THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” WEDNESDAY JANAURY 25, 2023

*******************THE SCOREBOARD*******************

INDIANA AP BOYS BASKETBALL POLLS

4A W-L PTS PRV

1. BEN DAVIS (16) 20-0 320 1

2. PENN 13-1 276 2

3. CATHEDRAL 12-3 231 4

4. CENTER GROVE 15-1 213 5

5. BROWNSBURG 15-2 181 3

6. HAMMOND CENTRAL 16-1 164 6

7. KOKOMO 12-4 119 8

8. NEW PALESTINE 14-0 117 9

9. JENNINGS CO. 14-1 100 10

10. CARMEL 11-5 76 NR

(TIE) MUNSTER 13-2 76 NR

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: WESTFIELD 76. MISHAWAKA 10. LAFAYETTE HARRISON 9. BLOOMINGTON NORTH 6.

W-L PTS PRV

1. NORTHWOOD (7) 13-2 296 2

2. MISHAWAKA MARIAN (9) 14-2 290 1

3. NORWELL 13-2 246 4

4. S. BEND WASHINGTON 13-2 200 5

5. N. DAVIESS 14-3 193 3

6. W. NOBLE 13-1 172 6

7. OAK HILL 13-1 140 8

8. BISHOP CHATARD 10-3 113 7

9. LAKE STATION 13-1 100 9

10. SCOTTSBURG 14-2 89 10

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: BREBEUF JESUIT 22. LEBANON 20. CONNERSVILLE 19. TIPPECANOE VALLEY 12. EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL 8.

W-L PTS PRV

1. LINTON-STOCKTON (11) 15-1 310 1

2. FT. WAYNE BLACKHAWK (5) 15-1 294 2

3. S. SPENCER 14-1 244 3

4. WAPAHANI 14-1 236 4

5. GARY 21ST CENTURY 14-4 156 5

6. UNIVERSITY 11-1 154 8

7. PROVIDENCE 8-3 141 9

8. BROWNSTOWN 9-4 112 7

9. SOUTHWESTERN (JEFFERSON) 15-2 93 10

10. TAYLOR 12-2 65 6

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: CARROLL (FLORA) 29. TIPTON 19. COVENANT CHRISTIAN 15. PARK TUDOR 12. PRAIRIE HTS. 7. SULLIVAN 7. EASTERN HANCOCK 7. CASS 7. MANCHESTER 6. NORTHEASTERN 6.

CLASS A

W-L PTS PRV

1. ORLEANS (15) 13-1 318 1

2. BLOOMFIELD (1) 14-3 286 2

3. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 12-2 236 3

4. LUTHERAN 9-3 200 6

5. FOUNTAIN CENTRAL 12-3 171 7

6. LOOGOOTEE 10-5 152 4

7. EV. CHRISTIAN 8-7 126 5

8. MORGAN TWP. 13-3 101 NR

9. BETHANY CHRISTIAN 10-4 81 NR

10. BARR-REEVE 9-7 56 10

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES: TRI 55. BLUE RIVER 41. TINDLEY 30. LIBERTY CHRISTIAN 30. EDINBURGH 9. CLAY CITY 8. BORDEN 7. MICHIGAN CITY MARQUETTE 7. GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN 6.

INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL

*ADAMS CENTRAL*	69	*EASTBROOK*	18
*ANDERSON*	86	*DALEVILLE*	73
*BETHANY CHRISTIAN*	50	*WAWASEE*	49
*BLOOMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE*	76	*DUGGER UNION*	63
*BLUE RIVER*	53	*SETON CATHOLIC*	43
*BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL*	81	*AUSTIN*	45
*CALUMET CHRISTIAN*	82	*HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH*	47
*CASTLE*	63	*EVANSVILLE MATER DEI*	54
*CINCINNATI LASALLE (OHIO)*	64	*EAST CENTRAL*	53
*DEKALB*	52	*PRAIRIE HEIGHTS*	41
*DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN*	46	*WASHINGTON TWP.*	35
*EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN*	72	*EVANSVILLE DAY*	55
*EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL*	63	*PIKE CENTRAL*	62	OT
*FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA*	61	*CENTRAL NOBLE*	54
*FORT WAYNE DWENGER*	64	*FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK*	61
*FORT WAYNE NORTHROP*	59	*FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY*	57
*FREMONT*	50	*EASTSIDE*	28
*FRONTIER*	64	*FAITH CHRISTIAN*	62
*GARY WEST*	76	*CALUMET*	43
*GUERIN CATHOLIC*	62	*LIBERTY CHRISTIAN*	46
*HAMILTON HEIGHTS*	74	*HAGERSTOWN*	58
*INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE*	70	*HORIZON CHRISTIAN*	52
*LAVILLE*	75	*SOUTH BEND CAREER*	59
*LAKELAND*	61	*COLUMBIA CITY*	55
*MARQUETTE CATHOLIC*	58	*WHITING*	55
*MICHIGAN CITY*	92	*HAMMOND MORTON*	72
*MISHAWAKA MARIAN*	52	*JOHN GLENN*	41
*MISHAWAKA*	57	*FAIRFIELD*	45
*MUNCIE BURRIS*	72	*SOUTHERN WELLS*	48
*NORWELL*	83	*FORT WAYNE LUERS*	64
*PENN*	86	*SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH*	69
*RUSHVILLE*	53	*KNIGHTSTOWN*	50
*SOUTH BEND ADAMS*	53	*BREMEN*	48
*SOUTH CENTRAL (ELIZABETH)*	55	*ROCK CREEK ACADEMY*	52
*TIPPECANOE VALLEY*	50	*SOUTH BEND RILEY*	46
*TRITON*	47	*ELKHART CHRISTIAN*	33
*WABASH*	67	*BLUFFTON*	50
*WEST LAFAYETTE*	49	*NORTH MONTGOMERY*	43
*WESTVILLE*	58	*RIVER FOREST*	43
*WHITLEY/NOBLE HOMESCHOOL*	34	*SMITH ACADEMY*	32
*YORKTOWN*	56	*WINCHESTER*	45

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL

*ALEXANDRIA*	71	*TAYLOR*	7
*ANDERSON PREP ACADEMY*	46	*MARION*	42
*ANDREAN*	51	*HEBRON*	30
*BATESVILLE*	48	*SOUTH DECATUR*	34
*BEN DAVIS*	61	*WESTFIELD*	56
*BLOOMINGTON LIGHTHOUSE*	33	*MOORESVILLE CHRISTIAN*	18
*BLOOMINGTON NORTH*	59	*EDGEWOOD*	27
*BLUFFTON*	55	*MANCHESTER*	42
*BOONVILLE*	41	*EVANSVILLE REITZ*	36
*BORDEN*	59	*WEST WASHINGTON*	30
*BREBEUF JESUIT*	61	*INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA*	42
*BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL*	45	*LAWRENCEBURG*	43
*CALUMET CHRISTIAN*	57	*HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH*	27
*CANNELTON*	46	*MEDORA*	28
*CARROLL (FLORA)*	53	*CASTON*	44
*CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)*	67	*FORT WAYNE NORTH*	18
*CASCADE*	51	*BETHESDA CHRISTIAN*	29
*CENTER GROVE*	48	*GREENWOOD*	22
*CHARLESTOWN*	54	*SEYMOUR*	47
*CHESTERTON*	45	*KNOX*	31
*CHRISTEL HOUSE MANUAL*	34	*INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE*	20
*CLINTON PRAIRIE*	67	*FRONTIER*	37
*COLUMBIA CITY*	73	*FORT WAYNE NORTHROP*	69
*COLUMBUS EAST*	69	*SILVER CREEK*	52
*COLUMBUS NORTH*	59	*RUSHVILLE*	35
*CONCORD*	53	*PRAIRIE HEIGHTS*	35
*COVENANT CHRISTIAN*	42	*NORTH PUTNAM*	33
*CRAWFORD COUNTY*	46	*PROVIDENCE*	45
*CRAWFORDSVILLE*	56	*NORTH VERMILLION*	43
*DECATUR CENTRAL*	54	*GUERIN CATHOLIC*	48
*EAST NOBLE*	49	*WEST NOBLE*	47
*EASTERN HANCOCK*	67	*RANDOLPH SOUTHERN*	43
*EVANSVILLE CENTRAL*	49	*PRINCETON*	46
*FAITH CHRISTIAN*	67	*SOUTH NEWTON*	36
*FISHERS*	63	*LAWRENCE NORTH*	51
*FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK*	53	*EASTSIDE*	48
*FORT WAYNE DWENGER*	39	*LEO*	33
*FORT WAYNE SNIDER*	58	*DEKALB*	33
*FORT WAYNE WAYNE*	53	*LAKEWOOD PARK*	40
*FRANKLIN CENTRAL*	48	*SOUTHPORT*	39
*FRANKLIN COUNTY*	43	*SOUTH DEARBORN*	35
*FRANKLIN*	56	*MARTINSVILLE*	21
*FRANKTON*	70	*MISSISSINEWA*	40
*GARRETT*	50	*FREMONT*	27
*GIBSON SOUTHERN*	61	*EVANSVILLE NORTH*	49
*GREENCASTLE*	64	*MONROVIA*	38
*GREENFIELD-CENTRAL*	48	*YORKTOWN*	45
*HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN*	81	*PIKE*	36
*HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)*	64	*BENTON CENTRAL*	46
*HENRYVILLE*	41	*CLARKSVILLE*	30
*HUNTINGTON NORTH*	42	*FORT WAYNE SOUTH*	14
*INDIANA MATH & SCIENCE*	45	*DALEVILLE*	36
*INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL*	45	*CARMEL*	37
*INDIANAPOLIS RITTER*	44	*BEECH GROVE*	36
*INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI*	66	*AVON*	65
*INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE*	44	*INDIANAPOLIS HERRON*	20
*INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY*	50	*COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN*	48
*INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON*	55	*KIPP INDY LEGACY*	17
*JAY COUNTY*	61	*RICHMOND*	26
*JENNINGS COUNTY*	71	*FLOYD CENTRAL*	47
*KANKAKEE VALLEY*	53	*RENSSELAER CENTRAL*	47
*KOKOMO*	59	*MUNCIE CENTRAL*	27
*KOUTS*	73	*ILLIANA CHRISTIAN*	13
*LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC*	68	*LAFAYETTE JEFF*	23
*LAPEL*	48	*WAPAHANI*	39	OT
*LINTON-STOCKTON*	48	*SULLIVAN*	38
*MERRILLVILLE*	57	*LOWELL*	50
*MISSISSINAWA VALLEY (OHIO)*	71	*UNION CITY*	50
*MONROE CENTRAL*	47	*DELTA*	42
*MOORESVILLE*	66	*TERRE HAUTE SOUTH*	22
*MORGAN TWP.*	44	*WESTVILLE*	32
*MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)*	57	*NEW CASTLE*	34
*NEW PALESTINE*	67	*GREENSBURG*	59	OT
*NEW PRAIRIE*	56	*MISHAWAKA*	47
*NEW WASHINGTON*	68	*CROTHERSVILLE*	11
*NOBLESVILLE*	78	*PENDLETON HEIGHTS*	40
*NORTH DAVIESS*	48	*CLOVERDALE*	36
*NORTH DECATUR*	63	*HAUSER*	49
*NORTH HARRISON*	49	*MADISON*	46
*NORTH KNOX*	53	*LOOGOOTEE*	21
*NORTH MIAMI*	67	*MACONAQUAH*	39
*NORTHWOOD*	52	*SOUTH BEND RILEY*	18
*NORTHVIEW*	40	*CLAY CITY*	24
*NORWELL*	51	*BLACKFORD*	49
*OWEN VALLEY*	51	*WHITE RIVER VALLEY*	36
*PAOLI*	61	*EASTERN (PEKIN)*	55
*PARKE HERITAGE*	50	*ATTICA*	20
*PENN*	59	*SOUTH BEND CLAY*	8
*PIONEER*	65	*WINAMAC*	27
*PLYMOUTH*	55	*CULVER ACADEMY*	47
*PURDUE POLY ENGLEWOOD*	56	*INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS*	32
*RICHLAND COUNTY (ILL.)*	46	*VINCENNES LINCOLN*	40
*RISING SUN*	50	*SWITZERLAND COUNTY*	43
*SCOTTSBURG*	77	*JEFFERSONVILLE*	75
*SEEGER*	53	*ROSSVILLE*	41
*SHERIDAN*	45	*CLINTON CENTRAL*	42
*SOUTH ADAMS*	55	*CHURUBUSCO*	24
*SOUTH BEND ADAMS*	47	*BREMEN*	43
*SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON*	73	*CROWN POINT*	44
*SOUTH KNOX*	56	*SHOALS*	40
*SOUTH RIPLEY*	44	*JAC-CEN-DEL*	43
*SOUTH SPENCER*	40	*NORTH POSEY*	27
*SOUTHMONT*	43	*COVINGTON*	42
*SOUTHWOOD*	50	*SOUTHERN WELLS*	47	OT
*SPEEDWAY*	51	*INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN*	25
*SPRINGS VALLEY*	59	*TELL CITY*	29
*TIPPECANOE VALLEY*	47	*WAWASEE*	35
*TRI-COUNTY*	61	*DELPHI*	41
*TRI-TWP.*	54	*MARQUETTE CATHOLIC*	50
*TRITON CENTRAL*	52	*PERRY MERIDIAN*	29
*TRITON*	50	*JIMTOWN*	42
*TWIN LAKES*	76	*LOGANSPORT*	49
*UNION COUNTY*	53	*CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN*	19
*UNIVERSITY*	74	*HERITAGE CHRISTIAN*	64
*VINCENNES RIVET*	61	*LAWRENCEVILLE (ILL.)*	23
*WALDRON*	47	*EDINBURGH*	23
*WARREN CENTRAL*	71	*ANDERSON*	18
*WARSAW*	58	*ELKHART*	55
*WAYNE TRACE (OHIO)*	41	*HERITAGE*	34
*WEST LAFAYETTE*	74	*MCCUTCHEON*	45
*WEST VIGO*	53	*RIVERTON PARKE*	41
*WESTERN BOONE*	60	*TRADERS POINT CHRISTIAN*	14
*WESTERN*	45	*TRI-CENTRAL*	33
*WHITKO*	48	*LAKELAND CHRISTIAN*	40
*WOOD MEMORIAL*	42	*MOUNT VERNON (POSEY)*	24

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SECTIONAL BRACKETS

4A: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/TOURNAMENT/LIST/RCGN_41JEE2A0WQB9TL3HA/GIRLS-BASKETBALL-22-23/2022-23-IHSAA-CLASS-4A-GIRLS-BASKETBALL-STATE-TOURNAMENT.HTM

3A: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/TOURNAMENT/LIST/1DYLMY1JEE2A0WQB9TL3HA/GIRLS-BASKETBALL-22-23/2022-23-IHSAA-CLASS-3A-GIRLS-BASKETBALL-STATE-TOURNAMENT.HTM

2A: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/TOURNAMENT/LIST/-WG42I1JEE2A0WQB9TL3HA/GIRLS-BASKETBALL-22-23/2022-23-IHSAA-CLASS-2A-GIRLS-BASKETBALL-STATE-TOURNAMENT.HTM

1A: HTTPS://WWW.MAXPREPS.COM/TOURNAMENT/LIST/GYLXSO1KEE2A0WQB9TL3HA/GIRLS-BASKETBALL-22-23/2022-23-IHSAA-CLASS-1A-GIRLS-BASKETBALL-STATE-TOURNAMENT.HTM

INDIANA WRESTLING SECTIONAL BRACKETS: HTTPS://WWW.TRACKWRESTLING.COM/LOGIN.JSP?TIM=1672955797754&TWSESSIONID=WAENAMISOK&TOURNAMENTINDEX=0&TNAME=IHSAA%20SECTIONAL

*******************TOP 25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL************************

#12 IOWA STATE 80 #5 KANSAS STATE 76

#10 TEXAS 89 OKLAHOMA STATE 75

#11 TCU 79 OKLAHOMA 52

#20 MIAMI FLORIDA 86 FLORIDA STATE 63

#24 CLEMSON 72 GEORGIA TECH 51

ELSEWHERE:

BUFFALO 91 BALL STATE 65

AKRON 73 MIAMI OHIO 68

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 85 NOTRE DAME 82

DRAKE 70 INDIANA STATE 68

BOWLING GREEN 83 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 61

TOLEDO 84 EASTERN MICHIGAN 79

NORTHERN ILLINOIS 86 KENT STATE 76

OHIO 88 WESTERN MICHIGAN 76

RUTGERS 65 PENN STATE 45

ILLINOIS 69 OHIO STATE 60

ARKANSAS 60 LSU 40

MISSOURI 89 OLE MISS 77

BOISE STATE 63 FRESNO STATE 53

NORTH CAROLINA 72 SYRACUSE 68

KENTUCKY 69 VANDERBILT 53

SAN JOSE STATE 82 AIR FORCE 52

UNLV 86 WYOMING 72

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/CBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230124

*******************TOP 25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL*******************

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

ELSEWHERE:

CREIGHTON 64 PROVIDENCE 46

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/WCBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230124

*********************NFL PLAYOFFS*******************

SUNDAY, JANUARY 29

NFC: 3:00 PM (ET) NFC CHAMPIONSHIP (FOX, FOX DEPORTES)

AFC: 6:30 PM (ET) AFC CHAMPIONSHIP (CBS, PARAMOUNT+)

***************************NBA*******************************

INDIANA 116 CHICAGO 110

MIAMI 98 BOSTON 95

NEW YORK 105 CLEVELAND 103

DENVER 99 NEW ORLEANS 98

WASHINGTON 127 DALLAS 126

PHOENIX 128 CHARLOTTE 97

LA CLIPPERS 133 LA LAKERS 115

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

**************************NHL*******************************

BOSTON 4 MONTRÉAL 2

TAMPA BAY 4 MINNESOTA 2

LOS ANGELES 4 PHILADELPHIA 3

PITTSBURGH 7 FLORIDA 6

DETROIT 3 SAN JOSE 2

NEW JERSEY 3 VEGAS 2

BUFFALO 5 ST. LOUIS 3

NASHVILLE 2 WINNIPEG 1

COLORADO 3 WASHINGTON 2

ANAHEIM 5 ARIZONA 2

VANCOUVER 5 CHICAGO 2

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

***********************TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES************************

**************************NFL NEWS***********************************

NFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW: THE STARTING 11 — LEGACY-DEFINING SUNDAY LIES AHEAD AS FOUR TEAMS BATTLE FOR BERTH IN SUPER BOWL LVII

For decades, NFL franchises and individual players have forged and solidified their legacies during conference championship games. How will history remember the events and contributors this week?

Sunday features the AFC and NFC Championship Games presented by Intuit TurboTax. Will someone unexpectedly rise to the occasion with a clutch performance that sends his team to Super Bowl LVII? Will a savvy superstar write another chapter in playoff lore? Or, how about Choice C: All of the above?

Regardless, no one is questioning the quality of the league’s championship-game field. There are no lightning-in-a-bottle teams this season. In fact, this marks the first time ever that all four finalists have had at least 14 wins, including playoffs.

And in the decade ahead, NFL fans can look forward to an exciting future. The four individuals expected to start under center this week – Cincinnati’s JOE BURROW, Philadelphia’s JALEN HURTS, Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES and San Francisco’s BROCK PURDY – represent the youngest group of conference championship quarterbacks since conference championship play began in 1970, averaging 25 years and 98 days old on Sunday. Previously, the youngest quartet was the 1996 conference championships, when the four starters averaged 25 years and 231 days.

The NFL’s Championship Game schedule:

Sunday, January 29
NFC	San Francisco 49ers (15-4) at Philadelphia Eagles (15-3)	3:00 PM ET	FOX, FOX Deportes
AFC	Cincinnati Bengals (14-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (15-3)	6:30 PM ET	CBS, Paramount+

The Starting 11 entering the 2022 Championship Games…

1. BURROW-MAHOMES, EPISODE IV: This week, JOE BURROW and PATRICK MAHOMES are expected to meet for the fourth time when the CINCINNATI BENGALS (14-4) visit the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (15-3) on Sunday night (6:30 PM ET, CBS, Paramount+). The last time two quarterbacks started consecutive championship games against each other before either reached his 28th birthday? It was 1986-87, when Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN ELWAY guided the Broncos over BERNIE KOSAR and the Cleveland Browns to back-to-back Super Bowl berths.

Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five consecutive conference championship games. Since the 1970 merger, the only other quarterbacks to start five straight conference title games are TOM BRADY (five from 2003-07 and eight from 2011-18) and Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN STABLER (five from 1973-77). Mahomes is the first to accomplish the feat prior to his 28th birthday.
Prior to Burrow’s arrival, Mahomes and the Chiefs registered a 45-10 win over Cincinnati in 2018. But Burrow has had the Chiefs’ number since he entered the league. Mahomes has made 92 NFL starts, including postseason. He’s 1-3 (.250) against the Bengals and 72-16 (.818) against the rest of the league. Mahomes has never lost to any other franchise more than two consecutive times.
Burrow in three career starts against Kansas City, including playoffs, is 3-0 with 982 passing yards, eight touchdown passes, one interception and a 121.0 passer rating. Burrow is also 3-0 overall in road playoff games.
Burrow is expected to become the first quarterback selected No. 1 overall to start two championship games in his first three NFL seasons. He also can join RUSSELL WILSON as one of two quarterbacks ever to win six postseason games in his first three NFL seasons.
Last week, Burrow improved to 5-1 as a starting quarterback in the postseason. Prior to drafting him first overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals had five total postseason victories as a franchise.

2. NUMBERS OF THE WEEK – DEFENSE STILL WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS:

0 – The number of 100-yard rushers allowed by SAN FRANCISCO this season. The 49ers haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher since JUSTIN FIELDS (103), Oct. 31, 2021. And since DEMECO RYANS replaced ROBERT SALEH as defensive coordinator in 2021, his unit has allowed just two 100-yard rushers in 39 games, including playoffs.
- 1 – The number of combined 100-yard rushers (zero), 300-yard passers (zero) and 100-yard receivers (one) allowed by the four victorious defenses during the Divisional Round.
- 3 – The number of final-four teams that ranked among the league’s leaders in points allowed per game during the regular season: SAN FRANCISCO (16.3, first), CINCINNATI (20.1, tied for fifth) and PHILADELPHIA (20.2, tied for seventh).
- 3 – The number of final-four teams that ranked among the league’s leaders in total yards allowed per game during the regular season: SAN FRANCISCO (300.6, first), PHILADELPHIA (301.5, second) and KANSAS CITY (328.2, 11th).
- 10 – CINCINNATI’s points allowed in last week’s win, the Bills’ fewest points scored since Dec. 6, 2021.
- 20 – The number of SAN FRANCISCO interceptions during the regular season, tied for the league lead. PHILADELPHIA had 17, tied for fourth.
- 30 – The number of takeaways recorded by SAN FRANCISCO during the regular season, tied for second in the NFL. PHILADELPHIA had 27, tied for fourth. The 49ers’ plus-13 takeaway ratio led the league while the Eagles (plus-eight) ranked third.
- 70 – The franchise-record number of sacks by PHILADELPHIA during the regular season, first in the league and tied for third in NFL history. KANSAS CITY (55) ranked second in the NFL this year.

3. CHAMPIONSHIP CITIES: PHILADELPHIA and KANSAS CITY are no stranger to hosting conference championship games. This week marks the sixth time the Eagles have hosted a championship game, tied with Miami for fifth in the league since the 1970 merger. Only Pittsburgh (11), San Francisco (10), New England (eight) and Denver (seven) have more. Kansas City, meanwhile, is tied for seventh with five, including this week.

4. SPOTLIGHT – INDIVIDUAL MATCHUP: When SAN FRANCISCO (15-4) and PHILADELPHIA (15-3) decide the NFC champion at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday (3:00 PM ET, FOX, FOX Deportes), the starting quarterbacks are expected to make history. The 49ers’ BROCK PURDY (23) and the Eagles’ JALEN HURTS (24) will become the first pair of starting quarterbacks in a conference championship game under age 25.

The poised young passers actually squared off in a Big 12 thriller in Norman, Okla., during the 2019 season. A true sophomore, Purdy led Iowa State to 20 fourth-quarter points before Hurts and Oklahoma held off the Cyclones, 42-41. Hurts totaled 341 yards (273 passing, 68 rushing) and five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) while Purdy threw for 282 yards and five touchdowns, and added 55 rushing yards and a touchdown.

5. SPOTLIGHT – TEAM MATCHUP: Don’t expect a lot of yards in Sunday’s NFC Championship. That’s because during the regular season the 49ers (300.6 yards allowed per game) and Eagles (301.5) finished first and second, respectively, among NFL defenses. Sunday marks just the third time the NFL’s top two defenses in yards allowed have clashed in a conference championship game, the first since Pittsburgh beat Baltimore, 23-14, in the 2008 AFC title game. The only other instance since the 1970 merger was Dallas’ 28-0 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the 1978 NFC Championship Game.

San Francisco defensive coordinator DEMECO RYANS finished his playing career with the Eagles. Philadelphia acquired Ryans in a 2012 trade that involved three draft choices, one of which the Eagles used to select quarterback NICK FOLES.
- Philadelphia’s 32 rushing touchdowns in 2022 tied for the second-most ever in a single season, trailing only Pittsburgh’s 33 in 1976. On five occasions this season, including last week’s playoff win, an Eagles player has reached 100 rushing yards. San Francisco hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 32 straight games, including playoffs.
- The NFC West has represented the conference in three of the past four Super Bowls, and six of the last 10 dating to San Francisco’s berth in Super Bowl XLVII against Baltimore.
- San Francisco started TREY LANCE, JIMMY GAROPPOLO and BROCK PURDY this year. With a win on Sunday, the 49ers would be the first team to start three quarterbacks during a regular season and advance to a Super Bowl since the 2016 New England Patriots (TOM BRADY, JACOBY BRISSETT and Garoppolo).

6. STREAK SPEAK: Including SAN FRANCISCO (12 straight wins) and CINCINNATI (10) this week, 14 teams since the 1970 merger have entered a conference championship game on winning streaks of at least 10 games. However, this is only the second time two teams entered conference championship week on winning streaks of at least 10 games. It last happened in 1976, when both the Oakland Raiders (11) and Pittsburgh Steelers (10) did it.

Including postseason games, the 49ers (12) are bringing the NFL’s longest winning streak into a conference championship game since New England entered the 2007 AFC title contest with 17 straight wins.
- KANSAS CITY (2018-22) will become just the third team to play in five consecutive conference championships since 1970. The New England Patriots (eight straight from 2011-18) and the Oakland Raiders (five from 1973-77) also accomplished the feat.

7. DID YOU KNOW?: All-Pro brothers JASON and TRAVIS KELCE aren’t taking anything for granted this week, but should they each win their respective championship games, they’ll accomplish something no other family has done. They’ll become the first set of brothers to play on opposite teams in the same Super Bowl.

8. UNDER-THE-RADAR STORYLINE: Bengals head coach ZAC TAYLOR has a lot of ANDY REID in his coaching DNA. Taylor’s father-in-law, MIKE SHERMAN, coached with Reid in Green Bay from 1997-98 under MIKE HOLMGREN. Holmgren, Reid and Sherman, as well as MIKE SHANAHAN, point to Pro Football Hall of Famer BILL WALSH as a mentor. Walsh learned much of his coaching prowess from the founder of the Cincinnati Bengals, Pro Football Hall of Famer PAUL BROWN.

