“THE SCOREBOARD”
INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
HOMESTEAD.COM
| CARROLL (FLORA) | 61 | DELPHI | 44 | |
| COVENANT CHRISTIAN | 64 | INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD | 58 | |
| FRANKLIN CENTRAL | 65 | PERRY MERIDIAN | 57 | |
| HEBRON | 51 | WHEELER | 49 | |
| ILLIANA CHRISTIAN | 55 | BOWMAN ACADEMY | 34 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS | 78 | INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON | 55 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN | 88 | INDIANAPOLIS ROOTED | 22 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE | 70 | INDIANAPOLIS HERRON | 30 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY | 76 | IRVINGTON PREP | 43 | |
| LAKE CENTRAL | 67 | GARY 21ST CENTURY | 60 | OT |
| MADISON | 82 | SCOTTSBURG | 57 | |
| MARQUETTE CATHOLIC | 54 | MORGAN TWP. | 22 | |
| MILAN | 84 | JAC-CEN-DEL | 81 | |
| NEW PALESTINE | 63 | LAWRENCE NORTH | 56 | |
| NORTH POSEY | 55 | MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) | 46 | |
| OREGON-DAVIS | 44 | KNOX | 41 | |
| PARK TUDOR | 73 | INDIANAPOLIS RITTER | 65 | |
| PHALEN ACADEMY | 107 | SEVEN OAKS | 34 | |
| TECUMSEH | 69 | SPRINGS VALLEY | 57 | |
| WEST NOBLE | 40 | DEKALB | 36 |
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SCOREBOARD
HOMESTEAD.COM
| CARMI (ILL.) | 47 | MOUNT VERNON (POSEY) | 28 | |
| CONCORD | 53 | BETHANY CHRISTIAN | 21 | |
| COWAN | 79 | WES-DEL | 45 | |
| DALEVILLE | 50 | ELWOOD | 33 | |
| EMINENCE | 53 | SEVEN OAKS | 26 | |
| EVANSVILLE CENTRAL | 59 | CASTLE | 47 | |
| INDIAN CREEK | 56 | SOUTH PUTNAM | 45 | |
| INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE | 72 | CHRISTEL HOUSE | 6 | |
| LALUMIERE | 82 | CAREER ACADEMY | 23 | |
| LAKE CENTRAL | 63 | HAMMOND MORTON | 46 | |
| LOGANSPORT | 52 | FRANKFORT | 24 | |
| MARION | 58 | ADAMS CENTRAL | 50 | |
| MARQUETTE CATHOLIC | 48 | TRI-TOWNSHIP | 27 | |
| NORTHEASTERN | 59 | WINCHESTER | 30 | |
| NORWELL | 89 | JAY COUNTY | 34 | |
| OPH (ILL.) | 54 | DUGGER UNION | 46 | |
| SHERIDAN | 72 | SOUTHMONT | 55 | |
| SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON | 71 | EXAMPLE NATIONAL (ILL.) | 61 | |
| TIPPECANOE VALLEY | 39 | ELKHART | 33 | |
| TRINITY LUTHERAN | 59 | GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN | 24 |
INDIANA BOYS WRESTLING SECTIONAL-FEBRUARY 1
1. EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL (9) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL, GARY WEST SIDE, HAMMOND BISHOP NOLL, HAMMOND CENTRAL, HAMMOND MORTON, LAKE CENTRAL, MERRILLVILLE, MUNSTER, WHITING
2. PORTAGE (8) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
ANDREAN, CALUMET, GRIFFITH, HIGHLAND, HOBART, LAKE STATION EDISON, PORTAGE, RIVER FOREST.
3. CROWN POINT (10) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
BOONE GROVE, CROWN POINT, HANOVER CENTRAL, HEBRON, ILLIANA CHRISTIAN, KANKAKEE VALLEY, LOWELL, NORTH NEWTON, SOUTH NEWTON, WHEELER.
4. LAPORTE (7) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
CHESTERTON, GLENN, KNOX, LAPORTE, MICHIGAN CITY, NEW PRAIRIE, VALPARAISO
5. MISHAWAKA (8) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
LAVILLE, MISHAWAKA, MISHAWAKA MARIAN, PENN, SOUTH BEND ADAMS, SOUTH BEND RILEY, SOUTH BEND SAINT JOSEPH, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
6. PLYMOUTH (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BREMEN, CASTON, CULVER ACADEMIES, CULVER COMMUNITY, NORTH JUDSON-SAN PIERRE, PLYMOUTH, ROCHESTER COMMUNITY, TRITON, WARSAW COMMUNITY, WINAMAC COMMUNITY.
7. TWIN LAKES (9) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BENTON CENTRAL, FRONTIER, LOGANSPORT, NORTH WHITE, PIONEER, RENSSELAER CENTRAL, TRI-COUNTY, TWIN LAKES, WEST CENTRAL
8. LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
ATTICA, CARROLL (FLORA), DELPHI COMMUNITY, FAITH CHRISTIAN, HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE), LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON, MCCUTCHEON, SEEGER, WEST LAFAYETTE
9. ELKHART (8) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
CONCORD, ELKHART, FAIRFIELD, GOSHEN, JIMTOWN, NORTHRIDGE, NORTHWOOD, WAWASEE
10. WEST NOBLE (9) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
ANGOLA, CENTRAL NOBLE, DEKALB, EAST NOBLE, FREMONT, LAKELAND, PRAIRIE HEIGHTS, WEST NOBLE, WESTVIEW
11. CARROLL (FORT WAYNE) (9) | 8 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
CARROLL (FORT WAYNE), CHURUBUSCO, COLUMBIA CITY, EASTSIDE, FORT WAYNE BISHOP DWENGER, FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA LUTHERAN, FORT WAYNE NORTHROP, GARRETT, WHITKO
12. NEW HAVEN (10) | 8:30 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
FORT WAYNE BISHOP LUERS, FORT WAYNE NORTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE SNIDER, FORT WAYNE SOUTH SIDE, FORT WAYNE WAYNE, HERITAGE, HOMESTEAD, LEO, NEW HAVEN, WOODLAN
13. PERU (10) | 8 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
LEWIS CASS, HUNTINGTON NORTH, MACONAQUAH, MANCHESTER, NORTH MIAMI, NORTHFIELD, PERU, SOUTHWOOD, TIPPECANOE VALLEY, WABASH
14. OAK HILL (11) | 8 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
EASTBROOK, EASTERN (GREENTOWN), KOKOMO, MADISON-GRANT, MARION, MISSISSINEWA, NORTHWESTERN, OAK HILL, TAYLOR, TRI-CENTRAL, WESTERN
15. JAY COUNTY (9) | 8:30 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
ADAMS CENTRAL, BELLMONT, BLACKFORD, BLUFFTON, JAY COUNTY, NORWELL, SOUTH ADAMS, SOUTHERN WELLS, UNION CITY
16. DELTA (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
COWAN, DALEVILLE, DELTA, MONROE CENTRAL, MUNCIE CENTRAL, RANDOLPH SOUTHERN, WAPAHANI, WES-DEL, WINCHESTER COMMUNITY, YORKTOWN
17. CRAWFORDSVILLE (11) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
COVINGTON, CRAWFORDSVILLE, FOUNTAIN CENTRAL, NORTH MONTGOMERY, NORTH VERMILLION, PARKE HERITAGE, RIVERTON PARKE, SOUTH VERMILLION, SOUTHMONT, WESTERN BOONE, ZIONSVILLE
18. FRANKFORT (10) | 8 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
CARMEL, CLINTON CENTRAL, CLINTON PRAIRIE, FISHERS, FRANKFORT, HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN, LEBANON, ROSSVILLE, SHERIDAN, WESTFIELD
19. ELWOOD COMMUNITY (10) | 8:30 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
ALEXANDRIA MONROE, ANDERSON, ELWOOD COMMUNITY, FRANKTON, GUERIN CATHOLIC, HAMILTON HEIGHTS, LAPEL, NOBLESVILLE, PENDLETON HEIGHTS, TIPTON
20. INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECHNICAL (12) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BREBEUF JESUIT PREPARATORY, INDIANA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF, INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECHNICAL, INDIANAPOLIS BISHOP CHATARD, INDIANAPOLIS CARDINAL RITTER, INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL, INDIANAPOLIS CRISPUS ATTUCKS, INDIANAPOLIS GEORGE WASHINGTON COMMUNITY, KIPP INDY LEGACY, MTI SCHOOL OF KNOWLEDGE, PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC – BROAD RIPPLE
21. SOUTHPORT (9) | 8 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BEECH GROVE, CHRISTEL HOUSE, LAWRENCE CENTRAL, LAWRENCE NORTH, MT. VERNON (FORTVILLE), NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS), PERRY MERIDIAN, RONCALLI, SOUTHPORT
22. PURDUE POLYTECHNIC (DOWNTOWN) (@ BROAD RIPPLE HS) (9) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
FRANKLIN CENTRAL, GREENFIELD-CENTRAL, INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN, INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA MEMORIAL, NEW PALESTINE, PURDUE POLYTECHNIC – DOWNTOWN, SHELBYVILLE, TRITON CENTRAL, WARREN CENTRAL
23. CENTERVILLE (11) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BLUE RIVER VALLEY, CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN, CENTERVILLE, EASTERN HANCOCK, HAGERSTOWN, KNIGHTSTOWN, NEW CASTLE, NORTHEASTERN, RICHMOND, SHENANDOAH, TRI
24. FRANKLIN COUNTY (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BATESVILLE, CONNERSVILLE, EAST CENTRAL, FRANKLIN COUNTY, GREENSBURG, LAWRENCEBURG, MILAN, RUSHVILLE CONSOLIDATED, SOUTH DEARBORN, UNION COUNTY
25. AVON (11) | 8:30 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
AVON, BEN DAVIS, BROWNSBURG, DANVILLE COMMUNITY, GREENCASTLE, NORTH PUTNAM, PIKE, PLAINFIELD, SOUTH PUTNAM, SPEEDWAY, TRI-WEST HENDRICKS
26. MOORESVILLE (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
CASCADE, CENTER GROVE, CLOVERDALE, DECATUR CENTRAL, EMINENCE, GREENWOOD COMMUNITY, MARTINSVILLE, MONROVIA, MOORESVILLE, WHITELAND COMMUNITY
27. BLOOMINGTON NORTH (11) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE, BLOOMINGTON NORTH, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH, BROWN COUNTY, EDGEWOOD, NORTHVIEW, OWEN VALLEY, SULLIVAN, TERRE HAUTE NORTH VIGO, TERRE HAUTE SOUTH VIGO, WEST VIGO
28. SOUTHRIDGE (10) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
FLOYD CENTRAL, FOREST PARK, JASPER, MITCHELL, NEW ALBANY, NORTH KNOX, PAOLI, PIKE CENTRAL, SOUTHRIDGE, TELL CITY
29. JENNINGS COUNTY (13) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
COLUMBUS EAST, COLUMBUS NORTH, EASTERN (PEKIN), FRANKLIN COMMUNITY, INDIAN CREEK, JENNINGS COUNTY, MADISON CONSOLIDATED, SALEM, SCOTTSBURG, SEYMOUR, SOUTHWESTERN (HANOVER), SWITZERLAND COUNTY, WEST WASHINGTON
30. JEFFERSONVILLE (11) | 9 AM ET | TICKETS | RESULTS
BORDEN, CHARLESTOWN, CLARKSVILLE, CORYDON CENTRAL, CRAWFORD COUNTY, HENRYVILLE, JEFFERSONVILLE, NEW WASHINGTON, NORTH HARRISON, PROVIDENCE, SILVER CREEK
31. CASTLE (9) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
BOONVILLE, CASTLE, EVANSVILLE BOSSE, EVANSVILLE HARRISON, EVANSVILLE REITZ MEMORIAL, HERITAGE HILLS, SOUTH SPENCER, TECUMSEH, WASHINGTON
32. EVANSVILLE CENTRAL (9) | 9 AM CT | TICKETS | RESULTS
EVANSVILLE CENTRAL, EVANSVILLE F.J. REITZ, EVANSVILLE MATER DEI, EVANSVILLE NORTH, GIBSON SOUTHERN, MT. VERNON, NORTH POSEY, PRINCETON COMMUNITY, VINCENNES LINCOLN.
