEDO, Ohio – – After dropping a close opening set, the Ball State women’s volleyball team was never able to regain its momentum Wednesday night in a 3-0 (25-23, 25-18. 25-13) setback to Toledo at Savage Arena.

“Sometimes, you just have matches were nothing seems to go your way and tonight was one of those nights,” head coach Kelli Miller Phillips said. “The MAC season ends tonight, and from here on out, it’s postseason time. It’s a new season and a new opportunity to reach our goal of competing in the NCAA Tournament.”

The loss, coupled with a Buffalo sweep at Akron, means the Cardinals (16-13; 13-5 Mid-American Conference) will enter the 2023 MAC Women’s Volleyball Championship as the No. 3 seed and battle No. 6 seed Bowling Green Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

The entire tournament will be hosted by top-seeded Western Michigan and played at WMU’s University Arena.

Ball State played well early, jumping out to a 17-13 lead in the opening set on junior setter Megan Wielonski’s first of three aces. Unfortunately, the hosts would chip away at the lead and ultimately tie the score at 21. The Rockets (13-16; 11-7 MAC) would follow with back-to-back service aces, pulling ahead 23-21, before alternating kills to win the frame 25-23.

The Cardinals held another early lead in the second frame, at 11-9, only to see UT score nine of the next 11 to take control. The Rockets would win the set 25-18.

Toledo jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third set, forcing a quick Ball State timeout. BSU would battle back within one, at 9-8, on a kill from freshman outside Kendall Barnes. However, the Rockets followed with the next four points and never looked back.

Once again, redshirt freshman outside Aniya Kennedy led the Ball State offense, this time blasting 11 kills. Unfortunately, no other Cardinals attacker registered more than five kills as BSU was limited to a .152 (28-14-92) hitting percentage.

Fifth-year libero Havyn Gates led the Ball State backcourt with 11 digs, while four Cardinals tied for match-high honors with two blocks apiece. Overall, BSU held a 4.0 to 2.0 edge in total blocks, the only stat the team won.

“I still believe in every person on this team,” Phillips added. “I still believe we will win the MAC Tournament and I am excited for the weekend ahead.”

Taylor Alt led the Toledo attack with 12 kills, while Ryann Jaqua collected a match-high 20 digs. The Rockets hit .299 as a team, while serving up nine total aces.

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

ISU SIGNS FIRST THREE FOR 2024-25 SEASON

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State has officially signed its first three recruits for the 2024-25 season. Head Coach Josh Schertz announced Merritt Alderink, Robert “Sean” Birmingham, and Christian Nitu as his first signees.

The National Signing Day is when prospective college athletes sign their National Letter of Intent (NLI) to play a sport in college. This year’s Signing Day was on November 8.

Merritt Alderink | 6-7 | Forward | Zeeland, Mich. | Zeeland West

Alderink was the 2023 Holland Sentinel Basketball Player of the Year and named as one of the 2023 Division 1 Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan’s Best. In the 2023 season, Alderink averaged 19.3 PPG and 7.1 RPG. The forward is in his high school record books, holding the single-game points record with 42.

Coach Schertz spoke about Alderink:

“Merritt is a perfect fit for us both systematically and culturally. He has great size, toughness, physicality, and an extremely high motor that all great competitors possess. He can score the ball in a variety of ways in the halfcourt and brings a toughness and maturity far beyond his years to our program. He’s an exceptional student and young man that our fans will love to watch compete.”

Robert “Sean” Birmingham | 6-8 | Forward | Njardvik, Iceland | Concord Academy

Birmingham, originally from Iceland, attends Concord Academy out of North Carolina. In 2023 he became a member of the AAU team, Team Curry. In his junior year at Cannon School, the second-ranked prIvate school in the state, Birmingham averaged 14 PPG, 7 RPG, and 2.5 blocks-per-game. He also was named to the CISAA All Conference Team. From 2020-2022, Birmingham was a member of the prestigious basketball academy in Vitoria, Spain – Baskonia.

Coach Schertz spoke about Birmingham:

“Sean is an elite shooter with great size but he’s much more than just a shooter. Sean has great feel which allows him to be a playmaker for others, coupled with a high basketball IQ that drives self-awareness allowing him to do what he does best all the time while bringing out the very best in his teammates. Sean is also a fantastic student and as high character and mature a young man as I have recruited. We are thrilled he’s a Sycamore!”

Christian Nitu | 6-11 | Forward | Uplay, Canada | Fort Erie International Academy

Nitu comes from our neighbors to the north. Nitu participated in the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp; the camp has featured current NBA-standouts like

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Joel Embiid. Nitu also competed for Team Canada in the u17 World Cup and was on the Biosteel All-Canadian Team.

Coach Schertz spoke about Nitu:

“Christian is one of the most unique players I have ever seen, his combination of size, skill and mobility is incredibly rare. On top of that he’s a ferocious competitor who is obsessed with the game of basketball, so he’s a perfect for our Indiana State basketball culture. Christian has a level of versatility on both ends of the floor that will provide us with incredible flexibility as we see him as someone who can play with another big or operate as a standalone big himself. He’s a special talent with huge ambitions and a work ethic to match, and I can’t wait to partner with him to help him reach his ceiling.”

INDIANA STATE VOLLEYBALL

SYCAMORES’ SEASON CONCLUDES WITH FOUR-SET LOSS TO EVANSVILLE

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State’s 2023 season came to a close Wednesday evening, as the Sycamores fell in four sets to Evansville (28-26, 21-25, 25-15, 25-17) inside ISU Arena.

Ella Scott paced the Sycamores with 11 kills, while Kira Holland had 10 kills and 17 digs. Karinna Gall finished one kill shy of a double-double with nine kills and a career-high 24 digs in her final match as a Sycamore.

Storm Suhre, Avery Hales and Scott got things started with early kills, while a block from Suhre and Holland gave the Sycamores a 9-7 lead. Indiana State increased its lead to 16-10 thanks in part to aces from Holland and Cadence Gilley, but Evansville rallied back to cut the Sycamores’ lead to two. The Sycamores led by as many as three late in the set, but Evansville came back to tie things up. Gall helped the Trees fend off a set point with a kill, but Evansville took the first set 28-26. 

Evansville scored four of the first five points in the second, but kills from Hall and Kaitlyn Hamilton helped the Sycamores go on a five-point run to even the score at seven. Kills from Holland and Scott helped the Trees take the lead midway through the set, and Suhre and Hales tacked on to that advantage later in the set with kills. Evansville cut the Sycamore advantage to 22-21, but kills from Scott and Hamilton pushed the Sycamore lead back up to three. Hales gave the Trees a 25-21 second set win with an ace.

The visitors scored the first four points of the third set and never looked back. Kills from Hales and Scott got the Sycamores on the scoreboard in the set, but a lengthy run for Evansville saw the Purple Aces toa a double-digit lead. Indiana State never got in a rhythm until late in the set, at which point the Sycamores were already down by 15. Kills from Holland and Emma Kaelin came as part of a run that helped the Trees fend off six straight set points. Evansville ended the run, though, and took the third set 25-15.

Scott and Hales started the scoring for the Sycamores in the fourth with kills, with the former responsible for three early in the set. Gall kept the set tied early on, but a four-point run saw Evansville take a 9-5 lead. Three straight kills from Holland got the Trees within a point, but a six-point Evansville run followed to give the Purple Aces a 15-8 lead. Scott and Gall helped the Trees inch closer with kills, and Kaelin added a service ace late, but Indiana State was ultimately unable to generate the rally it needed. Evansville clinched the match by taking the fourth set 25-17.

News and Notes

Indiana State closed its season at 5-23 overall and 3-15 in conference play. Both the overall and conference win totals were improvements from the 2022 season.

Wednesday’s match was the final match in a Sycamore uniform for Karinna Gall, Asia Povlin, Mallory Keller, Kaitlyn Hamilton and Jamie Brown.

Indiana State finished its season with an average attendance of 453, which equates to 91 percent capacity inside ISU Arena.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SMOTHERING DEFENSE LATE LEADS MASTODONS TO OVERTIME WIN AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

CARBONDALE, Ill. – Late game heroics on the defensive end led Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball to a 70-64 overtime win at Southern Illinois on Wednesday night (Nov. 15).

The Mastodons out-scored the Salukis 29-12 over the final 13:31 of the game, including a 13-2 run to close regulation.

It was the Mastodons’ first overtime game since 2017 and first overtime win since 2014.

The Mastodons were 17-27 from the free throw line, but 12-14 in the overtime period. In overtime, Shayla Sellers hit six freebies, Erin Woodson hit three, Destinee Marshall hit two and Jazzlyn Linbo hit one.

In the final 11:16 of the game, Woodson and Sellers did not leave the floor.

After a nearly three-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter, Renna Schwieterman scored through traffic to spark a run. Marshall got out on the break on the following possession to score after a euro step. Then Woodson took advantage of a size mismatch in the paint, then Linbo scored to make it eight points in a row. After a bucket from the Salukis, the ‘Dons got two free throws from Linbo, a layup from Marshall and the game-tying free throw from Sellers.

The Mastodons jumped out to a 10-2 lead before the first media timeout thanks to a pair of triples from Sellers and Schwieterman. The SIU defense ratcheted up for the remainder of the quarter, but the ‘Dons were able to hold the lead for the duration of the period.

SIU held the Mastodons to just six points in the second quarter to take a 26-18 lead into the halftime break.

The Mastodons executed a drawn-up play on their first offensive possession of the second half to get a transition bucket from Marshall. The ‘Dons eventually closed the gap to three at 36-33, but the Salukis scored four in a row to get the advantage back. SIU led by nine after three.

Sellers finished with a team-high 20 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the floor and 7-of-8 from the line. She also had five rebounds and three assists. Marshall had 14 points and Linbo added 11.

The Mastodons forced Southern Illinois into 23 turnovers.

Purdue Fort Wayne improves to 2-1 while Southern Illinois falls to 1-2.

EVANSVILLE VOLLEYBALL

FELICIANO’S 31 KILLS LIFTS ACES TO THIRD WIN IN A ROW

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Melanie Feliciano recorded a season-high 31 kills to help the University of Evansville volleyball team complete the season with a 3-1 road win at Indiana State on Tuesday evening at ISU Arena.

Feliciano hit .333 in the victory and tallied 10 digs.  Giulia Cardona had another exceptional performance, posting a career-high 26 digs along with 24 kills, three blocks and two aces.  Brooke Springer added eight kills, four block assists and a solo block.  Kora Ruff tallied 28 digs and 62 assists while Ainoah Cruz finished the night with 26 digs and seven assists.