Taylor is 5-1 as a head coach in the postseason. His .833 postseason winning percentage ranks second in NFL history behind Pro Football Hall of Famer VINCE LOMBARDI (.900, 9-1) among coaches with a minimum of six games coached.
- Taylor is only the 13th head coach in NFL history to win at least five of his first six postseason games, the first since MIKE TOMLIN. Should he win Sunday, he would join BILL BELICHICK and MIKE SHANAHAN as well as Pro Football Hall of Famers TOM FLORES, JOE GIBBS, JIMMY JOHNSON, VINCE LOMBARDI and BILL WALSH as the only head coaches in NFL history to win at least six of their first seven postseason games.
- Taylor is only the third coach ever – joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TOM LANDRY and CHUCK NOLL – to guide a team to multiple conference championship games after winning six-or-fewer games over his first two seasons with the same team. Taylor was 6-25-1 from 2019-20 with the Bengals.
- Four coaches in NFL history have reached two Super Bowls after winning no more than two games in their first season with the same team: Pro Football Hall of Famers JIMMY JOHNSON, TOM LANDRY, CHUCK NOLL and BILL WALSH. Taylor was 2-14 in his first season with Cincinnati (2019) before leading the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI.

9. TREND TIME: Over the last nine postseasons (2013-21), home teams are 14-4 in conference championship games. The Bengals (last season at Kansas City) have one of those four victories.

10. THIS WEEK IN NFL HISTORY: Jan. 25, 1998 (25 years ago) – In Super Bowl XXXII, TERRELL DAVIS overcomes debilitating migraines to rush for 157 yards and a Super Bowl-record three touchdowns to lead the Broncos to their first NFL crown, snapping the NFC’s streak of Super Bowl victories at 13. Late in the third quarter, with the Broncos and defending champion Packers tied, 17-17, Denver faces a third-and-6 from the Packers’ 12-yard line. Without a better option, a 37-year-old JOHN ELWAY leaves the pocket and dives for a first down, turned by three Green Bay defenders into a spinning helicopter. Inspired by Elway’s desire at a pivotal moment, Davis finds the end zone two plays later. After Green Bay knots the game at 24 early in the fourth quarter, Elway connects with fullback HOWARD GRIFFITH on a key 23-yard pass that sets up Davis’ go-ahead touchdown with 1:45 remaining. BRETT FAVRE guides the Packers into Broncos territory but linebacker JOHN MOBLEY bats away Favre’s fourth-down pass in the waning seconds to secure a 31-24 victory. Afterward, owner PAT BOWLEN, one of six future Pro Football Hall of Famers from that Broncos team, hands Elway the Vince Lombardi Trophy and declares, “This one’s for John!”

11. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: The Bengals and Chiefs are playing in a conference championship for the second straight year, something rare in NFL history. Since the 1970 merger, the same two teams have met in consecutive conference championships on only six occasions. Dallas defeated San Francisco in both 1970 and ‘71, the Steelers took two of three from the Raiders (1974-76), the Steelers captured two straight over the Houston Oilers from 1978-79, the Broncos edged the Cleveland Browns in consecutive thrillers (1986-87), Dallas took two of three from San Francisco (1992-94) and the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots split two straight AFC title games from 2011-12.

AP SOURCE: BILL O’BRIEN AGREES TO RETURN AS PATRIOTS OC

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) Bill O’Brien has agreed to return to the Patriots as their offensive coordinator, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been finalized.

O’Brien spent the past two seasons as offensive coordinator for the University of Alabama. Before that he was the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2014 to 2020, leading them to four playoff appearances before being fired in 2020 after an 0-4 start.

He also served as Penn State’s coach from 2012 and 2013. That followed a four-year stint as a Patriots assistant in which he coached receivers and quarterbacks before being promoted to offensive coordinator in 2011. That season New England finished ranked third in points and second in yards.

O’Brien becomes the first official offensive coordinator Patriots coach Bill Belichick has hired since Josh McDaniels left following the 2021 season to take the Las Vegas Raiders coaching job.

Instead of replacing McDaniels this past season, Belichick got more involved in the offense’s operations. He also made Matt Patricia, an assistant with a long defensive pedigree, the Patriots’ primary offensive play-caller with assistance from quarterbacks coach Joe Judge.

The move was a failure, with second-year quarterback Mac Jones regressing during an underachieving season that saw the Patriots offense ranked in the bottom half of the league in points per game (17th) and last in the NFL in red zone touchdowns.

The only seasons the Patriots ranked worse in scoring was 2020 (27th) with Cam Newton at quarterback and during Belichick’s first season in 2000 (25th).

This season ended with New England finishing 8-9 and missing the playoffs – their second sub.-500 campaign in two seasons and just the third under Belichick.

That same day, team owner Robert Kraft sent a letter to season ticket holders promising “critical evaluations of all elements of our football operation.”

The usually tight-lipped Patriots also announced the following week that they would be bringing in candidates to interview for coordinator, along with seeking a long-term extension with coveted defensive coach Jerod Mayo.

In addition to O’Brien, the Patriots also interviewed their tight ends coach Nick Caley, Arizona Cardinals associate head coach Shawn Jefferson, University of Oregon offensive line coach Adrian Klemm and Minnesota Vikings receivers coach Keenan McCardell.

Klemm, Jefferson and McCardell played on teams coached by Belichick. Klemm was on the Patriots from 2000 to 2004, McCardell played on Belichick’s teams in Cleveland from 1992 to 1995 and Jefferson was in New England in the mid-to-late 1990s when Belichick was an assistant coach in Foxborough in 1996.

The Patriots’ offensive struggles this season played out publicly at times and featured two expletive-laced tirades by Jones. In one instance Jones was captured by TV cameras on the sideline bemoaning the approach to the passing game. In another he showed frustration on the field over the pace (or lack thereof) in which plays were being relayed to him.

While Jones downplayed his frustrations in his interactions with reporters, he did hint at a desire to open up the playbook and for the coaching staff to take more chances. He also noted a wish to be coached more aggressively.

In the hiring of O’Brien that wish may soon be realized.

O’Brien is known for an at times intense style and was given the name “teapot” by Patriots players for his tendency to let his temper boil over.

It played out when he infamously clashed with former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on the sideline after Brady threw an interception during New England’s win over Washington in 2011.

In a radio interview in 2017 Brady called it emblematic of O’Brien’s passion to succeed.

“That’s Billy’s style,” Brady said. “Billy’s gonna let you know if he doesn’t like something that you did. He handles it in the right way, in a way that you really respected. You know he’s fiery, you know he just wants to get the job done.”

PANTHERS INTERVIEW COWBOYS’ MOORE FOR HEAD COACHING JOB

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) The Carolina Panthers interviewed Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday for their vacant head coaching position.

The Panthers have also interviewed former NFL head coaches Sean Payton, Jim Caldwell and Frank Reich, along with offensive coordinators Shane Steichen of the Eagles, Ken Dorsey of the Bills and Mike Kafka of the Giants.

The team has also interviewed Broncos defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero and Steve Wilks, who went 6-6 as Carolina’s interim head coach this season.

The Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs following a 19-12 loss to the San Francisco on Sunday.

NFL Network analyst and former Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., for one, would like to see owner David Tepper go in a different direction than hiring Moore after watching the Cowboys’ playoff loss.

“We the panthers interviewed Kellen Moore for the HC job! Based on the last play for the cowboys, Ain’t no way … Moore is coaching us with that trash last play!!!!” Smith tweeted after the game.

49ERS’ OMENIHU ARRESTED AFTER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALLEGATION

(AP) — San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has been arrested after a domestic violence allegation.

San Jose police said Tuesday that Omenihu was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for misdemeanor domestic violence. Omenihu has posted bail and is no longer in custody. The case will be submitted to the district attorney for possible charges.

The 49ers said they are aware of the arrest and are “in the process of gathering further information.”

The police said they were called to Omenihu’s home on Monday afternoon to investigate a domestic violence incident.

According to the police report, a woman who said she was Omenihu’s girlfriend said he pushed her to the ground during an argument.

Officers did not observe any visible physical injuries but the woman did complain of pain in her arm. She declined medical attention.

Police said Omenihu was cooperative with officers and was served with an emergency protective restraining order.

The 25-year-old Omenihu is in his second season with the 49ers and part of their defensive line rotation.

He had a career-high 4 1/2 sacks in the regular season and added two sacks and a forced fumble in a wild-card win over Seattle on Jan. 14.

Omenihu played 15 defensive snaps in a win Sunday over Dallas. He injured his oblique during the game but was able to return. He is listed as day to day this week before the NFC title game on Sunday at Philadelphia.

CHIEFS’ DECISION TO TRADE HILL OPENED FUTURE FOR SUCCESS

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The decision that Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach faced at the conclusion of last season was shockingly simple yet brutally difficult:

Do they sign wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a long-term deal or trade him away?

Two options. Yet two very different ways to chart a course for the future of the franchise.

Veach mulled the decision for the better part of six weeks, knowing full well most Chiefs fans wanted to keep the dynamic playmaker, but that it would saddle the club with salary cap problems for years to come.

In late March, he hopped on the phone with Dolphins counterpart Chris Grier and made the deal: Hill was headed to South Beach for a package of five draft picks — which the Chiefs could use to fortify their roster — and much-needed financial flexibility.

“We took a step back and figured, ‘How are we going to get better on both sides?’ And that’s why we decided it was best for us and best for Tyreek,” Veach said at the time. “It was kind of a best-case scenario for us and for him.”

That might be an understatement.

Hill ultimately became the league’s highest-paid wide receiver, signing a $120 million, four-year deal with the Dolphins that would have limited what the Chiefs could do in free agency.

And the Chiefs used their draft capital and financial freedom to replenish a roster that will face Cincinnati on Sunday night in its fifth consecutive AFC title game.

The Chiefs used the first-round pick from Miami — after a trade with New England — on Trent McDuffie, whose metrics are among the best of any rookie cornerback this season. Then they used their second-rounder from the Dolphins — after another trade with the Patriots — on wide receiver Skyy Moore, who has been a versatile addition to the offense.

Just as importantly, the Chiefs used the money they would have spent on Hill elsewhere: They signed wide receivers JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, brought in safety Justin Reid, added veteran Carlos Dunlap to help one of the league’s worst pass rushes, and had money left over to improve their depth elsewhere.

“Brett does it as well as anybody on finding people and bringing them in, that he thinks will fit in the offense, defense and special teams,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “We have full trust in him as a coaching staff.”

It’s easy to have that trust given the results.

Hill had an incredible season for the Dolphins, catching a career-best 119 passes for 1,710 yards with seven TDs. But while Smith-Schuster finished with only 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns, that still means he supplied Kansas City with roughly 55% of Hill’s production in the regular season at roughly 14% of the cost.

Valdes-Scantling caught the decisive touchdown in last weekend’s divisional win over the Jaguars, and along with Moore and Smith-Schuster, the trio helped the Chiefs lead the league in passing offense, scoring offense and total offense.

On the flip side, Dunlap helped the Chiefs to 55 sacks in the regular season, which ranked second in the league, after they had just 31 the previous year. Justin Reid proved to be a calming yet physical presence in the defensive backfield.

“All the guys stepped up,” Chiefs wide receivers coach Joe Bleymaier said, “because there were a number of departures, not just Tyreek, to basically get all caught up and sped up to where we are today, so that we could just keep going as an offense, and the guys we brought in bought into that.”

Ten months later, it would be difficult to argue Veach didn’t make the right decision to trade Hill.

It’s the kind of monumental decision the Bengals will face soon enough.

They’ve already indicated plans to negotiate a long-term deal this offseason for Joe Burrow, who could command as much as $50 million a year. And with that kind of investment in their quarterback, the Bengals will have to decide what to do with their pending free agents: Starting cornerback Eli Apple, safeties Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III and tight end Hayden Hurst are all due to hit the open market, along with backups such as Tre Flowers and Samaje Perine.

Plenty of other starters — wide receivers Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, and defensive tackle D.J. Reader — will be hitting free agency after next season.

The challenge in making the numbers work was evident in August, when Bates stayed clear of the Bengals amid a contract dispute. He eventually reported to training camp after signing a franchise tender worth about $13 million, rather than sit out the entire season. When asked why a deal wasn’t reached, he replied: “That’s not my question to answer.”

“There’s a business side of things,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor acknowledged at the time, “and that plays into it some.”

Just as it did for the Chiefs and Hill last offseason.

**************************COLLEGE FOOTBALL NEWS*************************

TENNESSEE GIVES JOSH HEUPEL BIG PAY RAISE TO $9 MILLION

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee gave coach Josh Heupel a big raise that puts him among the highest-paid coaches in college football after he led the Volunteers to their best season in more than 20 years.

Heupel will make $9 million per year through the 2028 football season under the contract extension announced by the school Tuesday and signed Jan. 19. That’s an increase from the $5 million extension signed last July that pushed his deal through 2027.

Athletic director Danny White said Heupel’s results speak for themselves with an 18-8 record, including 11-2 last season, capped by a win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. White said Heupel and his staff have energized the program and fans with his aggressive style of football.

“We just needed an innovative leader like Josh Heupel to reignite the spark,” White said of program that dealt with what he called a brief period of dormancy. “It’s been fun to crash the party, but as Josh said after our Orange Bowl triumph, the best is yet to come.”

The Vols have beaten seven Top 25 teams since Heupel was hired in January 2021, which ranks third nationally among FBS head coaches in that span. Tennessee went 3-7 in 2020 before Heupel was hired to replace Jeremy Pruitt.

Tennessee finished Heupel’s second season ranked sixth by The Associated Press college football poll, the Vols’ highest finish since 2001.

The pay increase features a $225,000 base salary with $8.725 million in supplemental pay.

Heupel’s bonus if he wins a national championship was doubled from $500,000 to $1 million. He now is among at least 10 head football coaches at public schools making at least $9 million.

OKLAHOMA STATE HIRES BRYAN NARDO AS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma State announced Tuesday it has hired Bryan Nardo as defensive coordinator.

Nardo was defensive coordinator at Division II Gannon University this past season. In his only season at the school in Erie, Pennsylvania, Gannon saw its total defense improve from 393.3 yards allowed per game in 2021 to 287.4 — the school’s lowest total surrendered in 20 seasons.

“I’m excited about the addition of Bryan Nardo as our defensive coordinator,” Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said in a statement. “He’s a young energetic, bright football coach who brings 10 years of coordinating experience with him. He’s been successful, and his innovative system has helped win games everywhere he’s been.”

Before coaching at Gannon, Nardo was linebackers coach at Youngstown State for two years. He previously spent eight years as defensive coordinator at Emporia State. He was named the Great Lakes Football Conference Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011 after his lone season at Missouri S&T.

Oklahoma State’s previous defensive coordinator, Derek Mason, announced on social media last week that he was stepping down and taking a sabbatical from football. Under Mason, Oklahoma State gave up 28.9 points per game — fifth in the Big 12 — and surrendered 435.7 yards per game — eighth in the 10-team league.

Gundy also announced that Joe Bob Clements has been elevated from linebackers coach to co-defensive coordinator and Tim Duffie has been promoted from cornerbacks coach to defensive passing game coordinator.

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GREEN BAY FIRES WILL RYAN AS COACH AFTER 11TH STRAIGHT LOSS

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay fired coach Will Ryan on Tuesday, three days after the Phoenix suffered their 11th consecutive loss.

Ryan, the son of former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, posted a 15-61 record in 2 1/2 seasons. Freddie Owens, who had been an assistant coach on Ryan’s staff, will be interim head coach for the rest of the season.

“UW-Green Bay is committed to continuing its legacy as an outstanding Division I athletics program in the future, and Phoenix men’s basketball needs to help lead the way as we work to elevate all of our programs and be a shining light for this region and beyond,” athletic director Josh Moon said in a news release announcing the move.

Moon thanked Ryan and his family for their contributions to the program and said that “we wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Stadium first reported Ryan’s firing.

Green Bay dropped to 2-19 overall and 1-9 in the Horizon League on Saturday with a 72-38 home loss to Robert Morris.

Ryan was hired by Green Bay after going 14-13 in his lone season as the head coach at Division II program Wheeling (West Virginia). Green Bay went 8-17 in Ryan’s debut season and finished 5-25 last year.

Ryan had taken over for Linc Darner, who went 92-80 and posted a winning record in four of his five seasons.

NO. 12 IOWA STATE HOLDS ON TO BEAT NO. 5 KANSAS STATE 80-76

AMES, Iowa (AP) Jaren Holmes matched his season high with 23 points as No. 12 Iowa State held on to beat No. 5 Kansas State 80-76 on Tuesday night.

The Cyclones (15-4, 6-2 Big 12) moved into a three-way tie atop the conference standings with the Wildcats and Texas.

Iowa State shot 57.1% – including 62.5% in the second half – and scored 25 points off turnovers.

“It felt like as much as any game this year … it was our guys being so connected,” Cyclones coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “And just making plays for one another.”

Gabe Kalscheur added 19 points for Iowa State. Osun Osunniyi finished with 16.

Markquis Nowell led Kansas State (17-3, 6-2) with 23 points.

“I thought this was just an unbelievable Big 12 game,” Kanas State coach Jerome Tang said. “The environment was incredible.”

A 3-pointer from Holmes gave Iowa State a 59-49 advantage with 8:12 remaining. Kansas State responded with a 10-1 run to trim the margin to 60-59.

Caleb Grill’s 3-pointer steadied the Cyclones and pushed the lead back to 63-59 with five minutes left.

Holmes finished 8-of-11 shooting.

“Jaren was dynamite on both ends,” Otzelberger said. “I thought defensively he had a really good game.”

Free throws by Osunniyi, Grill and Holmes sealed the victory in the final 24 seconds.

“It’s truly a blessing,” Holmes said after jogging off the Hilton Coliseum floor. “I treasure every moment that I have in this great arena, and every opportunity I have to witness Hilton magic.”

The first half featured eight lead changes and ended with Kansas State up 33-31.

A 3-pointer by Kalscheur ignited an early 9-0 run for the Cyclones and helped them build a 19-14 lead. Iowa State made just one of nine 3-point tries in the first 20 minutes.

BIG PICTURE

Kansas State was trying to extend its best start to a season since 1961-62.

Iowa State improved to 11-0 at home. The Cyclones have not lost back-to-back games this season.

UP NEXT

Kansas State hosts Florida on Saturday as part of the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

Iowa State travels to Missouri on Saturday.

MILES, NO. 11 TCU LEAD THROUGHOUT IN 79-52 WIN OVER OKLAHOMA

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) Micah Peavey was already headed back the other way to play defense for 11th-ranked TCU, thinking like everyone else that the ball was going out of bounds. Except Rondel Walker made an incredible save.

Walker somehow kept the ball in play near midcourt after Shahada Wells blocked a 3-pointer, then threw ahead to Peavy for a slam dunk that capped an 11-0 run to start the second half – just like the 11 points in a row the Horned Frogs had to open the game while leading throughout in a 79-52 win over Oklahoma on Tuesday night.

“I honestly started going back … they didn’t call out of bounds, so I just ran and got the ball, barely though,” said Peavey, with heavy legs after missing the previous four games because of a back issue.

Mike Miles Jr. had 23 points while Damion Baugh and Peavy each added 13 for TCU (16-4, 5-3 Big 12), which had an emphatic follow-up to their 23-point win at then-No. 2 Kansas just three days earlier.

“We’re riding high right now, so we wanted to keep the same intensity on defense as we did in the Kansas game, and transfer it over to this game,” Miles said. “And that’s what we did.”

Emanuel Miller grabbed 10 rebounds while big man Eddie Lampkin Jr., the team’s leading rebounder, sat on the bench with a protective boot on his left foot because of a high ankle sprain sustained in the win over the reigning national champion Jayhawks three days earlier.

C.J. Noland had 11 points for the Sooners (11-9, 2-6), whose third loss in a row was their most lopsided setback since 77-47 to Baylor on January 28, 2019. They were coming off a 62-60 home loss to the Bears on Saturday.

“Our team has bounced back and fought after so many heartbreaking losses. We lost last possession Texas, last possession to Iowa State, last possession Kansas, then just last possession to Baylor,” Oklahoma coach Porter Moser said. “Every game we fought back and showed resilience, toughness to bounce back. Tonight, we didn’t. Tonight was a total beatdown.”

At the first media timeout, when it was 11-0, Oklahoma already had four turnovers that led to eight points for TCU.

BIG PICTURE

Oklahoma: The Sooners, now 0-5 vs. Top 25 teams, had three turnovers before getting off their first shot. That was an air-ball 3-pointer by Sherfield, the transfer to Oklahoma who is from Fort Worth. Sherfield, who entered as the leading scorer for the Sooners at 17 points a game, was held to five on 2-of-11 shooting – only 1 of 8 on 3s.

TCU: The Frogs built an early 20-8 lead even while missing 7 of 8 shots and going nearly 5 1/2 minutes without a basket after Baugh banked in a 3-pointer for an 8-0 lead. TCU scored eight consecutive points on free throws, including Miles twice getting fouled on a 3-pointer and making every free throw. Miles had 17 points by halftime, including 10-of-10 free throws.

SOME BIG BLOCKS

TCU had seven blocked shots in the game, including two impressive rejections by Xavier Cork. His first came when he was in the air and blocked an attempted dunk without committing a foul. The other got the ball to Baugh, who twisted and turned to penetrate before dishing to Chuck O’Bannon for a nifty layup in traffic that made it 27-13. That prompted a timeout by Moser, who couldn’t wait another second for the media timeout that would have come on the next whistle.

FOOTBALL FROGS

The TCU football team was recognized at halftime, with coach Sonny Dykes and the team surrounding the trophy from the College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl the Frogs won over Michigan. Highlights of that game were shown on the video board, but there no specific mention of the 65-7 loss to Georgia in the CFP national championship game that followed that. TCU’s 13 wins matched the school record.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma plays at No. 2 Alabama on Saturday in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.

TCU travels to Mississippi State for its SEC/Big 12 Challenge game.

CARR’S 21 POINTS PACE NO. 10 TEXAS OVER COWBOYS 89-75

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Texas got its typical scoring surge from floor leaders Marcus Carr and Timmy Allen. The surprise was the splash of points from defensive disrupter Brock Cunningham.

Put them all together and the No. 10 Longhorns earned a regular-season sweep of Oklahoma State with an 89-75 win Tuesday night that keeps them wrestling for the top spot in the Big 12.

Carr scored 21 points, Allen added 17 and Cunningham pumped in a career-high 15 to lead the Longhorns (17-3, 6-2), who scored their most points in a Big 12 win this season after a 56-46 defensive struggle when they first met they Cowboys on Jan. 7.

Oklahoma State blocked 12 shots in that game but couldn’t match it in the rematch as Texas pressed a quick pace.

“We’re always looking to run. That’s something we always try to have as an identity,” Carr said. “The whole season we’ve been putting the emphasis on playing fast.”

Texas improved to 10-2 under interim head coach Rodney Terry. He took over the team in mid-December when Chris Beard was suspended and then fired three weeks later. The Texas win and No. 12 Iowa State’s win over No. 5 Kansas State has all three teams team sitting at 6-2 in league play.

Kalib Boone and John-Michael Wright each scored 18 points to lead Oklahoma State (11-9, 3-5).

Texas attacked the basket early behind Dylan Disu, Christian Bishop and Allen and threatened to pull away when the Longhorns built a 33-25 lead in the first half. A deep 3-pointer from Bryce Thompson pulled the Cowboys within 33-30 before Texas closed the half with 7-2 run capped by Sir’Jabari Rice’s 3-pointer from the left wing.

Texas quickly built the lead to 13 out of halftime when Carr had a steal to set up Allen’s 3-point play and then made a step-back jumper.

“They were the aggressor,” Oklahoma State Mike Boynton, Jr. said. “We were always reacting to what they were doing instead of taking the fight to them.”

Disu scored 12 and was a defensive force in the second half, hustling for blocks and poking away loose balls to earn Texas possession, while Carr and Allen midrange jump shots kept the Cowboys from making a run to close the gap.

“This whole week, it was about this being a toughness game,” Cunningham said “This team took that message and took that to the game.”

Consecutive 3-pointers from Cunningham and Tyrese Hunter pushed Texas to a 69-58 lead and the Longhorns rode that cushion to the end. Cunningham, who averages 4.2 points, was 5-of-6 shooting with three 3-pointers.

BIG PICTURE

Oklahoma State: The Cowboys missed junior forward Moussa Cisse, who leads the Big 12 in both blocked shots (2.4 per game) and rebounding (8.9), but missed another game with an ankle injury. He had returned for consecutive wins over Oklahoma and Iowa State but was back on bench Tuesday night. The last player to lead the Big 12 in both categories was Texas’ Mo Bamba in the 2017-18 season.

Texas: Carr, a graduate student playing his sixth season at his third school, is the only active player with at least 2,000 points, 600 assists and 400 rebounds. Carr has 2,099 career points, 494 rebounds and 679 assists after Tuesday night.

DEEP BENCH

Texas continues to show off arguably the deepest lineup in the Big 12. The Longhorns lead the league in scoring off the bench at more than 27 points per game, and got 29 points Tuesday night.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma State hosts Mississippi in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday.

Texas plays at No. 4 Tennessee in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. The matchup will pit Terry against his former boss, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. Terry was an assistant at Texas from 2002-2011 when Barnes was leading the Longhorns program and took Texas to the Final Four in 2003.

HALL, GALLOWAY LEAD NO. 24 CLEMSON TO 72-51 WIN OVER GA TECH

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) PJ Hall scored 17 points and Brevin Galloway added 14 as No. 24 Clemson used a fast start to put away Georgia Tech 72-51 on Tuesday night, continuing its surprising start in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Tigers (17-4) are 9-1 and in first place midway through the ACC season. They stayed that way by getting out quickly on the struggling Yellow Jackets (8-12, 1-9), who’ve lost their past six games.

Clemson came out fast, playing like a team on top in the ACC. The Tigers got a 3-pointer from Hunter Tyson on their opening possession – his second straight after hitting the game-winning three to beat Virginia Tech 51-50 last Saturday – and pair by Galloway.

The Boston College transfer was fouled as he made another 3 and converted the foul shot for a four-point play.

By the time Hall finished a three-point play, the Tigers were ahead 15-2 less than five minutes in.

Clemson, though, couldn’t sustain its early shooting touch and Georgia Tech used a 12-2 run to get itself back in it and trail 25-22.

But Galloway and reserve Chauncey Wiggins fueled another burst with consecutive threes to restore Clemson’s double-digit edge.

It was more of the same in the second half. The got a three-point play by the 6-foot-10 Hall and a three by Dillon Hunter as they opened the period on a 12-6 run and steadily increased its lead.

The Yellow Jackets could not keep up and were swept in the regular season by the Tigers for the first time since 2018-19.

Ja’von Franklin had 12 points to lead Georgia Tech. Miles Kelly, the Jackets’ leading scorer coming in at 13.6 points a game, finished with nine on 4-of-12 shooting. He made just one of his six attempts from behind the arc.

BIG PICTURE

Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets are offensively challenged this season – they’re next to last in ACC shooting percentage – and that showed itself once more against Clemson. Georgia Tech missed eight of its 11 3-pointers in the opening half to fall into a hole they couldn’t get out of.