INDIANA MAT:
DUAL RESULTS: HTTPS://INDIANAMAT.COM/INDEX.PHP?/DUALRESULTS.HTML/BOYS-DUAL-RESULTS/
TOURNAMENT RESULTS: HTTPS://INDIANAMAT.COM/INDEX.PHP?/CURTOURNAMENTRESULTS.HTML/
RANKINGS: HTTPS://INDIANAMAT.COM/INDEX.PHP?/INDIVIDUAL-RANKINGS-MAIN.HTML/
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING ASSOCIATION: HTTPS://WWW.GOMOTIONAPP.COM/TEAM/RECHSIHSSCA/PAGE/HOME
INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASTICS: HTTPS://INHIGHSCHOOLGYMNASTICS.COM/
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 25
#1 AUBURN 87 LSU 74
#22 TEXAS TECH 71 TCU 57
#6 HOUSTON 63 WEST VIRGINIA 49
MARYLAND 76 #17 WISCONSIN 68
#25 CONNECTICUT 72 DEPAUL 61
#23 OLE MISS 72 TEXAS 69
#4 ALABAMA 88 #14 MISSISSIPPI STATE 84
ELSEWHERE:
INDIANA STATE 72 MISSOURI STATE 67
VIRGINIA TECH 76 FLORIDA STATE 66
VIRGINIA 82 MIAMI FLORIDA 71
EVANSVILLE 78 MURRAY STATE 74
CREIGHTON 86 XAVIER 77
SMU 76 CALIFORNIA 65
RUTGERS 79 NORTHWESTERN 72
UTAH STATE 76 UNLV 71
BOISE STATE 66 NEVADA 56
STANFORD 70 SYRACUSE 61
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 25:
#14 MARYLAND 82 PENN STATE 73
#6 CONNECTICUT 84 DEPAUL 58
#24 OKLAHOMA STATE 83 ARIZONA STATE 71
ELSEWHERE:
BUFFALO 73 WESTERN MICHIGAN 40
FRESNO STATE 65 NEVADA 59
EAST CAROLINA 72 WICHITA STATE 62
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 79 DETROIT 49
MILWAUKEE 66 IU INDY 62
CINCINNATI 73 HOUSTON 65
PURDUE FORT WAYNE 79 YOUNGSTOWN STATE 56
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 80 CENTRAL MICHIGAN 75
SETON HALL 71 BUTLER 48
MARQUETTE 67 XAVIER 38
BALL STATE 83 OHIO 61
DAYTON 67 LOYOLA ILLINOIS 64
CREIGHTON 84 GEORGETOWN 70
TOLEDO 64 MIAMI OHIO 59
KENT STATE 79 EASTERN MICHIGAN 59
BOWLING GREEN 82 AKRON 69
WISCONSIN 82 MICHIGAN 75
KANSAS 57 TEXAS TECH 50
CHARLOTTE 67 MEMPHIS 59
AIR FORCE 78 UTAH STATE 66
COLORADO 67 BYU 66
WYOMING 77 SAN JOSE STATE 64
NBA SCORES
INDIANA 133 DETROIT 119
BROOKLYN 104 CHARLOTTE 83
TORONTO 106 WASHINGTON 82
CLEVELAND 126 MIAMI 106
PHILADELPHIA 117 SACRAMENTO 104
BOSTON 122 CHICAGO 100
NEW YORK 122 DENVER 112
DALLAS 137 NEW ORLEANS 136
LA CLIPPERS 128 SAN ANTONIO 116
MINNESOTA 121 PHOENIX 113
GOLDEN STATE 116 OKLAHOMA CITY 109
NHL SCORES
NEW JERSEY 5 PHILADELPHIA 0
MINNESOTA 3 TORONTO 1
FLORIDA 3 LOS ANGELES 0
VANCOUVER 3 NASHVILLE 1
PITTSBURGH 3 UTAH 2 OT
TOP NATIONAL RELEASES/NEWS
REPORTS: PRICE TAG REACHES $8M FOR SUPER BOWL LIX COMMERCIALS
Fox Corp. has sold at least 10 commercials for Super Bowl LIX for $8 million apiece, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
The price tag is said to be about $500,000 higher than last year, far exceeding the typical year-over-year increase of $100,000.
Fox announced in November that it had already sold out its available ad spots for the game, which attracted an audience of 123.7 million viewers last year.
“What was unique to this Super Bowl, or this marketplace, was we had a lot more people that weren’t in the game at all, all of a sudden be like, ‘No, no, I have to get in the game,’” Fox Sports executive vice president/ad sales Mark Evans said, per ESPN.
“If I learned anything, it’s that we’re in a period now where the live sporting event, where people and families come together to watch, is that much more coveted. There’s an escalation in price and interest in the demand for live sports, but we’re not at its peak. We’ve still got runway for growth.”
The Kansas City Chiefs will attempt to pull off the first Super Bowl three-peat when they face the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl LVII rematch on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.
CHUCK PAGANO ENDS RETIREMENT TO JOIN RAVENS’ STAFF
Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has come out of retirement to rejoin the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff.
The Ravens announced Tuesday that Pagano, who retired in January 2021, is their new senior secondary coach.
“It is exciting to add Coach Chuck Pagano to our defensive staff and continue to develop and grow our young and talented secondary,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “Chuck brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and coaching talent to our team. He has deep ties to the program and is excited to get to work.”
Pagano, 64, previously worked with the Ravens as the secondary coach (2008-10) and defensive coordinator (2011) before becoming head coach of the Colts in 2012. Baltimore ranked No. 3 in both yards and points allowed in 2011.
He won 11 games in each of his first three seasons in Indianapolis and compiled a 53-43 record with three playoff appearances before being fired after a 4-12 campaign in 2017.
Pagano served as the defensive coordinator the Chicago Bears under head coach Matt Nagy from 2019-20 before announcing his retirement on Jan. 13, 2021, saying he wanted to spend more time with family.
He’ll be tasked with improving a Baltimore defense that ranked 31st in the NFL against the pass in 2024, allowing 244.1 yards per game.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TOP 25 ROUNDUP: MARYLAND KNOCKS OFF NO. 17 WISCONSIN
Ja’Kobi Gillespie delivered 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists to lead a balanced Maryland to a 76-68 victory over No. 17 Wisconsin on Wednesday in College Park, Md.
Rodney Rice also scored 16 points and Selton Miguel added 12 points on four 3 pointers, leading a long-range assault by the Terrapins (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten) en route to their fourth straight win.
Julian Reese worked inside for 14 points and eight rebounds while Derik Queen produced 12 points and 12 boards as Maryland toppled a Wisconsin squad that had won eight of its previous nine games.
No. 1 Auburn 87, LSU 74
Johni Broome had 26 points and 16 rebounds as Auburn won its 12th consecutive game by defeating LSU in Baton Rouge, La.
Miles Kelly added 13 points and Chad Baker-Mazara amassed 11 points and seven assists for Auburn (19-1, 7-0 Southeastern Conference). The visitors built a 12-point halftime lead and maintained at least a five-point advantage throughout the second half.
Cam Carter scored 24, Dji Bailey added 13 and Jordan Sears scored 11 to lead LSU (12-8, 1-6).
No. 4 Alabama 88, No. 14 Mississippi State 84
Chris Youngblood scored a season-high 23 points on a career-best seven 3-pointers to help the Crimson Tide squeeze out a victory over the Bulldogs in Starkville, Miss.
Mark Sears had 17 points and nine assists and Grant Nelson registered 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocked shots as the Crimson Tide (18-3, 7-1 Southeastern Conference) won for the 12th time in the past 13 games. Aden Holloway had 12 points for Alabama.
Josh Hubbard scored a career-best 38 points for the Bulldogs (16-5, 4-4), who lost for the fourth time in six games. All four losses came to teams ranked No. 6 or better.
No. 6 Houston 63, West Virginia 49
L.J. Cryer scored a game-high 17 points and helped the Cougars stave off a second-half rally by the Mountaineers in Morgantown, W.Va.
The Cougars (17-3, 9-0 Big 12) extended their winning streak to 13 games despite blowing most of their 20-point halftime cushion.
Joseph Yesufu paced West Virginia (13-7, 4-5) with nine points off the bench.
No. 22 Texas Tech 71, TCU 57
JT Toppin logged his seventh double-double of the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds, Chance McMillian scored 16 and the Red Raiders survived a late scoring drought to beat the Horned Frogs in Lubbock, Texas.
Elijah Hawkins put up 13 points for Texas Tech (16-4, 7-2 Big 12), which has won five in a row since a one-point overtime loss to Iowa State on Jan. 11.
Noah Reynolds led TCU (10-10, 3-6 Big 12) with 14 points before fouling out.
No. 23 Ole Miss 72, Texas 69
Sean Pedulla scored a team-high 19 points and Davon Barnes had a crucial rebound before making a pair of late free throws as the Rebels outlasted the Longhorns in Oxford, Miss.
Jaemyn Brakefield posted 18 points and Dre Davis had 17 for Ole Miss (16-5, 5-3 SEC), which committed just four turnovers while ending a three-game skid.
Tre Johnson led the Longhorns (14-7, 3-5) with 22 points, and Arthur Kaluma hit for 12. Johnson missed a corner 3-point attempt with two seconds left.
No. 25 UConn 72, DePaul 61
Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. each scored 16 points as the Huskies used a second-half surge to defeat the Blue Demons in Hartford, Conn.
UConn (15-6, 7-3 Big East) trailed by as many as 14 in the first half before chipping away to take their first lead on Ball’s three-point play to kick off a game-winning 14-0 run with 9:38 left in regulation.
Layden Blocker led DePaul (10-12, 1-10) with 18 points and five rebounds, while CJ Gunn scored 14.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 6 UCONN WINS 10TH STRAIGHT
Azzi Fudd and Kaitlyn Chen each scored 17 points as No. 6 UConn rolled to its 10th consecutive win, an 84-58 blowout of DePaul on Wednesday in Chicago.
Sarah Strong added 11 points and a game-high eight rebounds for the Huskies (20-2, 11-0 Big East). UConn had no problem despite the struggles of Paige Bueckers, who hit just 2 of 10 field-goal attempts and finished with eight points, three rebounds and three assists.
Taylor Johnson-Matthews and Jorie Allen each put up 19 points for the Blue Demons (11-12, 6-4), who had won their previous two games.
UConn led just 23-20 near the midpoint of the second quarter before going on a 13-2 run. Chen, Ashlynn Shade and Fudd hit 3-pointer during the surge that built a 14-point lead, and the margin never dipped below that level in the second half.
No. 14 Maryland 82, Penn State 73
Sarah Te-Biasu sank four 3-pointers and finished with 20 points as the Terrapins downed the Lady Lions in University Park, Pa., to snap a three-game losing streak.
Kaylene Smikle scored 17 points, Saylor Poffenbarger had 15 points and three steals, and Shyanne Sellers logged 10 points for Maryland (17-4, 7-3 Big Ten). The Terrapins shot a sizzling 65.3 percent from the floor.
Penn State (10-12, 1-10) got more than half of its scoring from the duo of Gracie Merkle (24 points) and Gabby Elliott (23 points).
No. 24 Oklahoma State 83, Arizona State 71
Stailee Heard powered for 28 points and 10 rebounds as the Cowgirls beat the Sun Devils in Stillwater, Okla., for their fourth consecutive victory.
Heard hit 9 of 17 shots overall, including 5 of 9 from 3-point range. Oklahoma State (18-3, 8-2 Big 12) also got 14 points from Anna Gret Asi, 11 from Tenin Magassa and 10 from Alexia Smith.
Tyi Skinner registered 23 points for Arizona State (8-14, 2-8), while Jalyn Brown totaled 20 points and 11 rebounds.
NBA NEWS
LAKERS’ ANTHONY DAVIS (ABDOMINAL) OUT AT LEAST A WEEK
The Los Angeles Lakers will be without star big man Anthony Davis for at least a week due to an abdominal strain.
The injury occurred during the first quarter of Tuesday’s 118-104 road loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
“Davis will return to Los Angeles today and be re-evaluated in approximately one week,” the team said Wednesday.
Davis had four points with two rebounds in 10 minutes before departing with 2:10 left in the opening quarter.
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Davis was coming off a 42-point, 23-rebound performance Monday in a road victory over the Charlotte Hornets. It was the fifth 40-20 game of his career.
The 31-year-old has missed three of the Lakers’ 45 games this season. Los Angeles was 2-1 in those games.
The time off means Davis will miss road games against the Washington Wizards (Thursday) and the New York Knicks (Saturday). Los Angeles faces the cross-town Clippers next Tuesday.
Playing in his 13th NBA season, Davis is averaging a team-leading 25.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. The nine-time All-Star has averaged 24.2 points with 10.7 rebounds over 778 career games (771 starts) for the New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2012-19) and the Lakers.
NBA ROUNDUP: SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER SCORES 52, BUT THUNDER LOSE
Stephen Curry bounced back from a four-point first half with five second-half 3-pointers and the Golden State Warriors rallied to overcome Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 52 points and stun the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-109 on Wednesday night in San Francisco.
Andrew Wiggins went for a team-high 27 points and Curry finished with 21 points for the Warriors, who beat the Western Conference front-runners for the second time in three meetings this season.
Kevon Looney chipped in with a career-high-tying 18 points off the bench as Golden State earned its third win in four games.
Gilgeous-Alexander logged the second 50-point effort of his career. He put up 54 in a home win over the Utah Jazz on Jan. 22. Gilgeous-Alexander, who singlehandedly outscored the Warriors in the first quarter with a 21-point performance, finished 16-for-29 from the field. He padded his point total with an 18-for-21 night at the free-throw line.
Raptors 106, Wizards 82
Scottie Barnes scored 24 points as visiting Toronto thrashed Washington for its fifth straight win.