Game 1 – UE 28, Indiana State 26

Each point in the early moments was tied until the Sycamores turned a 7-7 game into a 10-7 advantage.  The run for the Sycamores continued as they led by as many as six tallies when a UE error gave them a 16-10 lead.

Four in a row by the Purple Aces got them right back into the mix.  Giulia Cardona picked up a pair of kills and a block assist to cut the deficit to two.  Indiana State doubled the lead back to four at 20-16 before another Evansville run sent the set into extra points.  Trailing 23-20, UE scored three in a row with Kora Ruff picking up an ace.  Both teams had their opportunity at set point, but it was the Aces who took advantage first.  With the score tied at 26-26, Emilee Schuemann had a solo block and Cardona followed with a kill to seal the win.

Game 2 – Indiana State 25, UE 21

With a come-from-behind win in the books to open the night, the Aces picked up right where the left off in the second frame.  Led by three kills apiece from Melanie Feliciano and Cardona, UE jumped out to a 7-2 advantage.  The Sycamores quickly countered with five in a row to tie it up.

In the late moments, ISU pushed the lead out to four points (22-18) and clinched the set by the same margin to tie the match.

Game 3 – UE 25, Indiana State 15

Evansville jumped out to a 4-0 lead with Blakeley Freeman recording an ace and Feliciano adding two more kills to her tally. Four more kills by Feliciano saw the Aces establish a 12-2 advantage.  Cardona tacked on two more aces and UE retook the match lead with the 10-point win.  Feliciano’s 24th kill of the night clinched the set.

Game 4 – UE 25, Indiana State 17

Set #4 of the evening started off with multiple ties, leading to a 5-5 score.  Kills from Feliciano and Cardona, coupled with another ace from Freeman, put the Aces up 9-5.  Indiana State reeled off the next three in a row, but Evansville responded with seven in a row to open a 16-8 lead.  Feliciano added two more tallies with Ainoah Cruz picking up an ace.

From there, it was all Aces as they clinched the match with a 25-17 decision in the fourth set.

EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT IN 77-75 LOSS TO EKU

EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The University of Evansville women’s basketball fought to the final seconds in Wednesday’s game against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

The Purple Aces 25 points in the fourth quarter couldn’t overcome a slow start to the half in their 77-75 loss to EKU. But the young team mounted a 10-point comeback in the final eight minutes while also showing off their stronger defensive play. Freshman forward Nevaeh Thomas led the team on offense with 24 points while freshman forward Maggie Hartwig posted her first collegiate double-double with 11 rebounds and 10 points.

“Tonight was heartbreaking, but I also know we are so close,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr-Wells following the game. “We’re so close to finding our way and I still feel so confident in this team and where we are going to grow. But it still sucks losing like that at the very end,”.

Both offenses struggled early on Wednesday night as neither team shot better than 33% from the floor. After almost two minutes of scoreless basketball, UE and EKU traded shots for the next few minutes. The Colonels were able to take the early lead with two threes while Evansville made its chances in the paint or at the line. Five points in the final two minutes for EKU had the Aces down by four after the first quarter.

Slow starts to the quarter continued in the second as the first point came at the 8:01 mark for Thomas. The made free throw from the freshman forward sparked UE’s best scoring run of the game of seven points in just under four minutes. A completed and-1 chance for Thomas midway through the quarter gave Evansville its largest lead of 3. The Colonels responded with a trey to even the game, but the Aces didn’t back down, retaking the lead four times in the final five minutes of the first half. With four points in the final minute, UE went into halftime with a 28-26 lead.

The second half began with a bang as both teams made shots early, going back to swapping the lead on multiple occasions. Evansville began to fall behind as EKU went on an eight-point run in just under two minutes. Down by seven junior guard Yiesha Williams stopped the Colonels’ attack with a layup, sparking a brief 6-2 run of their own to make it only a three-point game. A third three for EKU guard Antwainette Walker put the Aces back to seven. With momentum turning the Colonels’ way, UE briefly struggled to keep up as the deficit grew to 10. But two opportunities at the line in the final minute put Evansville down by only seven at the end of the third.

EKU found the basket early in the final quarter, forcing a timeout within the first 90 seconds from the Aces as they quickly ended up 12 points back. Out of the break, UE had a seven-point run and forced two turnovers along with six missed shots for the Colonels. With 5:25 left on the game clock, Evansville only trailed by 5 after facing a double-digit deficit just three minutes before. The team traded possessions looking to get the upper hand as the game drew to a close. A big three from guard Julia Palomo at the 3:45 mark had the Aces back within a basket. But six fouls in the final three minutes would be the dagger for UE in the final second 77-75 loss.

Evansville led the game in field goal percentage, making 24 of 55 shots from the floor. The Aces also led the game in points in the paint with 44, second chance points with 10, fast break points with 11 and bench points with 22. Along with a strong offensive showing, UE also won the rebound game, grabbing 41 boards to EKU’s 32. Evansville also added 10 assists, nine steals, and two blocks through 40 minutes.

The Aces will face their toughest test yet on Sunday afternoon. UE travels to Lansing, Mich. to take on the Michigan State Spartans on Sunday, Nov. 19. It will be only the second time in program history that Evansville has taken on the Spartans and the first since 2007. Tip-off from the Breslin Center is set for 12 p.m. CT.

EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL

ACES IMPROVE TO 3-0 WITH ROAD VICTORY AT SEMO

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Yacine Toumi tied his career scoring high with 20 points to help the University of Evansville men’s basketball team earn a 76-58 win over Southeast Missouri State on Tuesday evening inside the Show Me Center.

Box Score

UE improves to 3-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season on the strength of its largest win away from the Ford Center since the 2015-16 campaign.  That win was a 68-42 win over Indiana State at Arch Madness in St. Louis.

“From the beginning, we were locked in.  Our guys are so unselfish and connected and that is a great feeling as a coach,” UE head men’s basketball coach David Ragland said.  “A lot of credit goes to our scout team.  They did a great job.”

Toumi opened the game knocking down his first eight attempts before finishing 10-of-15.  He added five rebounds and three assists.  Ben Humrichous added 18 points on an efficient 7-of-10 effort from the field.  Cam Haffner and Kenny Strawbridge Jr. finished the night with 10 and 8 points, respectively.

Led by Toumi’s 12 first-half points, the Purple Aces had an exceptional opening 20 minutes.  Ben Humrichous picked up a 3-point play to open a 5-0 run that turned a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 advantage.  SEMO scored the next four before Antonio Thomas went coast-to-coast as he forced a steal and took it all the way for a layup to reestablish a 5-point lead at the 14:40 mark.

Chuck Bailey III converted a field goal that extended the lead to 19-10 as the period reached its midway point.  The Redhawks closed to within four points with 6:09 remaining in the half as an Adam Larson basket made it a 27-23 game.  That is when Evansville took control.  Over the next five minutes, UE went on a 12-3 run to make it a 39-26 game with 1:12 showing on the clock.

Ben Humrichous and Cam Haffner hit from long range during the run.  The final basket of the half belonged to the Redhawks, who cut the UE lead to 39-28 at the break.

Haffner drained a three to open the second half scoring while Humrichous had a second-chance basket to make it a 47-33 game two minutes into the period.  Southeast Missouri State responded with a 7-0 rally to cut the lead to eight points just two minutes later.  As fast as SEMO made its run, the Aces came right back.  Four points apiece from Toumi and Humrichous comprised an 8-0 stretch to give UE its largest lead of the night at 56-40 with 14:12 remaining.

Evansville continued to add to the lead with a turnaround jumper by Toumi pushing the edge to 64-45 with just over eight minutes on the clock.  Kenny Strawbridge Jr. hit a shot that made it a 20-point game for the first time and the advantage for UE would reach 21 in the final minutes before a late basket by the Redhawks made it the final of 76-57.

Strawbridge led UE with seven rebounds and five assists.  Antonio Thomas recorded a game-high four steals.  SEMO was led by Rob Martin and BJ Ward, who score nine each.  Evansville shot 53.3% on the game with the Redhawks finishing at 43.4%.  SEMO finished with a slight 31-30 edge on the boards.

On Saturday, UE will look to keep rolling with a 1 p.m. game against Ball State at the Ford Center.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S SOCCER

WOMEN’S SOCCER ANNOUNCES 2024 SIGNING CLASS

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer announced early signees for the 2024 class. The Screaming Eagles are welcoming 10 players to the program for the 2024 season.

“We are excited to welcome the 2024 class to the USI Soccer family,” USI Women’s Soccer Head Coach Eric Schoenstein said. “The 2024 class is our most talented class yet. We feel they will come in and make an immediate impact.”

Josie Pochocki (LaGrange Park, Illinois) is a 5’3″ attacker from Lyons Township High School who can play as a forward or midfielder. Pochocki’s high school squad has won three straight conference and regional championships. Her team also won a sectional title and was a state runner-up in 2021. Pochocki was named to the All-Sectional Team and earned a sportsmanship honor this year. During her three years of high school soccer, Pochocki has totaled 31 points on 13 goals and five assists in 37 games played, averaging five goals in the last two seasons. Pochocki played her club soccer for Galaxy SC GA and Eclipse Select SC ECNL.

Hailey Robinson (St. Louis, Missouri) is a 5’6″ forward from the Visitation Academy of the St. Louis. Hailey has scored eight goals with four assists in the last two seasons. She played at the club level for St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL. She joins USI alongside her twin sister, Hannah.

Hannah Robinson (St. Louis, Missouri) is a 5’6″ defender from the Visitation Academy of the St. Louis. Coming off a solid 2022-23 season, Hannah tallied four goals and eight assists. She played club soccer for St. Louis Scott Gallagher ECNL. Hannah comes to USI with her twin sister, Hailey.

Ava Hess (Hamilton, Ohio) is a 5’8″ defender from Stephen T. Badin High School. Hess earned Rookie of the Year in 2019-20, is a three-time All-League First Team recipient, a three-time defensive MVP winner, and was All-League Second Team in 2022-23. A four-year varsity starter, Hess was an All-City First Team selection in 2023. Her high school team won District Finals in 2020, 2021, and 2023, and have won the GCL in three straight years. Hess played in 39 games through her first two seasons and scored twice as a sophomore. Hess played club soccer for Kings Hammer 06 ECNL.