Clemson: Maybe it’s time to pay more attention to the Tigers, who are the ACC’s only one-loss team halfway through conference play. Hall is an inside force while versatile forwards like Tyson and Galloway provide outside shooting and leadership. Clemson hasn’t had as complete a team since its 2017-18 group that advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16.

UP NEXT

Georgia Tech returns home to play Duke on Saturday

Clemson is at Florida State on Saturday.

SHANNON SCORES 17, ILLINOIS BEATS OHIO STATE 69-60

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half, Jayden Epps added 14 points in his second career start and Illinois beat Ohio State 69-60 on Tuesday night.

Illinois scored six straight points, spanning halftime, to build a 38-26 lead early in the second half. Ohio State scored the next five points before Epps opened and closed a 10-0 run with 3-pointers to extend it to 48-31. The Buckeyes wouldn’t get closer than eight points the rest of the way.

Matthew Mayer had 12 points and eight rebounds and Coleman Hawkins added 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three blocks for Illinois (14-6, 5-4 Big Ten), which has won five of its last six games. Shannon made all nine of his free-throw attempts, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out three assists.

Illinois ranks third in the country in blocked shots at 6.1 per game and finished with six against Ohio State. Illinois shot 41% despite making just 5 of 28 from 3-point range and Ohio State was 22 of 60 (37%). The Illini outrebounded Ohio State 44-30 and had a 16-1 advantage in fast-break points.

Brice Sensabaugh scored 14 points and Justice Sueing added 13 for Ohio State (11-9, 3-6). Sensabaugh was coming off a season-high 27 points in a win over Iowa on Saturday before being named the conference’s freshman of the week for a fourth time this season. Sensabaugh has led the Buckeyes in scoring in 11 consecutive games.

Both teams play again on Saturday. Illinois travels north to face Wisconsin and Ohio State continues its road trip against Indiana.

*******************************NBA NEWS*****************************

DURANT’S KNEE IMPROVING, TO BE EVALUATED AGAIN IN 2 WEEKS

NEW YORK (AP) Kevin Durant is at least two weeks away from returning to the Brooklyn Nets, though his right knee is improving enough for him to resume some basketball activities this week.

The Nets gave an update Tuesday on Durant’s recovery from a sprained ligament in his right knee, saying he was evaluated Monday and was progressing well.

The All-Star forward was examined by Dr. Riley Williams III at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and Williams said Durant is progressing as expected and can begin running and on-court basketball this week.

Durant was injured during a victory in Miami on Jan. 8, when the Heat’s Jimmy Butler fell backward into Durant’s knee. An MRI exam revealed an isolated sprain in his medial collateral ligament.

The Nets have won two straight after losing their first two games without Durant. They said he will be reassessed again in two weeks, leaving open the possibility he could return before the Feb. 19 All-Star Game.

LEBRON SCORES 46 POINTS WITH 9 3S, BUT CLIPPERS ROUT LAKERS

LOS ANGELES (AP) LeBron James hit a career-high nine 3-pointers while scoring 46 points, but the Los Angeles Clippers hit 19 3-pointers of their own on the way to a comfortable 133-115 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night.

James scored at least 40 points against the Clippers for the first time in his 20-year career, giving him a 40-point game against all 30 teams in the NBA. James hit his record ninth 3-pointer with 6:45 to play, setting a career high from distance in his 1,404th game.

“I was able to make a few shots tonight and try to help us stay in the game,” James said. “But the Clippers, they are really good. Exceptionally good when they’re shooting the 3-ball, and tonight they did that.”

Indeed, James’ brilliance wasn’t nearly enough: The Lakers never caught up after falling behind by 23 points, and James spent the final minutes on the bench after the Clippers pulled away for their 10th consecutive victory over their arena co-tenants in downtown Los Angeles since former Lakers guard Tyronn Lue became the Clippers’ coach.

James also ramped up his chase of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career scoring record with his 101st 40-point game, including the postseason. He trails Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) by just 177 points, putting him in position to potentially break the record at the end of the Lakers’ upcoming five-game road swing instead of back home in Los Angeles.

“I’ve got to this place by not even thinking about it,” James said. “Just being in the moment, trying to play the game the right way. Even tonight, as well as I shot the ball, I was still trying to distribute to my guys, to make sure they felt some type of rhythm. That’s just always how I’ve played the game.”

Paul George had 27 points and nine rebounds, and Kawhi Leonard added 25 points in the Clippers’ third straight win overall. The Clippers never trailed largely because they hit a season-high 15 3-pointers in the first half while scoring a season-high 77 points in the first half.

“(James) had a great shooting game, but we weathered the storm,” Lue said. “When they cut (the lead) to 10 and LeBron is on fire like that … we just tried to take everyone else out and make him go one-on-one.”

Norman Powell had 22 points and Reggie Jackson added 19 for the Clippers.

“We were forcing them into really tough shots, and they were just making them,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham said. “Against a great team like that, you’ve got to play damn near perfect to overcome that deficit.”

Russell Westbrook scored 17 points and Thomas Bryant added 15 for the Lakers, who could get Anthony Davis back Wednesday from his 20-game absence with a right foot injury.

“The possibilities are limitless,” Ham said with a grin.

HACHIMURA ARRIVES

Rui Hachimura sat on the Lakers’ bench in street clothes one day after they acquired him from Washington in a trade for Kendrick Nunn. The Japanese big man will in uniform Wednesday, Ham said.

TIP-INS

Clippers: Marcus Morris left the game with bruised ribs. Lue had no postgame update. … John Wall missed his sixth straight game with an abdominal injury. … Luke Kennard missed his ninth straight game with a calf injury.

Lakers: Guards Lonnie Walker and Austin Reaves also are both close to returns from injury, Ham said. Reaves hasn’t played since Jan. 4, and Walker has been out since Dec. 28. … Westbrook scored his 24,000th point in the first quarter, becoming the 28th player in NBA history to hit the mark.

UP NEXT

Clippers: Host San Antonio on Thursday night.

Lakers: Host San Antonio on Wednesday night.

BAM ADEBAYO HAS 30 POINTS, HEAT RALLIES PAST CELTICS 98-95

MIAMI (AP) Bam Adebayo isn’t going to hear his name when the NBA announces the All-Star Game starters Thursday night. He knows that.

But All-Star reserves are picked by coaches. Their ballots for the Feb. 19 game in Salt Lake City are due early next week.

And Adebayo made his case for their votes on Tuesday night. He scored 30 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and put Miami ahead for good on a jumper with 20.4 seconds left – carrying the Heat to a 98-95 victory over the Boston Celtics.

“They booted us in the Eastern Conference finals last year,” said Adebayo, who is averaging 21.6 points and 10.2 rebounds so far this season. “I feel like a lot of guys still carry that.”

Miami used a 15-0 run in the fourth to erase a 10-point deficit and held Boston to 13 points in the final quarter – matching the fewest points by the Celtics in any period this season.

Adebayo had nine points and eight rebounds in that fourth quarter.

“It’s not really my nature to go out and campaign,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I just think he’s an All-Star and he showed it tonight. It’s a big win. It was on TV. I hope people notice.”

The Celtics had been 26-3 when leading at halftime and 30-3 when leading after three quarters. They led 58-50 at the half, 82-75 going into the fourth and pushed that margin out to 87-77 early in the final quarter.

“It was just two good teams out there playing,” Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They made a few more plays at the end than we did.”

Jayson Tatum finished with 31 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics. Derrick White scored 23 points, and Robert Williams III had 11.

Miami’s Tyler Herro stole a cross-court pass thrown by Tatum with just over a second remaining, denying Boston a chance to tie or take the lead. Haywood Highsmith’s free throw with 0.6 seconds left put Miami up by three.

Boston called time, and Payton Pritchard’s straightaway 30-footer fell short as time expired.

Pritchard played 42 minutes because the Celtics were short-handed. Boston was without three would-be starters in Jaylen Brown (right adductor), Al Horford (lower back stiffness) and Marcus Smart (right ankle) – as well as Malcolm Brogdon, out for personal reasons.

Miami played without Jimmy Butler, who sat out with lower back tightness.

Boston led 87-77 when Williams got an alley-oop dunk with 8:47 left. The Heat scored the next 15 points while the Celtics missed 10 consecutive shots – but Tatum’s three-point play with 2:19 left stopped both of those runs and got Boston within 92-90.

“Our spacing was a little off,” Mazzulla said.

Boston’s Grant Williams hit a 3 to tie it at 95 with 43 seconds left, and Adebayo hit a 13-footer on the next Miami possession to put the Heat ahead for good.

Highsmith had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Max Strus scored 13 points and Victor Oladipo had 12 for the Heat.

“If we have to win ugly, so be it,” Spoelstra said.

TIP-INS

Celtics: Tatum had 21 points in the first half. He’s averaging 15.3 points in first halves this season, third-best in the NBA behind only Luka Doncic and Joel Embiid. … Boston fell to 7-1 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. The Celtics were the only NBA team entering Tuesday with an unbeaten record in those situations.

Heat: Miami missed 14 of its last 16 shots in the first half. … Butler had played in 11 consecutive games, a season-long streak. … Miami (27-22) is a season-high five games over .500. … Kyle Lowry had eight assists and five rebounds for the Heat. … Miami turned the ball over only eight times, and Boston turned those into six points. The Heat turned 17 Celtics turnovers into 17 points.

RARE WIN

Including last season’s Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics had won four straight games at Miami – and 13 of their last 16 true road games against the Heat, excluding Miami’s designated home games from the bubble during the 2020 restart.

UP NEXT

Celtics: Host New York on Thursday night.

Heat: Host Orlando on Friday night.

RANDLE HAS 36, 8 3S AS KNICKS STOP MITCHELL, CAVS 105-103

NEW YORK (AP) Donovan Mitchell kept coming at the New York Knicks and they kept blocking his path.

Julius Randle had 36 points and 13 rebounds, and his eighth 3-pointer snapped a tie with 2:07 left as the Knicks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-103 on Tuesday night.

Mitchell had 24 points, eight assists and eight rebounds in his return from a three-game absence with a left groin strain. But he was stopped on his last three attempts at the rim and was slow to get up after falling to the ground in an effort to save the Cavaliers’ final possession, saying afterward his legs cramped.

“I went up to try and dunk it, both my legs cramped and my groin just tightened up and locked up on me so three things happened at the same time,” Mitchell said.

RJ Barrett added 16 points and Jalen Brunson had 14 for the Knicks, who snapped a four-game losing streak.

“That’s the thing, You’ve got to keep fighting and you’ve got to fight the good fight,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So sometimes you fall short and then you’ve got to work your way out of it.”

Jarrett Allen had 24 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland, while Darius Garland added 22 points and six assists.

The Knicks were ahead by 11 with under eight minutes remaining before Mitchell made a 3-pointer, stole the ball from Randle and fed Isaac Okoro for a three-point play, and then made another 3 for nine straight Cleveland points in barely a minute to trim it to 93-91.

Evan Mobley’s basket tied it with 2 1/2 minutes to play before Randle answered with his 3 on the other end. Cleveland had two chances to tie or cut it to one, but Mitchell was blocked first by Barrett and then by Isaiah Hartenstein on the next possession.

Brunson then made two free throws for a five-point lead but Garland had a three-point play that trimmed it to 105-103. The Cavs got the ball back after a shot-clock violation and Mitchell drove into the lane but was stopped again by Hartenstein. Mitchell went to the ground and the Cavs batted the ball back out to Mobley, whose jumper missed.

“I mean, you kind of knew that he was going to take the last shot and so I was just ready to help,” Hartenstein said. “If he dumps it off to Allen, it’s a 2, we go into overtime, but I was just trying to make a play and not foul at the same time.”

Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff motioned to two referees afterward that he was trying to get a timeout during that possession that they missed.

Randle had five 3-pointers and 17 points in the first 9 1/2 minutes and the Knicks led 34-27 after one quarter. But he took just one shot in the second, when Allen went 5 for 5 for 10 points as Cleveland cut it to 53-51 at the half.

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Mobley had 12 points after scoring a career-high 38 against Milwaukee on Saturday. … The Cavs dropped both games at Madison Square Garden this season, where they have won 12 of their last 16.

Knicks: It was the ninth anniversary of Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point performance against Charlotte that set the Knicks’ and current Madison Square Garden single-game records. … Brunson will have his No. 1 jersey retired at Villanova, where he won two NCAA titles, at halftime of its Feb. 8 game against DePaul.

UP NEXT

Cavaliers: At Houston on Thursday.

Knicks: At Boston on Thursday.

JOKIC RETURNS WITH TRIPLE-DOUBLE, NUGGETS TOP PELICANS 99-98

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Nikola Jokic said he could still feel a slight difference between the injured left hamstring that sidelined him for two games and his healthy one when he returned to Denver’s lineup.

Not that it stopped him from notching his 15th triple-double of the season, or hindered his ability to produce in the clutch.

Jokic capped a 25-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist performance with a go-ahead floater in the paint with 16.9 seconds left, and the Nuggets escaped with a 99-98 victory over the undermanned Pelicans on Tuesday night.

“I’m just playing the game,” Jokic said when asked about his all-around production. “I’m glad I found open teammates. I actually made the last basket. I’m just glad that we won the game. Individual awards don’t really matter.”

Jokic said his lingering hamstring tightness is “not something major. So, hopefully it’s going to be good.”

Jokic sneaked into the paint for his winning shot after two defenders gravitated to Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who then passed to Denver’s 7-foot super star about 7 feet in front of the basket.

“That’s my sweet spot,” Jokic said. “I’m really comfortable shooting from there.”

Murray scored 25 points for the Nuggets, who led for nearly the entire game and by as many as 19 points before New Orleans stormed back in the fourth quarter to take its only lead of the second half at 98-97 with 36.9 seconds left.

After Jokic put Denver back in front, the Pelicans had three shots to win it before losing their fifth straight.

McCollum’s missed turnaround was rebounded by Pelicans forward Herb Jones, whose putback was blocked out of bounds by Bruce Brown.

After a timeout, the Pelicans got the ball to McCollum for a corner 3 that clanged off the rim, leaving him 0 for 8 from deep on an otherwise productive, 20-point night.

“CJ got open, got a clean look at it,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “Just didn’t go down.”

Trailing 79-63 with 4:40 left in the third quarter, the Pelicans surged back with the help of 6-foot point guard Jose Alvarado, who scored 14 of his 17 points in the last 13 minutes with an array of crowd-pleasing driving floaters and layups.

Alvardo’s exploits caused Denver coach Mike Malone to disgustedly call three timeouts in the final period.

“Alvarado was just living in the paint,” Malone said. “There were definitely some breakdowns there.”

Other than that, Malone was pleased with Denver’s defense, particularly beyond the 3-point line, where the Pelicans made just five of 26 shots.

“To hold a team to 98 points in today’s NBA, that doesn’t happen very often,” Malone said. “To win a game by one point on the road against a very desperate team, we’ll take it.”

Jokic wound up playing 36 minutes, hitting 11 of 14 shots, including two from deep.

He scored 11 points in the first quarter. Denver’s lead grew to 15 early in the second quarter, thanks to a 13-0 run during which Murray hit a 3, a turnaround fade and a driving layup.

Murray wound up scoring 16 points in the second quarter, including an alley-oop jam of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s fast-break lob after his interception of McCollum’s pass.

By halftime, Murray had 19 points and Denver led 63-47.

TIP-INS

Nuggets: Brown and Aaron Gordon each scored 11 points. … Malone was coaching for the first time since testing positive for COVID-19, which caused him to miss Denver’s previous four games. Malone said he spent most of his absence secluded in his basement. “It was just me, a couch, a TV, and, you know, it was like spartan-type living,” Malone said. … Michael Porter Jr. remained away from the club while tending to the affairs of his brother, Coban, a Denver University basketball player who’s been charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with a recent two-vehicle crash that killed a 42-year-old woman. “I told him to take as much time as he needs,” Malone said … Bones Hyland also was out with a finger sprain on his left hand.

Pelicans: Jonas Valanciunas scored 14 points and Willy Hernangomez added 12 points. … Rookie shooting guard Dyson Daniels hurt his right ankle when he came down from shooting a floater in the paint on Denver forward Zeke Nnaji’s foot. He did not return and left the arean on crutches. … Brandon Ingram (left large toe) missed his 29th straight game, Zion Williamson (right hamstring) missed his 11th straight and Naji Marshall (right large toe) his third straight.

UP NEXT

Nuggets: At Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

Pelicans: Host Minnesota on Wednesday night.

KUZMA FT LIFTS WIZARDS OVER MAVS 127-126 DESPITE DONCIC’S 41

DALLAS (AP) Kyle Kuzma scored 30 points and made one of two free throws to break a tie with 4.2 seconds remaining, lifting the Washington Wizards to a 127-126 victory over Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night.

Luka Doncic had 41 points and 15 rebounds for the Mavericks. Doncic still had on the jersey he ripped when he missed a free throw that would have put Dallas in front with 12.5 seconds to go when he bumped Kumza on a drive along the sideline.

The Mavericks challenged, but the call was confirmed. Kuzma missed the first free throw but swished the second.

“I think there was some debate about whether he stepped out, whether he (was) fouled,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Thankfully, fouled. Those types of situations happen fast. You’ve got to make a split-second decision.”

Doncic tried twice to pass to Spencer Dinwiddie out of a double team on the final possession. The Wizards knocked the first out of bounds, and former Maverick Delon Wright stole the second to seal the victory.

“Luka had the right intention, was making the right play,” Dinwiddie said. “Delon just made a good play with his hands, something he’s known for.”

Kristaps Porzingis was out with an ankle injury in his first trip to Dallas since the Mavericks traded him to the Wizards last February for Dinwiddie and Davis Bertans.

The 7-foot-3 Latvian, whose pairing with Doncic never worked the way Dallas envisioned, received light applause after a video tribute during the break between the first and second quarters.

It was Washington’s first game since sending Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers for Kendrick Nunn and draft picks. Nunn was available but didn’t play.

The Wizards opened a five-game trip with a third consecutive victory while Dallas finished a 1-3 homestand with its eighth loss in 11 games.

Washington swept the two-game series for the second consecutive season after going 14 years without a sweep of Dallas.

“It’s easy to get excited about one performance. We’ve got along road trip ahead,” Unseld said. “It could be a catalyst for something, to be a little short-handed, able to compete on the road, an area which we’ve struggled at times.”

Bradley Beal scored 22 points with a 3-pointer that was one of three lead changes in the final three minutes. Deni Avdija had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Dwight Powell scored a season-high 22 points with nine rebounds for Dallas. Dinwiddie had 20 points and eight assists.

Josh Green made his first seven shots and finished with 16 points, the most for the Dallas guard in four games since returning from a 20-game absence with a right elbow sprain.

TIP-INS

Wizards: Daniel Gafford played 19 minutes before fouling out with 6:32 remaining, getting nine points with seven rebounds. … Corey Kispert scored 14 points, Monte Morris had 13 and Wright had 10 points, six assists and three steals.

Mavericks: F Christian Wood missed his third game since breaking his left thumb in a loss to Atlanta. The team has said he would be re-evaluated this week. … Dorian Finney-Smith scored 12 points.

MISSED ‘EM BOTH

Porzingis also missed the first meeting against his former team in Washington, won by the Wizards 113-105. He was out with a left groin strain for that November game. He’s listed as week-to-week after spraining his left ankle Saturday against Orlando.

UP NEXT

Wizards: All three Texas cities are part of the five-game trip, with Houston next to finish a back-to-back Wednesday. The Rockets swept the two-game set with Wizards last season. The San Antonio stop is after a trip to New Orleans.

Mavericks: A two-game trip starts Thursday in Phoenix, where Dallas blew a 22-point lead in the second half of a 107-105 loss in the season opener.

SUNS WIN 4TH STRAIGHT, ROLL PAST HORNETS 128-97

PHOENIX (AP) Cam Johnson scored 24 points, Dario Saric added 19 and the Phoenix Suns won their fourth straight game by beating the Charlotte Hornets 128-97 on Tuesday night.

The Suns built a 30-point lead midway through the second quarter, though Charlotte cut it to 58-50 early in the third. Phoenix rebuilt its lead to 98-77 by the fourth before cruising to the comfortable victory.

Johnson was hot from the outset, scoring 16 points in the first quarter by making all six of his shots, including four 3-pointers. The forward was playing in his third game since returning from a knee injury that kept him out more than two months. He needed just 18 minutes on the floor to do his damage, shooting 9 of 11 from the field and 6 of 7 on 3s.

Suns guard Chris Paul added 14 points and 11 assists. Mikal Bridges scored 18 points and Jock Landale had 15.

Charlotte couldn’t overcome its brutal start. The Hornets shot just 6 of 23 (26.1%) in the first quarter. Terry Rozier scored 19 points, but shot just 7 of 21 from the field. Mason Plumlee added 17.

The Suns jumped out to 36-15 lead after one quarter, shooting 60% from the field. Phoenix pushed that advantage to 50-20 with seven minutes remaining in the half but the Hornets responded with a 27-8 run to cut it to 58-47 at halftime.

It was the second straight game that the Suns struggled to hold a big lead, though both games ended in a win. They had a 29-point advantage over Memphis in the third quarter Sunday before hanging on for a 112-110 win.

TIP-INS

Hornets: G LaMelo Ball (left ankle, right wrist soreness) missed his third straight game. G Gordon Hayward (hamstring strain), G Cody Martin (hamstring soreness) and G/F Kelly Oubre Jr. (left hand surgery) were also out.

Suns: C Deandre Ayton (non-COVID illness) missed his third straight game. G Devin Booker (groin), G Cameron Payne (foot sprain) and G Landry Shamet (foot soreness) were also out. … The team’s four-game winning streak is its longest since a six-game stretch in November. … Hosted a 51st straight sellout crowd.

UP NEXT

Hornets: Host Chicago on Thursday night.

Suns: Host Dallas on Thursday night.

ANALYSIS: TRYING TO PLAY GOOD NBA DEFENSE ‘WILD, HOT MESS’

DENVER (AP) — Contrary to all those high-scoring games, players still are playing defense in the NBA.

Seriously, they are.

It’s just the task of stopping two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic or Joel Embiid or anyone else in the league has become more challenging than ever.

Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle may have described the assignment of locking down a premier — or even a reserve — player the best: “It’s a wild, hot mess trying to guard in the NBA now,” he said.

A combination of rule changes, style-of-play alterations, the ongoing addiction to the 3-point shot and more have added up to the game being significantly tilted toward the offensive player.

Someone will win “Defensive Player of the Year” this spring, even after a season where no one seems to be able to stop anyone with the ball. It’s almost certain that more players will average 20 points per game than ever before. A decade ago, there were a dozen or so players. This season, 50 isn’t out of the question (there were 27 last season and 31 in 2020-21).

The NBA will analyze all the variables after the season. But since its sense is fans love scoring, and there’s nothing out there contradicting that stance, a massive swing of the rules pendulum toward helping out defenders doesn’t seem likely.

“For me, a fan, the talent level is just off the charts, and that has a lot to do with what we’re seeing,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in Paris last week. “Of course, the enormous increase in 3-point shooting is going to lead to more scoring, too, especially when these guys, even the big men, shoot 3-point shots as well as they do.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily a case that defense is not being focused on as it once was,” Silver added. “I’ve been around the league long enough to remember when the claim was guys played no defense at all, and so there’s a fair amount of defense played.”

From zone defenses to constant rotations, teams are trying a little bit of everything to slow down offensive stars. Still, the stars shine. In January alone, Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored 71 points on Jan. 2; Chicago’s Zach LaVine knocked down 11 3-pointers on Jan. 6; and Miami’s Jimmy Butler went 23 of 23 from the free throw line on Jan. 10.

Playing defense is harder these days, but not impossible.

“It just requires a real connectedness defensively,” Carlisle explained.

Scoring is up again this season, with teams averaging more points (114.1) than the league has seen at any time in the last half-century. Sacramento leads the way with 120 points per game, with six players averaging 12 or more points.

It’s hardly a surprise to longtime NBA veteran Ish Smith that 44 players are currently averaging at least 20 point a game.

“I guarantee you, when I come and show my kids the game in 10 or 15 years, we’re going to be talking about how it might be 100 guys now averaging 20,” cracked Smith, the Nuggets guard who broke into the league in 2010. “It’s just a tribute to guys getting better. Everybody can dribble, shoot, pass — and it makes it difficult.”

Bottom line: The standouts are simply doing what they do best — stand out. Doncic and Embiid lead in points per game (33.6), Jokic in triple-doubles (14), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in two-point field goals (398) and Buddy Hield in 3-pointers (181).

“The league is in such a great place and people are so into checking out highlights and seeing high scores for entertainment,” said David Adelman, an assistant coach for the Nuggets and son of longtime NBA coach Rick Adelman. “I don’t think the NFL is any different. I mean, it’s hard to be a defensive back these days. That’s probably the hardest job in sports, maybe.

“So I don’t see (the NBA) changing it. My son is 9 years old and he loves watching the NBA because we’re scoring 130 points. That’s just the way it is.”

Given rule enforcements designed to allow more freedom of moment in both the post and on the perimeter, it’s only natural to expect free throws to be on the rise. There have been an average of 23.8 attempts at the line (through Sunday) this season, which is on pace to be the highest since 2010-11 (24.4).

“Generally, when you look at some of these really, really, explosive individual performances where guys have put up huge numbers, I think you can immediately look at the free-throw line. There’s always a correlation,” Chicago coach Billy Donovan explained. “The free throw and the fouling has become a real challenge, because the minute you get your hands on people, those elite scorers know how to manipulate and draw fouls.”

The league has tried to minimize that, at least when it comes to shooters looking to draw contact on flailed 3-pointers. But the NBA knows any rule change or shift always gets countered somehow by smart players, who just find another avenue to get to where they want.

“I remember people were saying, ‘It’s all about dunking and guys can’t shoot.’ Now it’s, ‘They shoot too well. It should be more of an inside game,’” Silver said. “We’ll keep looking at it.”

*****************************MLB NEWS***************************

ROYALS GET LHP TAYLOR FROM BOSTON FOR OFT-INJURED SS MONDESI

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Royals acquired left-hander Josh Taylor from the Boston Red Sox for injury-prone shortstop Adalberto Mondesi and an additional player on Tuesday, the second straight day that Kansas City dealt one of its surplus position players in a bid to upgraded its lackluster bullpen.

The 30-year-old Taylor missed all of last season with a back injury, but he was stellar over the previous three seasons in Boston, with a 3.69 ERA and 129 strikeouts over 121 appearances. At one point during the 2021 season, he had a streak of 26 consecutive scoreless outings, the longest streak for a left-hander in franchise history.

He also pitched in six of 11 postseason games for the Red Sox in ’21, allowing one earned run over four innings pitched.

“Josh Taylor is someone we’ve valued for a long time,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “If you go back and look at what he did in 2019 in Boston and what he did again in 2021 in Boston in a playoff run, it was really really impressive.”

Mondesi signed with the Royals in 2011 and has played his entire career with the club. He made his big league debut in the 2015 World Series, when it seemed as if his future was limitless. But despite elite speed and defense, and showing flashes at the plate, Mondesi was never able to stay healthy, appearing in just 109 games over the past three seasons.

Despite having one year left on his deal, Mondesi’s future with the Royals was thrown in doubt last season, when heralded prospect Bobby Witt Jr. made his debut. He proceeded to hit .252 with 20 homers and 30 stolen bases.