Barnes eclipsed the 20-point mark for the fourth consecutive game, making 10 of 19 attempts from the field. Jakob Poeltl finished with 12 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Kyle Kuzma recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards, who lost their 15th game in a row, one game shy of their season-worst skid.
Celtics 122, Bulls 100
Kristaps Porzingis scored a season-high 34 points and collected 11 rebounds to help Boston breeze to a victory over visiting Chicago.
Porzingis made 10 of his 18 field goal attempts, including 8 of 14 shots from behind the 3-point arc. His eight 3-pointers tied his career high. Jaylen Brown added 28 points, six rebounds and six assists for the Celtics, who also received a 22-point performance from Derrick White.
The Bulls didn’t have leading scorer Zach LaVine, who is averaging 24.0 points per game. Chicago guard Coby White returned from an ankle injury and scored 16 points in 31 minutes.
Knicks 122, Nuggets 112
Jalen Brunson posted his second double-double in three games for host New York, which continued its surge with a win over Denver.
Brunson, who finished with 30 points and 15 assists, had 15 points during a decisive third-period run for the Knicks, who have won five straight following a 3-6 skid. Karl-Anthony Towns supplied 14 points and 10 rebounds, while OG Anunoby netted 23 points.
Jamal Murray scored 33 points for the Nuggets, who set a season-worst with their third straight loss. Denver superstar Nikola Jokic finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six assists while playing just 33 minutes due to early foul trouble.
Cavaliers 126, Heat 106
Donovan Mitchell scored 34 points and Evan Mobley collected 22 points and 15 rebounds, lifting visiting Cleveland to a wire-to-wire victory over Miami.
Ty Jerome contributed 20 points and Georges Niang added 15 off the bench for the Cavaliers, who shot 54 percent from the floor and held a decisive 68-38 edge in points in the paint.
Terry Rozier scored 22 points off the bench for the Heat, who have lost six of their last nine games. Tyler Herro also put up 22 points, and Bam Adebayo contributed 21 points and nine rebounds.
Mavericks 137, Pelicans 136
P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford had double-doubles, four of their Dallas teammates scored in double figures and the visiting Mavericks defeated New Orleans.
Washington finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, and Gafford had 22 points, 12 rebounds and four blocked shots. Kyrie Irving logged 25 points, nine boards and six assists. Klay Thompson added 20 points, Quentin Grimes had 17 and Spencer Dinwiddie put up 11 as Dallas won for the third time in four games.
Trey Murphy III scored 32, Zion Williamson added 29 points and seven assists, Dejounte Murray scored 27 points, and CJ McCollum amassed 23 points and eight assists for New Orleans, which lost its fourth straight game.
Timberwolves 121, Suns 113
Minnesota rode a pivotal fourth-quarter run to a road win over Phoenix in a chippy contest featuring a bevy of technical fouls.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points off the bench and Anthony Edwards scored a team-high 33 points for Minnesota, which earned its fourth straight win. Julius Randle finished with 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the floor and matched Edwards with a game-high seven rebounds. Randle also swiped a game-high three steals, and his six assists matched Mike Conley’s team high.
Devin Booker, who also received a technical foul, finished with 28 points and a game-high eight assists. Bradley Beal added 17 points and six assists for Phoenix, while Grayson Allen had 11 points and seven rebounds.
76ers 117, Kings 104
Tyrese Maxey supplied 30 points and eight assists to guide host Philadelphia past Sacramento for its fourth straight win.
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 15 points and four steals for Philadelphia, which continued to play without Joel Embiid (knee) and Paul George (finger), among others.
Sacramento lost for the third time in four games despite all five starters scoring in double figures. Malik Monk notched 21 points and eight assists, while Domantas Sabonis recorded his third straight triple-double (13 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists).
Nets 104, Hornets 83
Keon Johnson scored 18 points as Brooklyn won at Charlotte, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
Jalen Wilson added 15 points for the Nets, while Nic Claxton supplied 12 points, eight rebounds and six blocked shots.
Miles Bridges led Charlotte with 23 points to go with 13 rebounds. The Hornets, who have lost four of their last five games, were without LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Mark Williams (foot).
Clippers 128, Spurs 116
Kawhi Leonard poured in a season-high 27 points and Ivica Zubac amassed 21 points and 22 rebounds as Los Angeles dominated the final five minutes to win at San Antonio.
Norman Powell also had 27 points while James Harden racked up 21 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who earned their third victory in four games.
Wembanyama scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds to lead the Spurs, who have lost five of their past six games.
Pacers 133, Pistons 119
Pascal Siakam had a season-high 37 points, Tyrese Haliburton added 30 and Indiana fought off a strong challenge to defeat Detroit in Indianapolis.
The game saw a total of six technical fouls called, four on Detroit, and Pistons backup center Isaiah Stewart was ejected in the second quarter after a flagrant foul on Pacers forward Thomas Bryant.
Indiana is an NBA-best 10-2 since the start of 2025, and all 10 wins have been by double figures. Detroit was led by Cade Cunningham’s 32 points. Myles Turner had 24 for the Pacers.
NHL NEWS
DEVILS’ LEADING GOAL SCORER NICO HISCHIER WEEK-TO-WEEK
New Jersey Devils captain Nico Hischier is week-to-week with an upper-body injury, head coach Sheldon Keefe announced Wednesday.
Hischier was injured after taking a cross check up high by Montreal captain Nick Suzuki during the second period of the Devils’ 4-3 overtime win against the host Canadiens on Saturday night. The forward returned to the ice for one shift in the third before retreating to the locker room.
Hischier sat out New Jersey’s 4-2 loss to the host Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. The teams meet again on Wednesday, this time in Newark, N.J.
“It’s something I think they’ll evaluate again next week and then take it from there,” Keefe said Wednesday. “But he won’t be available this week for sure.”
Hischier, 26, leads the team in goals (24) to go along with 19 assists in 51 games this season. He is second among forwards with an average ice time of 20:21.
He has recorded 396 points (160 goals, 236 assists) in 503 career games since being selected by the Devils with the first overall pick of the 2017 NHL Draft.
NHL ROUNDUP: DEVILS SCORE 4 IN 2ND, BLANK FLYERS
Brothers Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes each collected a goal and an assist as the New Jersey Devils scored four times in the second period and rolled to a 5-0 rout of the visiting Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night in Newark, N.J.
The Devils won for the third time in four games and for a second straight game withstood the absence of captain Nico Hischier due to an upper-body injury. Hischier is week-to-week and is expected to miss at least two more games.
Jack Hughes reached 20 goals for the fourth time in his career when he finished off a 2-on-1 with Jesper Bratt 1:58 into the third. Timo Meier, Brett Pesce and Bratt contributed two assists apiece for the Devils, who lost the first two meetings this season to the Flyers.
Jake Allen made 24 saves for his third shutout this season and 27th for his career. Allen highlighted his outing by denying Tyson Foerster on a breakaway late in the first period after stopping Sean Couturier twice in the opening minutes.
Philadelphia’s Samuel Ersson allowed four goals on 16 shots before getting pulled following Mercer’s goal. Ivan Fedotov spelled Ersson and made nine saves on 10 shots.
Penguins 3, Utah Hockey Clubs 2 (OT)
Sidney Crosby scored in overtime to cap a two-point game as Pittsburgh earned a victory over Utah in Salt Lake City.
Marcus Pettersson and Erik Karlsson also scored for the Penguins, who erased a pair of deficits and snapped a three-game losing streak. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 27 saves. Pittsburgh finished 3-4-0 on a seven-game road trip.
Mikhail Sergachev and Michael Carcone scored for Utah, which took its third loss in a row (0-2-1). Goalie Connor Ingram made 25 saves.
Panthers 3, Kings 0
Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for his 46th career shutout and second of the season as Florida defeated Los Angeles in Sunrise, Fla.
Matthew Tkachuk had a goal and two assists and Sam Bennett and Aleksander Barkov also scored for the Panthers, who earned their fourth win in six games. It was the 899th career victory for Florida coach Paul Maurice. His next win will make him only the fourth NHL coach with 900 victories.
Darcy Kuemper stopped 36 shots for the Kings, who have lost seven of their last nine (2-6-1) and have scored just 19 goals in their past 11 games.
Wild 3, Maple Leafs 1
Jared Spurgeon scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the first period and visiting Minnesota went on to defeat Toronto.
Marat Khusnutdinov and Marcus Foligno (empty net) also scored for the Wild, who have won the first two games of a five-game road trip after losing five of their previous six. Filip Gustavsson stopped 32 shots for the Wild for his second straight win after he dropped four in a row. Minnesota swept the two-game season series with Toronto.
William Nylander scored for the Maple Leafs, who have lost three in a row and have been held to one goal in each. Joseph Woll made 22 saves.
Canucks 3, Predators 1
Thatcher Demko made 31 saves and Linus Karlsson scored his first NHL goal as visiting Vancouver beat Nashville for its third consecutive win.
Nils Hoglander and Pius Suter scored the Canucks’ other goals. Quinn Hughes, who collected two assists, has 11 points (five goals, six assists) over his ongoing seven-game points streak.
Tommy Novak scored the Predators’ only goal, and Juuse Saros stopped 19 of 21 shots. Nashville has lost two straight games on the heels of a season-best five-game winning streak.
BASEBALL NEWS
REPORT: TIGERS NEAR DEAL WITH RELIEVER TOMMY KAHNLE
The Detroit Tigers are nearing a deal with veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle, MLB Network reported Wednesday.
The 35-year-old right-hander posted a 2.11 ERA in 50 appearances for the New York Yankees last season.
Kahnle is 10-14 with eight saves and a 3.47 ERA in 390 games (zero starts) with the Colorado Rockies (2014-15), Chicago White Sox (2016-17), Yankees (2017-20, 2023-24) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2022).
He has struck out 452 batters in 373 2/3 innings of work.
REPORT: METS, RHP RYNE STANEK AGREE TO 1-YEAR DEAL
Right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek agreed to a one-year contract with the New York Mets, MLB.com reported on Wednesday.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Stanek, 33, posted a 1-0 record with a 6.06 ERA in 17 relief appearances with the Mets after he was acquired from the Seattle Mariners at last year’s trade deadline. He was 6-3 with seven saves and a 4.38 ERA in 46 relief appearances with the Mariners in 2024.
A World Series champion with Houston, Stanek owns a 17-17 record with 11 saves and a 3.65 ERA in 401 career appearances (56 starts) with the Tampa Bay Rays, Miami Marlins, Astros, Mariners and Mets.
TOP INDIANA RELEASES/NEWS
INDIANA FEVER
INDIANA FEVER RE-SIGN ALL-STAR KELSEY MITCHELL
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 29, 2025) — The Indiana Fever and guard Kelsey Mitchell have agreed to contract terms, cementing the return of the veteran All-Star. It will be Mitchell’s eighth WNBA season, all with the Fever.
“Kelsey has been a foundation of our franchise for many years, and we are thrilled to see her return to the Fever,” said President of Basketball and Business Operations Kelly Krauskopf, who drafted Mitchell in 2018. “We value Kelsey’s commitment to our organization, and we’re excited to see her build off a phenomenal 2024, her best season yet. She is one of the best guards in this league and is a cornerstone to building a championship roster.”
Drafted No. 2 overall by the Fever, Mitchell is coming off a career-best 2024 season where she was featured in all 40 regular season games, starting all but two, and guiding the franchise to its first playoff appearance since 2016.
Mitchell recorded individual single-season highs, averaging 19.2 points per game, shooting 46.8% from the field. Additionally, the Cincinnati native shot 40.2% from behind the three-point arc and tallied 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game, respectively.
“I’m thrilled that Kelsey is returning to Fever. She has been an integral part of this franchise from the moment she was drafted,” said Fever Head Coach Stephanie White. “I have watched her journey from the sideline since her time in college and have always admired her work ethic, approach to the game and the way she interacts with her teammates. I can’t wait to work with her on a daily basis.”
Since 2018, Mitchell has appeared in 235 of a possible 240 games, only missing five games during the 2022 season. In just seven seasons, she ranks No. 2 all-time in points scored (3,923), three-pointers made (558) and career minutes (7,085) for the Fever, and is No. 4 all-time for the team in assists (649). Mitchell led the Fever in scoring every season from 2019 to 2023.
A product of Ohio State University, Mitchell was named a WNBA All-Star in both 2023 and 2024. She earned All-Rookie Team honors in 2018.
INDIANA PACERS
GAME REWIND: PACERS 133, PISTONS 119
Back playing in the Circle City for the first time in 11 days, the hottest team in the Eastern Conference put on a show against a longtime Central Division foe.
Four days removed from the NBA Paris Games, the Indiana Pacers (26-20) led the Detroit Pistons (23-24) wire-to-wire in a 133-119 victory on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. With a win, the Pacers finished January play 10-2 – the best in the East – and secured their regular season series with the Pistons 3-1.