Ana Munyon (Plymouth, Minnesota), a 5’5″ attacker who can play forward or midfield, hails from Wayzata High School. Munyon was a four-year varsity starter, helping her squad to a 59-11-6 record in four years including a 37-3-1 mark in 2022 and 2023 as a junior and senior. Her high school team won four straight Class 3A sectional championships and was a four-time state tournament qualifier. Munyon was the team’s leading scorer in 2021 and led as a captain in 2023 to a state runner-up finish. Munyon played at the club level for Salvo 05/06 GA.

Brittney Veugeler (Mokena, Illinois) is a 5’6″ defender out of Lincoln-Way Central High School. Veugeler was a two-sport athlete in high school. Veugeler played club soccer for Chicago Inter SC – 06/05 ENCL. At the club level, Veugeler is a seven-time state cup champion, a three-time U.S. Soccer Youth National Training Center I.D., and a 3-v-3 national champion. Plus, her ECNL regional league team was a division champion in 2022 and a national semifinalist in 2023. Her team also won a USYS MRL regional championship in 2022 and a USYS E64 Midwest Conference championship in 2022.

Gabrielle Aydelott (Centerville, Ohio), a 5’4″ midfielder, comes to USI from Centerville High School. Aydelott’s high school team were three-time conference champions and district finalists between 2020-23. The squad was also a regional finalist in 2020. In her high school career, Aydelott tallied 31 points on 10 goals and 11 assists in 31 games played. Aydelott played at the club soccer level for FC Dayton of the ECNL and National League PRO.

Emma Schut (Middleville, Michigan) is a 5’3″ midfielder from Thornapple Kellogg High School. A multi-sport athlete in high school, Schut has earned all-conference, all-district, all-region, and all-state soccer honors all four years. Schut played club soccer for Michigan Rangers 06G elite 64 NLC PRO.

Katelyn Borschnack (Kankakee, Illinois) is a 5’2″ midfielder out of Herscher High School. Borschnack was a multi-sport athlete in high school, as she also played basketball and competed for the cross country and track and field teams. In the last three years, Borschnack has totaled 108 goals and 63 assists in 65 games played. She is a three-time ICE All-Conference honoree, a two-time IHSSCA All-State recipient, and was IHSSCA All-Sectional Honorable Mention in 2021. Her high school squad has been back-to-back IHSA Sectional and Regional Champions for the last two years. Borschnack played soccer at the club level for Evolution SC ECRL and Indy Premier SC GA.

Makenzie Buss (St. Peters, Missouri), a 5’9″ wing forward and defender, heads to USI from Fort Zumwalt South High School. Buss is a three-time Missouri state soccer champion at Fort Zumwalt South. In 2021-22, she scored a pair of goals with eight assists. She plays club soccer for St. Louis Development Academy.

“Brittney and Ava are game-changing centerbacks who can control the game from the back line,” Schoenstein commented. “Hannah and Makenzie are shutdown outside backs, and Emma and Gaby are high-energy midfielders that win everything and never stop working. Katelyn and Josie are creative forward/midfielders who can score goals and create opportunities for their teammates. Ana and Hailey are exciting, fast wide players that can break down defenders and create goal-scoring chances.”

“It looks to be a special class as we move into our third year of D1.”

USI Women’s Soccer heads into 2024 after being a quarterfinalist in the 2023 Ohio Valley Conference Tournament. The 2024 schedule will be released at a later date.

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

USI CONCLUDES HOMESTAND THURSDAY AGAINST NIU

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Following a 2-0 start, University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball will look to conclude a three-game homestand with a sweep on Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Screaming Eagles take on Northern Illinois University from Screaming Eagles Arena.

Thursday’s game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin.

USI is off to a 2-0 start for the second consecutive season. Plus, USI was the only team in the Ohio Valley Conference to start 2-0 this year. Southern Indiana will seek its first 3-0 start since the 2020-21 season on Thursday against the visiting Huskies (0-2).

The Eagles have taken care of business so far to begin the 2023-24 season. USI opened the season with a 67-63 victory in the opener against Wright State University on November 6 before earning an 86-38 win last Sunday against Oakland City University.

In Sunday’s win against the Mighty Oaks, the Eagles were in control from the opening tip. USI started out 4-for-4 from outside the arc and stretched out a 14-0 run to take an early 16-3 lead in the first quarter. During the contest, USI’s defense was also strong, holding Oakland City to sizable scoring droughts on multiple occasions. Southern Indiana put the finishing touches on the win in the fourth quarter with a 16-0 run toward building its biggest lead of 48 points.

As a team, USI shot over 50 percent at 54.8 percent on Sunday, including nine three-pointers at a 47 percent clip from deep. Once again, USI grabbed 45 rebounds with 20 on the offensive glass. Senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) and redshirt senior guard Addy Blackwell (Bloomington, Indiana) led the way with a game-high 13 points each. Freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) added 10 points and eight rebounds in the contest.

Northern Illinois, out of the Mid-American Conference, is playing its third straight road game to begin the season. The Huskies fell at Arkansas State University, 75-62, on November 9 to open the season before most recently dropping a road matchup at Western Illinois University on Sunday, 95-62. On Sunday, senior guard Jayden Marable led the Huskies with 16 points.

Between the two games, Northern Illinois has shot 35 percent overall and below 25 percent from three. The Huskies have taken a combined 67 attempts from outside. Marable leads NIU in scoring at 13 points per game, while shooting 48 percent with nine assists. Junior guard Laura Nickel is averaging 10 points per contest, and senior forward Brooke Stonebraker has posted 9.5 points and eight rebounds per game. Stonebraker had a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds in the loss at Arkansas State.

Southern Indiana and Northern Illinois met for the first time in DeKalb, Illinois last year, which also happened to be the third game of the season for USI. The Huskies came out ahead of the Eagles, 61-53, in that matchup. Raley was one of three Eagles to score 10 or more in the game, as she led USI with 15 points. USI went 1-2 against MAC schools last season.

Thursday’s tilt with Northern Illinois precedes a two-game road swing for Southern Indiana. The Screaming Eagles will hit the road next week against two Power-5 schools, facing the University of Missouri next Monday and Purdue University the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

SOUTHERN INDIANA VOLLEYBALL

USI VOLLEYBALL CLINCHES FIRST-EVER OVC CHAMPIONSHIP BERTH

EVANSVILLE, Ind. –University of Southern Indiana Volleyball (13-15, 9-8 OVC) earned a gritty 3-1 victory (25-21, 29-27, 29-27, 25-22) over the University of Tennessee at Martin (8-19, 6-11 OVC) at Screaming Eagles Arena on Wednesday night. The win punches the Screaming Eagles’ ticket to the Ohio Valley Conference Championships starting on Monday, November 20.

USI squeezes past UT Martin in the opening frame, 25-21. The Skyhawks began the match with an early 6-5 lead until an Eagles’ 3-0 stint switched the score. Senior outside hitter Leah Anderson (Bloomington, Illinois) kicked off the run with a kill followed by kills from junior middle hitter

Paris Downing

Paris Downing (Avon, Indiana) and junior setter Carly Sobieralski (Indianapolis, Indiana). UT Martin quickly flipped the script with a 5-0 run to make it 11-8. Once again, USI changed course and regained the lead after three attacking errors from the Skyhawks. The Eagles were able to push their lead further after a big ace from Sobieralski to make it 21-18. Even though UT Martin brought it within a couple, USI got the win after a set-sealing kill from senior outside/right side hitter Abby Bednar (Chagrin Falls, Ohio). The Skyhawks won the kills margin over the Eagles, 17-14, but it was their eight errors that proved costly. USI also threw down four blocks in the frame to complement their attack.

The Eagles played their longest set of the season but were able to take away the Skyhawks’ chances in the second frame, 29-27. USI jumped out to a massive 10-3 lead after posting six kills. Sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson (Chicago Heights, Illinois) secured three kills during the run. The Eagles controlled the lead at 21-16 until a long Skyhawks surge changed the momentum. UT Martin scored eight of the next 10 points to take a 24-23 lead. USI was able to get back in it with back-to-back kills from Bianca Anderson and junior outside hitter Abby Weber (Fishers, Indiana) to retake the lead, but the Skyhawks never gave up and took a 27-26 advantage. With the game on the line, the Eagles drew luck from a pair of UT Martin attacking errors plus a powerful kill from Leah Anderson to close out the frame. The Eagles posted a match-high 19 kills in the set off 61 attempts.

UT Martin returned the favor and took down USI, 29-27, in the third. The Skyhawks put up an early 10-6 advantage before the Eagles pulled within one after repeating kills from Leah Anderson. USI took its first lead of the set after posting a 7-2 run to make it 18-16. Bednar and Weber scored back-to-back kills to kick off the surge before Bianca Anderson and Leah Anderson capped off the run with a pair of kills. Despite trailing 22-20, the Skyhawks turned the table with a 3-0 stint that gave them a 23-22 advantage. The Eagles were able to regain the lead and stand a point away from victory until the Skyhawks pounded three kills to cap off the game and steal the win. UT Martin tallied a match-high 23 kills and a 0.250 hitting percentage while USI totaled 18 kills with a 0.241 hitting percentage. Both sides also tacked on three blocks each.

USI won a nail-biter in the final frame, 25-22. The Eagles and Skyhawks were neck-and-neck until a 5-0 USI run made it a 17-14 game. UT Martin was able to recover off a couple of USI miscues, but the Eagles went on a big 6-0 surge that extended the lead to 23-16. Down but not out, the Skyhawks tallied six straight points to cut the deficit and pull within one. However, a kill from Leah Anderson and a UT Martin attacking error capped off the set and handed USI the victory. The Eagles pulled away with 14 kills compared to the Skyhawks’ 11 kills.

Leah Anderson had another dominating performance with 19 kills and a season-high 25 digs for her eighth-straight double-digit kill performance and her ninth double-double in the last 11 matches. Bednar provided some insurance with 16 kills and five blocks while Bianca Anderson recorded 14 kills with four blocks to round out double-digit kills. Sophomore libero/defensive specialist Keira Moore (Newburgh, Indiana) put up a career-high 32 digs in the win while Downing pounded down a team-high eight blocks. Sobieralski was stellar on both sides, nabbing 51 assists with a career-high three aces and 18 digs for her third-straight double-double. Also securing double-digit digs were Weber with 13 digs and senior libero/defensive specialist Audrey Crowder (Avon, Indiana) with a season-high 15 digs.