The Red Sox, who have been in the market for shortstop help, hope the 27-year-old Mondesi can stay on the field and make good on the promise he showed in 2019, when he hit .263 with nine homers and 43 stolen bases in 102 games.

“We weren’t in a spot where we felt we had to trade him,” Picollo said. “There were a couple things we need to think about: What’s right for this team right now, and how do you send a clear message that this is the direction we want to go, and you think about the player and the frustrations he went through. Ultimately, it may be the best thing for him.”

On Monday night, the Royals sent starting centerfielder Michael A. Taylor to the AL Central-rival Minnesota Twins for a pair of pitching prospects, Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk, that could help the big league bullpen as soon as this season.

Cruz, a 6-foot-6 power right-hander, went 1-4 with a 5.14 ERA, 35 walks and 72 strikeouts in 56 innings last season for Double-A Wichita. In 120 career minor league appearances, he has 259 strikeouts in 192 1/3 innings.

Sisk, a left-hander with a funky delivery, split last season between Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul. He went 5-1 with a 1.57 ERA, 29 walks and 76 strikeouts in 63 innings between the teams.

The 31-year-old Taylor hit .254 with nine homers and 43 RBIs in 414 at-bats last season for the Royals. Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel, who shared time in the outfield last season, are the front-runners to take over his spot in the lineup.

“We were really happy with the return in both deals,” Picollo said.

MIKE CLEVINGER INVESTIGATED BY MLB FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

NEW YORK (AP) Chicago White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is being investigated by Major League Baseball following an allegation of domestic violence.

Olivia Finestead publicly revealed the allegations in an Instagram post Tuesday. Clevinger, a 32-year-old right-hander and a six-year major league veteran, agreed to a $12 million, one-year contract as a free agent that was announced on Dec. 4.

“MLB opened an investigation after learning of these allegations,” the team said in a statement. “The White Sox were not aware of the allegations or the investigation at the time of his signing. The White Sox will refrain from comment until MLB’s investigative process has reached its conclusion.”

Jay Reisinger, a lawyer for Clevinger, issued a statement that said, “Mike emphatically denies the accusations made by Ms. Finestead.”

“He has never harmed Ms. Finestead or his daughter,” Reisinger said. “We will not comment on Ms. Finestead’s motive for bringing these false allegations. Her baseless threats and accusations over the last few months have regrettably escalated, culminating most recently in deeply disturbing threats toward Mike and Mike’s family. Her threats and her pattern of abusive behavior are well documented. The simple truth is that Mike has done nothing wrong. He is a loving and caring father. We have advised Mike not to comment on this matter.”

Finestead said she is the mother of Clevinger’s child and alleged he fathered two other children who were not hers. She posted a photo of marks on her body with accompanying words that alleged the injuries were “from when he threw an iPad at me pregnant” and “finally left when he strangled me.”

“Mike Clevinger,” she added, “you really deserve hell I’ve kept quiet now for almost a year and you continue to covertly abuse your infant.” She said Clevinger “threw chew spit on our baby.”

The Athletic reported Finestead told the outlet she notified MLB of her allegations last summer.

The Associated Press typically does not identify victims of domestic violence or sexual assault unless they agree to be named or come forward publicly with their allegations, as Finestead has.

Clevinger is 51-30 with a 3.39 ERA for Cleveland (2016-20) and San Diego (2021-22). He was 0-1 in a pair of postseason starts for the Padres.

Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer was suspended for two seasons by MLB last April under the domestic violence policy following an investigation that started the previous July. The suspension was cut to 194 games by an arbitrator last month, and the Dodgers released the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner. The suspension cost Bauer more than $37 million from his $102 million, three-year contract through the 2023 season.

Bauer has denied the allegations.

*********************************NHL NEWS*********************************

ANDREW COPP SCORES IN OT, RED WINGS BEAT SHARKS 3-2

DETROIT (AP) Andrew Copp scored 25 seconds into overtime to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night.

Copp banged in a rebound near the goal crease after goalie James Reimer stopped Michael Rasmussen’s shot. Rasmussen took control of the puck after a faceoff in the Sharks’ zone.

“It wasn’t too tough. He did all the work,” Copp said about Rasmussen. “He won the battle off the faceoff after I kind of lost it and took it right to the cage and both guys (defenders) kind of went to him.”

Rasmussen and Adam Erne scored in regulation, with Dylan Larkin reaching 400 NHL points with an assist on Erne’s goal. Ville Husso made 26 saves.

“Any win is good for us,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “It feels like any time we got a win, it’s difficult, which is fine.”

Timo Meier scored his fifth goal in seven games for San Jose. Logan Couture also scored, Erik Karlsson assisted on both goals, and Reimer stopped 29 shots.

Couture was on the ice during Copp’s winner.

“I’m going to take a look at it, but I won the faceoff toward the middle and Rasmussen got a partial breakaway off it,’ he said. “After that, everyone was whacking the puck around, I thought I had a chance to clear it, but I put it right onto Copp’s stick.”

The Sharks played their third game in a stretch of eight consecutive road contests. They’re still looking for their first win on the trip after losing to Columbus and Boston during the first two legs.

“It was a solid game, not great, but I thought there was a lot more honesty in our game, a lot more pace and a lot more compete,” Sharks coach David Quinn said. “I’m just disappointed in the ending.”

The Red Wings were playing their last home game before the All-Star break. Detroit was 3-8 in overtimes and shootouts this season prior to Tuesday’s victory.

“I’ve got no clue where we were last year or how we were playing.” Rasmussen said. “We’re just collectively as a group trying to make a (playoff) push here.”

Erne opened the scoring with sixth goal of the season, redirecting Larkin’s shot from near the blue line at 2:17 of the second period. Meier tied it at 7:58 of the period with his 28th goal, jamming in the puck from behind the net.

Rasmussen gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead with 3:31 left in the second on a wrist shot from the right circle. Couture tied it with six seconds left in the period, scoring his 17th goal on a rebound from the right side.

“The game ended up being a lot more complicated than it needed to,” Copp said. “We’ve go to be able to put the pedal down a little quicker and eliminate some of the mistakes we had with the puck in the second period that kind of let them back in the game.”

GAME NOTES

Detroit F Tyler Bertuzzi missed his second straight game due to a lower body injury. … Karlsson has 28 points in 28 career games against the Red Wings. … Detroit swept the two-game season series. It won at San Jose 7-4 on Nov. 17.

UP NEXT

Sharks: At Carolina on Friday night.

Red Wings: At Montreal on Thursday night.

THOMPSON AND SKINNER DRIVE SABRES PAST BLUES, 5-3

ST. LOUIS (AP) Tage Thompson and Jeff Skinner each had a goal and two assists as the Buffalo Sabres beat the St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Tuesday night.

Thompson extended his point streak to five games, his third streak of five or more games this season. It was also his ninth game this season with three or more points.

“I think our line has been playing well, generating a lot of offense and when it’s not going in for me, I think my linemates are doing a good job getting open,” Thompson said. “I think we play really well as a line and when one guy is not scoring, one or two guys are.”

Skinner also has a five-game point streak, his second such stretch this season.

Alex Tuch had a goal and an assist, and Owen Power and Dylan Cozens also scored for the Sabres, who snapped a nine-game losing streak in St. Louis dating to Jan. 21, 2012.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 26 saves for Buffalo, which improved to 2-6-1 in the second game of back-to-backs this season – but not before nearly blowing a four-goal lead.

“It was really close I thought to making it 5-0 and it didn’t happen and they came back in the game, give credit to them,” Sabres coach Don Granato said. “They fought hard. They are a good hockey team and the atmosphere got going and you’ve got to win games and find ways to win games regardless.”

Ivan Barbashev, Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues, who finished 3-4 on their longest homestand of the season. Jordan Binnington made 26 saves.

“It’s frustrating with the starts more than anything, the mistakes,” coach Craig Berube said. “It’s not being prepared to play.”

Buffalo took control from the opening faceoff with two quick goals 25 seconds apart.

Skinner gave the Sabres the lead 60 seconds in. Thompson created the chance by stripping Tyler Pitlick of the puck in front of the Blues net and feeding Skinner.

Tuch followed moments later, burying Skinner’s feed from behind the St. Louis net.

“We wanted to make sure that we came out making things simple and just taking time and space away from them,” Thompson said. “I think that’s what you see in the first shift there. I think the whole first period we stuck to the game plan pretty well and wore them down.”

Power made it 3-0 midway through the first period, scoring on a perfect backdoor feed from JJ Peterka.

Thompson added his 33rd of the season on a backhand 70 seconds into the second.

“It’s been a lot of games in a really short time, so he’s finding different ways to contribute through fatigue and different challenges,” Granato said. “Obviously, opponents play him different, which is all good, it’s great. Through that pressure and that challenge you find ways to become better and more intuitive.”

Back-to-back goals from Barbashev and Schenn in the second gave the Blues some life. Defensemen Torey Krug and Justin Faulk assisted on both goals.

“We made a push. We had chances,” Schenn said. “We could have tied it up, but at the end of the day, when you’re down 4-0, you don’t deserve to win the game. We have to do a better job of starting on time, and focusing on that again and going from there.”

Kyrou’s goal from the high slot 47 seconds into the third cut it to 4-3, forcing Luukkonen to make several big saves on high-quality chances from Brandon Saad and Vladimir Tarasenko to preserve the lead.

The Blues had a 6-on-4 after Peyton Krebs was called for a faceoff violation with 1:46 left, but Cozens’ empty-netter with a minute left sealed it.

“Obviously, we didn’t want the game to be that close after we got up four goals, but we found a way and that’s what matters,” Cozens said.

WELCOME BACK

Tarasenko and Krug both returned for the Blues. Tarasenko sat out 10 games with a hand injury, while Krug missed 13 due to a lower-body injury.

NOTES: The Blues placed LW Pavel Buchnevich on injured reserve after he underwent a surgical procedure to address an ankle infection. Buchnevich, who has 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 38 games, will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break. . Buffalo LW Victor Olofsson had his four-game goal streak snapped.

UP NEXT

Sabres: Play at Winnipeg on Thursday night.

Blues: Play at Arizona on Thursday night.

CANUCKS BEAT BLACKHAWKS 5-2 IN TOCCHET’S DEBUT AS COACH

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Dakota Joshua and Sheldon Dries scored 34 seconds apart in the third period, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 on Tuesday night to give Rick Tocchet a victory in his first game as coach.

Tocchet was named the 21st head coach in Canucks history Sunday after Bruce Boudreau was fired along with assistant Trent Cull. Vancouver hired Adam Foote as an assistant coach and Sergei Gonchar as a defensive development coach.

There was a mixture of boos and cheers when Tocchet was introduced to the crowd during the first period. The game was 3:30 old when a fan threw a Canucks jersey on the ice.

Vancouver outshot the Blackhawks 48-14 and fought back from a pair of one-goal deficits but failed to score on five power-play chances.

Andrei Kuzmenko scored twice for the Canucks (19-25-3), who snapped a three-game losing streak. Elias Pettersson had two assists, giving him six goals and 22 assists in the last 16 games. Bo Horvat scored shorthanded into an empty net, matching his career high of 31 goals in a season.

Patrick Kane and Sam Lafferty scored for the Blackhawks (14-28-4), who lost their second in a row following a three-game win streak. Petr Mrazek made 43 saves.

Vancouver goaltender Collin Delia stopped 12 shots.

The Canucks’ go-ahead goal came seconds after Kane whiffed on a good scoring chance.

Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes sent the puck up ice. Brock Boeser tried to bank in a shot from a sharp angle. Mrazek stopped the puck but Joshua chipped it over the sprawled goalie for a 3-2 lead at 11:34.

After the following faceoff, Mrazek stopped Conor Garland’s shot before Dries directed in the rebound with a shot from between his legs.

Kuzmenko scored his 20th and 21st goals in the second period to tie it 2-all after 40 minutes.

NOTES: Tocchet, who has also coached Tampa Bay and Arizona, had one practice and one game-day skate to prepare for the Blackhawks. … Vancouver failed to score on a four-minute power play early in the first period when Chicago’s Seth Jones was called for high-sticking. . Chicago center Max Domi was assessed an instigation minor, fighting major and 10-minute misconduct for a fight with Joshua at 8:13 of the second period. … Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson, who had 14 points in 22 games, has been placed on injured reserve after aggravating a left ankle injury.

UP NEXT

Blackhawks: At Calgary on Thursday night.

Canucks: At Seattle on Wednesday night.

*****************************MEN’S GOLF NEWS********************

CBS EMBARKS ON 66TH STRAIGHT SEASON WITH 23 PGA TOUR EVENTS

CBS Sports begins its 66th consecutive season covering the PGA Tour with only its fifth lead analyst in Trevor Immelman and one of its busiest years, with 11 of the 17 “elevated” events with the biggest names.

It starts in prime time on Saturday night from Torrey Pines, an early finish to avoid the NFL conference championship games. Jim Nantz will call the action from Kansas City, Missouri, where CBS is televising the AFC title game.

And for the first time, CBS will have the entire FedEx Cup playoffs as part of an alternating schedule with NBC. CBS, which for years has carried the most tournaments, this year will have 23.

“It feels a little different, like having more light shining on it,” Nantz said. “Twenty-three in ’23. We’ve never had the full playoffs. You take our two majors (Masters and PGA Championship) and 11 of our 23 events are going to have magnificent fields. I think it’s going to be a blast.”

That means 12 of the 23 will have the best of the rest, though Torrey Pines has Jon Rahm in his pursuit of a third straight win, plus Justin Thomas and Collin Morikawa in his first start since losing a six-shot lead at Kapalua.

Sellers Shy, the lead golf producer for CBS Sports, points to the Wyndham Championship.

“We’re bullish on this opportunity,” Shy said. “One of the big storylines that came out of last year was Tom Kim, who surfaced at the Wyndham Championship. We’re also fortunate enough that designated events are spread through the year. We’re seeing some players at standard events have a chance to showcase themselves.”

Immelman takes over for Nick Faldo, who retired. The 2008 Masters champion got started last year. This will be his first full season and it makes him the youngest lead analyst in CBS history at age 43.

“I think he and Jim are going to be contemporary, animated and have opinions,” said Sean McManus, chairman of CBS Sports.

APGA RETURNS

Coming off its first season of offering $1 million in total prize money, the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour gets going this week with the Farmers Insurance Invitational.

The opening round will be Saturday on the North Course at Torrey Pines as the final round of the PGA Tour event is held on the South Course. The final round of the APGA event will Sunday on the South, using the same final-round pin positions as the Farmers Insurance Open.

The final round will be televised on Golf Channel.

The 18-man field includes Kamaiu Johnson, who won three times on the APGA last year, including the Tour Championship. That earned him 12 events on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica series.

Johnson is one of three APGA players who earned status for 2023 on various tours. Tim O’Neal made it through PGA Tour Champions qualifying, while Willie Mack had status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

The APGA began in 2010 and is geared toward developing Black golfers and other minorities in golf careers.

JT THE BOOK WORM

Justin Thomas makes a list of golf goals for the year that he won’t reveal until the end of the season. But he did share a New Year’s resolution.

“I want to read a book a month,” Thomas said.

Don’t get the idea Thomas is a voracious reader. He doesn’t like fiction — “I have a hard time reading something if it’s just not true,” he said — and no, the books don’t have to contain pictures.

“I like to read, but I’m not consistent at reading,” he said.

Thomas said he’ll get into a book, but then find himself sharing a house with friends on tour for a few weeks so he doesn’t touch it. And he said he’s not very disciplined when he’s at home.

“So I really would like to do that,” he said of his book-a-month goal.

The January book: “Why Buddhism is True,” by Robert Wright, recommended to him by a friend.

“I can’t read too many self-help books in a row,” he said. “But whether it’s about athletes or … I read a really good one a couple years ago about the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ lead singer. That was wild, fascinating.

“Again, I do not read very often,” he said. “When I do it, I have enjoyed it.”

ASIA TOUR CARD

The 29-year-old son of Davis Love III now has a tour card.

Dru Love posted a 62 in the third of five rounds in the final stage of Asian Tour qualifying. He hung on with weekend rounds of 72-72 in Thailand and tied for 26th, avoiding by one shot a nine-man playoff for the final two cards.

The Asian Tour anticipated its biggest year ever now that Saudi-funded LIV Golf Investments has poured $300 million into the circuit. Love has made 10 cuts in 33 starts on various tours since turning pro in 2017.

A few former PGA Tour players were not so fortunate. Two-time Bay Hill winner Matt Every missed the 36-hole cut, while Steve Marino and Sangmoon Bae failed to advance to the fifth and final round.

GWAA AWARDS

Steve Stricker has won a “comeback” award for the third time in his career — back-to-back years on the PGA Tour, and now the Ben Hogan Award from the Golf Writers Association of America for staying active in the wake of a physical handicap or serious injury.

Stricker, just weeks after leading the U.S. to a Ryder Cup victory, developed a mysterious illness that caused his white blood cell count to spike, his liver count to plunge and inflammation around his heart.

He was hospitalized around the holidays, didn’t start last season until May and went on to win four times on the PGA Tour Champions, including a senior major.

The GWAA also chose distinguished club professional Bob Ford (Oakmont and Seminole) for the William D. Richardson Award for outstanding contributions to golf; and Peter Jacobsen for its Jim Murray Award for his access, words and cooperation with the media.

They will be honored April 5 at the annual GWAA awards dinner in Augusta, Georgia.

DIVOTS

Marcus Byrd, who led the APGA Tour’s fall series, was awarded the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption to play in the Genesis Invitational at Riviera. The exemption began in 2009 and represents advancement of diversity in golf. … Davis Thompson became the seventh player in the last 40 years on the PGA Tour to make five eagles in one tournament. Dustin Johnson was the only player from that list who won the tournament (2020 FedEx St. Jude Championship). … Here’s an anomaly in the world of professional golf: Chandler Phillips won the Korn Ferry Tour opener in the Bahamas last week using only four golf balls — one for each round. … Ron Green Jr., who has spent 34 years covering golf for The Charlotte Observer and Global Golf Post, has won the PGA of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. Stephen Szurlej, a senior staff photographer at Golf Digest for nearly 30 years, is this year’s recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Photojournalism. … The R&A has expanded its partnership with IMG to create commercial opportunities. Endeavor-owned IMG previously helped with the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific and the AIG Women’s British Open. Now its support will extend to all R&A championships.

STAT OF THE WEEK

Steve Stricker’s victory rate on the PGA Tour Champions is 25% (12 wins in 48 starts). That’s the highest of anyone on the 50-and-older circuit with at least 10 wins.

FINAL WORD

“If I had to choose, I would rather lead. You learn a lot about yourself in 18 holes. Because it’s four to five hours of a lot of stress.” — Jon Rahm.

COLUMN: RAHM’S BIG RUN IS PUTTING EVERYONE IN GOLF ON NOTICE

Davis Thompson, a 23-year-old PGA Tour rookie and former No. 1 amateur, needed only five words to indicate the odds he faced in the final round of The American Express.

“I’m playing against Jon Rahm.”

This isn’t the first time Rahm has been regarded as among golf’s best. He spent the second half of 2021 at No. 1 in the world, the same year he captured the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines for his first major.

Rahm also is not the only player to go on the kind of heater he is on now.

The 28-year-old Spaniard has won four his last six starts worldwide over the last three months, including his two PGA Tour events this month on courses — Maui mountain, California desert — that couldn’t be more different.

He won in Spain by six shots and the DP World Tour Championship by two in the fall. He started the new year on the PGA Tour by closing with a 63 to overcome a seven-shot deficit against Collin Morikawa at Kapalua, and then holding off a spirited challenge from Thompson in The American Express.

Next up is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, one of his favorite places even before he won the U.S. Open. Rahm won his first PGA Tour event at Torrey in 2017, and twice in the last three years he has missed a playoff by one shot.

Thompson’s words might ring true for the other 155 players in the field this week: “I’m playing against Jon Rahm.”

“In my mind, I feel like I can get a lot better,” Rahm said Sunday. His average score in both PGA Tour starts this year is 65.75. “It’s my job to try to do the best I can, and so far, I’m doing a pretty good job.”

It’s one thing to go on a big run. What really makes other players take notice is when it happens again and again.

David Duval first made people take notice at the end of 1997 when he won his final three tournaments. And while he didn’t exactly fall off the map — Duval won a tournament in the winter, spring, summer and fall the next year — his start to 1999 was eye-popping.

He won at Kapalua by eight. Then, he shot 59 to win the Bob Hope Classic. He was looked upon as the best player in golf, except the No. 1 ranking belonged to Tiger Woods. That eventually went to Duval two months later when he won The Players Championship.

Vijay Singh already had two majors and a PGA Tour money title. And then he looked unbeatable in 2004. There was a feeling if his name wasn’t on the leaderboard, it would be the next time anyone looked. He won nine times — three in a row in September, the first of which made him No. 1 in the world and ended the five-year reign of Woods.

Rory McIlroy, who currently occupies No. 1, also was an established star when he had a monster year in 2012, winning five times, including his second major. He twice had streaks of five straight top 10s.

So no one was surprised when he won three straight times in 2014, two of them majors.

Woods, of course, resides in his own section of golf history.

His run from 1997 through 2009 never really ended except when he was going through swing changes with Butch Harmon (1998) and Hank Haney (2004). He had three winning streaks of five tournaments or more. Woods began one year with six straight finishes in the top 15 and was said to be in a slump. He won his next three, including the Masters.

He’s a separate conversation.

Rahm is sure to be a heavy favorite at Torrey Pines, which starts Wednesday. He will try to become the first player since Dustin Johnson in 2017 to win three straight (Rahm was runner-up in Johnson’s third win that year at Match Play).

Rahm is No. 3 in the world ranking, which only makes sense when remembering that the ranking is based on two years, not six months, of play.

Masters champion Scottie Scheffler is No. 2 and came within an inch — he narrowly missed a birdie putt on his final hole at The American Express — of returning to No. 1. That’s a product of his four wins and three runner-up finishes last year.

No one has said, “I’m playing against Scottie Scheffler.” Another big run like last spring and that might change.

Rahm could go to No. 1 with another win or even a high finish at Torrey, though it depends on how McIlroy fares in his 2023 debut in Dubai.

While there’s no doubting who’s playing the best golf right now, the world ranking is more like a two-hour documentary than a 45-minute podcast.

Rahm had two wins in three starts when McIlroy packed it in for the year. McIlroy’s final six starts of 2022 were victories in the Tour Championship and CJ Cup, runner-up by one shot at Wentworth and three fourth-place finishes.

How quickly we forget.

Also, the world ranking is in the midst of a transition in an attempt to measure the strength of the entire field, not just players in the top 200, and points have been reduced in this new math. It should start to sort itself out in the next few months.

Rahm no longer seems as flabbergasted about the ranking as he was a few months ago. He said at Kapalua he felt he was the best player in golf, and winning The American Express didn’t change his opinion. He won’t find many detractors at the moment.

**********************TOP INDIANA RELEASES***********************

PACERS BASKETBALL: GAME REWIND: PACERS 116, BULLS 110

Things didn’t look good for the Pacers in the first half on Tuesday night against Chicago, as the Blue & Gold seemed on their way to an eighth straight loss.

But Indiana mounted a furious rally in the second half. Myles Turner scored 16 points in the third quarter and rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin tallied 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the fourth to lead the Pacers (24-25) to a 116-110 comeback win over their Central Division rivals.

Turner and Mathurin shared high-scoring honors for Indiana with 26 points apiece and T.J. McConnell added 20 points and 10 assists in a much-needed victory over Chicago (22-25).

“We had a positive halftime,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. “We talked about the fact that we were very much still in the game, that they played last night, and we were starting to do some things that were causing them some problems — just to hang in and stay together.

“That’s exactly what happened. Guys fought their butts off…Down the stretch, it was just guts all the way.”

The Pacers trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half and by 16 at halftime, but had pulled within three at 94-91 with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

DeMar DeRozan hit a contested jumper to push the Bulls’ lead back to five, but Mathurin came right back at him and converted a layup plus the foul to draw Indiana within two.

Two straight baskets by Nikola Vucevic padded Chicago’s lead once again, but the Pacers answered with baskets by Buddy Hield and McConnell. After the latter, Aaron Nesmith intercepted a lazy inbound pass and Turner drew a foul on DeRozan, hitting both free throws to tie the game at 100 with 4:57 remaining.

Zach LaVine lost the ball out of bounds on Chicago’s next possession. McConnell then converted a reverse layup on the baseline to give Indiana its first lead of the night with 4:27 remaining.

DeRozan drew a foul and hit both foul shots to tie the game on the other end. Hield then missed a three from the left wing. Bulls guard Alex Caruso tried to chase down the rebound on the baseline, but threw the ball right back to Hield, who hoisted another trey. This one bounced high off the rim before dropping through the net to put Indiana back in front.

The Bulls answered, however. Vucevic hit a hook shot at 3:35 and Ayo Dosunmu converted a jumper with 2:54 remaining to give the visitors a one-point lead. Mathurin hit one of two foul shots with 1:59 remaining to tie the game at 106.

On the ensuing possession, LaVine tried to drive, but lost the ball off his leg out of bounds. Caruso then fouled Nesmith on a screen and the third-year wing hit one of two free throws to put Indiana back in front.

DeRozan took it himself on the other end, somehow escaping a trap and getting to the lane for a go-ahead reverse layup with 1:13 to play. The Pacers answered, as McConnell found Mathurin on the left wing for a three and a 110-108 lead with 1:01 left.

Vucevic tied the game once again, driving down the lane and throwing down a left-hand slam over Turner with 41.9 seconds left. But once again, McConnell and Mathurin responded.

The veteran point guard drove to the baseline, then dropped off to the cutting rookie for the go-ahead layup with 29.2 seconds to play.

After a timeout, Hield got a hand on Caruso’s inbound pass intended for Vucevic to force a turnover. The Bulls fouled Nesmith with 22 seconds remaining and this time he hit both foul shots.

LaVine missed a stepback three on the other end. The Bulls secured a long rebound, but LaVine was whistled for a travel, essentially ending the game. The improbable victory was Indiana’s first since Jan. 8.

“I feel like a lot of teams in our position would have probably put their head down and said, ‘Here we go again, loss number eight in a row,'” McConnell said after the victory. “But we’ve been saying it all year — we don’t quit. This team has a ton of fight. It’s annoying that we have to come back from a deficit like that, but we showed a lot of maturity tonight.”

DeRozan had a game-high 33 points, going 14-for-21 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line, but the second half belonged to the Blue & Gold.

Turner finished 11-for-21 from the field and pulled down eight rebounds, while Mathurin went 10-for-17 and collected seven boards. McConnell played 40 minutes, went 9-for-14 from the field, tallied a double-double, and came up with three steals.

It was a remarkable turnaround after a rough start on Tuesday. Vucevic hit two quick threes as the Bulls scored the first eight points of the game. Vucevic added another bucket and DeRozan scored seven points while the Pacers went just 2-for-12 from the field to open the game as Chicago opened up a 20-5 lead midway through the opening frame.

The Blue & Gold found some offensive rhythm over the rest of the first quarter thanks to Mathurin and McConnell (six points apiece), but still trailed 33-21 after the first 12 minutes.

The Bulls pushed their lead to 16 with two baskets in the first 45 seconds of the second quarter. Second-year guard Chris Duarte did his best to keep the Pacers in the game from there, hitting two 3-pointers and two free throws for Indiana’s next eight points.