Indiana’s dynamic duo of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam balled out against the Pistons, as Siakam scored 37 points – his most as a Pacer – on 15-for-21 shooting while Haliburton logged 30 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. After the All-Star tandem, Myles Turner had 24 points, T.J. McConnell added 14, and Ben Sheppard chipped in 12.
The Pacers outshot the Pistons 56.8 to 49.4 percent in the game, including making 19 3-pointers to Detroit’s 12 treys.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points and nine assists, and Malik Beasley supplied 20 points off the bench for the visitors.
Indiana scored a season-best 74 first half points to lead by 10 at the break, and then took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter before using an 18-7 run to put the game away in the final frame.
The Blue & Gold were without two starters Wednesday, as Andrew Nembhard (thoracic spine sprain) and Bennedict Mathurin (illness) were late scratches. Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith were inserted into the Pacers’ first five in their places.
The Pacers shot 65.9 percent as a team in the first half, including 9-for-18 from 3-point range, to lead 74-64. Haliburton scored 22 points, Siakam had 21 points, and McConnell chipped in 14 off the bench before intermission.
Indiana’s offense looked unstoppable in the first quarter, as the Blue & Gold made 16 of 20 shot attempts, including 7-for-10 from 3-point range, to build a 40-33 lead.
Haliburton and Siakam looked dominant from the start, as Siakam scored 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting and Haliburton netted 11 while also dishing out four assists in the opening period.
The Pacers came out on fire to start the game, making seven of their first 10 shots to lead 18-4 with 7:23 left in the first quarter. During the same stretch, the Blue & Gold held the Pistons to 1-for-8 shooting from the field.
While the Pistons were able to chip away the deficit thanks to a trio of threes from Beasley, McConnell scored four straight baskets for the Blue & Gold over a three-minute span to help keep the Pacers up by seven at the end of the opening frame.
The Pacers led by as many as 20 points in the second quarter before taking a 10-point lead into the locker room.
Indiana opened the second quarter on a 10-3 run, with McConnell accounting for six points, before an 11-0 scoring spree, capped by a Myles Turner 3-pointer, pushed the lead to 57-39 with 7:06 on the clock.
During the Pacers scoring spree, with 8:45 left in the half, Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart was ejected after receiving a flagrant 2 foul after making unnecessary contact with Indiana’s Thomas Bryant away from the ball.
The Pistons responded with a 21-7 run, featuring five points by Tobias Harris, four from Cunningham, and three by Jalen Duren to cut it to 66-60 with 1:37 on the clock
In the final 1:04 of the half, Haliburton scored six straight points for the Blue & Gold, including a turnaround fadeaway shot from 16 feet at the buzzer to put the Pacers back up 10.
The Pistons outscored the Pacers 32-28 in the third quarter, with Cunningham scoring 13 points in the frame, but the Pacers led 102-96 heading into the fourth quarter.
Siakam scored the first seven points for the Pacers in the second half, as the team largely battled back and forth in the period.
After the Pistons narrowed their deficit to five points midway through the third quarter, a 3-pointer by Sheppard and seven straight points by Bryant to end the period gave the Pacers a seven-point advantage heading into the final frame.
Indiana opened the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run, with Siakam hitting a pair of buckets and Jarace Walker drilling a 3-pointer, to extend the Pacers lead to 109-96 with 9:51 to play.
With 5:44 remaining, Turner was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made all his free throws. After the first free throw, however, Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff was called for a technical and Haliburton made a free throw, helping the Blue & Gold to a 115-105 lead.
A Harris basket answered the four quick Pacers points, but a three from Sheppard put the Pacers up 118-107 and forced a Pistons timeout.
The Pistons never got back within single digits over the final five minutes of the game. Up 130-112 after Turner’s fourth 3-pointer with 1:48 remaining, the Pacers emptied their bench.
The Pacers can extend their winning streak to three straight when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
Inside the Numbers
The Pacers are 9-0 when Haliburton and Siakam score at least 20 points each in a game this season
With the Pacers, Siakam has scored at least 30 points four times in two seasons. Wednesday was the first time he eclipsed 30 this season.
Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith didn’t score a point but finished with a +/- of +20.
Indiana went 22-for-31 on free throws and Detroit finished 19-for-26.
Detroit outrebounded Indiana 41-36 in the game.
The Pistons won the points in the paint 52-44.
There were no ties and no lead changes in the game.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
INDIANA BASKETBALL GAME NOTES – GAME 22 AT NO. 10/10 PURDUE
Opening Tip
• Indiana University continues Big Ten Conference play in its 125th season of competition in men’s basketball at No. 10 Purdue at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 31, at Mackey Arena. The game will carry a national broadcast on FOX with Jason Benetti (pxp) and Robbie Hummel (analyst) on the call.
• The Boilermakers enter the game with a record of 16-5 (8-2 Big Ten) under 20th-year head coach Matt Painter. Purdue is led by 15.4 points, 8.9 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game from junior guard Braden Smith. Junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn has added a team-best 18.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per night.
Game Information
Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 • 8 p.m. ET
Mackey Arena (14,876) • West Lafayette, Ind.
TV: FOX Jason Benetti, Robbie Hummel)
Radio: IU Radio Network (Don Fischer, Errek Suhr, John Herrick)
Series History: Indiana trails, 92-127
Last Meeting: PUR 79, IU 59 on Feb. 10, 2024, in West Lafayette
Series History
• For the 220th times in program history, Indiana will take on archrival Purdue. No team has appeared on the IU schedule more often than Purdue. The Boilers hold a 127-92 advantage in the series.
• The Boilermakers won both matchups last season after the Hoosiers swept the series the previous season. Head coach Mike Woodson owns a 3-3 record against Purdue, including a 79-71 win in Mackey Arena on Feb. 25, 2023.
Last Time Out
• Indiana dropped a 79-78 home contest against Maryland on Sunday, Jan. 26, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Indiana trailed 63-53 with 9:34 remaining in the game before mounting a furious comeback that fell just short.
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako and redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice each tallied 16 points on a combined 5-of-10 from the 3-point line.
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo posted his sixth double-double in eight games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Junior forward Malik Reneau added 10 points and six boards in his return to the starting lineup.
Mack on the Attack
• Sophomore forward Mackenzie Mgbako has put together 37 double-figure scoring games in his two-year career with the Cream ‘n Crimson. He has topped 20 points seven times, with five such games against Big Ten opponents.
• Over his last two starts, Mgbako has averaged a team-high 18.0 points per game on 57.7% (15-of-26) shooting from the floor and 41.7% (5-of-12) shooting from behind the arc.
Big Fella Ballo
• Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo has averaged 14.5 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.7 blocks per contest and is shooting 64.7% (110-of-170) from the floor this season. He is one of five Division I men’s basketball players (Johni Broome, Auburn; Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico; Denijay Harris, Southern Miss; Yaxel Lendeborg) to average a double-double and 1.5 blocked shots per night, and the only player to post those numbers on 60.0% shooting or better.
• Ballo is one of seven active players to score 1,500 career points and grab 1,000 career rebounds. He joins Johni Broome (Auburn), Norchad Omier (Baylor), Ryan Kalkbreener (Creighton), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas), Christian Shumate (McNeese) and Nelly Junior Joseph (New Mexico) on the exclusive list. He recorded his 41st career double-double (14 points, 10 rebounds) against Maryland (Jan. 26). Ballo has posted six double-doubles across his last eight contests. During that stretch, he has averaged 17.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
• The 7-footer leads all Big Ten players and ranks 11th nationally in boards per game. Ballo has strung together 11 games with double-digit boards, including a season-high 18 against Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 6.
Following the Gallo-Way
• Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway has handed out at least five helpers in 32 career games, including 11 contests this season. The Hoosiers are 7-4 across those 11 games.
• He has averaged 4.8 assists in his nine appearances off the bench this season. He ranks second nationally (Rahmir Barno, Florida Gulf Coast) in assists per game in a reserve role.
• Galloway is one of four B1G players (Brock Harding, Iowa; Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Maryland; Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State) to average at least 4.0 assists while shooting 35.0% from the 3-point line while playing under 30.0 minutes per game.
Going the Extra Myles
• Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice has averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game and has shot 44.5% (89-of-200) from the floor and 89.2% (58-of-65) from the free throw line this season.
• Rice is one of four B1G players (Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern; Braden Smith, Purdue; Great Osobor, Washington) to produce at least 250 points, 60 rebounds, 60 assists, and 25 steals this season.
• The Washington State transfer was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma on Sept. 12, 2022. After undergoing chemotherapy for five hours a session twice a month for six months, Rice learned his cancer was in remission on June 1, 2023.
PURDUE WRESTLING
BOILERMAKERS READY TO FACE #13 FIGHTING ILLINI
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Wrestling will resume Big Ten Conference action with a short road trip to compete at No. 13 Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
The dual in Champaign, Illinois, is set for 3 p.m. ET inside Huff Hall. A live broadcast will be available on B1G+ with live stats on TrackWrestling.com
The Boilermakers (8-3, 1-2 B1G) are facing their border rivals for the 95th time in program history. The Fighting Illini (8-3, 3-3 B1G) will be tied with Northwestern as the second-most common opponent in Purdue history, trailing only Indiana (111 meetings).
Illinois holds a 61-31-2 advantage in the all-time series. The Boilers’ most recent win in Champaign was an 18-14 decision on Feb. 16, 2020.
PURDUE POINTS
The first national coaches’ rankings of the season were released last week with five Boilermakers listed: No. 1 Matt Ramos (125 lbs.), No. 5 Joey Blaze (157 lbs.), No. 23 Brody Baumann (174 lbs.), No. 27 Greyson Clark (141 lbs.) and No. 29 Ben Vanadia (197 lbs.)
Purdue’s “Fab Five” hold a combined record of 69-23 and have outscored their opponents 964-415 this season.
Undefeated at 20-0, Ramos maintained his unanimous spot atop the 125-pound division for an eighth consecutive week. With 59 takedowns and 80 back points, he has yet to surrender a single takedown or back point all season.
Ramos and Blaze ride into Champaign as the hottest wrestlers on the team, having won each of their first three Big Ten matches.
Blaze and Vanadia have been Purdue’s biggest performers in the clutch so far this season. They are tied for the team lead with 59 third period points.
Baumann leads all starters with three pins this season. He also set the mark for the highest point total with a 21-5 technical fall at Kent State on Jan. 3.
Orlando Cruz later matched Baumann’s tally in a 21-5 tech fall at Northern Illinois on Jan. 12.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
.819 – Ramos’ career win percentage, with a record of 104-23, currently ranks third in school history.
5 – Blaze’s No. 5 spot in the initial coaches’ rankings marked the first time he’s cracked the top five by any publication in his young career. The sophomore is 13-3 with a challenging stretch coming up against some of the nation’s top 157-pounders.
4 – As many as four ranked matchups (via InterMat) could headline the Purdue-Illinois dual, including No. 28 Clark vs. No. 15 Danny Pucino, No. 7 Blaze vs. No. 31 Jason Kraisser, No. 26 Baumann vs. No. 23 Danny Braunagel, and No. 27 Vanadia vs. No. 16 Zac Braunagel.
LAST TIME OUT
The Boilers are coming off a rare bye week in the middle of Big Ten season. Purdue most recently fell in a 34-10 decision at No. 4 Ohio State in Columbus on Sunday, Jan. 19.
Vanadia notched a 17-5 major decision over Gavin Bell for the Boilermakers’ lone bonus points.
Also notably, Blaze and Ramos picked up ranked victories to continue their hot streaks. Ramos handled No. 11 Brendan McCrone in a 3-1 decision before Blaze beat No. 17 Sammy Sasso, a four-time All-American, 5-1.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
Purdue
125 | #1 Matt Ramos / Ashton Jackson
133 | Dustin Norris / Jacob Macatangay
141 | #28 Greyson Clark / Cole Solomey
149 | Isaac Ruble / Wyatt Krejsa
157 | #7 Joey Blaze / Kade Law
165 | Stoney Buell / Delaney Ruhlman
174 | #26 Brody Baumann
184 | Orlando Cruz
197 | #27 Ben Vanadia / Quinn Herbert
285 | Hayden Filipovich / Dominic Burgett
#13 Illinois
125 | Caelan Riley
133 | #4 Lucas Byrd
141 | #15 Danny Pucino
149 | #13 Kannon Webster
157 | #31 Jason Kraisser
165 | #13 Braeden Scoles
174 | #23 Danny Braunagel
184 | #12 Edmond Ruth
197 | #16 Zac Braunagel
285 | #10 Luke Luffman
PURDUE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BOILERS RETURN TO MACKEY TO FACE NEBRASKA
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue women’s basketball team returns to Mackey Arena to open a two-game homestand on Thursday night when it hosts Nebraska at 7 p.m. on B1G+.
Tim Newton and Jane Schott will be courtside for the Purdue Global Radio Network on 95.3 BOB FM and Purdue Stretch Internet.