As a team, the Eagles had 65 kills, 58 assists, and three aces to pair with 112 digs and 12 blocks. The Skyhawks posted 68 kills, 56 assists, and five aces to go with 115 digs and 10 blocks.

NEXT UP FOR THE EAGLES:

The Eagles conclude the regular season tomorrow against the Skyhawks at 2 p.m. USI will look to go into the OVC Championships on a high note and hold a higher seed.

VALPO VOLLEYBALL

VOLLEYBALL FALLS AT UIC TO CLOSE REGULAR SEASON

The Valpo volleyball team shut the door on the 2023 regular season on Wednesday evening in Chicago, falling in straight sets to host UIC (25-20, 25-21, 25-19). The Beacons will enter the 2023 MVC Tournament as the fifth seed, opening tournament play against Belmont Sunday afternoon.

How It Happened

Valpo led in the early stages of the opening set, while the middle portion of the frame became a struggle to gain control.

The Beacons led as late as 17-16 following a kill by Olivia Blackketter (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington South [Winthrop]) before three straight UIC points gave the Flames the lead for good. Valpo was still within one at 20-19, but UIC closed the set on a 5-1 run to take the opener.

The opening part of the second set was a story of back-and-forth runs. UIC opened the frame with a 4-1 spurt, followed by six consecutive points for the Beacons — featuring a kill and a solo block from Bella Ravotto (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian).

UIC responded immediately with six straight points of its own to regain a three-point lead. The Flames extended their advantage to as many as five points at 21-16 before one final Valpo push, as the Beacons scored five of the next six — including two kills and a block by Miranda Strongman (Wolverine Lake, Mich./Walled Lake Central [LIU]) — to close to within 22-21. UIC reeled off three straight points to close the set, however, and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

The start of the third set belonged to UIC, as the Flames scored the set’s first seven points en route to a 12-2 lead.

Valpo had a couple mini-spurts to try to slice down the deficit, but UIC still led by eight late at 21-13. The Beacons continued battling, however, and scored the next six in a row — including a trio of blocks — to get to within two at 21-19, but UIC closed out the match with four straight of its own.

Inside the Match

Ravotto paced the Beacons with 13 kills, her third consecutive match leading the way in the category.

Strongman added seven kills on just 11 swings, hitting at a .545 clip.

Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) led all players defensively with 19 digs and is now within two of cracking 600 total digs this season.

Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) finished in double figures in digs as well, posting 10.

Valpo finished with a 10-9 advantage in blocks over the Flames, the 10th time this season the Beacons have posted double digits in blocks and the third time they’ve done so in a three-set match.

Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley-Bourbonnais) led the individual efforts at the net with six rejections, pushing her season total to 111 blocks.

Maddie Moan (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock [Milwaukee]) was in on four blocks as well, setting a season high

The Flames finished the match out-hitting Valpo, .233-.154, and tallied 12 service aces to the Beacons’ five.

Next Up

Valpo (18-13, 10-8 MVC) heads to the MVC Tournament in Springfield, Mo., starting on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. as the fifth-seeded Beacons face eighth-seeded Belmont. All tournament matches will be streamed live on ESPN+.

VALPO MEN’S GOLF

VANARRAGON RANKED NO. 36 NATIONALLY BY CLIPPD

Valparaiso University men’s golf fifth-year senior Caleb VanArragon (Blaine, Minn. / Blaine) is ranked No. 36 nationally as Clippd published its first edition of new college golf rankings for the NCAA on Wednesday.

VanArragon, who becomes the first golfer in program history to be ranked in the top 50 nationally, put together a stellar fall for the Beacons and owns a 68.83 scoring average after four fall tournaments. He earned medalist honors in half of his four fall events, starting the campaign with back-to-back tournament wins.

VanArragon took individual medalist honors in a competitive, 120-player field at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invite hosted by Air Force from Sept. 10-13 with a 54-hole score of 203 (-13; 67-67-69).  He followed that up by defending Valpo’s home course in resounding fashion with a program-record 54-hole tournament performance of 201 (-15; 66-67-68) to win the 63-player Valpo Fall Invitational on Sept. 18-19. He was narrowly outside the top-10 at t-11 with a 212 (-4) in the competitive Mark Simpson Colorado Invite from Oct. 2-3 before rounding out his spring with a 210 (-6) at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic on Oct. 27-28 in Monterrey, Mexico.

VanArragon golfed par or better in 10 of his 12 rounds this fall. His career honors include 2023 NCAA Regional Qualifier (at-large), 2022-23 CSC At-Large First Team Academic All-American, three-time MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, four-time First Team All-MVC and three-time MVC Elite 17 Award winner. He was twice named the Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Week this fall, tying a league record for career MVC weekly awards with 15.

VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL

POWELL TO FACE ALMA MATER AS VALPO VISITS NO. 23 ILLINOIS

Valparaiso (2-1, 0-0 MVC)

at No. 23 Illinois (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)

Game No. 4 – Friday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m. CT

State Farm Center (15,544) – Champaign, Ill.

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team will face a top-25 test on Friday night as the Beacons hit the road for the first time this season to clash with No. 23 Illinois. This will mark a homecoming for head coach Roger Powell Jr. as he was a three-year starter for the Illini during his playing days, helping the team to three Big Ten regular-season titles, two Big Ten Tournament crowns and three Sweet Sixteen berths. During his senior year in 2004-05, Powell was part of an Illinois team that finished 37-2, won 29 straight to open the season and reached the national title game.

Last Time Out: Valpo flipped the script from its previous game, this time trailing throughout the first half but outperforming the opposition down the stretch in a 64-59 win over Green Bay on Tuesday night at the Athletics-Recreation Center in the first nonconference clash after the teams’ decade-long period of shared Horizon League affiliation from 2007-2017. Jaxon Edwards (19) and Isaiah Stafford (18) combined for 27 points on a night where Valpo blocked nine shots and committed only five turnovers.

Following the Beacons: Streaming – B1G+ – Scott Sudikoff (play-by-play) 

Radio – 95.1 FM, WVUR, ValpoAthletics.com, TuneIn Radio App – Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (analyst) 

Twitter updates – @ValpoBasketball

Links for video, audio and live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Roger Powell Jr.: Roger Powell Jr. (2-1) is in his first season as the head coach of the Valpo men’s basketball program. After helping guide Gonzaga to a 121-13 record during his four seasons as an assistant coach, Powell returned to Valpo, where he was part of head coach Bryce Drew’s staff from 2011-2016 and led the team to 124 wins in five seasons, including a program-record 30 victories and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title game appearance in 2015-16. He was part of head coach Mark Few’s Gonzaga staff as the Bulldogs reached the 2021 national championship game after winning their first 31 games of the season. During Powell’s first season on staff in 2019-20, Gonzaga was 31-2 at the time the NCAA college basketball season was halted due to COVID-19. The Bulldogs reached the Sweet Sixteen in each of his final three seasons on staff, including two Elite Eight appearances and the aforementioned trip to the 2021 national title game. Prior to his arrival at Gonzaga, Powell served as the associate head coach at Vanderbilt University under Bryce Drew from 2016-2019. During his stint as an assistant at Valpo, he was part of four Horizon League regular-season championships in a five-year period while also leading the 2012-13 and 2014-15 squads to Horizon League tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. A product of Joliet West High School and a native of Joliet, Ill., Powell capped a prolific collegiate playing career at Illinois with a national title game appearance in 2005 before going on to a successful professional playing career.

Series Notes: Valpo seeks its first win in the eighth all-time matchup with the Illini, as the two teams clash for the first time since March 14, 2017, an 82-57 loss in Champaign in the first round of the NIT. That marks Valpo’s most recent postseason tournament appearance. Valpo last played at Illinois during the regular season on Nov. 13, 2013, a 64-52 defeat when Powell returned to his alma mater as an assistant coach for the first time. Illinois was ranked No. 1 in the nation for a Dec. 19, 2004 meeting between these two teams, a game the Illini won 93-56.

All-American Rejects

Valpo rejected nine shots on Nov. 14 vs. Green Bay, the program’s highest blocked shot total since Dec. 30, 2019 vs. Loyola, also nine.

The last time the Brown & Gold recorded more than nine blocks in a game was March 15, 2016 vs. Texas Southern in the first round of the NIT (10).

Valpo is one of 44 teams in the country to have blocked nine shots in a game this season.

Jaxon Edwards and Ola Ajiboye had four swats each. This was the first time in over a decade that a pair of Valpo players had four blocks each in the same game.

The program record for blocked shots in a game is 12 on Jan. 21, 1998 vs. Northern Illinois.

This was only the fourth time nationally this season that two teammates each rejected four or more shots in the same game – Arkansas (at Gardner Webb), UAB (vs. Maryland) and Seattle (vs. Prairie View) are the others.

Valpo has blocked six or more shots in four straight games dating back to last season.

Protecting What’s Yours

Valpo valued the basketball in a big way in the Nov. 14 win over Green Bay, committing just five turnovers in the contest.

This was the fewest turnovers committed by the Beacons since Feb. 21, 2021 at Southern Illinois (also five).

The last time Valpo gave it away fewer than five times in a contest was Nov. 28, 2014 vs. Drake (four).

Valpo is one of only 22 teams in the country with five or fewer turnovers in a game this season.

Point guard Darius DeAveiro tallied five assists against no turnovers in the win over the Phoenix.

Valpo became the first team in the country this season with nine or more blocks and five or fewer turnovers in the same game. That combination was achieved by only seven teams in the nation during the 2022-2023 season.

Facing Ranked Foes

This will mark Valpo’s first game against a nationally-ranked opponent since Feb. 17, 2021 at No. 22/23 Loyola. The Beacons fell 54-52 in that one after beating No. 25 Drake 74-57 on Feb. 7 of that season and falling to those same nationally-ranked Bulldogs 80-77 a day prior.

Valpo’s last nonconference game against a nationally-ranked opponent was Dec. 7, 2017, an 80-50 loss at No. 21 Purdue.

Valpo enters Friday seeking its first ever true road win against a top-25 team. The program is 0-42 all-time on the road against nationally-ranked squads.

Valpo will seek its fifth all-time win over a top-25 team with three of the first four coming at home and one on a neutral floor – Feb. 7, 2021 vs. No. 25 Drake, Nov. 29, 2016 vs. No. 21 Rhode Island, March 13, 1998 vs. No. 13 Ole Miss (NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla.; Bryce Drew’s “The Shot.”) and Dec. 17, 1988 vs. No. 19 Notre Dame (“The Lutheran Miracle”).