The Blue & Gold drew within 11 on Terry Taylor’s jumper with 4:26 remaining in the first half, but the Bulls responded with nine unanswered points, extending their lead to 59-39 with 3:03 left in the second quarter.

The Pacers managed to trim four points off that deficit before the intermission, but still headed to the break facing a 62-46 deficit.

Turner sparked a Pacers charge out of halftime. The 26-year-old big man scored nine points over the first 3:25 of the third quarter as Indiana opened the second half with an 11-4 run.

“We put in a new action for him yesterday that gave him two looks at getting the ball in the post,” Carlisle said of Turner’s play out of halftime. “It was effective. He was able to score some, his activity led to some open shots, we were able to draw some fouls that allowed us to get to the bonus a little earlier in the quarter. It was something that was needed.”

Turner scored 16 points in the quarter, hitting a stepback three over Andre Drummond to cut Indiana’s deficit to 84-76 with 2:14 remaining in the frame. After Drummond missed two free throws, Taylor threw down a two-hand slam on the other end to pull Indiana within six.

That would be the closest the Blue & Gold would get for the remainder of the frame, as they entered the fourth quarter trailing 87-80. But they outscored Chicago by 13 in the final frame to come away with the victory.

Hield stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and four steals. Duarte added 11 points and nine rebounds for Indiana, while Taylor chipped in 11 points and five boards off the bench.

Vucevic had 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for Chicago. LaVine scored 14 points, but finished 4-for-14 from the field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

After snapping their losing streak, the Pacers will try to win their second game in as many nights on Wednesday in Orlando, when they take on Paolo Banchero and the Magic on the second night of a back-to-back.

Inside the Numbers

Mathurin topped 20 points for the 19th time this season, Turner for the 13th, and McConnell for the second.

After tallying his third career triple-double on Saturday in Phoenix, McConnell tallied his fourth double-double of the season on Tuesday.

The Pacers matched their season low with eight turnovers, a feat they previously accomplished on Dec. 29 against Cleveland.

Hield went 4-for-11 from 3-point range and now has a league-leading 185 made 3-pointers this season. He also set new season highs with four steals and three blocks (the three blocks matched his career best, a mark he originally set on April 28, 2021).

Taylor, in his second year out of Austin Peay, reached double figures for the first time this season.

The Pacers limited the Bulls to just 5-of-24 3-point shooting, the fewest 3-point makes by an Indiana opponent this season.

You Can Quote Me On That

“I think it was all about our trust. I think that first half we just weren’t together as a cohesive unit as we were in the past. That was really just the message — to get back on the same page and get back to competing and play hard.” -Turner on what changed after halftime

“This is where he’s unique to most rookies. Where a lot of rookies are hitting the wall and losing steam, he’s actually gaining momentum. That’s I think the thing that’s most impressive about him. He just has a capacity and will to compete and get better.” -Carlisle on Mathurin

“He shows a lot of maturity. Big-time players make big-time shots in big-time moments. That’s what he did. He’s done that pretty much all year for us. We trust him to do that and he stepped up in a big way.” -McConnell on Mathurin’s strong play down the stretch

“T.J. McConnell plays with an annoying persistence that everybody wishes they had on their team. He’s a supercharged competitor and that’s really a great compliment. Everything the guy stands for is totally about team…McConnell is a guy that players throughout the league respect because he brings it every single night and the NBA is a hard league to bring it every single night.” -Carlisle

“It really starts with him. The pace that he plays with allows us to make reads. A lot of times when he’s aggressive and he’s getting to the paint, he’s either going to finish or make the right play. That’s huge for our offense, especially when we don’t have a lot going for ourselves on a given possession.” -Turner on McConnell igniting Indiana’s offense

“I thought Terry Taylor really reestablished himself tonight. He gave us a physical presence. He generated some second-chance points when the game was mucky and ugly and we weren’t able to get any rhythm.” -Carlisle

Stat of the Night

The Pacers outscored Chicago 70-48 in the second half. After allowing the Bulls to shoot 55 percent in the first half, Indiana held them to 43.8 percent shooting in the second half. The Pacers, meanwhile, flipped the script, going from 32.7 percent shooting over the first two quarters to 53.2 percent over the final two.

Noteworthy

The Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak against the Bulls dating back to last season. The two teams have split a pair of games, with each winning on their home court, and will play twice more in the regular season: on Feb. 15 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and on March 5 in Chicago.

Indiana is now 4-6 on the season when playing on the first night of a back-to-back.

Pacers rookie guard Andrew Nembhard missed Tuesday’s game with a non-COVID illness.

Up Next

The Pacers will take on the Magic in Orlando in the first meeting this season between Mathurin and Banchero — the two Rookie of the Year frontrunners — on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 PM ET.

Tickets

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 PM ET.

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS AT MAGIC

With the seven-game skid now behind them, the Indiana Pacers can build on some positive momentum when they take on the Orlando Magic Wednesday at Amway Center.

Two of the top rookies from the 2022 NBA Draft will square off, as the Magic’s Paolo Banchero is poised to play against the Pacers after missing the previous two meetings due to injury.

Banchero, a 6-foot-10 forward from Duke University, leads all rookies in scoring average at 20.7 points per game. He’s also averaging 6.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in his first professional season.

For the Pacers, rookie Bennedict Mathurin, the No. 6 overall pick, has also been superb. Mathurin, a 6-5 guard from Arizona University, leads all bench scorers in the NBA at 17.3 points per game while also averaging 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He has scored at least 20 points 19 times this season.

While Banchero has a higher point-per-game average, Mathurin leads the total points column (856-829) among rookies. Banchero has played in 40 games this season to Mathurin’s 48.

Both rookies are just 20 years old.

On Tuesday, the Pacers (24-25) overcame a 21-point deficit in a 116-110 win over the Chicago Bulls (22-24), snapping a seven-game losing streak.

Mathurin scored 26 points for the Pacers in the win, including 15 points in the fourth quarter. Pacers center Myles Turner also had 26 points to go along with seven rebounds and point guard T.J. McConnell – now in a starting role with Tyrese Haliburton sidelined due to injury – finished with 20 points and 10 assists.

After Banchero, Franz Wagner, in his second year from Germany, is scoring 20.4 points per game to go along with 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists while center Wendell Carter Jr. is averaging 15.3 points and 8.7 rebounds. All three players are listed at 6-foot-10.

The Magic are coming off one of their more surprising wins this season, a 113-98 victory over the East’s top-ranked team, the Boston Celtics (35-14). In that game, Banchero scored 23 points and Carter had 21 points and 11 rebounds.

Indiana will again be without Haliburton on Wednesday, who has been sidelined with elbow and knee sprains since he sustained the injuries on Jan. 11. The Pacers have won just one game since Haliburotn got hurt.

With minutes up for grabs, McConnell has stepped up in recent games, scoring in double figures in seven of the last eight games. Over the last 10 games, McConnell is averaging 11.5 points, 6.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds.

Indiana comes into the game standing ninth in the East, a half game behind the Atlanta Hawks, while the Magic are in 13th.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – T.J. McConnell, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Buddy Hield, F – Aaron Nesmith, C – Myles Turner

Magic: G – Markelle Fultz, G – Gary Harris, F – Franz Wagner, F – Paulo Banchero, C – Wendell Carter Jr.

Injury Report

Pacers: Andrew Nembhard – questionable (non-COVID illness), Tyrese Haliburton – out (left knee/elbow sprains), Daniel Theis – out (right knee surgery)

Magic: Caleb Houstan – out (G League assignment), Chuma Okeke – out (left knee surgery)

Last Meeting

Nov. 21, 2022: Indiana won a second game in three nights against Orlando, 123-102, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Pacers trailed by a point after the first quarter but held the Magic to 17 points in the second to go up 54-45 by intermission.

Out of the break, the Pacers dropped 32 points before following up with 37 more in the final frame to secure the win.

Six Pacers scored in double figures, led by 22 from rookie Bennedict Mathurin. The Pacers dominated at the point guard position, with Tyrese Haliburton totaling 18 points and 14 assists while T.J. McConnell collected 19 points and 10 assists off the bench.

Franz Wagner topped the box score for the Magic with 20 points and six rebounds and Gary Harris chipped in 18 points.

The Pacers shot 50 percent from the field, but made just 13 of 46 3-point attempts, while holding the Magic to 42.4 percent shooting.

Despite a clear size advantage at almost every position, the Pacers outrebounded the Magic 48-38 and outscored the visitors in the paint 58-42.

Noteworthy

Gary Harris, a Fishers native, attended Hamilton Southeastern High School and was Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2012.

The Magic have lost nine of the last 11 matchups with the Pacers and 28 of the last 35 overall.

Indiana will go back to Orlando on Feb. 25 to conclude a four-game season series with the Magic.

Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)

TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)

Tickets

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 PM ET.

INDIANA BASEBALL: ROLEN HEADED TO THE HALL

There are 13 categories listed on the National Baseball Hall of Fame website: 10 of those are positions, while the other three include executives, managers and umpires. Of those 13 categories, the third base position has the third lowest number enshrined in Cooperstown.

On Tuesday (Jan. 24), Indiana baseball director of player development Scott Rolen – and 17-year Major League Baseball veteran – became just the 18th player at the hot corner to earn a spot among the best in baseball history. Those 18 are just a few more than umpires (10) and designated hitters (3).

Rolen spent time with the Philadelphia Phillies (seven years), St. Louis Cardinals (six years), Toronto Blue Jays (two years) and Cincinnati Reds (four years) over his 17-year career. The Jasper, Indiana, native was a second-round pick of the Phillies in 1993 and made his MLB debut in 1996 for the organization.

His career featured 2,077 hits, 316 home runs, 1,287 RBIs, 1,211 runs scored, along with the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year, seven All-Star game selections and eight Gold Gloves. Rolen received just 10.2 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot (2018) and in his sixth year garnered 76.3 percent of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America. In the history of the BBWAA voting process, no player had ever gotten less than 15% support on his first ballot and gone on to be elected by the writers.

His WAR (wins above replacement) at third base ranks No. 10 all-time at the position and among MLB hitters all-time, Rolen’s 876 extra base hits – 517 doubles, 43 triples, 316 home runs – ranks No. 75 in the history of the game. A 2006 World Series champion with the Cardinals, Rolen never appeared at any other position, and never played a game at designated hitter, with his only appearances coming as a third baseman or pinch hitter.

Rolen is in his fifth season as the director of player development at Indiana and serves the baseball student-athletes with advice on lifestyle choices and making informed decisions when pursuing professional baseball careers. He also assists with on-campus recruiting and collaborates with the coaching staff on various on-field approaches.

INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL: GAME NOTES – GAME 20 AT MINNESOTA

• Indiana University continues its 123rd season of competition in men’s basketball with a road game at Minnesota. Tip is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on Jan. 25 from Williams Arena on BTN.

• The Gophers, led by second-year head coach Ben Johnson, enter Wednesday night’s contest with a 7-11 record and a 1-7 mark in B1G play. Minnesota has lost three-straight games.

Game Information

Jan. 25, 2023 • 9 p.m. ET

Williams Arena (14,625) • Minneapolis

TV: BTN (Cory Provus and Robbie Hummel)

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

Series History: Indiana leads, 106-69

Last Meeting: IU 84, MINN 79 on Feb. 27, 2022 in Minneapolis

Series History

• Indiana has won 106 games in 175 chances against Minnesota, including a pair of wins in the 2021-22 season.

In the first game, Indiana secured a 73-60 home victory before earning an 84-79 win in Minneapolis. IU led by as many as 27 points in the second game but had to withstand a furious comeback attempt from the home team to secure the win.

• Guard Xavier Johnson averaged 19.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists in the two wins.

• Head coach Mike Woodson averaged 18.1 points in his seven career contests against the Gophers.

• Indiana has won five-straight games against Minnesota dating back to the 2019-20 season. IU has claimed victory in 10 of the last 12 contests in the series.

Last Time Out

• Indiana earned a third-straight conference win for the first time since the 2018-19 Big Ten season with an 82-69 result over the Michigan State Spartans on Jan. 22.

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis registered his second-consecutive 30-point game with 31 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots in the victory.

• The Greenwood native is the first major-conference player in 25 seasons of men’s college basketball to secure at least 65 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists, and eight blocks in a two-game span.

• Junior guard Trey Galloway scored 17 points, the second most of his Big Ten career, on 5-of-8 shooting from the floor and 3-of-3 shooting from the 3-point line. He added three assists and one rebound.

• Sophomore guard Tamar Bates added 17 points to the IU ledger off the bench. He canned 5-of-6 shots from behind the 3-point arc to go along with three rebounds and one steal.

• The Indiana bench out-scored Michigan State by a tally of 25-9 in the win.

Jackson-Davis Heating Up

• During Indiana’s three-game winning streak, senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis is averaging 28.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 4.3 blocks per game.

• Jackson-Davis has made 34-of-52 (65.4%) of his shots from the floor and 16-of-19 (84.2%) of his free throw attempts during that stretch.

• For the second time in his career, TJD posted back-to-back 30-point games with 35 points at Illinois (Jan. 19) and 31 points against Michigan State (Jan. 22).

• He has posted nine or more rebounds in six-straight games, the longest streak of his career. During that stretch, Jackson-Davis is averaging 13.3 boards per game.

Scoop, There it is

• Sophomore guard Tamar Bates, nicknamed “Scoop”, has taken a second-year leap for the Hoosiers. He has upped his minutes per game from 14.3 to 23.1, points per game from 3.9 to 98.7, and 3-point percentage from 29.8% to 42.0% from his debut collegiate season.

• The IMG Academy product scored 32 points off the bench on 6-of-11 (54.5%) shooting from the 3-point line against Nebraska (Dec. 7) and Arizona (Dec. 10).

• Scoop scored 17 bench points on 5-of-6 shooting from the 3-point line against Michigan State on Jan. 22.

• Bates became a father to his daughter, Leilani, on March 20, 2022, two days after his freshman season concluded. On Jan. 22, the 10-month-old won the halftime show Baby Race in come-from-behind fashion.

The Trey Gallo-Way

• In his last two starts, junior guard Trey Galloway has averaged 14.0 points per game on 9-of-13 (69.2%) shooting from the floor and 4-of-4 shooting from the 3-point line.

• Galloway scored a career-high 20 points on 4-of-6 shooting from deep in IU’s first Big Ten win of the season over Nebraska on Dec. 7.

• The Culver Academies graduate scored 17 points on 4-of-4 shooting from behind the arc against Michigan State on Jan. 22.

Next Man up: Jordan Geronimo

• Junior forward Jordan Geronimo has started the last five contests in place of the injured sixth-year senior forward Race Thompson.

• In those five starts, he is averaging 7.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on .533/.400/.667 shooting splits.

• The Newark, N.J., native blocked a combined 10 shots against Miami (Ohio) on Nov. 20 and Little Rock on Nov. 23. The tally marked the most by a Hoosier off the bench since 1996-97.

Rise of the Fino

• After hitting double figures in the scoring column just twice in his first six collegiate games, freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino has scored 10-plus points in nine of the last 10 games.

• During the 10-game run, Hood-Schifino is averaging 15.3 points on 48.7% shooting from the floor and 48.6% shooting from the 3-point line.

• Hood-Schifino scored a career-best 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting from the floor and 5-of-7 shooting from the 3-point line against Northwestern on Jan. 8, the highest point total by a Hoosier freshman since Eric Gordon scored 33 against Chattanooga on Nov. 12, 2007.

• JHS ranks fourth among all freshmen in the Big Ten in scoring (12.5 points per game), first in assists (4.4), fourth in rebounds (4.2), and fifth in made 3-pointers per game (1.4). He is second in the league averaging a combined 21.1 points, rebounds, and assists per game.

The Best in the Big Ten

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Jan. 23 after turning in a phenomenal week. He tallied 35 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks on 15-of-19 shooting from the floor in a road victory at No. RV/23 Illinois on Jan. 19 and 31 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, and five blocked shots against Michigan State on Jan. 22.

• He became the first major-conference player in 25 seasons of men’s college basketball to secure at least 65 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists, and eight blocks in a two-game span.

• For his efforts, he was also named Naismith Trophy Player of the Week, ESPN.com Player of the Week, and NCAA March Madness Player of the Week on Jan. 23.

Road Warriors

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis scored a Big Ten career-high 35 points at Illinois on Jan. 19, the sixth-highest output for a Hoosier on the road in program history.

• Only Alan Henderson (41 at Michigan State) Bracey Wright (39 at North Texas), Steve Alford (38 at Wisconsin), Damon Bailey (36 at Kansas), and Jay Edwards (36 at Minnesota) tallied more points in an IU road game.

Passing out of the Double

• Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis ranks fourth in Division I basketball in assists per game among players list at 6’9 or taller.

• With defenses collapsing on post touches, Jackson-Davis has flourished this season with his passing, averaging 3.5 dimes per game. He has produced seven games with four assists or more this season. He has dished out at least four helpers in five-straight games.

BUTLER MEN’S SOCCER: ANNOUNCES SPRING SCHEDULE

The Butler men’s soccer program has scheduled a tough slate of spring exhibition matches in preparation for the fall 2023 season. The Bulldogs will play on five different dates, with five of the six total contests to be played in the Indianapolis area.

Butler will kick off the off-season with a matchup against the Indy Eleven of the United Soccer League. The match will be played Fri., Feb. 10, at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind.

There will be four contests at the Sellick Bowl (or Varsity Field) that include matchups with Indiana and IPFW, along with two back-to-back matches as part of the Indianapolis Cup.

The Bulldogs are coming off a 2022 season that produced an overall record of 10-6-3 and was highlighted by a win over No. 14 Marshall. Paul Snape‘s side finished 4-3-3 in BIG EAST play, landing in a tie for the third spot and qualifying for the BIG EAST Tournament. After advancing from the quarterfinal round, with a win over Providence, Butler’s season came to an end with a loss to #17 Georgetown in the semifinal.

Men’s Soccer Spring 2023 Schedule

Friday, Feb 10             vs. Indy Eleven             @ Grand Park

Saturday, Feb 25         INDIANA                      Sellick Bowl                1:30 pm

Saturday, March 25     at Notre Dame             @ South Bend             2 pm

Saturday, April 1          vs. IPFW                      Sellick Bowl                 1:30 pm

Indianapolis Cup at Butler
Saturday, April 15      vs. UINDY                   Sellick/Varsity             3 pm
Saturday, April 15      vs. IUPUI or Marian     Sellick/Varsity             5 pm

BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL: BUTLER MAKES MIDWEEK TRIP TO NO. 23 PROVIDENCE

Butler (11-10, 3-7 BIG EAST) at #23/21 Providence (15-5, 7-2)
Wednesday, Jan. 25; 8:30PM
Amica Mutual Pavilion; Providence, R.I.

PDF notes can be found here: https://bit.ly/3NGADRf

TV: FS1 – Dave Sims & Donny Marshall
Radio: 1430AM – @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
Varsity Network Radio App, SiriusXM 385, SXM App 975

THE SERIES: Providence Leads, 17-5
Streak: Providence, W5
In R.I.: Providence Leads, 7-2
First Meeting: PC, 65-56; 1/21/14
Last Meeting: PC, 72-52; 12/29/22

• This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams; Providence won, 72-52, Dec. 29 at Hinkle Fieldhouse.
• Devin Carter led PC with 21 points in the Dec. 29 win over Butler in Indianapolis.
• In that match-up, PC limited Butler to 2-for-16 three-point shooting and held a 44-29 rebounding advantage.
• All 22 match-ups between the two teams have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST for the 2013-14 season.

• According to KenPom, Butler has played the nation’s 11th-toughest schedule so far this season.
• In Butler’s 10 losses this season, their opponents have averaged a 12.5-point halftime lead and have averaged a +12.9 rebounding margin.
• Butler is committing only 12.8 fouls per game, which leads the nation.
• Butler went 16-for-16 from the free throw line in Sunday’s loss at UConn; it’s the fourth time in program history that the Bulldogs have made at least 15 free throws in a game without a miss.
• Butler is now 43rd nationally in free throw percentage at 75.0 percent.
• Butler’s eight blocks Sunday at UConn were the second-most in a game for the Bulldogs this season; both Connor Turnbull and Myles Wilmoth set new career-highs with three blocks apiece.
• In addition to leading the Bulldogs with 16 points at UConn Sunday, Chuck Harris also had a career-high five steals.
• Manny Bates has missed the last three games (knee), his first missed outings of the season.
• In BIG EAST games, Butler is committing only 10.8 turnovers per game, which is second among league schools.
• Butler is 11-0 this season when leading at halftime; Villanova opened the second half with a 16-1 run Jan. 13 to erase a 10-point Butler halftime lead before the Bulldogs responded for the win.
• Butler is 11-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
• The Bulldogs are 7-0 this season when out-rebounding its opponent.
• Among active coaches with at least 10 seasons of NCAA Division I experience, Matta’s .733 winning percentage ranks fourth (Few, Self, Calipari). The Jan. 13 win over Villanova was Win No. 450 for Matta.
• Simas Lukosius, Harris, Bates and Jayden Taylor have each led the Bulldogs in scoring in at least four games this season (includes ties).
• Butler shot 56.6 percent from the field against Villanova Jan. 13, which is the second-best output of the season. It’s the tenth game this season for the Bulldogs shooting 50 percent or better.
• Butler has shot 40 percent or better from three-point range 10 times this season.
• Taylor is averaging a team-high 14.4 points per game in Butler’s 10 games away from Hinkle Fieldhouse this season; he has led the team in scoring in five of those games.
• Over the last four games, Lukosius is averaging 18.3 points per game, while shooting 63 percent from the field and making all 13 of his free throw attempts.
• Lukosius is sixth in the BIG EAST in three-point percentage, making 41.1 percent of his attempts from behind the arc.
• Lukosius led Butler with a career-high 28 points and five three-pointers in the Jan. 13 win over Villanova.
• Jalen Thomas has led the Bulldogs in rebounding in five of his 10 games played this season since returning from a pulmonary embolism; that includes pacing the team in boards in four of the last five games.
• Harris is now 21st in Butler history in career three-pointers (127).
• Bates has 35 blocks already this season, moving him just two away from tenth on Butler’s single-season list.
• Bates is 16th nationally with a 62.8 field goal percentage and is 37th nationally in blocks per game at 1.9 per game.
• Eric Hunter Jr. led the Bulldogs with a season-high seven assists Jan. 13 vs. Villanova, which was one shy of his career-best.

BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: ST. JOHN’S TO HOST @BUTLERUWBB WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT CARNESECCA ARENA

INDIANAPOLIS – The Bulldogs will battle the Red Storm Wednesday night at 7 PM. Mike Watts and Kim Adams will call the action on FloSports.com.

GameDay
Date: Wednesday, Jan. 25
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Queens, N.Y. – Carnesecca Arena
Live Stats: RedStormSports.com – Sidearm
Watch: FloSports.com – BEDN

Bulldog Bits
– Wednesday will be the 19th overall meeting between Butler and St. John’s.
– Butler outscored UConn 13-10 in the first quarter over the weekend in Storrs.
– The Bulldogs hit three of their first four 3-point attempts and would end the game with seven total.
– BU used a 13-0 scoring run in the first quarter to build a lead.
– Butler led UConn by nine points at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter.
– Anna Mortag led BU with two made 3-pointers and a team-best five rebounds vs. the Huskies.
– Half of Butler’s made field goals at UConn were from 3-point range.
– Sydney Jaynes and Jessica Carrothers shared the team lead in scoring with seven points each.
– Carrothers and Strande each played 20+ mins at UConn and did not commit a turnover.
– Carrothers ranks 10th in the BIG EAST in field goal percentage (51.5) and steals (1.5).
– Rachel McLimore led Butler with three assists at UConn.
– The ‘Dawgs grabbed nine offensive rebounds at UConn to come up with seven second chance points.
– Nine Bulldogs made a field goal vs. UConn while the Huskies were limited to just seven active players.
– Shay Frederick is two rebounds shy of 400 for her collegiate career and has not missed a free throw this season.
– Kendall Wingler needs five more 3-pointers to reach 100 in her collegiate career.
– Wingler did not play vs. St. John’s in the first meeting this year.
– St. John’s recently defeated DePaul for the first time since March 7, 2016.
– Jayla Everett was inactive when Butler hosted St. John’s on Dec. 2.

Scouting St. John’s
The Red Storm were picked seventh in the BIG EAST Preseason Poll, but find themselves third in the BIG EAST standings in the final week of January. St. John’s shook off two losses with two-straight wins last week vs. quality opponents. They topped Marquette by five at Carnesecca Arena and went to DePaul to knock off the Blue Demons by nine. Jayla Everett made the BIG EAST Weekly honor roll after averaging 21 points and 2.5 assists last week. She shot 48 percent from the field, including 43 percent from 3-point range. Everett and Kadaja Bailey are the top two scoring options on the roster. Everett is averaging 17.3 points per game (5th in the BIG EAST) and Bailey is close behind averaging 13.9.

All-Time Series vs. St. John’s
The Red Storm lead the all-time series over the Bulldogs 14-4. Each of the last two meetings have been played in Indianapolis with St. John’s winning to extend their streak to six-straight vs. Butler. Butler’s last win over STJ came during the 2018-19 season. They swept the Johnnies that year, winning 66-45 at home and 73-68 in Queens.

Butler’s Last Game vs. St. John’s
A 13-2 fourth-quarter Butler run made it a one-point game, 56-55, with 90 seconds remaining, but Kadaja Bailey went on her own 9-2 run to lead the Red Storm to the road win. Bailey finished with a game-high 16 points while Anna Mortag led Butler with 15, including a trio of three-pointers. The Bulldogs shot 5-of-9 from three in the second half to close the gap, but St. John’s shot .463 from the field on the night to edge out the win.

St. John’s Last Game
St. John’s fended off a late DePaul run to earn a crucial road victory on Saturday afternoon. The win was the first for the Red Storm over DePaul since March 7, 2016, and snapped a 13-game losing streak against its conference foe. Jayla Everett exploded for 24 points, marking the sixth time she has reached the 20-point mark. The redshirt senior went 9-for-18 from the floor and tied her season-best with five made 3-pointers. DePaul (11-9, 4-5) led by three at the half before St. John’s (16-3, 7-3) outscored the host Blue Demons 25-13 in the third to take control. Aneesah Morrow led DePaul with 26 points and 11 boards for her 16th double-double of the year.

Behind The Arc
Butler ranks 9th in the NCAA and second in the BIG EAST in 3-point field goal percentage (37.8). The Bulldogs average 7.5 made 3-point field goals per game (3rd in the BIG EAST) and hit seven on the road at #5 UConn on Saturday. It was the third time this season BU has made seven 3-pointers in a single-game and the 10th time this year they have attempted 20 or more. Jessica Carrothers (50.0), Caroline Strande (47.2), Anna Mortag (40.5), and Trinity White (40.0) all shoot better than 40 percent from 3-point range. Mortag hit a season-high three 3-pointers in the first meeting vs. St. John’s

UConn Recap
Butler surprised the Huskies early with a 13-0 run that put the Bulldogs up 13-4. But UConn outscored Butler 75-26 from there. Aaliyah Edwards scored 20 points, Aubrey Griffin and Lou Lopez Sénéchal each added 17 points as UConn, which had just seven healthy players again, won its 10th straight game and remained undefeated in BIG EAST play. Jessica Carrothers and Sydney Janes each had seven points for the Bulldogs.