GAME INFORMATION
Purdue (7-13, 0-9) vs. Nebraska (15-5, 6-3)
Wednesday, Jan. 30
Time: 7 PM
TV/Stream: B1G+
Radio: 95.3 BOB FM
Audio: Purdue Stretch Internet
Live Stats: Purduestats.com
PROMOTIONS
• Golden Ticket Game
• 50th Season Celebration Poster No. 1 Giveaway
LAST TIME OUT
Kendall Puryear finished in double figures with a team-high 10 points on the road at Illinois, as Purdue fell 74-38. Rashunda Jones dished out five assists, while Lana McCarthy posted a team-high six rebounds.
NOTES
• Nebraska owns a narrow 11-10 series lead.
• The last time the two clubs met last was in the Big Ten Tournament when Sophie Swanson matched the Purdue single-game 3-point record with seven triples.
• The first meeting between Purdue and Nebraska in 2012 went to three overtimes in the longest game in Boilermaker history (matched against Ohio State in 2013).
• Katie Gearlds and Amy Williams are the only Big Ten coaches at their alma mater. Both got their head coaching starts in the NAIA with Gearlds winning two national titles in eight seasons at Marian and Williams spending five seasons at Rogers State.
• Thursday night marks Purdue’s eighth straight matchup against a team in the top 50 of the NET.
• The Boilermakers have the second hardest NET strength of schedule in the country, behind South Carolina.
• Freshman Kendall Puryear has finished in double figures in six games this year, including each of the last two.
• Puryear has given the Boilermakers a boost on the offensive end over the last five games with 7.8 points per night, second on the team, while shooting 51.4% from the field.
• McKenna Layden has averaged a team-high seven rebounds over her last four games.
• Rashunda Jones has been on a roll since returning to the starting lineup four games ago. The sophomore leads the team with 8.5 points per game at a 65.2% clip during that span.
• Jones has become Purdue’s primary facilitator with 62 assists on the year, which moved her into a tie for 25th on Purdue’s sophomore season assists chart.
• The Boilermakers have six freshmen and sophomores averaging 15 minutes or more per night, most in the Big Ten and tied for fourth in the nation.
• Purdue’s underclassmen have combined for 31.8 points per game this season.
• McKenna Layden has knocked down 11 3-pointers since the turn of the calendar year while pulling down a team-best 5.6 rebounds.
• Destini Lombard is the lone Boilermaker averaging double figures with 11.5 points per game. The fifth year has connected 34 times from behind the arc with a 42.5% 3-point rate, nearly 20% better than final year at Stephen F. Austin in 2023-24.
• Lombard recorded her 45th steal of the season against Illinois on Monday night to move up to third in the Big Ten in steals.
• Lana McCarthy and Michigan’s Olivia Olson are the lone freshmen from the Big Ten to average six points and five rebounds per game this season with a shooting clip of 45% or better and two of 24 nationally.
• Fifth year Ella Collier made her 23rd 3-pointer of the year at Illinois. She has a 38.3% clip from behind the arc this season
• The Danville, Ind., native is shooting 53% from the field, 45% from distance and 94% at the line for her career.
• Sophie Swanson sits third on the team with 22 made 3-pointers after knocking down one at Illinois. The sophomore has made 63 triples. Her 33.9% 3-point clip ranks 25th in Purdue history and 15th by a player through her sophomore season.
• The Boilermakers are the only team in the nation to face the top four teams in the AP Top 25 this season. Michigan is the only other program in the nation to face three of the four (USC, UCLA, South Carolina).
• After rejecting one shot at Illinois, Reagan Bass moved into a tie for 14th in the Big Ten with 19 blocks on the year.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S LAX
NOTRE DAME SELECTED FIRST IN ACC PRESEASON POLL
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The back-to-back national champions Fighting Irish were picked first in the 2025 ACC Preseason Poll voted on by the conference coaches this week.
Notre Dame came in first with 25 points followed by Syracuse (20), Virginia (12), Duke (10) and North Carolina (8).
Five members of the Irish were placed on the Preseason All-ACC Team, as last season’s NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player Chris Kavanagh represented the Notre Dame attack. The USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason FOGO of the Year Will Lynch earned the only faceoff spot while returning All-Americans Will Donovan (LSM), Ben Ramsey (SSDM) and Shawn Lyght (Defenseman) each earned the accolades as well.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX
NCAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE PREVIEW: NO. 13 NOTRE DAME’S NEW IDENTITY
NO. 13 NOTRE DAME
2024 record: 16-4 (7-2 ACC)
Head Coach: Christine Halfpenny
Assistants: Lauren Benner, Caroline Curnal, Ellie Masera
Taylor Swift’s one-of-a-kind “Eras Tour” ended in late 2024. A few months prior, another eras tour of sorts ended in South Bend.
The graduations of all-time greats Madison Ahern, Kasey Choma and Jackie Wolak leave significant holes on the offensive side of the field. That trio is at the top of the impact list of 17 seniors who’ve graduated, not dissimilar to many other teams in the fourth season removed from COVID-19, but inconvenient, nonetheless.
That leaves plenty of blank space on the lineup card for head coach Christine Halfpenny to tinker with.
“It’s super exciting,” Halfpenny said. “We know that we’ve worked really hard and done our job in recruiting to get the right people here that are ready to take on these awesome and cyclical challenges. The goal is to never have big drop-off, but the COVID cycle hit Notre Dame.”
All that said, Halfpenny isn’t shy on confidence.
“We’re built to last,” she said.
While a majority of the starting lineup needs replacing, Halfpenny cited “experiential knowledge” when asked how Notre Dame can — at the very least — maintain its standing as a national threat. After all, last year the Irish beat a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in program history and beat the trio of Boston College and North Carolina and Northwestern for the first time in a single season.
The goal is to peak at the right time while relying on relative newcomers to everyday roles. Grace Weigand, Meghan O’Hare, Kathryn Morrissey, Franny O’Brien and Abigail Lyons will be the stabilizers as returning starters.
Naturally, expect a new identity. Halfpenny’s proud to have already found it. It dawned on her in the last scrimmage of the fall against Northwestern. Notre Dame is fast — really fast. Halfpenny plans to use that to her team’s advantage.
That’ll be possible with continued draw prowess. Kelly Denes has been the team’s draw ace, but with her out the door, it’s Ava Kristynik’s turn in the circle. The senior from Southlake, Texas, is something of a secret weapon given limited film of her abilities. Her last draw win came in 2022.
It still might take the new starters some time to mesh. But that’s OK. Championships aren’t won in February and March. A hiccup along the way? They’ll shake it off.
“Our goal is to peak at the right time, at the end of April and the beginning of May,” Halfpenny said.
TOP RETURNERS
Grace Weigand, D, Sr. (24GB, 17CT)
Meghan O’Hare, M, So. (10G, 30DC)
Kathryn Morrissey, M, So. (23G, 3A)
Weigand will be the rock on defense. Halfpenny is excited to see Morrissey work more with Franny O’Brien, who focused much of her time defensively last year but is expected to take on more offensive responsibilities. Abigail Lyons rounds out the five returning starters from last season.
KEY ADDITIONS
Madison Rassas, M, Fr. (Georgetown Visitation, D.C.)
Shannon Earley, M, Fr. (Benet Academy, Ill.)
Wynter Jock, A, So. (redshirted in 2024)
Rassas, Halfpenny said, is going to be special. But more on her later. Instead, let’s shift focus to Jock, who was with the program last year but suffered a knee injury competing with the Haudenosaunee Nationals. After taking last year to focus on Jock’s strength and rehab, Halfpenny is excited for the spring.
“She’s going to be a player who can give our opponents a problem,” she said.
NOTABLE DEPARTURES
Graduations: Madison Ahern, A; Kasey Choma, M; Jackie Wolak, A; MK Doherty, M; Olivia Dooley, D; Arden Tierney, A/DS, Abby Maichin, A; Lilly Callahan, G; Keelin Schlageter, M/D; Kelly Denes, M/DS
X-FACTOR
Madison Rassas, M, Fr. (Georgetown Visitation, D.C.)
Notre Dame might have its next superstar – and perfect timing, too, considering all that’s graduated. Halfpenny waxes poetic about Rassas and doesn’t hesitate to suggest that she could find herself in the rarified air of program legends like Cortney Fortunato, Jill Byers and Crysti Foote.
“She’s special,” Halfpenny said. “She had a wonderful fall for us. She’s a warrior on the field. She plays with intent. We had her in the midfield this fall, and she was dominant on the offensive end.”
THE NARRATIVE
It’s clear that 2025 is going to be a retooling year in South Bend. Halfpenny doesn’t want anybody to mistake her team for one that’s going to roll over, though.
That simply won’t be the case.
“I think that, at the end of the day, building takes time,” she said. “A lot of people that have opinions on us are the ones that are chasing us. People that are ahead of you don’t have anything to say about you. But the people you keep beating, it’s funny, they have a lot to say.”
Notre Dame showed last year it can beat the teams ahead of it, giving a taste of marquee victory to those remaining on the roster. That hunger for more, especially with new roles for many, should carry into 2025.
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTRE DAME CONTINUES ROAD SWING WITH TRIP TO BLACKSBURG
BLACKSBURG, Va. — After a win at Boston College last Thursday and the weekend off, No. 3 Notre Dame (17-2, 8-0) heads to Virginia Tech (14-6, 5-4) for the second of three straight away games.
The Irish most recently stifled a hot Eagles offense, defeating BC 89-63 and holding them to a 1-17 showing from the floor to close out the game. Hannah Hidalgo paced Notre Dame with 23 points, while Sonia Citron stuffed the stat sheet once again with 9 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and a block. She led the team in both boards and dimes.
Notre Dame’s “pick your poison” mantra is alive and well through eight ACC games. There are five players in the conference posting at least 15 points, 6 rebounds and a pair of assists per game in ACC play. Three of them play for the Irish (Citron, Hidalgo and Olivia Miles). The other two are Miami’s Haley Cavinder and Stanford’s Nunu Agara.
In total, Notre Dame has a player ranked in the top 10 nationally in four of the five major statistical categories — Hidalgo (points and steals), Miles (assists) and Kate Koval (blocks). As a team, the Irish lead the ACC in rebounds, assists, blocks and steals per game plus field goal percentage, scoring margin and rebounding margin. The Irish offense is posting 87.5 points per game, which ranks second in the conference and fifth nationally. The group also leads the country with a 41.2 success rate from beyond the arc.
The Hokies are led by first year coach and Notre Dame alum Megan Duffy, who played in South Bend from 2002-06. Virginia Tech is coming off an 85-57 loss to No. 20 NC State but brings a balanced offense and young core to the court. Carleigh Wenzel is the team’s leading scorer (14.3 ppg), but four players are averaging 10+ points per contest. Wenzel led the Hokies with 18 points in Raleigh on Sunday. Forward Rose Michaeux is posting a near double-double with 12.4 points and 8.5 boards per game.
Notre Dame is 17-2 all-time against Virginia Tech and has won the last five meetings, including a top-10 clash in December 2022, the last time the Irish visited Cassell Coliseum. Thursday’s game airs on ACCNX and tips off at 6 p.m.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S GOLF
MODLESKI NAMED TO BEN HOGAN AWARD WATCH LIST
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – University of Notre Dame men’s golfer Jacob Modleski is one of 35 collegiate male golfers to be named to the Ben Hogan Award Watch List, as announced by the Hogan Trophy Award Foundation, the Friends of Golf, and the Golf Coaches Association of America Wednesday. The award recognizes the most accomplished golfers across all of college golf.
Modleski, a sophomore on the Irish men’s golf team, led his team to a pair of tournament wins in the fall season and finished as one of the top college rookies a season ago. Last fall, Modleski finished at or below par at all seven tournaments, including his best, a minus-six, at the Folds of Honor Collegiate to open the season.
In addition to being named a Watch List honoree, Modleski was recently named to the inaugural U.S. Elite Amateur Program roster.
Modleski and the rest of the Irish begin their spring slate of competition at the Watersound Invitational Feb. 17-19 in Panama City Beach, Florida.
BUTLER SOFTBALL
2025 SOFTBALL PREVIEW SERIES: INFIELDERS
Butler returns 2024 starters at every infield position for the 2025 season, so expectations are high for strong defensive production.
Returning veterans include graduate Paige Dorsett and seniors Sydney Carter and Ella White. White was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in 2024 and broke Butler’s single-season record with 45 RBI. She also led the team in doubles (14), slugging% (.645), and on-base% (.455). Dorsett was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection two seasons ago. Last season, she finished second for the Bulldogs in hits (54), doubles (10), and on-base% (.402). Carter, who primarily plays second base, was an All-BIG EAST First Team selection her sophomore season.
Underclassmen returning in the infield include sophomores Makena Alexander, Olivia Moxley, and Olivia Roberts. Alexander produced three home runs and three doubles last season and picked up a BIG EAST Freshman of the Week accolade.
One newcomer expected to join the infield crew is freshman Paige Lillie.
“We return a very solid infield and added some offensive fire power in there as well,” stated Head Coach Scott Hall. “This group is very versatile, which could lead to many variations on defense. Paige and Ella should be staples in the batting order. I look for Makena to really increase her power numbers this year at the plate. I anticipate Syd Carter and Moxley to increase their production for us in the middle of the line-up as well. Olivia Roberts and Paige Lillie are solid defenders and will add depth to our infield.”