Valpo vs. Power-Conference Competition

Valpo’s last win over a power-conference opponent was a 68-60 success story vs. Alabama at a multi-team event in Las Vegas on Nov. 21, 2016.

The win over the Crimson Tide marked Valpo’s third triumph over a power-conference opponent in a two-year span. During the 2015-16 campaign, the team went on the road to beat Oregon State and then took down Florida State at the ARC in the second round of the NIT.

Prior to 2015-16, Valpo hadn’t beaten a power-5 opponent since the 2008 win over Washington in the CBI.

Nine of Valpo’s last 12 victories over power-5 opponents have come on neutral floors, with the most recent true road win coming in the aforementioned game at Oregon State.

Valpo has lost 15 straight against Big Ten competition dating back to Dec. 28, 2004, a 69-56 victory over Penn State as part of the Arizona State Classic in Tempe, Ariz.

Powell Returns to Illinois

Roger Powell Jr. will feel right at home during his first road game as a collegiate head coach. He played at Illinois from 2001-2005, appearing in 128 games and making 89 starts for the Illini.

Powell accumulated 1,178 points and 531 rebounds during his four-year career for the Fighting Illini.

He helped the team to three Big Ten regular-season titles, two Big Ten Tournament crowns and three Sweet Sixteen berths. During his senior year in 2004-05, Powell was part of an Illini team that finished 37-2, won 29 straight to open the season and reached the national title game.

This is not the first time Powell has been on the visiting bench at Illinois as he was an assistant coach when Valpo visited Champaign on Nov. 13, 2013.

Hitting the Road

This will mark Valpo’s first road game of the season after opening 2023-24 with three straight at home. The team will play six of its first seven at the ARC with Friday’s contest representing the lone road trip.

This was the first time Valpo started a season with three straight home games since 2016-17, when the Beacons started by hosting Southern Utah, Trinity Christian and Coppin State.

Valpo has owned a record of .500 or better at home in 31 straight seasons.

Valpo has dropped the first true road game of the season in five consecutive years. The Beacons will look to start the road slate in victorious fashion for the first time since Nov. 15, 2017 at SIUE.

Other Notes Wrapping Up Nov. 14: Valpo 64, Green Bay 59

Jaxon Edwards paced the team in scoring with a career-high 19, while Isaiah Stafford turned in 18. Edwards became the third Valpo player in the last five years with 19 or more points and four or more blocked shots in a game, joining Ben Krikke (Feb. 14, 2023 vs. Southern Illinois) and Derrick Smits (Nov. 24, 2018 at West Virginia).

Ola Ajiboye led the team on the glass with nine rebounds. Edwards and Jerome Palm squeezed eight apiece.

The 3-point line proved to be a frozen tundra for the Phoenix, who went just 2-of-18 (11.1 percent) from long range. This was Valpo’s best 3-point defense since Dec. 18, 2022 vs. Elon (3-of-27, also 11.1 percent).

This marked the first game between the two teams since Valpo left the Horizon League following the 2016-2017 campaign. The squads have a long history against one another including Valpo victories at the ARC in the 2015 Horizon League title game and the 2013 Horizon League Semifinal (The Ryan Broekhoff Game).

Valpo extended its head-to-head home winning streak against Green Bay to nine.

Scouting the Illini

Coming off a 71-64 loss vs. No. 4 Marquette on Tuesday.

Own wins over Eastern Illinois (80-52) and Oakland (64-53).

Beat preseason No. 1 Kansas 82-75 in a Maui Strong Relief charity exhibition game on Oct. 29.

Roster includes Marcus Domask, who played against Valpo regularly over the last four seasons while at Southern Illinois and was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection during his time with the Salukis.

Picked to finish fourth of 14 in the Big Ten preseason media poll, led by First Team Preseason All-Big Ten pick Terrence Shannon Jr.

Went 20-13 last season including a 15-2 home mark en route to an NCAA Tournament appearance.

MARIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL

MARIAN’S HIGH-VELOCITY OFFENSE PACES 95-76 WIN OVER GOVERNORS STATE

University Park, Ill. – The Marian men’s basketball team continued their roll through non-conference play Wednesday night in the Chicago suburbs, as the Knights cruised to a 95-76 victory over Governors State. Marian improves to 5-0 in their non-conference slate following their first road win of the season.

Marian and Governors State changed hand with the lead three times in the opening four minutes of the game, with the final change on the first of back to back three point makes by Gus Etchison putting the Knights on top for good Wednesday night. The 12-7 start for Marian quickly pushed to a 20-8 lead through the first 10 minutes of the night, as an early eight points from Etchison and a three from Ben Henderson captured the double-digit lead.

The Knights would lead by double figures for the final 30 minutes of the ball game, as four Maximus Gizzi points coming out of a timeout helped Marian solidify a 14-point advantage. Josh Bryan caught fire after getting his second run of the game in the final seven minutes of the first half, helping increase the visiting lead to 20 points by scoring or assisting on eight consecutive Marian points. Governors State’s inability to knock down outside shots continued to play to Marian’s favor as the half wore on, with Etchison and Bryan helping to take their team to the halftime break with a 44-23 lead.

The combination of outside scoring from Etchison, Brody Whitaker, and Dylan Moles proved near impossible to guard as the Jaguars had zero defensive answers, with the backcourt trio pushing the lead to 27 points in the first five minutes of the second half. Marian’s 60-33 lead at the 15-minute mark would be the largest of the game, as the Jaguars gradually whittled the score back within a 20-point difference.

The Knights were able to maintain their distance on the scoreboard with the offensive power of Whitaker and Bryan, claiming a 25-point lead once again in the final four minutes of the contest. The Jaguars were able to knock in consecutive shots to clip Marian’s lead down to 16 points in the final minute of the game, but a late three from Elhadj Diallo put the cherry on top of the victory, as Marian closed the 95-76 victory.

Whitaker led all players in the game with 22 points, leading the Knights in both rebounds with seven and assists with five. Josh Bryan finished the game shooting 7-for-9 from the field and 6-of-7 from downtown, scoring 20 points in 14 minutes. Etchison scored 18 points, and Maximus Gizzi had 11 points to go with five assists. Jackson Ames finished with five points and six rebounds, adding a pair of blocked shots.

Marian shot 57 percent from the field and 52 percent from three in the win, scoring 45 of their 95 points from beyond the arc.

Crossroads League play begins on Saturday for Marian, as the Knights welcome the defending league champions and second-ranked Grace College to the PE Center for a 2 p.m. tip.

MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MCNALLY’S CAREER GAME PACES MARIAN’S BLOWOUT WIN AT OLIVET NAZARENE

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – Fueled by a career-best performance from Abbey McNally, the Marian women’s basketball team coasted to a one-sided road victory Wednesday night as the Knights raced past Olivet Nazarene 110-69. Marian’s non-conference win improves the team’s overall mark to 5-1 on the season.

With the jump and gun style of play Olivet Nazarene poses, Marian put points on the board early and gained the double point lead a little over the halfway point. Josie Trabel and Ella Collier each canned a triple to cap of a 16-2 run before Olivet ended the run with a layup. The Knights never let up on the gas as they increased their lead to 18 behind a bucket from Abbey McNally. The Tigers continued to claw back, with both teams going back and forth the remaining minutes of the quarter, but it was Marian holding the 28-10 advantage after the first quarter.

Olivet came out with the first points of the second quarter, but it was McNally’s layup sparking a 12-0 run that was topped off with Olivia Faust knocking down the three-pointer to put the Knights up 40-12. The Tigers were able to find a response after a three ball and a pair of free throws before McNally scored eight of the team’s final 10 points of the quarter. McNally poured in 10 of the team’s 22 second quarter points, going into the halftime break with 20 points and 16 rebounds, fueling the 50-19 intermission lead.

The recipe was more of the same in the third quarter, as the Knights won the highest scoring quarter of the game 36-22. McNally cooled off her scoring put picked up six points to go with seven rebounds in the quarter, allowing Ella Collier and Kinndiy Garrard to take over. The senior tandem combined for 20 points in the third with each player scoring 10 points, as Jayla Wehner dished out seven assists to the scorers as the lead grew to 45 by the quarter’s end. Aliyah Evans and Eva Fisher scored on fast break layups to close the half, as Marian carried an 86-41 lead into the final quarter.

Marian’s offense tapered off in the fourth quarter as the Tigers held a two-basket edge over the Knights, but the reserves kept pace to prevent the game from getting out of hand. Kenna Gray and Taylor Double helped carry the offense in the final quarter, with Gray pouring in eight points in the final period while Double added five. Eva Fisher, Kiley McNally, and Esther Sevilla added to Marian’s total in the final period, as Marian was able to cruise to their 110-69 win.

The Knights dominated in the paint throughout the entirety of the game, scoring 70 of their 110 points inside the painted area. 17 of the 110 points came on fast break plays and 18 came off of turnovers, as the effecient Knights shot 55 percent from the floor for the game. McNally poured in a career-best game, dropping 26 points and 23 rebounds for her first career 20-20 game. Kinnidy Garrard finished the game with 22 points and five blocked shots, and Ella Collier had an all-around game scoring 18 points, grabbing eight rebounds, and dishing five assists.

Jayla Wehner finished the game with 11 assists, and Taylor Double scored 11 points to lead the bench scoring.