Move Your Feet
Butler and St. John’s are two of the best teams in the BIG EAST that defend without fouling. Butler ranks 12th in the NCAA and third in the BIG EAST in fewest fouls per game (13.3). St. John’s leads the conference in that category (12.2). The Bulldogs were recently whistled for 18 fouls at UConn, their highest total since Dec. 7 against Southern Indiana. The Bulldogs did attack the St. John’s defense in the first meeting allowing them to shoot 17 free throws. Butler has shot more free throws than their opponent 13 times this year. They are 7-6 when taking more attempts from the line.

Defensive Driven
St. John’s ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring defense (57.7) and third in field goal percentage defense (38.2). No other BIG EAST team defense the arc like the Red Storm. They lead the conference in 3-point field goal defense (27.1).

Ball Movement
Butler had 10 assists on 14 made field goals during their last game. The ‘Dawgs have now recorded 10 assists in back-to-back games. They have had 10 assists or less 10 times this year including eight times against a BIG EAST opponent.

Season-Lows
UConn’s size caused problems for the Bulldogs as the team set season-low marks in points (39), field goals made (14) and field goal percentage (25.9) in Storrs. UConn limited BU to just one made field goal in the second quarter to take a commanding lead. Getting off to a good start is important for BU in Queens as the team is 7-2 this season when leading at half and 0-11 when trailing after the opening 20 minutes.

Crash the Glass
Anna Mortag and Caroline Strande have been two of the top rebounders on the team in recent weeks for Butler. Strande has led Butler in rebounds in three of the team’s last six games and Mortag has been near the team lead in back-to-back games. Mortag leads the team in rebound average (4.8), but Strande leads the club in total rebounds (90). The Bulldogs are 0-11 this year when they are outrebounded. Their highest rebound total against a BIG EAST team came at Seton Hall (33).

In the Paint
Sydney Jaynes leads Butler in made field goals (79), offensive rebounds (27), and blocked shots (17). She has recorded more than half of Butler’s blocks this year.

Up Next
Butler will end the month of January with a home game vs. Marquette on Sunday the 29th. The annual Pink Out game will tip at 2 PM at Hinkle Fieldhouse on FloSports.com.

IUPUI MEN’S BASKETBALL: JAGUARS TO OPEN SECOND HALF OF #HLMBB SCHEDULE AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The IUPUI basketball team will open the second half of Horizon League play on Wednesday night (Jan. 25) when the Jaguars take on Purdue Fort Wayne (13-8, 5-5 HL) inside Gates Sports Center at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday’s game will be aired on ESPN+.

IUPUI (3-18, 0-10 HL) is coming off a collection of near misses as the Jaguars still seek a first Horizon League victory this season.

More to follow…

QUOTABLE

“We’re getting better and we’re getting closer. We just had too many turnovers, especially early in the game. We strung together stops, but didn’t capitalize when we needed to. (Davis) is really, really good. He made some tough shots, he made open shots and he made contested shots. With (Detroit), it’s pick your poison and Davis really took it upon himself to carry them today. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap and give credit to a kid,” Crenshaw said following Saturday’s loss to Detroit Mercy.

SCOUTING PURDUE FORT WAYNE

The Mastodons check in at 13-8 overall and 5-5 in Horizon League play. PFW is 7-3 at home this season and 1-0 inside Gates Sports Center, site of Wednesday’s game. The Mastodons defeated IUPUI earlier this season 70-55 in Indianapolis back on Jan. 12. Jarred Godfrey (16.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.0 apg) leads the Mastodons and Bobby Planutis is averaging 11.8 points per game with a team-high 53 threes. Deonte Billups (9.1 ppg, 42 3’s) and Damian Chong Qui (9.0 ppg) are next in line in scoring.

UP NEXT

IUPUI will close out the stretch of two straight road games at Cleveland State on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 3:00 p.m. inside CSU’s Wolstein Center.

Tidbits heading into Wednesday’s game (click here for full game notes (PDF))

FOUR TIMES

IUPUI freshman Vincent Brady II has won the #HLMBB Freshman of the Week Award four times this season, including this past week. Brady, a 6-foot-4 guard, is second on the team in scoring (10.2 ppg) and rebounding (3.9 rpg) and leads the squad in minutes played (31.1 mpg) and threes made (37).

Brady comes in having made at least one three in 16 straight games and in 19 of the team’s 21 games this season.

FRESH DUBS

It would appear that Brady will be hovering around double-digits in scoring all season long.

He had a stretch of four straight games with 15-or-more earlier this season, becoming the first IUPUI freshman to do so since Alex Young in 2008.

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

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

DJ SPINNIN’

While Brady is the reigning #HLMBB Freshman of the Week, he wasn’t even the best freshman on his own team in IUPUI’s last outing – the Jaguars’ 89-77 home defeat to Detroit Mercy. In that game, fellow freshman DJ Jackson had his best game of the season, tallying a season-high 17 points (6-14 FG, 3-5 3’s, 2-2 FT), seven boards, two assists and two steals. Jackson’s three made threes were his first three of the season.

For the year, Jackson is now averaging 6.0 points and 2.7 boards per game after having missed seven weeks earlier this season due to injury.

INDY ELEVEN

Nope, not referring to the city’s USL soccer club – the 11 refers to the number of different players that have started at least one game for the Jaguars this season. While Chris Osten (21 starts), Vincent Brady II (20) and Jlynn Counter (18) have been fixtures among the starting five, the other two spots have been revolving doors.

Eight others have started at least once with Cooper Dewitt becoming the most recent to crack the starting unit.

TEN HIT TEN

Jackson became the tenth different IUPUI player to have a double-digit scoring game for the Jaguars this season, doing so against Detroit Mercy on Jan. 21. Amazingly, of all the 10 players who have scored in double-digits this season, none were on the IUPUI roster last season.

CHRIS DON’T MISS

Graduate transfer Chris Osten is currently shooting 66.2 percent for the season, chasing the school record for single-season shooting percentage (Jon Avery – 67.9 percent in 2008-09). The 6-foot-9 forward is shooting an absurd 77 percent from the field (47-of-61) at home this season.

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

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

in 21 games this season, Osten has hit double-figures 12 times and registered four double-doubles.

OSTEN POWERS

In the seven games in the 2023 calendar year, graduate transfer Chris Osten has been nothing short of awesome. In those games, Osten is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 75.5 percent (40-of-53) from the field. Osten had a career-high 21 points (8-10 FG, 5-7 FT) at Robert Morris on Monday, Jan. 9.

BUTA EMERGES

The past three games have seen a new star emerge off the IUPUI bench as John Egbuta has provided a huge lift. The New York-native has contributed 13.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while making 15-of-25 (60 percent) shots and 3-of-5 treys.

SEEING 20-20

IUPUI had a pair of 20-point scorers against Oakland last Thursday as freshman Vincent Brady II had a career-high 23 points (8-16 FG, 4-9 3’s, 3-3 FT) and Jlynn Counter tallied 22 (8-16 FG, 1-2 3’s, 5-6 FT). It marked the first time under head coach Matt Crenshaw that two players have gone for 20-or-more in the same game.

TOPS IN THE COUNTRY

IUPUI is tops in the nation, having had 13 different players miss at least one game due to injury or illness, 11 of whom are scholarship student-athletes. Highest on the list are Zach Gunn (out for the season), Bryce Monroe (17 games missed) and DJ Jackson (11 games). Other scholarship student-athletes who have missed multiple games this season include Armon Jarrard (7 games), Amhad Jarrard (6 games), John Egbuta (5 games), Cooper Dewitt (3 games) and Daylan Hamilton (3 games).

Behind IUPUI, Wyoming, Vanderbilt and Iona have all had eight student-athletes miss time.

IUPUI has not had a game this season in which the entire roster was available.

SOLID AS A ROC

Jlynn Counter, known as Roc, is riding back-to-back 20-point scoring games for the second time this season, coming off 22 against Oakland (Jan. 19) and 23 against Detroit (Jan. 21).

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

CALL IN THE CLOSER

We’re putting out a call for Mariano Rivera or Trevor Hoffman or Jeff Brantley for that matter. With so many new faces and primarily young faces, head coach Matt Crenshaw is still seeking a closer to help in crunch time. IUPUI has gone down to the wire in three of its past five games, falling short on all three occasions.

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

Against Oakland on Thursday (Jan. 19), IUPUI again rallied from a nine-point deficit and led by as many as four in the closing minutes before a Jalen Moore trey with 3.0 seconds left sent the game to overtime. Oakland outscored the Jags 15-9 in overtime to secure an 83-77 win, keeping the Jags winless in league play.

Against Detroit Mercy on Saturday (Jan. 21), it was a two-possession game with five minutes remaining before the Titans outscored the Jags 20-12 down the stretch.

FRESHIES

IUPUI rookies have combined on five #HLMBB Freshman of the Week Awards this season as Vincent Brady II is a four-time recipient and Armon Jarrard also collected an honor.

IUPUI has relied on freshmen since the start of the season as four have been among the team’s regular rotation since DJ Jackson’s return from injury on Dec. 31.

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

Vincent Brady: 31.1 mpg (14th in the HL), 10.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 37 3’s made (leads team)

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

Armon Jarrard: 18.7 mpg (7th on the team), 4.3 ppg, 17 steals

DJ Jackson (10 games): 19.0 mpg, 6.0 ppg, 2.7 rpg

FRESH STARTERS

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

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

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

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

THE MONROE EFFECT

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

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

BOOK WORMS

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

BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL: BALL STATE DROPS FIRST HOME CONTEST TO BUFFALO

MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team was back inside the friendly confines of Worthen Arena for a Mid-American Conference matchup presented by Stoops Automotive Group on Tuesday. Jarron Coleman led the team with a game-high 27 points, but BSU dropped one to Buffalo 91-65.

The Cardinals fell to 13-7 and 4-3 in MAC play, while the Bulls improved to 10-10 overall and 4-3 in league play.

“Hats off to Buffalo,” said Head Coach Michael Lewis. “Excellent gameplan, they came in from the beginning and went right at us. Very similar to what Kent State did. We did not respond. We did not have fight. There has been a lot of work done by this team over the last couple of months, to put themselves in a position to play in front of a crowd like we did again tonight. To put that type of effort on the floor, is an embarrassment of a performance that you can have.”

Coleman tied a career high with seven made 3-pointers on his way to a 27-point effort, the fourth time of the season and second in the last three contests. He added a game-high three steals to go along with four rebounds and two assists. Jaylin Sellers was the only other player in double figures for the Cardinals with 10 points. He brought down three rebounds, had two assists, and tied a team-high two blocks.

The Bulls came out of the gates strong and opened on a 14-3 run in the game’s first 4:30 of action. Buffalo outscored Ball State 9-3 over the next 2:25 of game action and extended their lead to 23-6 with 13:16 left until the break.

The Cardinals started to pick up the pace and intensity. BSU outscored UB 9-6 over 2:52 that was capped off by a Sellers block, rebound, and a fastbreak layup. Ball State cut the deficit to 32-12 with 9:59 left on the clock.

Ball State ended the first half by outscoring Buffalo, 15-13, but the Bulls took a 45-27 lead into the break.

The Cardinals opened the second have strong and outscored the Bulls 20-11. BSU cut the deficit to just nine points, 56-47, with 14:08 left in regulation.

Buffalo went on to outscore Ball State 35-18 over the remainder of the game and claimed a 91-65 victory.

As a team, the Bulls finished the game 59.7 percent from the field, 50.0 percent from 3-point range, and 85.7 percent from the free-throw line. Curtis Jones tied a game-high 27 points to lead UB. Armoni Foster added 20 points, while Isaiah Adams collected 12 points and Yazid Powell tallied 11.

The Cardinals return to action on Saturday with a trip to Illinois and a matchup with Northern Illinois. Jump is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET.

BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LOOKS TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED AT HOME WEDNESDAY AGAINST AKRON

Game 20 | Ball State (15-4, 5-1 MAC) vs. Akron (13-4, 4-2 MAC)

Jan. 24 | Muncie, Ind. | Worthen Arena | 6:30 pm ET

Opening Tip:

– The Ball State women’s basketball team looks to improve to a 6-1start in Mid-American Conference play for the first time since the 2016-17 season when it hosts Akron Wednesday in Worthen Arena. Currently, the Caridnals are tied for first place in the Mid-American Conference standings.

– In the Cardinals last game Saturday, BSU defeated the Chippewas by a score of 71-62. For the game, Anna Clephane led the Cardinals in scoring with 19 points.

– Wednesday’s game against Akron will mark the 46th time in program history the two schools have met with the Cardinals leading the all-time series, 26-19. Ball State has won eight of the last 11 meetings against the Zips. Brady Sallee owns an 8-8 mark against Akron. In their lone meeting last season, Ball State fell to the Zips at Akron Jan. 15, 2022 by a score of 76-83.

– Ball State and Akron first met in 1986-87 on Dec. 17 in Muncie, Ind., resulting in a 56-64 loss for the Cardinals.

– Akron is looking to get back on the winning track Wednesday when it comes to Ball State. The Zips recently fell to Toledo by a score of 76-63 in Savage Arena. Sophomore Reagan Bass led the Zips with 24 points, while also pulling down a team best eight rebounds.

– It may be cold outside but the Cardinals tend to get hot in the month of January under 11th-year head coach Brady Sallee. Sallee owns an overall record of 57-29 (.658) in the month of January dating back to his first season in 2012-13.

– Ball State head coach Brady Sallee is two games shy of his 200th career win as the Cardinals’ head coach. Making him the first head coach in program history to accomplish that feat in both men’s and women’s basketball.

Fast Facts:

– Redshirt senior Anna Clephane has 1,047 points for her career and became the 10th player under Brady Sallee to reach the 1,000 point milestone against Miami (1/14/23). Clephane is first on the team in scoring averaging 14.2 points per game.

– Sophomore Marie Kiefer has proven to be a great defender for the Cardinals. She currently sits in 12th place all-time in blocked shots with 75 and so far has 27 total this season. Kiefer averages 1.4 blocks per contest.

– Graduate senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir has found her rhythm behind the arc again as she currently leads the team with 55 three’s so far this season. Agustsdottir has 273 total 3-pointers for her career and sits in third place all-time. She needs 19 more to move up to second place which is currently being held by former Cardinal and current assistant Moriah Monaco (2014-18) with 292 3-pointers.

Where the Cards Rank:

Nationally the Cardinals rank 21st in scoring offense (78.8), 21st in 3-pointers per game (8.4), 38th in 3-point field goal attempts (24.7), 24th in field goal percentage (46.2), 28th in assists per game (16.6), 77th in free throw attempts (19.2), 85th in free throws made per game (13.4) and 38th in winning percentage (78.9). The Cardinals currently sit at No. 10 in the latest College Insider Mid-Major Top 25 poll, the highest of any MAC team.

Scouting Akron:

– Akron is off to the second-best start in program history with a 13-4 record. The Zips best overall campaign came during the 2014-15 season with a 14-2 ledger.

– Akron has four players averaging double-digit scoring per game with Reagan Bass leading her squad scoring 17.8 points per game. Behind Bass is Dominique Camp (12.0 ppg), Molly Neitzel (11.3 ppg) and Layne Ferrell (11.2 ppg). Bass also leads the Zips defensively pulling down 7.6 rebounds per game.

– Akron has overcome double-digit deficits to record a victory in five games this season, including Eastern Michigan (-18 | W, 60-43 | Jan. 11), Youngstown State (-17 | W, 61-44 | Nov. 18), Central Michigan (-13 | W, 80-65 | Jan. 18), Miami (-11 | W, 77-66 | Jan. 7) and Stetson (-10 | W, 58-50 | Dec. 18).

Home Sweet Home:

John E. Worthen Arena has been very good to the Cardinals for the past decade. Ball State has a record of 167-85 (.653) at Worthen Arena from 2004-present. In 11 seasons Brady Sallee has compiled a 102-50 (.658) record in Worthen Arena. His best season at home was in 2017- 18 when the Cardinals went 15-3 in Muncie. So far this season the Cardinals are undefeated at home with a 9-0 mark.

NOTRE DAME MEN’S BASKETBALL: IRISH FALL IN FINAL TWO MINUTES, 85-82, AT NC STATE

RALEIGH, N.C. – It was a rollercoaster of a game for a Notre Dame men’s basketball team (9-12, 1-9) in search of its first ACC road win. From down 11 to up seven in the first half, to rallying down nine in the second half to down just one against a talented (RV/RV) NC State (16-5, 6-4) squad. Trailing just 73-76 with under two minutes remaining, the Wolfpack were able to pull away and close out the 85-82 win.

The 82 points were the most scored by the Irish on the road this season and tied for the second most overall. They shot 28-of-54 from the field aka 51.9 percent and converted nine threes to go with 17-for-21 from the free-throw line.

The Irish also outrebounded a taller Wolfpack squad, 41-32. The big difference maker in tonight’s contest – Notre Dame’s 15 turnovers in which NC State converted into 18 points. Meanwhile, NC State recorded just two. The Wolfpack shot 28-for-68 from the field (41.2 percent) and 23-for-27 from the line.

Cormac Ryan got back into form with a team-best 19 points behind a 5-for-6 performance from three-point range. Freshman JJ Starling had his highest points total since Florida State on Dec. 21, pouring in 18 tonight. Starling was 7-for-14 from the field and grabbed seven boards as well, one shy of his season high.

Dane Goodwin extended his double-digit scoring streak to nine games with 11 points. Marcus Hammond was in double figures for the third time in the past four games with 11 as well. Hammond also dished out a season-best four assists.

Finally, Ven-Allen Lubin contributed great minutes tonight with 10 points and five rebounds. It marked his fourth double-digit scoring effort on the year.

How It Happened

Notre Dame started 5-for-8 from the field, with four different starters registering points. As a result, the Irish jumped out to a 12-8 advantage. Then a series of unfortunate events occurred after a flurry of Irish fouls.

NC State finished on an and-one, then was fouled on a three-point shot and made two, missing the last one. On the free-throw rebound, the Irish knocked it out of bounds and on the next play the Wolfpack buried a three for a very quick 8-0 run.

With momentum on their side, NC State extended the run to a 17-2 scoring spree to build a 25-14 lead with 10:41 on the clock. Not to mention, Laszewski was sent to the bench with three fouls.

Next, it was Notre Dame’s turn for a response and they did so with a 13-2 scoring run behind a pair of threes from Ryan and one from Goodwin. It was a methodical run over a four-minute span in which the game was tied at 27-all.

From 5:10-2:51, Notre Dame made four straight from the field, all from different players (Wertz, Lubin, Starling and Hammond), and just like that, were up 36-31. The Irish kept attacking and were sent to the line as they maintained their lead heading into the half, up 42-39.

Notre Dame committed four turnovers in the first four minutes of the second half, plus the Wolfpack earned an 11-0 run, and the Irish found themselves in another hole, down 46-55.

Ryan got the squad back on track with two free throws and a three-pointer for a personal 5-0 run. Shortly thereafter, Goodwin knocked down a big three and then Starling broke down a defender 1-v-1 and finished, making it five straight field goals and a 61-63 game.

Lubin, back in the game, got to double-digit points at the 6:30 mark, keeping it a one-possession game. Fast forward to 4:59 and Ryan ups his stat line to 5-for-5 from three and the Irish are within one, down 68-69.

Yet it seemed for every punch ND had, NC State had a response, and with 3:34 remaining the Irish were down seven. Notre Dame tried to rally as the combo of Goodwin and Starling cut it to 73-76 with 1:51 left. And as much as the Irish were converting from the charity stripe, what doomed them was an 0-for-4 field goal stretch from 2:49-0:49, as the gap was increased to 73-80 with 30 seconds left. NC State then rode that momentum to the 85-82 final.

Up Next

The Irish are back in Purcell Pavilion this weekend for a Saturday matinee against Louisville. Tip is set for Noon ET on ESPN2.

NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: HIDALGO, RISCH ARE 2023 MCDONALD’S ALL-AMERICANS

CHICAGO, Ill. — Notre Dame is the only team in the country that signed three HoopGurlz top-20 recruits in its 2023 class, and two of them earned top national honors on Tuesday. McDonald’s has announced that Irish signees Hannah Hidalgo and Emma Risch will be two of 24 high school senior women to play on the 2023 McDonald’s All-American team. The two games — both men and women — will be played at the Toyota Center in Houston on March 28.

Hidalgo signed with the Irish on Nov. 15. The New Jersey native and Paul VI senior could very well be the country’s best guard before her high school career is all said and done. She is the No. 5 recruit in the nation.

On Sunday, SBLive shared that Hidalgo posted 48 points, 11 rebounds, 8 steals and 5 assists in last weekend’s 72-69 win over Westtown. She had averaged 21.5 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists through three seasons of high school basketball. The 5-6 point guard was the 2021-22 Courier Post South Jersey Player of the Year, 2022 Olympic Conference Player of the Year and a member of the 2022 All-Conference First Team.

“Irish eyes are smiling!” Karen and Kevin Keyes Family Head Coach Niele Ivey said after Hidalgo made her pledge last fall. “We are ecstatic to welcome five-star point guard Hannah Hidalgo to the ND family! Hannah brings swag, competitiveness, and a relentless drive that will instantly elevate our program. She is-multi dimensional, lightning fast and tenacious defensively with a scorer’s mentality and a high basketball IQ. Hannah does a great job of pushing pace and making everyone around her better.”

Risch made her commitment to the Irish more than a year ago, but she signed formally on Nov. 9.

“Emma is one of the best shooters I’ve seen in a very long time,” Ivey said. “She has an incredible IQ, deep shooting range and elite vision. Her size and ability to score in all three levels separates her and will translate to college basketball immediately. I’m looking forward to the positive impact she will make on our team on and off the court. We can’t wait to welcome her to South Bend!”

Risch, who attends Melbourne (Fla.) Palm Bay, recently made the greatest jump in the latest ESPN 2023 HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings; she was previously No. 64 nationally and now checks in at No. 20, making her a five-star recruit. She is the eighth-ranked player in the class classified as a guard by ESPN.

A versatile guard who brings height to the backcourt, Risch averaged 20.5 points, 6.9 rebound, 4.0 assists and 3.1 steals per game in 26 starts as a junior. The 6-2 Florida native had a 45 percent success rate from behind the arc as well.

In addition to basketball, Risch competes on the golf team for her high school and plays travel basketball for East Coast United. She is also a top-10 student in her class and boasts a 4.23 GPA.

The final signee in Ivey’s 2023 class was Cassandre Prosper. In December, the Canadian guard forwent the remainder of her senior year of high school and became just the second recruit in program history to enroll early. The other is current All-American guard Olivia Miles.

Prosper has made an early impact at Notre Dame, appearing in every game since joining the team on Dec. 26. She is posting 3.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and just around 10 minutes per game at just 17 years old.

INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL: AVILA, MCCAULEY WILL SYCAMORES TO NEAR SECOND-HALF COMEBACK AT DRAKE

DES MOINES, Iowa – The Sycamores were down by 18 at halftime and completely erased that deficit in the final minute of play before falling 70-68 to Drake on a Bulldog triple Tuesday night inside the Knapp Center on CBS Sports Network.

Robbie Avila and Courvoisier McCauley each had just six points in the first half before finishing the night with a tied game-high 22 points apiece. The duo combined for 16 rebounds while McCauley was just one board shy of a double-double.

Indiana State gave up a 15-0 run amidst a six-minute scoring drought in the first half and went into halftime down 44-26, but it ultimately came down to the final three minutes. The Sycamores trailed by double figures with 8:17 on the clock, but later Avila sparked and capped an 8-0 run to cut Indiana State’s deficit to one point at 61-60 with 3:33 to go.

McCauley came up clutch down the stretch as he knocked down a pair of free throws to even things up at 63-all with 3:09 remaining. Drake responded with back-to-back jumpers to go back up 67-63 with just over a minute left, but McCauley drove in for a layup seconds later. Avila pulled down a board on the defensive end and Indiana State called a timeout down 67-65 with 25 seconds on the clock.

McCauley nailed his fourth triple of the night to give the Sycamores the lead, their first of the game, at 68-67 with 17 seconds on the clock. Cade McKnight tried to knock a rebound away, but Drake’s D.J. Wilkins secured the board and the nailed the game-winning 3-pointer with two seconds left, denying the Sycamores a clean last-second shot.

Inside the Numbers

The Sycamores hit nine threes in the game, which is the most they’ve made since hitting 13 against Evansville Dec. 29.

ISU committed 15 total turnovers compared to Drake’s 14, but committed just five in the second half.

The Sycamores outscored Drake 42-26 in the second half, and they shot 32.1 percent from the field in the first compared to 51.9 percent in the second.

News & Notes

With the loss, Indiana State splits its season series with Drake while seeing its skid hit five games.

Robbie Avila scored a career-high in his second-straight game with his 22 points surpassing his previous career-high of 18 set Saturday at Murray State.

Courvoisier McCauley’s 22 points marks 14 straight games in double figures and his sixth 20+-point game this season.

Tuesday is the first time two Sycamores have scored 20+ points since Dec. 11 at Southern Indiana when McCauley (23) and Jayson Kent (20) each hi9t 20+.

Up Next

The Sycamores return home to the Hulman Center this weekend for a matchup against Northern Iowa Saturday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. It’s Alumni Weekend, and there will also be a food drive presented by Indiana State SAAC benefitting the Sycamore Pantry.

PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL: GAME ON! MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS IUPUI ON WEDNESDAY AT GATES

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – While campus is closed on Wednesday (Jan. 25), the Mastodon men’s basketball game vs. IUPUI at the Gates Sports Center will be played as scheduled.

Game Day Information

Who: Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (13-8, 5-5 Horizon League) vs. IUPUI Jaguars (3-18, 0-10 Horizon League)

When: Wednesday, January 25 | 7 p.m. ET

Where: Fort Wayne, Ind. | Gates Sports Center

Live Stats: Link

Watch: ESPN+

Talent: Josh Ayen, Michael Kibiloski

Radio: 1380 AM The Fan | Listen

Talent: Brett Rump, Justin Kenny

Game Notes (PDF): Purdue Fort Wayne | IUPUI

Series Record: IUPUI leads 27-17

ABOUT IUPUI:

// The Jaguars are looking for their first Horizon League win of the season. They just missed out on a win at home over Oakland, falling in overtime.

‘DONS AND ENDS:

// The Mastodon coaching staff will wear sneakers for the game against IUPUI as part of the American Cancer Society and NABC’s Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers Week. During Suits And Sneakers Week, coaches from all levels of the sport will wear specially designed Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers apparel along with their favorite sneakers on the sidelines to raise awareness about the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer.

// Jarred Godfrey is the only active player in NCAA Division I men’s basketball with 1,900 points, 500 rebounds, 400 assists and 200 3-pointers. Since 1992-93 only 24 student-athletes have finished with such a career stat line. The list includes Shabazz Napier, Jameer Nelson, Eddie House and Kerry Kittles. (per sports-reference.com)

… when Godfrey gets seven more rebounds (to get to 600), the group will then be 12 players including Godfrey.

// Jarred Godfrey is the all-time leader in games played in program history. He played in his 142nd career game on Jan. 21st at Northern Kentucky to pass Cameron Benford (2017-22) for the mark.