With an abundance of experience, the Bulldogs infield will be called upon to provide defensive stability as Butler seeks to once again settle among the leaders in the BIG EAST standings.
BUTLER WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
PIRATES PUSH PAST BUTLER 71-48
Seton Hall picked up a 71-48 win over Butler on Wednesday night to improve to 15-5 on the year. The setback moves Butler to 12-11. Jocelyn Land scored a career-high 14 points for the Bulldogs and fellow freshman Lily Zeinstra set a new career-high rebound total with 11 against SHU.
The Pirates opened the game on a 6-0 run and another 6-0 SHU scoring run over the final 46 seconds of the first quarter would give the home team a 12-6 advantage.
Seton Hall took control of the action at the start of the second quarter. A 17-0 Pirate run moved the score to 29-6. Butler’s first points of the frame came courtesy of Jocelyn Land on the right block with under a minute to play in the first half.
BU was limited to just 11 first half points on 4-of-19 shooting. The Pirates also struggled from the field (10-33), but went 10-for-12 from the free throw line to help build their lead. SHU had 13 steals in the first half and 16 Bulldog turnovers would result in 21 Pirate points.
Savannah Catalon was the game’s leading scorer at the break. She had eight, Jada Eads had six and Faith Masonius had four.
Land started the second half and provided Butler with nearly all of their offense. She was responsible for 11 of the team’s first 13 points, pushing her game total to 14. During that stretch the true freshman made three 3-pointers and added a layup.
Once Land went to the bench for a rest, Riley Makalusky and Kilyn McGuff would hit 3-pointers for the Bulldogs making the game 54-30 heading to the fourth.
McGuff kept a hot hand and scored six points for BU over the first five minutes of the fourth. The Bulldogs outscored the Pirates by one in the fourth quarter taking the teams to the final score of 71-48.
Inside the Box Score
– Land scored a career-high 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting
– Land made three of her six 3-point attempts
– Lily Zeinstra grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds
– Zeinstra collected four of Butler’s eight total offensive rebounds
– 28 Bulldog turnovers resulted in 37 SHU points
– Butler shot 31 percent from the field
– SHU had 19 steals and 34 points in the paint
– Savannah Catalon led SHU with 15 points
– Jada Eads had 14 and Faith Masonius had 12
Up Next
The Bulldogs will face #6 UConn Sunday afternoon in Hartford at the XL Center. The 1 p.m. tip will air on SNY.
IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
LATE GAME PUSH FALLS SHORT AS IU INDY FALLS TO MILWAUKEE
INDIANAPOLIS – The IU Indy Jaguars dropped a hard-fought game to the Milwaukee Panthers on Wednesday night in The Jungle, falling 66-62 despite a late surge in the final moments. The Jaguars, who struggled offensively in the first half, couldn’t recover from the early deficit. Senior Katie Davidson recorded her eighth straight double-digit point game, leading all scorers with 24 points.
Milwaukee came out red-hot, shooting 70 percent in the first quarter to take an 18-10 lead. Meanwhile, the Jaguars were ice-cold, converting just 21.4 percent of their field goals and struggling from deep, shooting only 11.1 percent (1-for-9) from beyond the arc.
The Jags showed some improvement in the second quarter, but Milwaukee maintained control, outscoring IU Indy 13-12 to hold a 31-22 lead at halftime.
After the break, the Jaguars came out with renewed energy. A 7-0 run, all from Davidson, cut the Panthers’ lead to 33-29, and IU Indy outscored Milwaukee 16-14 in the third quarter to narrow the gap to 45-38 heading into the final period.
The Jags found their rhythm in the fourth quarter, shooting a game-high 50 percent from the field and 55.6 percent (5-for-9) from three-point range. With seconds ticking down, Azyah Newson-Cole nailed a clutch three-pointer to pull IU Indy within two points at 64-62. But Milwaukee’s Kacee Baumhower sealed the win with two critical free throws, extending the Panthers’ lead to 66-62 as the final buzzer sounded.
Davidson led all scorers with 24 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Her 24-point performance was complemented by Newson-Cole, who added 11 points, and Faith Stinson, who chipped in with nine. Shania Nichols-Vannett contributed five assists, leading the team in that category.
The loss drops IU Indy to 5-16 overall and 4-8 in Horizon League play. The Jaguars will look to bounce back when they host Green Bay on Sunday, February 2, at 2:00 PM.
IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL
MEN’S BASKETBALL TO OPEN TWO-GAME TRIP AT ROBERT MORRIS
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team will embark on a tough two-game road trip, beginning on Thursday (Jan. 30) at Robert Morris (15-7, 7-4 HL) at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+. The Jaguars are coming off a 91-80 home loss to Purdue Fort Wayne inside the Jungle over the weekend.
Graduate transfer Paul Zilinskas pumped in a team-high 23 points, including four threes, and Jarvis Walker added 14 points, but the Jaguars had no answer for PFW guard Jalen Jackson, who finished with 38 points. Freshman DeSean Goode notched his third double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Sean Craig added 10 points and six boards. The Jaguars trailed by as many as 18 in the contest, but cut the lead back to nine in the final minutes, but could get no closer. The Jaguars were limited to just 37 percent overall and 9-of-32 (28.1 percent) from three while the visiting Mastodons shot 56.6 percent from the floor, marking the highest effort by an opponent this season.
Thursday’s game kicks off the regular season home-and-home series with RMU as the Colonials are one of the league’s hottest teams. RMU held off reigning champion Oakland University in a 73-71 outcome and have won each of their last three games by two points apiece.
#HLMBB STANDINGS
School Conf CPct. Overall Pct. Streak
Cleveland State 10-1 .909 16-6 .727 W12
Milwaukee 8-3 .727 15-7 .682 W2
Purdue Fort Wayne 8-3 .727 15-7 .682 W1
Robert Morris 7-4 .636 15-7 .682 W5
Youngstown State 7-4 .636 13-9 .591 W1
Oakland 6-5 .545 9-13 .409 L1
Wright State 5-6 .455 11-11 .500 W1
Northern Kentucky 4-6 .400 9-12 .429 L5
IU Indy 3-8 .273 7-15 .318 L1
Detroit Mercy 2-9 .182 6-16 .273 L6
Green Bay 0-11 .000 2-20 .091 L17
QUOTABLE
“We’re a tough team that’s going to fight. I think we can compete and beat anybody in the league. I think we’re playing really good basketball. We keep getting better and better. I’m proud of our efforts, I’m upset with the loss but it’s on to the next game,” head coach Paul Corsaro said following Saturday’s home loss to Purdue Fort Wayne.
SCOUTING ROBERT MORRIS
Robert Morris is 15-7 overall and 7-4 in Horizon League play, having won five straight contests. The Colonials are 10-2 on their home floor this season, having suffered losses to only Youngstown State and Cleveland State. Since the home loss to CSU on Jan. 8, RMU has won five-in-a-row, including road games at Green Bay, Milwaukee and YSU. Kam Woods leads RMU in scoring (14.2 ppg), assists (80), steals (35) and minutes played (34.5 mpg). Sophomore Alvaro Folgueiras is having a breakout campaign, averaging 13.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game and is joined in double-digits by Amarion Dickerson (12.9 ppg) and Josh Omojafo (11.0 ppg).
SERIES HISTORY
RMU leads the all-time series by a 5-2 margin and the Jaguars are just 1-3 in games played at RMU.
UP NEXT
The Jags will cap the two-game road trip at Youngstown State on Saturday (Feb. 1) at 2:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
BALL STATE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
NO. 8 MEN’S VOLLEYBALL HOSTS TUSCULUM THURSDAY AND FRIDAY
No. 8 Ball State (5-3) vs. Tusculum (3-5)
Last Meeting: Ball State 3, Tusculum 0 (1/13/24)
Series History: Ball State leads the series 4-0
This Week in Ball State Men’s Volleyball: The Cardinals are home again this week and will welcome Tusculum for two home matches Thursday and Friday with first serve scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
Last Serve: Ball State is coming off two cleen-sweep victories from last week against Lees-McRae and Maryville. In their first match of the week, the Cardinals shutdown Less-McRae with a .417 hitting average to the their -.104. Freshman Ryan Louis led the charge, hitting .600 from the floor with 12 kills, five blocks and an ace. Joining Louis on the offensive front were Rodney Wallace (.727), Ryan Bartz (.214) and Patrick Rogers (.571). Griffin Satterfield led the team in assists, totaling 31 on the night.
The Cardinals stayed dominant into Friday, hitting a season-best .513 in their 3-0 victory over Maryville. Tinaishe Ndavazocheva led the team with 14 kills, tying his season best. Ndavazocheva also recorded four aces and two blocks to help secure the win. Setting up the Cardinals’ offense was Lucas Machado, who dished out 37 assists and added a match-high of 11 digs.
First Serve vs Tusculum: Last season, the Cardinals welcomed Tusculum for an early two-match homestand. In the first match, Ball State won 3-1 under the lead of Nathan Goh who connected at a .476 (11-1-21) clip. Match two was a 3-0 sweep with Goh once again leading the offense, hitting .667 (12-0-18) from the floor and recording a career high in kills.
Scouting Tusculum: Tusculum enters the matches 3-5 after winning 3-1 on the road against North Greenville earlier in the week. The Pioneers started their season 0-3 after getting swept at the UCSB ASICS Invitational by CSUN, UC Irvine and UC Santa Barbara. They secured their first win when they visited Erskine, beating the Flying Fleet 3-0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-21). This was the first Pioneer victory for the program’s new head coach, Alberto Chiaparini. Tusculum is 1-1 against MIVA schools this season, with a 1-3 (22-25, 26-24, 15-25, 8-25) loss to Queens and a 3-1 (29-27, 15-25, 25-21, 25-21) victory over Quincy. Senior Deklan Wingo currently leads the Pioneers’ offense with 134 kills on the season, averaging 4.79 kills per set and hitting .338 from the floor.
Ball State in the NCAA: Ball State is among the winningest men’s volleyball teams in the NCAA. Currently, the Cardinals have the fifth highest all-time winning percentage at .701 (1285-545). Loyola is fourth at .701 (577-246), Ohio State third at .703 (1189-502), Penn State second at .755 and UCLA leads the NCAA with the highest winning percentage of .793 (1482-387). Ball State is also ranked fifth for the most amount of wins from a program in the last five years with 88 wins and a .704 percentage. Rounding out the top five are Lincoln Memorial with 89 wins, UCLA with 104, Penn State with 106 and Hawaii leading the past five years with 111 program wins.
Coach Cruz: Ball State head coach Donan Cruz enters his fourth season at the helm of the Cardinals and owns an overall record at BSU of 69-26 (.726) along with a Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Tournament Championship, three MIVA regular season titles and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
Preseason All-MIVA: The 2025 roster welcomes back many well-known faces and also offers several exciting new additions. Two impactful returners include senior outside hitter Tinaishe Ndavazocheva and junior outside hitter Patrick Rogers. Ndavazocheva and Rogers were named to the Preseason All-MIVA team, along with Cardinal newcomer Rajé Alleyne. Alleyne, the opposite senior transfer from Quincy, brings a wealth of experience at the net. Last season, Alleyene led the MIVA in kills per set (4.41) and in points scored (421.5), averaging 5.08 points per set. He also earned First Team All-MIVA honors and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.
Looking Ahead: Following the pair of Tusculum matches, the Cardinals will prepare to enter MIVA play as they host their first conference game at home against Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, Feb. 6. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Worthen Arena.
BALL STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BIG FIRST HALF KEEPS WBB PERFECT IN #MACTION
ATHENS, Ohio – Seniors Ally Becki and Marie Kiefer each tallied double-doubles which helped lift Ball State past Ohio Wednesday night in the Convocation Center.
The Cardinals (17-4, 9-0 MAC) 83-61 victory over the Bobcats (4-15, 2-7 MAC) allowed BSU to remain undefeated in conference action this season. In addition, the Cardinals have now won 11-straight contests.
Becki scored 23 points while dishing out 12 assists. She shot 9-of-11 (.818) from the field and 5-of-7 (.714) from the 3-point line. The senior moved into second all-time in the BSU record books with 661 assists and became the only player to have scored 1,508 points, dish out 661 assists while also pulling down 661 rebounds.
Behind Becki was Madelyn Bischoff with 15 points. Bischoff also shot 5-of-7 (.714) from behind the arc. Becki and Bischoff combined for 10 of the Cardinals’ 16 3-pointers as a team which was one shy of the program record.
Kiefer chipped in 10 points and a career best 16 rebounds while teammate Alex Richard also turned in a 10-point performance.
Ball State opened the game going 4-for-4 from downtown to help the Cardinals to an early 16-5 lead over the Bobcats by the 4:40 mark. Austin, Bischoff and Becki each had 3-pointers with Bischoff leading the way with three. Ohio answered back with a 13-6 run to come within four (22-18) with 1:15 left in the frame but the Cardinals closed the quarter with a 7-0 scoring spree to give BSU the 29-18 edge over the Bobcats.