The next time Marian will be back in action is Saturday, November 18 when they open Crossroads League play hosting Grace College at 12 p.m.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETICS

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

NBA STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Boston	9	2	.818	—	5-0	4-2	6-1	9-1	8-2	4 W
Philadelphia	8	3	.727	1.0	6-2	2-1	3-1	6-3	8-2	2 L
New York	6	5	.545	3.0	3-2	3-3	0-2	4-4	6-4	1 W
Brooklyn	6	5	.545	3.0	3-3	3-2	0-2	5-4	6-4	2 W
Toronto	5	6	.455	4.0	3-3	2-3	0-3	2-5	4-6	1 L
Central Divison
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Indiana	7	4	.636	—	5-2	2-2	3-1	5-4	6-4	1 W
Milwaukee	7	4	.636	—	5-1	2-3	2-1	7-4	6-4	2 W
Cleveland	5	6	.455	2.0	1-3	4-3	0-2	2-3	4-6	1 W
Chicago	4	8	.333	3.5	3-4	1-4	2-2	3-4	3-7	2 L
Detroit	2	10	.167	5.5	1-5	1-5	1-2	2-5	1-9	9 L
Southeast Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Miami	7	4	.636	—	3-1	4-3	3-0	4-3	6-4	6 W
Atlanta	6	5	.545	1.0	2-3	3-2	2-2	4-4	6-4	1 L
Orlando	6	5	.545	1.0	3-1	3-3	0-1	2-2	5-5	1 W
Charlotte	3	7	.300	3.5	1-4	2-3	2-2	3-5	3-7	2 L
Washington	2	9	.182	5.0	1-3	1-6	1-3	1-8	2-8	4 L
Western Conference
Northwest Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Denver	9	2	.818	—	7-0	2-2	2-1	8-2	8-2	1 W
Minnesota	8	3	.727	1.0	5-0	3-3	2-0	6-1	8-2	1 L
Oklahoma City	7	4	.636	2.0	4-3	3-1	0-1	2-4	6-4	2 W
Utah	4	7	.364	5.0	3-2	1-5	1-2	4-4	4-6	2 W
Portland	3	8	.273	6.0	1-3	2-5	0-1	1-5	3-7	5 L
Pacific Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Sacramento	6	4	.600	—	4-1	2-3	2-2	5-4	6-4	4 W
Golden State	6	6	.500	1.0	1-4	5-2	2-1	5-4	5-5	4 L
LA Lakers	6	6	.500	1.0	5-1	1-5	3-2	5-4	5-5	1 L
Phoenix	5	6	.455	1.5	2-4	3-2	1-2	3-5	4-6	1 W
LA Clippers	3	7	.300	3.0	3-1	0-6	0-1	2-5	3-7	6 L
Southwest Division
	W	L	Pct	GB	Home	Road	Div	Conf	Last 10	Streak
Dallas	9	3	.750	—	4-1	5-2	3-1	4-2	7-3	1 W
Houston	6	3	.667	1.5	6-1	0-2	1-1	5-2	6-3	6 W
New Orleans	5	6	.455	3.5	3-3	2-3	2-2	3-5	4-6	1 W
San Antonio	3	8	.273	5.5	1-4	2-4	1-1	3-4	3-7	6 L
Memphis	2	9	.182	6.5	0-5	2-4	0-2	2-7	2-8	1 L

NFL STANDINGS

American Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Miami Dolphins	6	3	0	.667	0.0	285	225	4-0-0	2-3-0	4-2-0	2-1-0	1 L
Buffalo Bills	5	5	0	.500	1.5	262	184	4-2-0	1-3-0	2-5-0	1-2-0	2 L
New York Jets	4	5	0	.444	2.0	144	172	2-3-0	2-2-0	2-4-0	1-1-0	2 L
New England Patriots	2	8	0	.200	4.5	141	238	1-5-0	1-3-0	2-4-0	2-2-0	3 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Kansas City Chiefs	7	2	0	.778	0.0	208	143	4-1-0	3-1-0	5-1-0	2-1-0	1 W
Las Vegas Raiders	5	5	0	.500	2.5	172	205	4-1-0	1-4-0	3-3-0	1-1-0	2 W
Los Angeles Chargers	4	5	0	.444	3.0	239	215	2-3-0	2-2-0	2-3-0	1-1-0	1 L
Denver Broncos	4	5	0	.444	3.0	196	248	2-3-0	2-2-0	2-4-0	1-2-0	3 W
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Baltimore Ravens	7	3	0	.700	0.0	270	157	3-2-0	4-1-0	4-3-0	2-2-0	1 L
Pittsburgh Steelers	6	3	0	.667	0.5	156	182	4-2-0	2-1-0	4-2-0	2-0-0	2 W
Cleveland Browns	6	3	0	.667	0.5	214	170	4-1-0	2-2-0	4-2-0	2-2-0	2 W
Cincinnati Bengals	5	4	0	.556	1.5	182	192	3-2-0	2-2-0	1-4-0	0-2-0	1 L
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Jacksonville Jaguars	6	3	0	.667	0.0	196	190	2-3-0	4-0-0	4-2-0	2-1-0	1 L
Houston Texans	5	4	0	.556	1.0	217	192	3-1-0	2-3-0	3-2-0	1-1-0	2 W
Indianapolis Colts	5	5	0	.500	1.5	242	248	1-4-0	4-1-0	4-3-0	2-2-0	2 W
Tennessee Titans	3	6	0	.333	3.0	154	180	3-1-0	0-5-0	2-4-0	0-1-0	2 L
National Football Conference
East Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Philadelphia Eagles	8	1	0	.889	0.0	252	195	4-0-0	4-1-0	6-0-0	3-0-0	3 W
Dallas Cowboys	6	3	0	.667	2.0	269	165	4-0-0	2-3-0	3-3-0	2-1-0	1 W
Washington Commanders	4	6	0	.400	4.5	217	274	1-3-0	3-3-0	2-5-0	0-3-0	1 L
New York Giants	2	8	0	.200	6.5	118	266	1-3-0	1-5-0	2-4-0	1-2-0	3 L
West Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
San Francisco 49ers	6	3	0	.667	0.0	252	143	3-1-0	3-2-0	4-1-0	2-0-0	1 W
Seattle Seahawks	6	3	0	.667	0.0	200	201	4-1-0	2-2-0	5-1-0	1-1-0	1 W
Los Angeles Rams	3	6	0	.333	3.0	178	204	1-3-0	2-3-0	2-4-0	2-1-0	3 L
Arizona Cardinals	2	8	0	.200	4.5	176	263	2-3-0	0-5-0	2-5-0	0-3-0	1 W
North Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
Detroit Lions	7	2	0	.778	0.0	241	203	3-1-0	4-1-0	4-1-0	1-0-0	2 W
Minnesota Vikings	6	4	0	.600	1.5	233	209	2-3-0	4-1-0	6-2-0	2-0-0	5 W
Green Bay Packers	3	6	0	.333	4.0	179	182	2-2-0	1-4-0	3-3-0	1-2-0	1 L
Chicago Bears	3	7	0	.300	4.5	204	255	2-3-0	1-4-0	2-4-0	0-2-0	1 W
South Division
	W	L	T	Pct	GB	PF	PA	Home	Road	vs. Conf	vs. Div	Streak
New Orleans Saints	5	5	0	.500	0.0	214	198	2-2-0	3-3-0	2-3-0	1-1-0	1 L
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4	5	0	.444	0.5	178	173	2-3-0	2-2-0	3-3-0	1-1-0	1 W
Atlanta Falcons	4	6	0	.400	1.0	189	217	3-2-0	1-4-0	3-4-0	2-0-0	3 L
Carolina Panthers	1	8	0	.111	3.5	153	242	1-3-0	0-5-0	0-6-0	0-2-0	2 L

NHL STANDINGS

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Boston Bruins	15	12	1	2	26	11	51	30	6-0-1	6-1-1	7-1-2
Florida Panthers	15	10	4	1	21	10	49	43	6-1-0	4-3-1	8-1-1
Detroit Red Wings	15	8	5	2	18	8	55	49	5-2-2	3-3-0	4-4-2
Toronto Maple Leafs	15	8	5	2	18	6	55	54	5-4-0	3-1-2	5-3-2
Tampa Bay Lightning	16	6	6	4	16	6	53	59	4-2-2	2-4-2	4-4-2
Montreal Canadiens	16	7	7	2	16	6	45	55	5-5-0	2-2-2	4-5-1
Buffalo Sabres	16	7	8	1	15	7	46	52	4-5-0	3-3-1	5-4-1
Ottawa Senators	13	6	7	0	12	6	50	44	4-5-0	2-2-0	4-6-0
Metropolitan Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
New York Rangers	14	11	2	1	23	10	47	31	5-1-0	6-1-1	9-0-1
Washington Capitals	14	8	4	2	18	6	35	37	5-3-1	3-1-1	7-2-1
Carolina Hurricanes	16	9	7	0	18	8	52	52	4-1-0	5-6-0	6-4-0
Philadelphia Flyers	16	8	7	1	17	8	51	47	3-4-0	5-3-1	5-5-0
Pittsburgh Penguins	14	8	6	0	16	8	51	37	3-4-0	5-2-0	6-4-0
New Jersey Devils	14	7	6	1	15	7	51	55	3-3-1	4-3-0	5-5-0
New York Islanders	15	5	6	4	14	5	36	48	3-3-3	2-3-1	3-4-3
Columbus Blue Jackets	16	4	8	4	12	4	44	58	3-5-1	1-3-3	1-6-3
Western Conference
Central Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Dallas Stars	15	11	3	1	23	10	52	39	4-2-0	7-1-1	7-3-0
Colorado Avalanche	15	10	5	0	20	9	56	46	5-2-0	5-3-0	5-5-0
Winnipeg Jets	15	8	5	2	18	8	55	50	4-3-1	4-2-1	6-2-2
St. Louis Blues	14	8	5	1	17	7	42	36	6-2-0	2-3-1	6-4-0
Arizona Coyotes	15	7	6	2	16	5	52	46	4-2-0	3-4-2	4-4-2
Minnesota Wild	15	5	8	2	12	4	50	64	3-3-1	2-5-1	3-6-1
Chicago Blackhawks	13	5	8	0	10	5	34	45	1-3-0	4-5-0	4-6-0
Nashville Predators	15	5	10	0	10	5	44	52	3-4-0	2-6-0	3-7-0
Pacific Division
	GP	W	L	OTL	Pts	ROW	GF	GA	Home	Road	L10
Vancouver Canucks	16	12	3	1	25	12	70	36	6-0-1	6-3-0	8-1-1
Vegas Golden Knights	16	12	3	1	25	9	58	35	8-1-1	4-2-0	6-3-1
Los Angeles Kings	14	8	3	3	19	8	56	42	1-3-3	7-0-0	6-2-2
Anaheim Ducks	16	9	7	0	18	9	49	51	4-4-0	5-3-0	7-3-0
Seattle Kraken	17	5	8	4	14	5	43	62	2-5-0	3-3-4	3-4-3
Calgary Flames	15	5	8	2	12	5	39	53	2-3-0	3-5-2	3-6-1
Edmonton Oilers	15	5	9	1	11	5	43	55	3-4-1	2-5-0	4-6-0
San Jose Sharks	16	2	13	1	5	2	21	72	2-6-1	0-7-0	2-8-0

FOOTBALL HISTORY

The Prayer at Jordan-Hare -2013 Auburn vs. Georgia

Everyone loves to watch a desperation Hail Mary pass get completed for a fantastic finish of a half. If you like those, you will love the long completion in the November 16, 2013, contest between Georgia and Auburn. It is remembered as the Prayer at Jordan-Hare, and it was a doozy. Down 38 to 37 against the Bulldogs with 36 seconds remaining in the game, the No. 7-ranked Tigers faced 4th down and 18 yards to go when junior quarterback Nick Marshall threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ricardo Louis. Georgia’s sophomore safety Josh Harvey-Clemons tipped the pass, and freshman Tray Matthews got a piece of it, too, trying to make the interception. This caused a deflection to a surprised Louis, and he promptly caught the ball on the run and trotted away from both Harvey-Clemons and Matthews into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. The score allowed Auburn to win 43–38 on an improbable play. ESPN in 2019 ranked it as the 100th Greatest College Game ever.