// Wednesday’s game will be the second for the ‘Dons at the Gates Sports Center this season. Purdue Fort Wayne defeated Oakland on Dec. 3 in OT on ESPNU.

// Jarred Godfrey has seven games of 20 or more points this season. He has 32 career games of 20 or more points.

// Ra Kpedi on the season has six double-digit rebound games, including double-doubles at Northwestern (Nov. 18), vs. Oakland (Dec. 3) and vs. Cleveland State (Jan. 16).

// The ‘Dons have has 12 or fewer turnovers in five of the last seven games.

// The ‘Dons are 11-0 this season when scoring 71 or more points in a game.

// The ‘Dons have held a lead in every game this season.

// Per sports-reference.com, Ra Kpedi leads the Horizon League in offensive rebounding percentage at 15.9 percent. He has a league-best 79 offensive boards.

// Jarred Godfrey owns 1,936 career points, second place in program history. The only Mastodon ahead of Godfrey is his former teammate John Konchar. Konchar sits in first place in program history with 2,065 points.

// Jarred Godfrey owns 593 rebounds, sixth in program history. When he reaches 603 rebounds he’ll enter the top five in program history. He is already in the top five in points, assists, steals, field goals, free throws and 3-pointers.

// Jarred Godfrey is shooting 91.9 percent (79-of-86) from the free throw line this season, 9th in the nation. Only once in program history has a player made 50 or more free throws in a season and finished at 90 percent or better. That was Ben Botts in 2009-09, making 65-of-71 (91.5 percent).

// Ra Kpedi has won the opening tip in 18-of-22 games this season. He also won the tip in overtime against Oakland (Dec. 3).

// The ‘Dons are 15th in the nation in 3-pointers per game (9.8).

// The ‘Dons are 10th in the nation in 3-point defense with teams shooting just 28.0 percent against them from three.

// Jarred Godfrey (1,936), Damian Chong Qui (1,473), Anthony Roberts (1,472), and Bobby Planutis (1,113) have each scored 1,000 career NCAA points. Deonte Billups (965) could enter that group this season.

// The ‘Dons have 13 games of double-digit offensive rebounds this season.

EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL: MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS BELMONT ON WEDNESDAY

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Wrapping up a 2-game homestand, the University of Evansville is set to square off against Belmont on Wednesday evening at the Ford Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m. CT with the Purple Aces Radio Network and ESPN+ having the coverage.

Setting the Scene

– Evansville and Belmont have met on five previous occasions with the Bruins holding a 3-2 series lead

– This is the first meeting as fellow members of the MVC

– In two games played at the Ford Center, each team has recorded a victory

– The first meeting between the schools was in the 2009 CBI and was played on the campus of USI

Last Time Out

– Scoring 55 points in the first half while shooting 56.7% over the entirety of the game, Drake defeated UE by a 97-61 score on Saturday at the Ford Center

– The Bulldogs were credited with a Ford Center record 31 assists with Roman Penn totaling 18

– Four Purple Aces reached double figures with Kenny Strawbridge Jr. and Yacine Toumi scoring 12 while Antoine Smith Jr. and Marvin Coleman II scored 11 each

Raising the Bar

– Yacine Toumi has hauled in at least five rebounds in eight of the last nine contests while raising his season average from 5.1 to 5.7 per game

– His top tally of 11 came in the win over Bellarmine while he added 7 against Valpo to solidify his mark of 5.7/game, which is 15th in the Valley

– Toumi scored 18 against the Beacons, which tied his career-high

– It halted a streak that saw him average 5 points in the prior three games

– His scoring average over the last six games is 7.2 PPG

Another Career Best

– Hitting 9 of his 13 shots at Southern Illinois, Marvin Coleman II reset his career scoring high with 25 points

– Over his last 11 games, Coleman is averaging 15.3 points while shooting 48.4%

– Coleman had just one double figure scoring game in his first ten contests this season while averaging 5.4 points…since then, he has reached double digits in 10 out of 11 games

– Following the first 10 games, Coleman was shooting 22.5% (20/89) from the field and 9.1% (2/22) from outside…he has hit 61 of his last 126 attempts (48.4%) and 23 of his previous 45 outside tries

Scouting the Opponent

– Midway through their first season as members of the Missouri Valley Conference, Belmont is tied for first place with a 6-2 mark while sitting at 15-6 overall

– The Bruins have won six games in a row including a 78-76 decision at Bradley on Saturday

– Three Bruins average double figures led by Ben Sheppard

– Sheppard paces Belmont with 18.5 points, 5.0 rebounds per game and a season total of 72 assists

– Cade Tyson comes into Wednesday’s game with 13.0 points per game while Drew Friberg is just behind with 12.9 PPG

SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S TENNIS: USI WOMEN’S TENNIS PREDICTED TO FINISH SIXTH IN OVC PLAY

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Tennis was picked to finish sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference this season after receiving seven votes from the league’s coaches. The Screaming Eagles are competing in NCAA Division I for the first time in program history this season.

“We are really excited to get started playing in the OVC in 2023,” says USI Head Coach, Chris Crawford. “The ladies have worked hard since last fall and this winter already and we are preparing for a tough schedule this spring. Our women’s team will be ready to compete and win this season.”

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Southeast Missouri State University drew a tie for first after receiving 23 overall votes and three first-place votes each. Eastern Illinois University rang in third with 17 votes while Tennessee State University received 12 votes. Lindenwood University claimed fifth with eight votes while USI tallied seven votes to round out the six teams.

USI kicked off the 2022-23 campaign with a big 7-0 victory over Indiana University Southeast to cap off the short fall season. The Eagles also competed in the Redhawk Invitational where junior Lauren Rowe (Terre Haute, Indiana) and junior Rachel McCorkle (Tulsa, Oklahoma) each secured singles wins before pairing up and winning the lone doubles match against Western Illinois University.

The Eagles begin the spring season on the road against Murray State University and Cumberland University on January 27 in Murray, Kentucky. USI’s non-conference road schedule follows with Bellarmine University (February 11), Northern Kentucky University (March 3), Xavier University (March 4), IUPUI (March 7), Drury University at a neutral location (March 12), and Western Kentucky University (March 17).

USI will host a selection of non-conference matches in 2023 with the home opener slated for February 3 against Western Illinois at Evansville Tennis Center. The Eagles will also face Eastern Kentucky University (February 17), University of Missouri-St. Louis (February 24), Hanover College (February 25), St. Louis University (March 11), and Duquesne University (April 7).

The Eagles start OVC play on March 18 when they travel to Charleston, Illinois to face Eastern Illinois. USI also makes the trip to SIUE (April 2) and Tennessee State (April 15).

Home conference action starts on March 26 against former GLVC foe, Lindenwood, and finishes with a bout against SEMO (April 7). The USI, SEMO match will be senior day for the Eagles.

The OVC Tennis Championships will take place April 21-23 in Paducah, Kentucky.

2023 OVC Preseason Women’s Tennis Predicted Order of Finish

T1. SIUE (3 first-place votes) – 23

T1. Southeast Missouri (3 first-place votes) – 23

3. Eastern Illinois – 17

4. Tennessee State – 12

5. Lindenwood – 8

6. Southern Indiana – 7

SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL: EAGLES HAVE A SPLIT WEEK IN OVC

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball will be making a push for sole possession of first in the Ohio Valley Conference when it hosts Eastern Illinois University Thursday at Screaming Eagles Arena and visits the University of Tennessee at Martin Saturday. Tipoff Thursday versus EIU is set for 7:30 p.m., while the start time on the road at UTM is 3:30 p.m. in Martin, Tennessee.

USI also will be promoting the National Association of Basketball Coaches Coaches vs. Cancer program with the annual Suits and Sneakers game. The USI Men’s Basketball coaches will be wearing suits and sneakers as a way to raise awareness and promote cancer screenings.

The Screaming Eagles (12-9, 5-3 OVC) enter the week with the OVC’s top winning streak (four games) after sweeping their first road swing in Division I. USI started the week with a big win over Lindenwood University, 81-65, and concluded the road swing by holding on to defeat Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 82-72.

Senior guard Jelani Simmons (Columbus, Ohio) led USI during the sweep in scoring with 20.5 points per game, including a season-high 24 points in the win over Lindenwood. Sophomore guard Isaiah Swope (Newburgh, Indiana) and graduate forward Trevor Lakes (Lebanon, Indiana) followed with 19.5 points and 16.5 points per contest, while senior forward Jacob Polakovich (Grand Rapids, Michigan) averaged the double-double with 12.5 points and 17.5 rebounds per game.

Polakovich, who also was named co-OVC Player of the Week, averaged 17.5 rebounds per game with 23 coming in the win over SIUE.

For the season, Swope leads the way with 14.1 points per game, followed by Lakes, who is posting 13.5 points per game. Simmons is third with 13.4 points per outing, while Polakovich rounds out the double-digit scorers with 11.9 points per outing and is posting a team-best 12.2 rebounds per game.

The Panthers (7-14, 3-5 OVC) have lost five of six since defeating the Eagles in December after falling to Tennessee State University, 78-74, and UTM, 91-78, last week. Junior guard Kinyon Hodges leads the Panthers with 14.4 points per game.

EIU took the first meeting of the season, 91-80, in Charleston back in December. USI was led by Lakes and junior guard Gary Solomon (Detroit, Michigan) with 16 points each.

UTM (13-8, 5-3 OVC) is 3-2 in its last five games, wins at Southeast Missouri State University, 80-60, and at home versus EIU, 91-78, last week. The Skyhawks have three players in double-digits for 2022-23 and led by graduate guard Parker Stewart with 16.8 points per game.

USI won the opening matchup in OVC play, 80-66, and was led by Swope, who had 21 points. The Eagles have won four of the last five matchups with UTM. The Skyhawks own the series in Martin, 3-0.

VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL: VALPO ATHLETICS MOURNS THE PASSING OF DAVID REDMON

The Valpo Athletics family is saddened by the passing of David Redmon ’95, a hometown product who helped lay the foundation for the legacy of success of the Valpo men’s basketball program and a 2004 inductee into the Valpo Athletics Hall of Fame.

Redmon (Sept. 19, 1972 – Jan. 15, 2023) passed away at the age of 50 in Columbus, Ohio.

A graduate of Valparaiso H.S., Redmon returned to his hometown after playing as a freshman at Little Rock and joined with fellow hometown hero Casey Schmidt to build Valpo Basketball into a force to be reckoned with. In Redmon’s three years on the court for Valpo, the program won 52 games after winning just 14 games total the previous three seasons. He helped lead Valpo to its first 20-win season in nearly three decades in 1993-94, followed by another 20-win campaign and the program’s first Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament championships in 1994-95.

“Dave was full of kindness; his personality made us all relax and laugh,” Schmidt said. “He was a great teammate, true friend and just a great guy. On the court, he was a fierce competitor, and boy he could sling it from deep. He brought smiles and excitement to Valpo basketball fans for many years. Dave is a Valpo legend at Valparaiso High School, at the ARC, at the YMCA and at Tower Park. Looking back, I am so grateful that the three of us friends – myself, Dave and Rob (Cavanaugh) were able to play at VHS together then made the decision to play at Valparaiso University for Homer (Drew). We will all remember Redmon from Deep.”

Redmon was named Mid-Con Player of the Year in 1994-95 — the first Valpo men’s basketball player to claim the conference’s top honor. He was a member of the Mid-Con All-Newcomer Team in 1992-93 and was a First Team All-Conference selection each of his final two seasons. Redmon also picked up All-Tournament Team honors as a senior.

Redmon closed his time at Valpo fifth on the career scoring chart with 1,470 points despite playing just three seasons for the Brown and Gold and still ranks 11th on the all-time scoring list. He also is sixth in program history in points per game, seventh in 3-pointers made and seventh in free throw percentage.

U OF I MEN’S BASKETBALL: GREYHOUNDS REACH TOP 10 FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The UIndy men’s basketball team reached its highest point in the NABC national poll in more than seven years on Tuesday, ranking No. 10 among NCAA DII programs around the country. The Hounds were last in the top 10 prior to the 2015-16 campaign when they were eighth in the preseason poll.

UIndy is riding a 10-game winning streak as January comes to a close, traveling to GLVC foes Illinois Springfield and Lewis this coming weekend. The Greyhounds capped a perfect home stand last week with a pair of victories inside, the latter being at Pack the House on Saturday against McKendree. As has been the case all season, the Hounds’ defense reigned supreme, holding the visiting Bearcats to 50 points.

The last time the Hounds were ranked inside the top 10 during the season was Feb. 17, 2015. Indiana (PA) tops the DII poll once again, while fellow GLVC member Missouri-St. Louis fell to No. 19.The complete rankings can be found below.

NABC DII COACHES POLL

RK	SCHOOL (1st-place votes)	REC	PTS	PREV
1.	Indiana (Pa.) (12)	17-0	396	1
2.	Nova Southeastern (3)	18-0	383	2
3.	Lincoln Memorial	19-1	356	3
4.	Central Oklahoma	18-1	355	4
5.	Colorado School of Mines	18-1	336	5
6.	Black Hills State	16-1	318	8
7.	Northwest Missouri State (1)	17-2	309	9
8.	UNC Pembroke	19-1	287	10
9.	Augusta	16-2	265	6
10.	UIndy	16-2	239	18
11.	Hillsdale	17-2	236	7
12.	Cal State San Bernardino	15-2	214	19
13.	Point Loma	18-3	178	20
14.	Bentley	15-2	173	11
15.	MSU Moorhead	17-3	157	22
16.	Colorado Mesa	15-3	147	23
17.	Fort Lewis	16-2	136	12
18.	North Georgia	13-2	112	25
19.	Missouri-St. Louis	16-3	94	16
20.	Mercyhurst	13-2	89	NR
21.	Angelo State	15-3	79	NR
22.	West Liberty	15-3	76	15
23.	St. Thomas Aquinas	17-3	49	NR
24.	West Virginia State	15-3	41	13
25.	East Stroudsburg	14-3	39	14

INDY ELEVEN PRESIDENT & CEO GREG STREMLAW NAMED 2022 USL W LEAGUE EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

INDIANAPOLIS/TAMPA (Tuesday, January 24, 2023) – Indy Eleven’s successful USL W League operation squeezed one more win out of its impressive 2022 season on Monday afternoon, when club President & CEO Greg Stremlaw was named the W League Executive of the Year in conjunction with the USL’s 2023 Winter Summit.

The honor was established to recognize an individual who has distinguished themselves as an outstanding representative within their club, community, and across the entire USL W League.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be named the W League’s first ever Executive of the Year,” said Stremlaw. “Most know that I am a huge fan of the W League and how it plays a significant role in developing women’s soccer in this country. I applaud the United Soccer League and want to also give a massive shout out to the W League’s senior team members who have done a wonderful job of launching this unprecedented initiative.”

Also coming out of the W League’s “State of the League” forum on Monday was Indy Eleven’s placement as one of four teams up for the W League Club of the Year award. The Eleven joined South Georgia Tormenta FC, Greenville Liberty SC, and winner Minnesota Aurora FC on the short list of clubs up for the honor.

“Indy Eleven’s successful 2022 W League campaign was in large part due to the passionate and diligent leadership of President and CEO Greg Stremlaw,” said Amanda Vandervort, USL Super League and W League President. “We are thrilled to name Greg the 2022 USL W League Executive of the Year and we are looking forward to another exciting season on and off the pitch for the Girls in Blue.”

Stremlaw, who serves as a member of the USL W League’s Executive Committee, helped steer the Eleven’s nascent women’s pre-professional outfit to great heights both on and off the field in 2022. Highlights from Indy’s historic first W League season included:

joining with Vandervort and USL staff in hosting the W League’s Inaugural Match last May 6 at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, which included the unveiling of the league’s championship trophy
selling out all five home matches at Grand Park with attendances averaging an overflow 1,000+ fans
welcoming more than 3,000 fans for the team’s regular season at IUPUI Carroll Stadium on July 9 as part of a men’s & women’s doubleheader date
finishing the regular season with an undefeated 10W-0L-2D record, making it one of three undefeated squads across the 44-team nationwide league
qualifying for the eight-team USL W League Playoffs as the champion of the Great Lakes Division
seeing three players – Rachel McCarthy (Second Team), Katie Soderstrom (First Team), and Maddy Williams (Second Team) – named to the USL W League’s Teams of the Year

The addition of the USL W League squad is part of Indy Eleven Sports and Entertainment’s long-term vision and commitment to community impact and growing the women’s game.

SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:

INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/

EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/

WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/

FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/

ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/

ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index

TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index

BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/

DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/

HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/

MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/

HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/

OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx

ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index

IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/

IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/

IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/

PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/

INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx

GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: *

ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/

GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/

HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php

TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/

VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index

SPORTS EXTRA

**************************NBA STANDINGS*************************

EASTERN CONFERENCE

PCT

CONF GB

HOME

ROAD

DIV

CONF

LAST 10

STREAK

1 BOSTON

.714

—

18-5

17-9

6-0

20-10

8-2

2 L

2 PHILADELPHIA

.652

3.5

17-7

13-9

4-3

17-10

8-2

5 W

3 MILWAUKEE

.638

4.0

18-5

12-12

6-4

18-13

6-4

1 W

4 BROOKLYN

.630

4.5

13-7

16-10

5-3

20-8

5-5

2 W

5 CLEVELAND

.592

6.0

20-5

9-15

8-3

18-9

4-6

1 L

6 MIAMI

.551

8.0

16-9

10-13

5-2

11-13

7-3

2 W

7 NEW YORK

.531

9.0

12-13

14-10

2-6

17-14

5-5

1 W

8 ATLANTA

.500

10.5

13-10

11-14

5-4

17-17

6-4

2 L

9 INDIANA

.490

11.0

16-9

8-16

3-3

17-12

3-7

1 W

10 CHICAGO

.468

12.0

13-10

8-15

5-4

18-14

6-4

1 L

11 WASHINGTON

.447

13.0

12-10

9-16

5-3

13-15

5-5

3 W

12 TORONTO

.438

13.5

15-12

6-15

4-9

15-19

5-5

1 W

13 ORLANDO

.383

16.0

12-12

6-17

2-6

8-19

5-5

1 W

14 CHARLOTTE

.265

22.0

5-16

8-20

4-6

6-23

3-7

2 L

15 DETROIT

.245

23.0

6-17

6-19

0-8

4-23

2-8

4 L

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PCT

CONF GB

HOME

ROAD

DIV

CONF

LAST 10

STREAK

1 DENVER

.708

—

22-4

12-10

9-4

25-10

9-1

1 W

2 MEMPHIS

.660

2.5

20-3

11-13

6-2

15-13

7-3

3 L

3 SACRAMENTO

.587

6.0

16-10

11-9

5-5

15-9

7-3

1 W

4 NEW ORLEANS

.542

8.0

17-7

9-15

7-3

16-11

2-8

5 L

5 LA CLIPPERS

.520

9.0

13-11

13-13

4-4

16-15

5-5

3 W

6 DALLAS

.510

9.5

17-9

8-15

6-2

18-11

3-7

2 L

7 PHOENIX

.510

9.5

18-7

7-17

8-0

19-13

5-5

4 W

8 UTAH

.500

10.0

16-9

9-16

4-4

18-14

6-4

1 W

9 MINNESOTA

.490

10.5

16-10

8-15

6-6

15-16

6-4

1 L

10 GOLDEN STATE

.489

10.5

17-6

6-18

4-4

13-9

4-6

1 L

11 OKLAHOMA CITY

.489

10.5

14-9

9-15

4-6

11-13

7-3

1 W

12 PORTLAND

.468

11.5

12-10

10-15

4-7

16-15

3-7

1 W

13 LA LAKERS

.458

12.0

12-12

10-14

1-9

11-17

5-5

1 L

14 SAN ANTONIO

.298

19.5

9-16

5-16

2-7

5-26

2-8

2 L

15 HOUSTON

.234

22.5

7-15

4-21

1-8

6-27

1-9

1 W

*************************NHL STANDINGS**************************

EASTERN CONFERENCE
	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	GF	GA	HOME	ROAD	L10
1 BOSTON BRUINS	47	38	5	4	80	36	181	98	22-1-3	16-4-1	9-1-0
2 CAROLINA HURRICANES	46	29	9	8	66	26	151	124	14-5-2	15-4-6	5-3-2
3 NEW JERSEY DEVILS	47	31	12	4	66	30	164	123	13-10-2	18-2-2	8-1-1
4 TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS	48	29	11	8	66	29	163	127	18-3-4	11-8-4	6-3-1
5 TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING	46	30	15	1	61	29	167	137	18-4-1	12-11-0	6-4-0
6 NEW YORK RANGERS	47	26	14	7	59	24	151	125	12-9-4	14-5-3	7-2-1
7 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS	47	24	15	8	56	23	155	144	14-5-4	10-10-4	5-3-2
8 WASHINGTON CAPITALS	50	25	19	6	56	25	158	142	13-8-3	12-11-3	4-6-0

9 BUFFALO SABRES	47	25	19	3	53	24	180	160	11-12-2	14-7-1	5-4-1
10 FLORIDA PANTHERS	50	23	21	6	52	22	171	176	12-6-3	11-15-3	5-3-2
11 NEW YORK ISLANDERS	49	23	21	5	51	23	143	141	13-9-2	10-12-3	1-6-3
12 DETROIT RED WINGS	46	20	18	8	48	19	141	155	12-10-3	8-8-5	4-5-1
13 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS	49	20	21	8	48	20	136	159	10-12-2	10-9-6	5-4-1
14 OTTAWA SENATORS	46	20	23	3	43	19	133	152	12-11-1	8-12-2	4-6-0
15 MONTREAL CANADIENS	48	20	25	3	43	16	127	175	11-13-0	9-12-3	5-5-0
16 COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS	47	14	30	3	31	13	122	184	11-15-1	3-15-2	3-6-1

WESTERN CONFERENCE
	GP	W	L	OTL	PTS	ROW	GF	GA	HOME	ROAD	L10
1 DALLAS STARS	49	28	13	8	64	27	169	127	13-5-4	15-8-4	5-3-2
2 VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS	49	29	17	3	61	26	158	142	14-13-0	15-4-3	4-5-1
3 WINNIPEG JETS	49	31	17	1	63	31	160	128	17-6-0	14-11-1	6-4-0
4 LOS ANGELES KINGS	50	27	17	6	60	23	163	170	14-9-2	13-8-4	6-4-0
5 SEATTLE KRAKEN	46	27	14	5	59	27	166	144	11-9-3	16-5-2	7-2-1
6 COLORADO AVALANCHE	46	26	17	3	55	22	144	126	12-8-3	14-9-0	7-3-0
7 EDMONTON OILERS	48	27	18	3	57	27	178	156	12-11-2	15-7-1	7-2-1
8 CALGARY FLAMES	48	23	16	9	55	22	151	145	14-8-2	9-8-7	5-3-2

9 MINNESOTA WILD	46	25	17	4	54	22	145	134	13-8-1	12-9-3	4-4-2
10 NASHVILLE PREDATORS	47	23	18	6	52	21	131	137	13-7-3	10-11-3	6-4-0
11 ST. LOUIS BLUES	48	23	22	3	49	20	152	172	10-12-2	13-10-1	5-5-0
12 VANCOUVER CANUCKS	47	19	25	3	41	16	159	185	9-13-1	10-12-2	3-7-0
13 SAN JOSE SHARKS	49	14	25	10	38	13	147	187	5-12-7	9-13-3	2-5-3
14 ARIZONA COYOTES	48	15	28	5	35	13	125	175	9-8-2	6-20-3	2-8-0
15 ANAHEIM DUCKS	48	14	29	5	33	11	118	201	8-13-1	6-16-4	4-5-1
16 CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS	46	14	28	4	32	14	110	168	9-16-2	5-12-2	6-4-0

*****************************FOOTBALL HISTORY*******************************

JANUARY 25, 1981 – LOUISIANA SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS – THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AND THE OAKLAND RAIDERS SQUARED OFF AGAINST EACH OTHER IN SUPER BOWL XV. BOTH TEAMS HAD GREAT STORIES COMING INTO THE CONTEST. THE AMERICAN FOOTBALL FANDOM SITE HAS AN INSIGHTFUL ARTICLE ON THE GAME. IN THE WEEK LEADING UP TO THE GAME, PRESIDENT RONAL REAGAN WAS SWORN IN AND THE IRAN HOSTAGE CRISIS HAD JUST ENDED. IN LIGHT OF THOSE RECENT EVENTS THERE WAS A DEFINITE PATRIOTIC VIBE TO THE EVENTS AT THE VENUE ITSELF AS THE PREGAME CEREMONIES HONORED THE END OF THE CRISIS. THE RAIDERS WERE PLAYING IN THE FRANCHISE’S THIRD SUPER BOWL AND HAD BEATEN THE OILERS, BROWNS AND CHARGERS IN THE PLAYOFFS TO WIN THE AFC FROM THE WILD CARD POSITION. THE EAGLES WERE PLAYING IN THEIR FIRST SUPER BOWL UNDER A YOUNG COACH WITH A STYLE NEW TO THE NFL IN DICK VERMEIL. THE RAIDERS, GUIDED BY QUARTERBACK JIM PLUNKETT JUMPED OUT TO AN EARLY 14-0 LEAD AND THE EAGLES WERE ILL EQUIPPED TO RECOVER FROM IT. AND WHEN THEY DID TRY RAIDERS LINEBACKER ROD MARTIN PICKED OFF PHILADELPHIA QUARTERBACK RON JAWORSKI THREE TIMES FOR A SUPER BOWL RECORD. THE OAKLAND RAIDERS DEFEATED THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 27-10. JIM PLUNKETT WAS VOTED AS THE MVP OF THE GAME AFTER COMPLETING 13 OF 21 PASSES FOR 261 YARDS AND THREE TOUCHDOWNS. PLUNKETT WAS THE SECOND HEISMAN WINNER AFTER ROGER STAUBACH TO BE NAMED A SUPER BOWL MVP AND THE RAIDERS WERE THE FIRST FRANCHISE TO WIN IT ALL FROM THE WILDCARD SPOT.

JANUARY 25, 1987 – ROSE BOWL, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA – SUPER BOWL XXI WAS PLAYED BETWEEN THE DENVER BRONCOS AND THE NEW YORK GIANTS PER A NEWSDAY ARTICLE FROM THE DAY AFTER. BRONCOS QB JOHN ELWAY WAS UNDER SIEGE ALL DAY FROM A GIANT DEFENSE THAT FEATURED THE LIKES OF HARRY CARSON, LEONARD MARSHALL AND LAWRENCE TAYLOR. IN FACT HE WAS SACKED FOUR TIMES IN THE GAME AND ONE WAS FOR A SAFETY IN THE SECOND QUARTER. PHIL SIMMS COMPLETED 22 OF 25 PASSES FOR 268 YARDS AND THREE TOUCHDOWNS AND WAS NAMED THE GAME’S MVP AS THE GIANTS DEFEATED THE DENVER BRONCOS, 39-20. ONE OF THE GREATEST SCENES FROM THE POSTGAME WAS NEW YORK FRANCHISE OWNER WELLINGTON MARA HANDING THE LOMBARDI TROPHY TO COACH BILL PARCELLS IN JUBILATION OF THE GIANTS FIRST SUPER BOWL VICTORY.