Ohio tried to slow down Ball State from the 3-point line, but Becki’s ball handling was unmatched as she was able to find her teammates for the open shots. Becki dished out nine assists in the first half. The Cardinals closed out the second quarter with a 17-0 run which led to Ball State building a 27-point (53-26) cushion over Ohio at intermission.
The Cardinals continued to be on cruise control after the break building their largest lead of the game, 29 points (60-31), at the 7:33 mark. Ohio did close out the third stanza with a 13-2 run, but the Cardinals still carried a 21-point (68-47) advantage over the Bobcats heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
With Becki and Bischoff being unstoppable offensively from behind the arc, and a career-best rebounding performance from Kiefer, the combination became too much for the Bobcats to make a comeback in the final frame.
The Ball State women’s basketball team continues Mid-American Conference action Saturday when it hosts Western Michigan in Worthen Arena at 1 pm ET.
INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES SNAP SIX-GAME SKID WITH WIN OVER MISSOURI STATE
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State men’s basketball snapped its six-game win streak with a 72-67 home victory on Wednesday night, defeated the Missouri State Bears. Indiana State improved to 10-12, 4-7 MVC while MSU fell to 7-15, 0-11 MVC.
The first points of the game came from K’mani Doughty with a spin, drive, and reverse layup 2:15 into the game, followed by Aaron Gray finishing a tough and-one three minutes into the game. Those five points and a layup from MSU were the only points at the first media break at 15:52.
MSU took their first lead of the game on a three-pointer with 11:07 on the clock, 13-12. It was part of a Missouri State 9-0 run over a 5:16 span, where the Sycamores committed five of their 10 first-half turnovers.
The Bears’ run stretched to 16-0 as Indiana State recorded a scoring drought stretching a total of 7:15 and giving Missouri State the 22-12 advantage with 6:15 remaining in the half. Markus Harding ended the drought with a free throw.
The Sycamores recorded four offensive rebounds in consecutive possessions, both resulting in points on the board for Indiana State from Gray and Daughtry. The Bears countered with baskets of their own and led 29-19 with 2:46 remaining.
Indiana State scored six points to close the half all from the free throw line, courtesy of Bruno Alocen, Daughtry, and Gray, to trail 36-26 at the break.
Four Sycamore points within the first minute of the second half forced a quick Missouri State timeout. A Camp Wagner left-wing three brought the Sycamores back within five, 37-32, with 17:15 on the clock.
After six points from the Bears, Daughtry recorded back-to-back layups and converted the conventional three-point play on the second make. That brought Indiana State within six, 43-37 just over five minutes into the second half.
Stout Sycamore defense forced three MSU turnovers and no made baskets from the 15:35 to 9:43, but Indiana State still trailed 46-40.
In that span, Samage Teel got fouled driving to the rim and knocked down the pair, putting the Sycamores back within a basket, 43-40 with 10:13 left to play in the game.
Missouri State made its next four buckets, opposed to Indiana State making one basket and three free throws. The Bears held an eight-point advantage, 53-48, with just under eight minutes left in the game.
After MSU jumped back out to a nine-point advantage, Teel and Wagner combined to secure a 7-2 Sycamore run to cut into the deficit again, this time putting Indiana State down 61-57 at the under-four media timeout at 3:46. At this point of the game, both offenses caught fire as Indiana State made its last five-of-five baskets while MSU made eight of their last nine.
Wagner brought the Sycamore Faithful to their feet, draining a three-pointer from the right corner to trail 62-60 with 2:53 left to play.
The two teams exchanged buckets in the next two possessions, then with 1:15 to play Wagner drilled another three-pointer to tie the ballgame at 65 apiece. After a made layup by the Bears, Teel brought the ball down the court, pulled up from the wing, and drained a triple to put the Sycamore up one point, 68-67, with 52 seconds on the clock. It was Indiana State’s first lead since MSU took a 13-12 lead at the 11:07 mark in the first half.
Jayan Walker slid in the passing lane in the ensuing MSU possession to put the ball back in the hands of Indiana State. The Bears fouled Teel sending him to the line twice with 22 seconds left then again with 10 seconds left, but the senior knocked down all four to give Indiana State the 72-67 lead.
The Sycamores went on to hold that five-point lead and take the 72-67 victory.
Samage Teel scored a game-high 20 points on 5-for-11 shooting from the field and 2-for-4 from three, all in the second half. Teel was 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Jaden Daughtry scored 18 points with a 6-for-11 effort from the floor, grabbing a game-high nine rebounds. Camp Wagner finished with 14 points with four three-pointers, all in the second half. Aaron Gray notched 12 points on a perfect shooting night (3-for-3 from the field, 1-for-1 from three, 5-for-5 from the free throw line).
News & Notes
Indiana State in the first half shot 28% (7-for-25) from the field, 15.4% (2-for-13) from three, and 81.8% (9-for-11) from the free throw line. The Sycamores improved their shooting incredibly in the second half, shooting 59.1% (13-for-22) from the floor and 50.0% (6-for-12) from three.
In the five-point win tonight, Indiana State attempted a season-low 47 shots from the field (20-for-47); the second lowest was 50 attempts against Drake on January 18.
Shooting 32.0% from three-point land marks the second-best finish since Ohio State when the team shot 35.7% (Sycamores shot 37.1% at Illinois State on January 21).
The Sycamores allowed 70 or fewer points for the fifth time this season, the third time against Division I opponents.
The Sycamores scored 25 points in the first half, tying their lowest score in a half this season (25 vs Drake on January 18).
Indiana State snagged 14 offensive rebounds, led by Jaden Daughtry with five and Markus Harding and Bruno Alocen, each with three apiece.
Fourteen rebounds ties for the most this season, set against Eureka on November 7.
Indiana State forced 17 MSU turnovers, tying for the most committed by an opponent. It’s happened on three other occasions, most recently against Drake on January 18.
The Sycamores scored 20 points of the 17 turnovers, the third time this season reaching 20+ points off turnovers (most recently was 20 at Evansville on January 4.
Recording 15 turnovers to MSU’s 17, it marked the fifth time this season the Sycamores had fewer turnovers than their opponent.
Indiana State made 24-of-32 free throw attempts, marking the most made since going 30-for-36 against Bradley on January 1.
INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SYCAMORES RETURN HOME FOR IN-STATE SHOWDOWN THURSDAY
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State returns to Hulman Center for an in-state showdown with Valparaiso Thursday night at 7 p.m.
Sunday’s game will be carried on ESPN+ with Scott Warmann (play-by-play) and Laura Leonard (analyst) on the call. John Sherman will also have the radio call on WVIG-FM/105.5 The Legend.
Last Time Out
Four Indiana State players scored in double-figures Sunday afternoon, but a slow start proved costly in an 88-58 defeat for the Sycamores against Belmont inside the Curb Event Center.
Bella Finnegan led the Sycamores with 17 points, with Deja Jones, Keslyn Secrist and Davina Smith adding 10 points each. Mia Simpson had seven points, seven rebounds and six assists, with Secrist and Savannah White both pulling down six rebounds.
Indiana State made just three baskets in the first quarter, as Belmont led 19-6 through 10 minutes and never looked back. The Sycamores picked up momentum in the second with Jones and Finnegan combining for 13 in the quarter, but still faced a double-digit deficit at the break. Indiana State struggled in the third quarter, being outscored 24-12 in the period and, despite a 21-point fourth quarter, fell in the finale of its two-game road trip.
Home Cooking
Indiana State returns to Hulman Center for its next two games, with the Sycamores looking to see an uptick in numbers. The Trees home splits show marked improvement across the board compared to their numbers on the road.
The Sycamores’ scoring margin is more than seven points per game better at home compared to on the road, with the Trees also averaging more points (64.2 home, 62.5 away) and rebounds (42.0 home, 36.1 away) inside Hulman Center.
Indiana State has a plus-4.8 rebound margin at home compared to a minus-4.8 margin on the road. The Sycamores’ field goal, 3-point and free throw percentages are all higher at home compared to on the road.
Steady Hand
Indiana State junior guard Bella Finnegan has been a consistent scoring threat for the Sycamores since her return to the lineup in mid-December. Finnegan leads the Trees in scoring at 14.2 points per game for the season and has averaged 13.4 points per game against conference foes.
Finnegan has scored in double-figures in nine of her first 11 games this season, including a season-high 22 against both Purdue and Evansville. She knocked down a career-high six 3-pointers against the Boilermakers and has hit a season-high seven field goals on four different occasions, most recently in the last game at Belmont.
Finnegan surpassed 700 career points in the Sycamores’ last game at Belmont, finishing with a team-leading 17 points against the Bruins.
20-Somethings
Indiana State has seen four different players record a game with 20-plus points this season, with three of the four Sycamores accomplishing the feat against conference foes.
Deja Jones was the most recent Sycamore to score 20-plus in a game, finishing with 21 in the opening game of Indiana State’s road trip at Murray State. Jones was an efficient 8-for-14 from the field against the Racers.
Prior to Jones, Bella Finnegan and Keslyn Secrist also scored 20-plus points against Missouri Valley Conference opposition. Finnegan tied her season-high of 22 in Indiana State’s win over Evansville, while Secrist had 20 against Southern Illinois.
New Year, New Roles
Indiana State was left with the task of replacing four starters from its 2023-24 season, with the Sycamores often relying on youth during the 2024-25 season.
Of the Sycamores who have started a game this season, only Bella Finnegan was a regular in the rotation at any point over the last two seasons. Deja Jones, Keslyn Secrist and Savannah White have become regular starters after combining to start just three games in the entire 2023-24 season.
Jones and Secrist, Indiana State’s leaders in assists and 3-pointers, both average more than 30 minutes per game this season after averaging less than 10 minutes per contest in the 2023-24 season, while leading rebounder Saige Stahl averages 25 minutes per game after averaging less than seven minute per game last season.
Doing It All
Indiana State junior guard Mia Simpson did a bit of everything in the Sycamores’ last game at Belmont. Simpson led the Trees with seven rebounds and six assists, both of which were her most in an Indiana State uniform.
Simpson also added seven points and has now scored six or more points in six of the last seven games.
Valparaiso At A Glance
Valparaiso enters Thursday’s game at 6-13 overall and 2-6 in conference play. The Beacons remain in search of their first road win of the season, going 0-9 in true road games thus far.
Leah Earnest leads the Beacons with 16.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, with Nevaeh Jackson (13.1) also averaging double-digit scoring for Valparaiso. Five different Beacons average at least five points per game, while four players have hit 15 or more 3-pointers this season. Valpo averages nearly 10 steals per game, with four different players averaging more than one steal per contest.
Mary Evans is in her seventh season as head coach at Valparaiso and owns a 66-129 record at the helm of the Beacons. Evans is 5-6 against Indiana State in her career, including a 3-2 mark in Terre Haute.
Series History Against Valparaiso
Indiana State owns a 12-7 mark against Valparaiso and is 4-4 against the Beacons in Terre Haute. The Sycamores swept the season series last year and are 4-2 against Valparaiso over the last three seasons.
Since Valparaiso joined the MVC, Indiana State has an 8-5 record against the Beacons.
Last Meeting Against Valparaiso (Feb. 9, 2024)
Mya Glanton led all players with 17 points and Kiley Bess added 15 off the bench, as Indiana State withstood a late Valparaiso rally to defeat the Beacons 70-65 inside the Athletics-Recreation Center.
Chelsea Cain was also in double-figures for the Trees with 12 points to go along with eight rebounds and five assists, while Ella Sawyer had eight points, eight rebounds and six assists.
Indiana State took an early five-point lead following 3-pointers from Cain and Keslyn Secrist, and 3-pointers from Bess and Asia Donald kept the Sycamores in front. A back-and-forth second quarter saw the Trees take a one-possession lead into the intermission. Indiana State exploded for 21 points in the third quarter and led by as many as 15 following a three-ball from Donald midway through the fourth quarter, but Valpo put together a comeback attempt late. The Beacons got within two inside the last three minutes, but Indiana State went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in crunch time and Cain iced the game with a layup in the final minute.
Up Next
Indiana State plays host to UIC Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL
‘DONS READY FOR VIKINGS ON THURSDAY ON ESPNU
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne and Cleveland State will add another chapter to their rivalry on Thursday (Jan. 30) evening when the ‘Dons and Vikings play on ESPNU at 9 p.m. Kids 12th grade and under are free for the game, redeemable at the Coliseum Box Office. Also, first responders may show their identification and receive a free ticket for themselves and three guests.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (15-7, 8-3 Horizon) vs. Cleveland State (16-6, 10-1 Horizon)
When: Thursday, Jan. 30 | 9 p.m. ET
Where: Allen County War Memorial Coliseum | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Live Stats: Link
Listen: 1380 AM
Watch: ESPNU | ESPN+
Series History: Cleveland State leads 12-3
Game Notes (PDF): Purdue Fort Wayne | Cleveland State
// The Feb. 21 vs. Oakland and Feb. 27 vs. Northern Kentucky home games are also possibilities to be flexed. The Mastodons’ road game at Cleveland State on March 1 is also a possibility for a broadcast.