One to Remember – 1957 Notre Dame at Oklahoma

On November 16, 1957, the Oklahoma Sooners were on a mission to capture a third consecutive college football national title. The Sooners were on a 47-game winning streak, so when they were about to host the un-ranked Fighting Irish eleven in Norman, many felt it would be more of the same: total domination by the defending champs. Bud Wilkinson’s Oklahoma team also had other motivations to beat up on the Irish. They were angry that they had recently slipped to second in the AP polls as Texas A&M claimed the top billing. Also, they were a bit miffed that Notre Dame QB Paul Hornung won the Heisman Trophy the year before for a losing team (2-8) while, of course, the Sooners went undefeated and felt their running back in 1956, Tommy McDonald, should have won it. After all, when the two teams met in South Bend in 1956, the visiting Sooners had won easily 40-0. Notre Dame and their Coach Terry Brennan rolled into town like celebrities, with a local Catholic high school greeting the Irish as they exited their plane with a pep rally. The Sooner’s last loss before the winning streak was at the hands of the Golden Domers in the 1953 Sweason opener by a tight 28-21 score. All the motivation was there for the Sooners to dismantle the Fighting Irish in this game. What occurred after the opening kick-off was unexpected: a defensive battle, as neither offense could put points on the board. That was until the fourth quarter, when the Irish put on an extended drive of 20 plays to travel 80 yards for the game’s only touchdown. The Irish scored on fourth down and goal play from the Oklahoma 3-yard-line. With both sides packed in tight and Oklahoma expecting yet another inside run, Quarterback Bob Williams faked a handoff inside to bruising fullback Nick Pietrosante before pitching to Dick Lynch, who scampered around the end for the score. Oklahoma’s 47-game unbeaten streak would end as Notre Dame won 7-0. ESPN in 2019 ranked it as the 15th Greatest College Game ever.

Wide Right I-1991 #2 Miami versus #1 Florida State

College Football in the state of Florida cannot not tell the game’s history without mention of the famous Wide Right I contest played on November 16, 1991. Wide Right I is the adopted name game between the #2 Miami Hurricanes of Dennis Erickson and the #1 Florida State Seminoles coached by the legendary Bobby Bowden. It got this moniker in a reference to its dramatic ending. The game clock showed 29 seconds remaining, and Florida State kicker Gerry Thomas missed a 34-yard potential game-winning field goal “wide to the right.” FSU held on for the one point win 17-16, and made it a fourth time in five seasons that the Hurricanes knocked the ‘Noles out of National Championship contention. This was also the first of five times over the next dozen seasons where Florida State would lose to Miami late in the game on a missed field goal. ESPN in 2019 ranked it as the 48th Greatest College Game ever.

TV THURSDAY

NFL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Cincinnati at Baltimore	8:15pm	AMZN
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Brooklyn at Miami	7:30pm	NBATV YES Bally Sports
Oklahoma City at Golden State	10:00pm	NBATV Bally Sports NBCS-BAY
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Detroit at Ottawa	7:00pm	NHLN Bally Sports Sportsnet
Vegas at Montreal	7:00pm	Scripps Sportsnet
New Jersey at Pittsburgh	7:00pm	MSGSN ATTSN-PIT
Arizona at Columbus	7:00pm	Bally Sports
Tampa Bay at Chicago	8:00pm	Hulu ESPN+
Vancouver at Calgary	9:00pm	Sportsnet
NY Islanders at Seattle	10:00pm	Root Sports MSGSN
Florida at Los Angeles	10:30pm	Bally Sports
St. Louis at San Jose	10:30pm	Bally Sports NBCS-CA
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
Boston College at Pitt	7:00pm	ESPN
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Charleston vs. Vermont	11:30am	ESPNU
St. John’s vs. North Texas	1:30pm	ESPNU
Saint Louis vs. Wyoming	2:00pm	ESPN2
St. Katherine at CSU Bakersfield	2:00pm	ESPN+
Dayton vs. LSU	4:00pm	ESPN2
Northwestern State vs. Maine	4:00pm	ESPN+
Wichita State vs. Coastal Carolina	4:30pm	ESPNU
Rhode Island College at Brown	6:00pm	ESPN+
Houston vs. Towson	6:30pm	ESPN2
Oklahoma State vs. St. Bonaventure	6:30pm	ESPNU
Lindenwood at Air Force	6:30pm	ALT
Wright State at Indiana	7:00pm	BTN
Texas Southern at Virginia	7:00pm	ACCN
NJIT at American	7:00pm	ESPN+
Furman vs. Liberty	7:00pm	ESPN+
Felician at Manhattan	7:00pm	ESPN+
Oneonta State at Lehigh	7:00pm	ESPN+
Midway at Tennessee Tech	7:00pm	ESPN+
Presbyterian at North Florida	7:00pm	ESPN+
Cal State Fullerton at UCF	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bryant at Boston University	7:00pm	ESPN+
North Greenville at The Citadel	7:00pm	ESPN+
Louisiana Tech at ULM	7:30pm	ESPN+
Nicholls at South Alabama	8:00pm	ESPN+
Jackson State at Tulsa	8:00pm	ESPN+
Chicago State at Southern Illinois	8:00pm	ESPN+
A&M-Corpus Christi at Texas Tech	8:00pm	ESPN+
Alcorn State at UAB	8:00pm	ESPN+
Valley City State at North Dakota	8:00pm	Summit
Notre Dame vs. Auburn	9:00pm	ESPN2
Missouri at Minnesota	9:00pm	BTN
Utah vs. Wake Forest	9:00pm	ESPNU
UMass Lowell at Arizona State	9:00pm	PAC12N
UTA at New Mexico	9:00pm	MWN
Omaha vs. William & Mary	9:00pm	MWN
North Dakota State at Montana	10:00pm	ESPN+
Northwest at Idaho State	10:00pm	ESPN+
Montana State at California	11:00pm	PAC12N
COLLEGE HOCKEY	TIME ET	TV
UMass vs Providence	7:00pm	ESPN+
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA Tour: The RSM Classic	12:00pm	GOLF
LPGA Tour:CME Group Tour Championship	3:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
CONCACAF Nations League: British Virgin Islands vs Dominica	2:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Sint Maarten vs Guadeloupe	6:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: St. Kitts and Nevis vs St. Lucia	6:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: U.S. Virgin Islands vs Aruba	6:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: USA vs Trinidad and Tobago	9:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Costa Rica vs Panama	10:00pm	Paramount+
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin	6:00am	TENNIS
ATP Finals Singles Round Robin	8:30am	TENNIS
ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin	12:30pm	TENNIS
ATP Finals Singles Round Robin	3:00pm	TENNIS
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Western Carolina vs UNCW	11:00am	FloSports
Angelo State vs Abilene Christian	12:00pm	ESPN+
Warner Pacific vs Portland	2:00pm	ESPN+
Western Michigan vs Youngstown State	5:00pm	ESPN+
Canisius vs Colgate	6:00pm	ESPN+
Harvard vs UMass	6:00pm	ESPN+
Houston Christian vs Virginia Tech	6:00pm	ACCNX
Detroit Mercy vs Michigan State	6:30pm	B1G+
Georgia Southern vs Jacksonville	6:30pm	ESPN+
Maryland vs UConn	6:30pm	FS1
Towson vs Columbia	7:00pm	ESPN+
LSU Alexandria vs Lamar	7:00pm	ESPN+
Clemson vs South Carolina	7:00pm	SECN
Manhattan vs Fordham	7:00pm	ESPN+
Davidson vs Duke	7:00pm	ACCNX
Penn State vs St. John’s	7:00pm	FloSports
Dayton vs Ohio	7:00pm	ESPN+
Albany vs St. Bonaventure	7:00pm	ESPN+
South Florida vs Alabama	7:00pm	SECN+
Georgia vs Mercer	7:00pm	ESPN+
Arizona State vs Grambling	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas A&M vs Purdue	7:00pm	B1G+
Green Bay vs Creighton	7:00pm	FloSports
Bellarmine vs Louisville	7:00pm	ESPN+
Loyola Chicago vs Bradley	7:00pm	ESPN+
Boston College vs Ohio State	7:00pm	B1G+
North Texas vs Stephen F. Austin	7:30pm	ESPN+
Tarleton vs Northwestern State	7:30pm	ESPN+
Georgia Tech vs Rice	8:00pm	ESPN+
Merrimack vs Northeastern	8:00pm	FloSports
Northern Illinois vs Southern Indiana	8:00pm	ESPN+
Kansas State vs Iowa	8:30pm	FS1
Biola vs Loyola Marymount	9:00pm	ESPN+
Corban vs Eastern Washington	9:00pm	ESPN+
Oregon vs Grand Canyon	9:00pm	ESPN+
WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL	TIME ET	TV
UT Martin vs Southern Indiana	3:00pm	ESPN+
Western Illinois vs Eastern Illinois	5:00pm	ESPN+
Butler vs Xavier	6:00pm	FloSports
Iowa State vs Texas	7:00pm	LHN
Lindenwood vs Southeast Missouri State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas A&M vs Kentucky	7:00pm	SECN+
Idaho State vs Northern Colorado	8:00pm	ESPN+
Weber State vs Northern Arizona	8:30pm	ESPN+
Ohio State vs Illinois	9:00pm	BTN
Arkansas vs Mississippi	9:00pm	SECN
Portland State vs Montana	9:00pm	ESPN+
Sacramento State vs Montana State	9:00pm	ESPN+
Portland vs Gonzaga	9:00pm	ESPN+
Pepperdine vs Pacific	9:00pm	ESPN+
Santa Clara vs San Francisco	10:00pm	ESPN+
Loyola Marymount vs St. Mary’s	10:00pm	ESPN+