JANUARY 25, 1998 – QUALCOMM STADIUM, SAN DIEGO – SUPER BOWL XXXII WAS A MATCHUP OF TWO LEGENDARY GUNSLINGER QBS AS GREEN BAY’S BRETT FAVRE TOOK THE FIELD FOR THE PACKERS AND THE BRONCOS HAD THEIR SIGNAL CALLER JOHN ELWAY PER A WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE. ELWAY AND COMPANY PUT ON A LATE DRIVE IN THE FOURTH. RUNNING BACK TERRELL DAVIS FOUND PAYDIRT WITH A ONE-YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN WITH 1 MINUTE 45 SECONDS REMAINING AND BROKE THE 24-24 TIE. THE DENVER BRONCOS BEAT GREEN BAY PACKERS, 31-24 WITH BRONCO RUNNING BACK TERRELL DAVIS VOTED AS THE GAME’S MVP AFTER RUSHING FOR 157 YARDS AND THREE TDS AGAINST ONE OF THE NFL’S BEST DEFENSES.

JANUARY 25, 2015 – UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, GLENDALE, ARIZONA – THE NFL WAS TRYING SOME DIFFERENT THINGS TO MAKE THE STALE PRO BOWL A BIT MORE INTERESTING TO VIEWERS. THE NFL.COM DESCRIBED IT AS THE SECOND SEASON THAT USED AN UNCONFERENCED FORMAT WITH PLAYERS SELECTED WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFERENCE IN VOTING BY FANS, COACHES AND PLAYERS. THE 2014 SEASON’S NFL PRO BOWL PITTED A TEAM COACHED BY MICHAEL IRVIN TO PLAY A TEAM OF PRO BOWLERS OF CHRIS CARTER. THE IRVIN SQUAD WON THE GAME 32-28. THE PRO BOWL MVPS WERE HOUSTON’S J. J. WATT AND MATTHEW STAFFORD THE DETROIT LIONS QUARTERBACK.

HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAY FOR JANUARY 25

JANUARY 25, 1924 – MARTINS FERRY, OHIO – OHIO STATE LINEMAN AND PLACE KICKER LOU “THE TOE” GROZA WAS BORN.

JANUARY 25, 1935 – CROSBYTOWN, TEXAS – DON MAYNARD THE DURABLE WIDE RECEIVER FROMTEXAS WESTERN CELEBRATED HIS BIRTH. THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME QUOTES MAYNARD AS STATING THAT HIS RECORD THAT HE IS MOST PROUD OF IS THE FACT THAT HE WAS THE FIRST TO ACHIEVE 10,000 YARDS RECEIVING IN AN NFL CAREER. THE LEGENDARY WIDEOUT ATTRIBUTED THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF THIS FEAT BY HIS PLAYING LONGEVITY WHICH LASTED FOR 15 SEASONS. THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ENSHRINED THE GRIDIRON FEATS OF DON MAYNARD IN 1987.

JANUARY 25, 1942 – WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA – CARL ELLER THE STUD UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TACKLE ARRIVED INTO THIS LIFE. AFTER A GREAT 1963 SEASON CARL WAS A FIRST TEAM CHOICE ON EIGHT OF THE NINE MAJOR ALL-AMERICA TEAMS JUST MISSING OUT ON BEING UNANIMOUS. THE NFF TELLS US THAT ELLER PLAYED BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL FOR THE GOPHERS AT TACKLE. THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION SELECTED CARL ELLER’S COLLEGIATE CAREER TO BE HONORED IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME IN 2006. AS A PROFESSIONAL HE WAS MOVED EXCLUSIVELY TO DEFENSE AFTER BEING SELECTED IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NFL DRAFT BY THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS. ELLER BECAME A FIXTURE IN ONE OF THE GREATEST DEFENSIVE LINES IN HISTORY THE VIKINGS INFAMOUS PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS AS HE WAS TEAMED UP WITH THE GREAT JIM MARSHALL. HE PLAYED 16 SEASONS AS A D END FOR MINNESOTA AMASSING 44 SACKS PER THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME. IN 2004 CARL ELLER RECEIVED THE GREAT HONOR OF BEING ENSHRINED INTO THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME.

JANUARY 25, 1944 – LA PORTE, TEXAS – MICHIGAN STATE’S TALENTED WIDE OUT GENE WASHINGTON CELEBRATED HIS BIRTH. THE FOOTBALLFOUNDATION.ORG BIO FOR GENE LISTS THAT WASHINGTON STARTED AS A SOPHOMORE WASHINGTON WOULD GO ON TO SET MICHIGAN STATE SEASON RECORDS FOR WIDE RECEIVERS IN RECEPTIONS AND YARDS. GENE IS IN RARE COMPANY AS HE WAS A TWO-TIME FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN. THE SPARTANS TEAMS THAT GENE WAS A PART OF EARNED TWO SHARED NATIONAL TITLES. THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION SELECTED GENE WASHINGTON FOR THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME ENTRY IN 2011. GENE WAS A FIRST ROUND PICK IN THE 1967 NFL DRAFT BY THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS WHO SELECTED HIM EIGHTH OVERALL. HE PLAYED SEVEN SEASONS IN THE NFL BOTH WITH MINNESOTA AND THE DENVER BRONCOS. HIS STAT LINE SHOWS THAT HE CAUGHT 182 PASSES AND 26 TOUCHDOWNS AS A PRO. WASHINGTON WAS A TWO-TIME PRO BOWLER AND WAS NAMED A FIRST TEAM ALL-PRO IN 1969.

JANUARY 25, 1985 – THE GREAT LINEBACKER FROM MISSISSIPPI, PATRICK WILLIS WAS BORN. THE NFF TELLS US THAT PATRICK WON BOTH THE BUTKUS AWARD AND THE JACK LAMBERT AWARDS AFTER THE 2006 SEASON AT OLE MISS RECOGNIZING HIM AS THE NATION’S TOP COLLEGE LINEBACKER AS WELL AS BEING SELECTED AS A CONSENSUS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN. THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION VOTERS CHOSE PATRICK WILLIS TO GAIN ENTRANCE INTO THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME IN 2019. WILLIS WAS THE 11TH OVERALL PICK IN THE 2007 NFL DRAFT BY THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS WHERE HE PLAYED FOR 8 SEASONS. PATRICK WON THE 2007 NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AND WAS A SEVEN-TIME PRO BOWL SELECTION. THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT SEASONS WHERE HE LED THE NFL IN TACKLES AND WON THE PROFESSIONAL BUTKUS AWARD IN 2009.

************************************BASEBALL HISTORY*****************************

1934 “IS BROOKLYN STILL IN THE LEAGUE?” – GIANTS’ MANAGER BILL TERRY, SPEAKING OF THE DODGERS’ CHANCES IN THE UPCOMING SEASON. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, GIANTS’ MANAGER BILL TERRY WAKES A SLEEPING GIANT WHEN HE JESTS, “IS BROOKLYN STILL IN THE LEAGUE?” IN SEPTEMBER, NEW YORK, TIED FOR FIRST PLACE WITH TWO GAMES TO PLAY, FINISHES SECOND WHEN SIXTH-PLACE BROOKLYN SWEEPS THEM AT THE POLO GROUNDS IN THE SEASON’S FINAL TWO GAMES, ALLOWING THE CARDINALS, WHO COMPLETE THE CAMPAIGN 13-2, TO CAPTURE THE NATIONAL LEAGUE PENNANT.

1943 THE BRAVES BUY FUTURE HALL OF FAMER LEFTY GOMEZ, KNOWN AS GOOFY TO HIS TEAMMATES, FROM THE YANKEES FOR $10,000. BOSTON RELEASES THE SOUTHPAW BEFORE HE PLAYS A GAME WITH HIS NEW TEAM, BUT HE WILL PITCH ONE MORE TIME BEFORE RETIRING, HURLING FOR THE SENATORS, A CLUB HE JOINS IN MAY, ALLOWING FOUR HITS, FOUR RUNS, AND FIVE WALKS BEFORE LEAVING THE CONTEST WITH A PULLED SHOULDER MUSCLE.

1945 IN ONE OF THE BEST SPORTS BUSINESS DEALS EVER MADE, NFL BROOKLYN DODGERS CO-OWNER DAN TOPPING, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER DEL WEBB, AND BASEBALL EXECUTIVE LARRY MACPHAIL PURCHASE 96.9% OF THE YANKEES FROM THE RUPPERT ESTATE FOR JUST $2.8 MILLION. AFTER THE TRIO BUYS THE REMAINING 3.12 PERCENT IN MARCH FOR COMPLETE OWNERSHIP, TOPPING AND WEBB WILL BUY OUT MACPHAIL AFTER TWO YEARS, SELLING 80% OF THE BRONX BOMBERS TO CBS AFTER THE 1964 SEASON FOR $11.2 MILLION.

1947 HOUMA (LA) INDIANS BILL THOMAS, WINNER OF ALL FOUR GAMES OF HIS TEAM’S FINAL-ROUND VICTORIES, IS AMONG THE FIVE PERSONS, INCLUDING TWO TEAMMATES AND MANAGER, PUT ON BASEBALL’S INELIGIBLE LIST FOR ALLEGEDLY BETTING ON THE 1946 CLASS D EVANGELINE LEAGUE PLAYOFFS. THE 41-YEAR-OLD RIGHT-HANDER, THE ALL-TIME MINOR LEAGUE WINNINGEST PITCHER WITH 383 WINS, WILL BE REINSTATED IN 1949, POINTING OUT THAT HE PITCHED IN ALL FOUR GAMES THAT HIS TEAM WON IN THE FINAL ROUND.

1949 LOU BOUDREAU SIGNS A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT WORTH $65,000 WITH THE WORLD CHAMPION INDIANS TO REMAIN THE TEAM’S PLAYER-MANAGER. THE FUTURE HALL OF FAMER WILL PILOT THE TRIBE FOR NINE YEARS, SIX AS A PLAYER, AND COMPILE A 728-649 (.529) RECORD.

1966 YANKEE SHORTSTOP TONY KUBEK ANNOUNCES HIS EARLY RETIREMENT, CITING THE IMPROPER HEALING OF AN INJURED NERVE AT THE TOP OF HIS SPINAL COLUMN IMPAIRING HIS REFLEXES. DURING THE LAST GAME OF THE SEASON, THE NINE-YEAR VETERAN WHO HAD GONE 3-FOR-4 AT FENWAY PARK, INCLUDING A NINTH-INNING HOME RUN, IS NOW REMEMBERED AS THE 29-YEAR-OLD INFIELDER’S FINAL BIG-LEAGUE AT-BAT.

1980 AT SHEA STADIUM’S DIAMOND CLUB, THE METS’ NEW OWNERS FORMALLY INTRODUCED THEMSELVES TO THE LOCAL MEDIA. NELSON DOUBLEDAY WILL BE THE BOARD’S NEW CHAIRMAN, REPLACING THE OUTGOING LORINDA DE ROULET, WHO NO LONGER PLAYS A ROLE IN THE FRANCHISE’S FUTURE, AND FRED WILPON IS NAMED THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CLUB.

1983 THE WHITE SOX TRADE PITCHERS WARREN BRUSSTAR AND STEVE TROUT TO THE CUBS FOR DICK TIDROW AND RANDY MARTZ, SHORTSTOP SCOTT FLETCHER, AND FIRST BASEMAN PAT TABLER. TROUT WILL BE THE KEY PLAYER IN THE DEAL AS THE LEFT-HANDER WILL POST A 43-38 RECORD DURING HIS FIVE SEASONS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO.

1997 THE DEVIL RAYS SIGN GREGG BLOSSER, THE ORGANIZATION’S FIRST PLAYER WITH MAJOR LEAGUE EXPERIENCE. THE FORMER BOSTON RED SOX OUTFIELDER, A FLORIDA NATIVE, WILL NEVER APPEAR IN A GAME FOR TAMPA BAY.

1999 THE OAKLAND A’S SIGN FORMER YANKEE FREE-AGENT OUTFIELDER TIM RAINES FOR $600,000. THE 39-YEAR-OLD FUTURE HALL OF FAMER BATTED .290 FOR THE WORLD CHAMPS LAST SEASON AND HAD A .296 CAREER BATTING AVERAGE.

1999 AFTER BEING AIRED ON WOR, CHANNEL 9, SINCE THE TEAM’S INCEPTION IN 1962, METS GAMES WILL BE BROADCASTED THIS SEASON BY WPIX, CHANNEL 11. THE YANKEES GAMES, WHICH HAD AIRED FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS ON THE AMAZINS’ NEW STATION, WILL NOW BE SEEN ON CHANNEL 5, A FOX AFFILIATE.

2005 CARLOS DELGADO (.269, 32, 99) AND FLORIDA AGREE ON A FOUR-YEAR, $52 MILLION CONTRACT. THE 32-YEAR-OLD FIRST BASEMAN’S DEAL STOPS THE INTENSE BIDDING WAR BETWEEN THE MARLINS, METS, ORIOLES, AND RANGERS FOR THE COVETED FREE AGENT.

2006 THE A’S SIGN 37-YEAR-OLD FREE-AGENT FRANK THOMAS TO A $500,000, ONE-YEAR DEAL. THE TWO-TIME AMERICAN LEAGUE AGING MVP GIVES OAKLAND THE RIGHT-HANDED BAT THE TEAM NEEDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR LINEUP.

2007 WILLIE RANDOLPH, WHO BROUGHT NEW YORK WITHIN ONE GAME OF A WORLD SERIES APPEARANCE, AGREES TO A $5.65 MILLION, THREE-YEAR DEAL TO CONTINUE AS THE METS MANAGER THROUGH 2008. THE SKIPPER’S NEW DEAL DOUBLES HIS PRESENT SALARY FROM $700,000 TO $1.4 MILLION.

2008 IN AN UNUSUAL MOVE FOR THE CLUB, THE YANKEES, RATHER THAN WAITING FOR A YOUNG TALENTED PLAYER TO BECOME ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE BEFORE NEGOTIATING A DEAL, OFFER ROBINSON CANO (.306, 19, 97) A SIX-YEAR CONTRACT WORTH APPROXIMATELY $55 MILLION. THE 25-YEAR-OLD SECOND BASEMAN WILL BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR FREE AGENCY AFTER THE 2011 SEASON IF THE TEAM DOESN’T EXERCISE ITS OPTION IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING TWO SEASONS.

2008 AFTER LOSING TORII HUNTER AND CARLOS SILVA TO FREE AGENCY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TRADING JOHAN SANTANA, TWINS FANS REJOICE WHEN THE CLUB ANNOUNCES JUSTIN MORNEAU AND MICHAEL CUDDYER HAVE BOTH SIGNED LONG-TERM DEALS TO STAY IN MINNESOTA. THE 2006 AL MVP GETS THE RICHEST CONTRACT IN FRANCHISE HISTORY, $80 MILLION FOR SIX YEARS, AND HIS TEAMMATE, CUDDYER, INKS AN AGREEMENT WORTH $24 MILLION OVER THREE YEARS.

2012 FIVE-TIME ALL-STAR JORGE POSADA CATCHER (.273, 275, 1,065) AT AN SRO YANKEE STADIUM NEWS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 17 MAJOR LEAGUE SEASONS. THE 40-YEAR-OLD BACKSTOP JOINS BERNIE WILLIAMS AND ANDY PETTITTE IN RETIREMENT, LEAVING DEREK JETER AND MARIANO RIVERA AS THE REMAINING CORE PLAYERS THAT LED THE BRONX BOMBERS TO FOUR WORLD SERIES TITLES IN FIVE YEARS.

2022 DAVID ORTIZ (.286/.380/.552) BECOMES THE 58TH PLAYER ELECTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME IN HIS FIRST APPEARANCE ON THE BALLOT AND THE FOURTH RED SOX PLAYER TO ACCOMPLISH THE FEAT, JOINING TED WILLIAMS (1966), CARL YASTRZEMSKI (1989), WADE BOGGS (2005), AND PEDRO MARTINEZ (2015). THE TEN-TIME ALL-STAR, NAMED ON 77.9% OF THE BALLOTS, SPENT THE FIRST SIX OF HIS 20-YEAR CAREER WITH THE TWINS.

*************************SPORTS IN NUMBERS*********************

13 – 27 – 4 – 5 – 7 – 36 – 16 – 7 – 11 – 66 – 23 – 30 – 19 – 99 – 9 – 88 –

JANUARY 25, 1960 – ONCE AGAIN OLE’ NUMBER 13 PUT UP SPME MAJOR POINTS. HALL OF FAME CENTER WILT CHAMBERLAIN POURED IN 58 POINTS, THE MOST EVER RECORDED BY A ROOKIE IN THE LEAGUE, AS THE PHILADELPHIA WARRIORS DOWNED THE DETROIT PISTONS, 127-117 IN A GAME PLAYED IN BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

JANUARY 25, 1961 – FRANK MAHOVLICH, OF THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS LIT THE LAMP TWICE IN A CONTEST ON THE ICE AGAINST THE MONTREAL CANADIENS IN WHICH TORONTO TRIUMPHED 5-3. THE SIGNIFICANCE WAS THAT IT WAS NUMBER 27 MAHOVLICH’S 39TH TALLY OF THE SEASON WHICH SET A LEAFS RECORD FOR GOALS SCORED.

JANUARY 25, 1972 – 25TH NHL ALL-STAR GAME, EAST BEATS WEST, 3-2 AT METROPOLITAN SPORTS CENTRE, BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA.THE GAME’S MVP SELECTED WAS BOSTON, D, NUMBER 4, BOBBY ORR.

JANUARY 25, 1975 – 10TH HAT TRICK IN NEW YORK ISLANDER HISTORY, NUMBER 5, DENIS POTVIN’S 1ST

JANUARY 25, 1977 – 30TH NHL ALL-STAR GAME, PACIFIC COLISEUM, VANCOUVER, BC: WALES BEATS CAMPBELL, 4-3; MVP WAS NUMBER 7, RICK MARTIN, BUFFALO SABRES, LW

JANUARY 25, 1978 – THE SAN DIEGO PADRES AQUIRED PITCHER GAYLORD PERRY FROM THE TEXAS RANGERS IN A TRADE FOR DAVE TOMLIN & $125,000. PERRY WHO WORE NUMBER 36 FOR THE PADRES ENDED UP HAVING A TREMENDOUS SEASON IN SAN DIEGO, GOOD ENOUGH TO TAKE HOME THE CY YOUNG AWARD!

JANUARY 25, 1981 – SUPER BOWL XV, LOUISIANA SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS, LA: OAKLAND RAIDERS BEAT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 27-10; MVP: JIM PLUNKETT, NUMBER 16, OAKLAND, QB

JANUARY 25, 1986 – EDMONTON OILERS NUMBER 7, PAUL COFFEY SET AN NHL RECORD FOR DEFENSEMEN WITH A POINT IN HIS 28TH CONSECUTIVE GAME, AS THE OILERS BEAT THE VISITING LA KINGS, 5-2

JANUARY 25, 1987 – SUPER BOWL XXI, ROSE BOWL, PASADENA, CA: NY GIANTS BEAT DENVER BRONCOS, 39-20; MVP CHOSEN WAS NY GIANTS, QB, NUMBER 11, PHIL SIMMS.

JANUARY 25, 1989 – PITTSBURGH LEGEND, NUMBER 66, MARIO LEMIEUX SCORED A GOAL AND 3 ASSISTS IN PENGUINS’ 5-4 WIN OVER WINNIPEG IN PITTSBURGH; SETS NHL RECORD BY PICKING UP A POINT IN 14 CONSECUTIVE GAMES; RECORD STANDS FOR 10 YEARS

JANUARY 25, 1989 – CHICAGO BULLS SUPERSTAR, NUMBER 23, MICHAEL JORDAN SCORED HIS 10,000TH NBA POINT IN HIS 5TH SEASON

JANUARY 25, 1991 – ST. LOUIS RIGHT WING, NUMBER 16, BRETT HULL SCORES TWICE IN BLUES’ 9-4 WIN AT DETROIT, TO GIVE HIM 50 GOALS IN 49 GAMES; BECOMES 3RD PLAYER IN NHL HISTORY WITH 50 GOALS IN LESS THAN 50 GAMES

JANUARY 25, 1998 – SUPER BOWL XXXII, QUALCOMM STADIUM, SAN DIEGO, CA: DENVER BRONCOS BEAT GREEN BAY PACKERS, 31-24; MVP SELECTED WAS DENVER’S FUTURE HALL OF FAME RUNNING BACK, NUMBER 30, TERRELL DAVIS

JANUARY 25, 2009 – 57TH NHL ALL-STAR GAME, BELL CENTRE, MONTREAL, QUEBEC: EAST BEATS WEST, 12-11, SO; MVP SELECTED WAS MONTREAL CANADIENS, RW, NUMBER 27, ALEXEI KOVALEV

JANUARY 25, 2015 – 60TH NHL ALL-STAR GAME, NATIONWIDE ARENA, COLUMBUS, OH: TEAM TOEWS BEATS TEAM FOLIGNO, 17-12; MVP: OF THE CONTEST OF COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS CENTER, NUMBER 19, RYAN JOHANSEN

JANUARY 25, 2015 – NFL PRO BOWL, UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX, GLENDALE, AZ: TEAM IRVIN BEATS TEAM CARTER, 32-28; MVPS WERE HOUSTON TEXANS, DE, NUMBER 99, J. J. WATT, AND DETROIT LIONS, QB, NUMBER 9, MATTHEW STAFFORD.

JANUARY 25, 2020 – 65TH NHL ALL STAR GAMES, ENTERPRISE CENTER, ST. LOUIS, MI: PACIFIC ALL STARS WIN FOUR-TEAM, 3-ON-3 TOURNAMENT; MVP CHOSEN WAS THE LW BOSTON BRUINS, NUMBER 88, DAVID PASTRNAK

JANUARY 25, 2022 – PHILADELPHIA FLYERS DEFENSEMAN, NUMBER 3, KEITH YANDLE BECOMES NHL’S NEW “IRON MAN” WITH HIS 965TH CONSECUTIVE REGULAR-SEASON GAME, BREAKING NUMBER 21 (ALSO 27 & 27), DOUG JARVIS’S ALL-TIME RECORD, IN A 4-3 LOSS AT THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS

**************************TV WEDNESDAY*************************

NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES – MEN’S	TIME ET	TV
XAVIER AT UCONN	6:30PM	FS1
PRESBYTERIAN AT UNC ASHEVILLE	6:30PM	ESPN+
SOUTH CAROLINA AT FLORIDA	7:00PM	ESPN2
GEORGIA AT TENNESSEE	7:00PM	SECN
WISCONSIN AT MARYLAND	7:00PM	BTN
WEST VIRGINIA AT TEXAS TECH	7:00PM	ESPNU
WAKE FOREST AT PITT	7:00PM	ACCN
DAYTON AT RHODE ISLAND	7:00PM	CBSSN
GEORGE MASON AT VCU	7:00PM	MASN
RICHMOND AT UMASS	7:00PM	NESN
SAINT JOSEPH’S AT GEORGE WASHINGTON	7:00PM	ESPN+
FORDHAM AT ST. BONAVENTURE	7:00PM	ESPN+
LOYOLA CHICAGO AT DUQUESNE	7:00PM	ESPN+
SOUTH FLORIDA AT TEMPLE	7:00PM	ESPN+
UMBC AT NJIT	7:00PM	ESPN+
VERMONT AT BINGHAMTON	7:00PM	ESPN+
HOUSTON AT UCF	7:00PM	ESPN+
UALBANY AT NEW HAMPSHIRE	7:00PM	ESPN+
UMASS LOWELL AT MAINE	7:00PM	ESPN+
USC UPSTATE AT GARDNER-WEBB	7:00PM	ESPN+
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN AT WINTHROP	7:00PM	ESPN+
CAMPBELL AT HIGH POINT	7:00PM	ESPN+
ETSU AT MERCER	7:00PM	ESPN+
LEHIGH AT HOLY CROSS	7:00PM	ESPN+
LOYOLA MARYLAND AT LAFAYETTE	7:00PM	ESPN+
NAVY AT BUCKNELL	7:00PM	ESPN+
ARMY WEST POINT AT AMERICAN	7:00PM	ESPN+
SAMFORD AT FURMAN	7:00PM	ESPN+
THE CITADEL AT WESTERN CAROLINA	7:00PM	ESPN+
VMI AT UNCG	7:00PM	ESPN+
WOFFORD AT CHATTANOOGA	7:00PM	ESPN+
IUPUI AT PURDUE FORT WAYNE	7:00PM	ESPN+
STONEHILL AT HARTFORD	7:00PM	–
UTRGV AT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN	7:30PM	ESPN+
ILLINOIS STATE AT BRADLEY	8:00PM	–
BELMONT AT EVANSVILLE	8:00PM	ESPN+
VALPARAISO AT UNI	8:00PM	ESPN+
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST AT UTA	8:00PM	ESPN+
BUTLER AT PROVIDENCE	8:30PM	FS1
TEXAS A&M AT AUBURN	9:00PM	ESPN2
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT ALABAMA	9:00PM	SECN
INDIANA AT MINNESOTA	9:00PM	BTN
TULANE AT WICHITA STATE	9:00PM	ESPNU
LOUISVILLE AT BOSTON COLLEGE	9:00PM	ACCN
ST. JOHN’S AT CREIGHTON	9:00PM	CBSSN
CHICAGO STATE AT STANFORD	10:00PM	PAC12N
UTAH STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE	11:00PM	CBSSN
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
PGA: FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN	3:00PM	GOLF
NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
INDIANA AT ORLANDO	7:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
BROOKLYN AT PHILADELPHIA	7:30PM	ESPN YES NBCS-PHI
ATLANTA AT OKLAHOMA CITY	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
MINNESOTA AT NEW ORLEANS	8:00PM	BALLY SPORTS
DENVER AT MILWAUKEE	8:00PM	ALT BALLY SPORTS
WASHINGTON AT HOUSTON	8:00PM	ATTSN-SW NBCS-WSH
MEMPHIS AT GOLDEN STATE	10:00PM	ESPN BALLY SPORTS NBCS-BAY
TORONTO AT SACRAMENTO	10:00PM	NBCS-CA SPORTSNET
UTAH AT PORTLAND	10:00PM	ATTSN-RM ROOT SPORTS
SAN ANTONIO AT LA LAKERS	10:30PM	BALLY SPORTS SPECTRUM
NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES	TIME ET	TV
NY ISLANDERS AT OTTAWA	7:00PM	SPORTSNET MSGSN<
NY RANGERS AT TORONTO	7:00PM	TNT
CAROLINA AT DALLAS	8:30PM	BALLY SPORTS
COLUMBUS AT EDMONTON	9:30PM	TNT
VANCOUVER AT SEATTLE	10:00PM	SPORTSNET ROOT SPORTS
SOCCER MATCHES	TIME ET	TV
UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE DRAW	5:00AM	FS2
BUNDESLIGA: MAINZ 05 VS BORUSSIA DORTMUND	12:30PM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: BAYER LEVERKUSEN VS BOCHUM	2:30PM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: FREIBURG VS EINTRACHT FRANKFURT	2:30PM	ESPN+
BUNDESLIGA: AUGSBURG VS BORUSSIA M’GLADBACH	2:30PM	ESPN+
ENGLAND LEAGUE CUP: NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS MANCHESTER UNITED	3:00PM	ESPN+
FRIENDLY: USA VS SERBIA	10:00PM	PEACOCK