TV FRIDAY

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Milwaukee at Charlotte	7:00pm	Bally Sports
New York at Washington	7:00pm	MSG NBCS-WSH
Sacramento at San Antonio	7:30pm	ESPN
Philadelphia at Atlanta	7:30pm	NBCS-PHI Bally Sports
Detroit at Cleveland	7:30pm	Bally Sports
Boston at Toronto	7:30pm	NBCS-BOS Sportsnet
Orlando at Chicago	8:00pm	NBCS-CHI Bally Sports
Denver at New Orleans	8:00pm	ALT Bally Sports
Phoenix at Utah	10:00pm	ESPN
LA Lakers at Portland	10:00pm	Spectrum Root Sports
Houston at LA Clippers	10:30pm	Bally Sports ATTSN-SW
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Toronto at Detroit	2:00pm	NHLN Bally Sports Sportsnet
Buffalo at Winnipeg	8:00pm	NHLN MSG-BUF Sportsnet
Florida at Anaheim	10:00pm	Bally Sports
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
USF at UTSA	9:00pm	ESPN2
Colorado at Washington State	10:30pm	FS1
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Sacred Heart at UMBC	11:00am	ESPN+
Charleston Classic	11:30am	ESPNU
Myrtle Beach Invitational	12:00pm	ESPN2
Norfolk State vs. Fordham	1:00pm	ESPN+
Charleston Classic	2:00pm	ESPN2
Northern Illinois at Georgia State	2:00pm	ESPN+
Life Pacific at CSUN	2:00pm	ESPN+
Myrtle Beach Invitational	2:30pm	ESPNU
Abilene Christian vs. San Jose State	3:15pm	ESPN+
Georgia vs. Miami (FL)	3:30pm	CBSSN
Lindenwood vs. Omaha	4:00pm	MWN
Gardner-Webb vs. Weber State	4:00pm	ESPN+
Maine vs. Presbyterian	4:00pm	ESPN+
Denver at South Alabama	4:00pm	ESPN+
Legends Classic	4:30pm	ESPN2
Charleston Classic	4:30pm	ESPNU
Quinnipiac at Army West Point	5:00pm	ESPN+
Holy Cross vs. Winthrop	5:00pm	ESPN+
Hampton vs. Kent State	5:45pm	ESPN+
Bucknell at Duke	6:00pm	ACCN
Kansas State vs. Providence	6:00pm	CBSSN
Colgate vs. Yale	6:00pm	ESPN+
Butler at Michigan State	6:30pm	FS1
William & Mary at Air Force	6:30pm	MWN
Myrtle Beach Invitational	6:30pm	ESPN+
Utah Tech at Youngstown State	6:30pm	ESPN+
Legends Classic	7:00pm	ESPN2
Charleston Classic	7:00pm	ESPNU
Florida State at Florida	7:00pm	SECN
Fairfield at Drexel	7:00pm	NBCS-PHI
Harvard at UMass	7:00pm	NESN+
Rider at Duquesne	7:00pm	ATTSN-PIT
Central Arkansas at Vanderbilt	7:00pm	SECN+
Stonehill at Kentucky	7:00pm	SECN+
Charleston Southern at NC State	7:00pm	ACCNX
Jacksonville at Pitt	7:00pm	ACCNX
Morehead State at Penn State	7:00pm	Peacock
Radford at James Madison	7:00pm	ESPN+
A&M-Commerce at Saint Joseph’s	7:00pm	ESPN+
Northwestern State at North Florida	7:00pm	ESPN+
Coppin State at Miami (OH)	7:00pm	ESPN+
UT Martin at Eastern Kentucky	7:00pm	ESPN+
Davidson at ETSU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bellarmine at Bowling Green	7:00pm	ESPN+
Sacramento State at Tulane	7:00pm	ESPN+
Robert Morris at Wisconsin	7:00pm	BTN+
Long Beach State at Michigan	7:00pm	BTN+
Elon vs. IUPUI	7:30pm	ESPN+
South Carolina State at Samford	7:30pm	ESPN+
UC Riverside at North Carolina	8:00pm	ACCN
Mercer at Alabama	8:00pm	SECN+
UNCG at Arkansas	8:00pm	SECN+
Oral Roberts at Texas A&M	8:00pm	SECN+
Missouri State vs. FGCU	8:00pm	ESPN+
Mississippi Valley State at TCU	8:00pm	ESPN+
UTRGV at Oklahoma	8:00pm	ESPN+
Southern at Western Illinois	8:00pm	ESPN+
Alabama State at Memphis	8:00pm	ESPN+
Luther at Milwaukee	8:00pm	ESPN+
Valparaiso at Illinois	8:00pm	BTN+
Arkansas State at Iowa	8:00pm	BTN+
UTSA at Texas State	8:15pm	ESPN+
Maryland at Villanova	8:30pm	FS1
Myrtle Beach Invitational	9:00pm	ESPNU
Grand Canyon vs. San Francisco	9:00pm	CBSSN
Tennessee State at Oregon	9:00pm	PAC12N
Eastern Washington at Stanford	9:00pm	PAC12N
Kansas City at Colorado State	9:00pm	MWN
Austin Peay at UTEP	9:00pm	ESPN+
Pacific Lutheran at Idaho	9:00pm	ESPN+
San Diego State vs. Saint Mary’s	9:30pm	ESPN+
Portland State at California Baptist	10:00pm	ESPN+
UNLV at Pepperdine	10:00pm	ESPN+
Le Moyne at San Diego	10:00pm	ESPN+
Occidental at UC Irvine	10:00pm	ESPN+
Belmont at Arizona	11:00pm	PAC12N
DePaul vs. South Carolina	11:30pm	CBSSN
Xavier vs. Washington	11:59pm	ESPN2
COLLEGE HOCKEY	TIME ET	TV
Miami vs North Dakota	6:07pm	Midco Sports
Colgate vs Princeton	7:00pm	ESPN+
Clarkson vs Brown	7:00pm	ESPN+
St. Lawrence vs Yale	7:00pm	ESPN+
Cornell vs Quinnipiac	7:00pm	ESPN+
UConn vs Boston College	7:00pm	ESPN+
Maine vs Boston Univesity	7:00pm	ESPN+
MMA	TIME ET	TV
Welterweights: Yaroslav Amosov vs. Jason Jackson	9:00pm	Showtime
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA Tour: The RSM Classic	12:00pm	GOLF
LPGA Tour:CME Group Tour Championship	3:00pm	GOLF
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
UEFA Euro Qualifying: England vs Malta	2:45pm	FS1
CONCACAF Nations League: Bermuda vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	5:30pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Barbados vs Nicaragua	6:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Jamaica vs Canada	7:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Belize vs French Guiana	9:00pm	Paramount+
CONCACAF Nations League: Honduras vs Mexico	9:00pm	Paramount+
TENNIS	TIME ET	TV
ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin	6:00am	TENNIS
ATP Finals Singles Round Robin	8:30am	TENNIS
ATP Finals Doubles Round Robin	12:00pm	TENNIS
ATP Finals Singles Round Robin	2:30pm	TENNIS
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Texas Southern vs Old Dominion	11:00am	ESPN+
South Carolina Upstate vs Queens (NC)	12:00pm	ESPN+
Princeton vs UCLA	2:30pm	PAC12
Florida State vs Florida	4:00pm	SECN+
Vermont vs Quinnipiac	4:00pm	ESPN+
Southern vs Miami	5:00pm	ACCNX
Arkansas vs Arkansas State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Central Connecticut vs Bryant	6:00pm	ESPN+
Charleston vs Charleston Southern	6:00pm	ESPN+
Stonehill vs Buffalo	6:00pm	ESPN+
UT Rio Grande Valley vs Texas State	6:00pm	ESPN+
Yale vs Lehigh	6:00pm	ESPN+
Lipscomb vs Tennessee State	6:30pm	ESPN+
Gardner-Webb vs Charlotte	6:30pm	ESPN+
Wofford vs High Point	7:00pm	ESPN+
Cleary University vs Oakland	7:00pm	ESPN+
FDU vs Georgetown	7:00pm	FloSports
Murray State vs Indiana	7:00pm	B1G+
Rhode Island vs Brown	7:00pm	ESPN+
Texas A&M-Commerce vs Texas Tech	7:00pm	ESPN+
Alabama-Huntsville vs Jacksonville State	7:30pm	ESPN+
San Francisco vs Hawai’i	7:30pm	ESPN+
Schreiner vs Sam Houston	7:30pm	ESPN+
Chicago State vs Florida Atlantic	8:00pm	ESPN+
LSU vs SE Louisiana	8:00pm	ESPN+
Southeast Missouri State vs UIC	8:00pm	ESPN+
California vs Auburn	8:00pm	SECN+
WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL	TIME ET	TV
Charlotte vs East Carolina	6:00pm	ESPN+
Villanova vs Providence	6:00pm	FloSports
Georgetown vs UConn	6:00pm	FloSports
Boston College vs Syracuse	6:00pm	ACCNX
Chicago State vs Florida State	6:00pm	ACCNX
Wake Forest vs Notre Dame	6:30pm	ACCNX
Georgia Tech vs Miami	7:00pm	ACCNX
Duke vs Virginia	7:00pm	ACCNX
Clemson vs NC State	7:00pm	ACCNX
South Carolina vs Georgia	7:00pm	SECN+
Wisconsin vs Purdue	7:00pm	BTN
Xavier vs Creighton	7:00pm	FloSports
Wichita State vs Rice	7:00pm	ESPN+
Tulane vs Tulsa	7:30pm	ESPN+
Florida vs Missouri	7:30pm	SECN+
Seton Hall vs DePaul	8:00pm	FloSports
Cal State Fullerton vs Cal State Bakersfield	8:00pm	ESPN+
North Texas vs SMU	8:00pm	ESPN+
Tennessee vs LSU	8:00pm	SECN+
Michigan vs Nebraska	9:00pm	BTN
St. John’s vs Marquette	9:00pm	FloSports
UC Irvine vs CSU Northridge	9:00pm	ESPN+
Kansas State vs BYU	9:00pm	ESPN+
UC Riverside vs Cal Poly	10:00pm	ESPN+
UC Davis vs UC Santa Barbara	10:00pm	ESPN+
UC San Diego vs Hawai’i	11:59pm	ESPN+