// The ‘Dons are 2nd in the nation in fewest turnovers per game (9.1) and 5th in turnover margin (+6.1).
– The ‘Dons committed no turnovers in a 103-52 win over Defiance on Dec. 20, tying an NCAA record.
– 13 times this year the ‘Dons have committed single-digit turnovers in a game.
– The ‘Dons had only seven turnovers in a double overtime win at Wright State.
– This isn’t new. Last year: 10.4 turnovers/game (11th in the nation), +5.7 turnover margin (4th).
– In league games, the ‘Dons are averaging 10.0 turnovers.
– Quinton Morton-Robertson’s 2.50 assist/turnover ratio is 59th in the nation.
// In the nation the Mastodons are:
– 2nd in fewest turnovers per game (9.1)
– 4th in 3-pointers per game (11.0)
– 5th in turnover margin (+6.1)
– 6th in 3-point percentage (39.6 percent)
– 10th in effective field goal percentage (57.4 percent)
– 12th in assist/turnover ratio (1.64)
– 15th in points per game (84.1)
– 28th in field goal percentage (48.4)
– 32nd in 3-point attempts per game (27.9)
– 33rd in turnovers forced per game (15.18)
– 34th in free throw percentage (76.8)
– 40th in steals per game (8.7)
// The Mastodons have opened the season 9-0 at home, the best undefeated home stretch to start a season in the program’s NCAA Division I history. If you’re wondering, the best home performance in a single-season came in 1992-93 when the NCAA Division II Tournament bound ‘Dons went 14-0 at Gates.
// With two wins at home to close out last season, the Mastodon home win-streak is at 11 games. Their last loss in a game in Fort Wayne was Feb. 14, 2024 to Oakland.
// On Jalen Jackson’s 38 point performance at IU Indianapolis (Jan. 25)
– Most points by a Horizon League player this year
– T-3rd in Division I program history for points in a game
– 14 free throws, T-2nd in Division I program history for free throws in a game
// Multiple ‘Dons are shooting 40 percent or better from three this year (min. 50 att.):
– Corey Hadnot II – 44.4 percent (32-of-72)
– Rasheed Bello – 43.4 percent (49-of-113)
– Maximus Nelson – 41.7 percent (53-of-127)
// The ‘Dons had a season-high 23 fast break points (against a DI team) vs. Youngstown State (Jan. 4).
// Notes on the 2OT win at Wright State (Jan. 15).
– The game ranked 10th on KenPom on the website’s “excitement scale” of all Division I games in 2024-25.
– Most points against a Division I opponent in program history (120).
– It is the first time a team has scored 120 points in a Horizon League game since Evansville defeated Butler 136-128 in double overtime on Feb. 9, 1991.
– Chandler Cuthrell set career highs in points (20) and rebounds (16).
– Chandler Cuthrell’s 16 rebounds are tied for 7th for most rebounds in a game in the Division I program history.
– The last ‘Don to record 16 boards in a game was John Konchar at UIC (Nov. 18, 2017)
– The ‘Dons have played (and won) two straight overtime games at Wright State.
– The ‘Dons shot 53.2 percent (42-of-79) with only seven turnovers in 50 minutes.
// Per Ken Pom, the ‘Dons are fourth in the nation in minutes continuity at 72.4 percent. Ken Pom describes the stat as “determining what percentage of a team’s minutes are played by the same player from last season to this season.” The current national average is 34.0 percent.
// Since the 2018-19 season, the ‘Dons have four total games of 24 or more made free throws and three have come this season. The 26 the ‘Dons made against Bethune-Cookman and Robert Morris are tied for the seventh most in the Division I era of the program for made free throws in a game.
// Quinton Morton-Robertson (vs. Milwaukee, Jan. 10) and Jalen Jackson (at Eastern Michigan, Dec. 15) both have scored their 1,000th career NCAA point this year.
// Career games with 10 made free throws (Mastodon DI era)
Rank Player Total
1 Frank Gaines 9
2 Bryson Scott 6
3 Jalen Jackson 4
// Rasheed Bello had 12 assists at Green Bay (Dec. 29). He is the first Mastodon with 12 assists since Jarred Godfrey recorded 12 in the Horizon League Tournament at Cleveland State in 2021 in a triple overtime game. The last Mastodon with 12 assists in a 40-minute contest was John Konchar who had 14 at Denver on Feb. 14, 2019. Bello is the first Horizon League player to reach 12 assists in a league game since Jalen Moore had 14 and 13 for Oakland during the 2021-22 season.
// Notes on the Defiance contest:
– The ‘Dons recorded zero turnovers, just the third team to so since 2004 (per sports-reference.com)
– The ‘Dons were +25 in turnover margin.
// This season the ‘Dons have:
– made 10 or more 3-pointers 15 times.
– forced 20 turnovers four times.
– recorded 19 or more assists five times.
– shot 50 percent or better 11 times.
– scored 50 points in a half seven times. Five times against a Division I opponent.
JALEN JACKSON…:
// … has 1,014 points in a Mastodon uniform, going over 1,000 as a Mastodon at IU Indianapolis (Jan. 25).
// … earned the 2025 CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Mid-Major Mid-Season Player of the Year in January 2025. The award is the precursor to the end of the year award given away at the Final Four at the end of the year.
// … picked up back-to-back Horizon League Player of the Weeks on Jan. 20 on Jan. 27, 2025.
// … in league play, Jalen Jackson is shooting 57.8 percent.
// … has reached double-figures in every game this season and 20 points nine times.
// … has scored in double-digits in 53-of-58 career games for the ‘Dons.
// … ranks 4th in the nation in total points (448) and 2nd in total field goals (156).
// … ranks 15th in the nation and first in the league in made free throws with 110. He is 22nd in the nation with 142 free throw attempts, also best in the league.
// … is 44th in the nation with 41 steals.
// … is averaging 6.5 fouls drawn per 40 minutes, 34th in the nation per KenPom.
// … was named to The Sunshine Classic All-Tournament Team (Nov. 2024).
// … has reached double-digit free throw attempts in a game 10 times in his career.
// … made 133 free throws last season, 8th in a single-season all-time in program history.
// … has raised his field goal percentage each year of his career (42.4 percent, 49.7 percent to 52.5 percent this season).
// … was named the MVP of the CIT’s Jim Phelan Classic in a win at Bowling Green in March 2024.
// … drew 12 fouls against Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 12), going 13-of-16 from the free throw line. His 13 free throws tied for fifth most in game in the program’s NCAA Division I era.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MASTODON WBB CRUISES TO 12-0 IN HORIZON LEAGUE PLAY
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team won its 14th-consecutive game by beating Youngstown State 79-56 on the road on Wednesday (Jan. 29), never trailing in the contest.
The Mastodons have not lost since Thanksgiving Day.
With their 14th win in a row, the Mastodons matched their longest win streak ever. It is also the fourth-longest active win streak in the country. In the last 14 wins, the Mastodons have had five wire-to-wire victories.
The Mastodons are now 12-0 in the Horizon League and own a 17-5 mark overall.
Wednesday was Purdue Fort Wayne’s first win at YSU since 2010 and second all-time.
Four Mastodons reached double-figures in the scoring column: Sydney Freeman (22), Lauren Ross (16), Jordan Reid (16) and Renna Schwieterman (12). Reid’s 16 is a career-high at the Division I level. Schwieterman finished with a team-high seven boards, while Freeman grabbed six of her own. Amellia Bromenschenkel had a line of eight points, five assists and four rebounds without a turnover.
The beginning of the game was a bit of a slog, with neither team scoring more than five points before the first media timeout. Despite this however, Purdue Fort Wayne managed to build up a 15-5 lead after 10 minutes. The ‘Dons held YSU to 2-for-13 and 1-for-8 from 3-point range in the first quarter.
YSU showed life in the third quarter, cutting a 19-point lead down to 11, but Reid went on a 6-2 run by herself to stave off any kind of comeback.
Offense rolled for both teams in the fourth quarter, but the Mastodons came out ahead in the fourth as well. The ‘Dons were 9-of-13 and 5-for-6 from 3-point land while YSU was 7-for-12 and 2-for-4.
After starting 0-for-4, the Mastodons finished 7-of-19 from 3-point range. They shot 46.2 percent (30-of-65) from the floor. They turned the ball over just eight times, their sixth single-digit turnover game in the last eight games.
Youngstown State fell to 9-13, 4-8 Horizon League despite 16 points from Jewel Watkins.
Purdue Fort Wayne will play at Robert Morris on Friday (Jan. 31) at 7 p.m.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL WELCOMES CHICAGOLAND TEAMS TO MEEKS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — After facing the top of the Missouri Valley Conference the University of Evansville women’s basketball team returns to the River City for two big community games.
The Purple Aces gave up 100 points to its first Missouri Valley Conference opponent over the weekend. UE struggled at the home of the Murray State Racers in the 104-66 loss on Sunday afternoon. A bright spot in Murray for Evansville is that the Aces had their first perfect game from the free throw line this season. UE was 11 from 11 at CFSB Arena for the programs first perfect game at the charity stripe since January 6, 2024 at Drake. Evansville had not had a perfect double digit free throw game since December 31, 2017 when the Aces made all 15 free throws against Missouri State.
UE begins games this week with the UIC Flames on Thursday evening. Evansville will be hosting its annual Pride Night game with the local LGBTQ+ community inside Meeks Family Fieldhouse. The Aces played the Flames to two close losses in the 2023-24 season and will look to return to a winning streak on Thursday. UIC comes into the River City with a 6-11 overall record and a 3-5 MVC record. The Flames are led by a pair of upperclassmen in senior guard/forward Makiyah Williams and graduate forward Jaida McCloud as Williams averages 11.2 points a game and McCloud averages 8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 23.6 minutes a game.
After a day off UE will host Valparaiso for its National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Saturday night. Local girls from four to 13 years old will participate in a sports clinic before the game and will then watch Evansville take on the Beacons at 5 p.m. Valpo brings a 6-13 overall and 2-6 Valley record to Meeks. The Beacons are looking for their first road win of the season at either Indiana State on Thursday or Saturday’s game against the Aces. Valparaiso’s leader on the floor is fifth year guard/forward Leah Earnest as she leads the Beacons in points (16.6), rebounds (7.1), and assists (2.2) per game.
Sophomore forward Claudia Clement (Barcelona, Spain) had a career game on defense for UE at Murray State. Clement set a career high against the Racers with 3 steals in 22 minutes on the floor. She also matched a career high in blocks, stopping 3 of Murray State’s field goals on Sunday. Along with a career game for Clement, Evansville had strong individual performances at the Valley leaders over the weekend. For the first time since early non-conference play the Aces had back-to-back games with at least one player scoring 20+ points.
Freshman guard Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS) has become one of Evansville’s key offensive players in MVC play. Kelley is currently on a five game double digit scoring streak while leading the Aces in three pointers in two games. Prior to conference action, Kelley was averaging 2.4 points a game. Almost midway through the season, Kelley is averaging 10.5 points against Valley opponents. The freshman has also become one of the conference leaders at the line with an 85.7% free throw percentage. Kelley ranks seventh in the MVC and is the highest ranked freshman.
EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL
POZZATO AND COMER POST CAREER GAMES IN WIN OVER RACERS
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Gabriel Pozzato and Tayshawn Comer set their career scoring marks as the University of Evansville men’s basketball team defeated Murray State by a final score of 78-74 on Wednesday night at the Ford Center. The victory halted a 5-game skid against the Racers with the last Purple Aces win coming at the Ford Center on Dec. 21, 2019.
Pozzato was 10-of-14 from the field and connected on four triples on the way to his career game. His 29 points eclipsed his previous high of 28, which came in the season opener at North Texas. Just behind him was Comer. He scored 27 points, one better than his 26-point game at Southern Illinois on New Year’s Day. He was 13-of-14 from the line and finished with six assists. Tanner Cuff picked up a double-double with 12 points and 12 caroms.
“It was an entertaining game. Definitely a little too close for comfort but to get a win like that in front of the home crowd is very exciting,” UE head coach David Ragland said. “Our league has done a great job of bringing in schools that are close to each other and that creates rivalries and exciting atmospheres.”
Tayshawn Comer recorded Evansville’s first five points of the game as the Purple Aces hit their first four shots of the game to take a 10-5 lead. The defense for UE held Murray State to a 2-for-11 start from the field as the offense pushed the lead to ten at the 13:25 mark. Gabriel Pozzato’s second triple of the night capped the run forcing a MSU time out.
It did not take long for the Racers to regroup. They quickly scored five in a row before extending the rally to a 17-0 stretch. Murray State held the Aces scoreless for over 11 minutes as they took over control of the game. Their defense held UE to ten consecutive missed shots and five turnovers during the rally. Pozzato’s third triple of the night ended the run as UE closed in the final minutes to make it a 25-20 MSU lead entering the break.
Scoring the first six points of the second half, Evansville retook the lead in the opening two minutes. Connor Turnbull had a putback during the stretch to help UE regain a 26-25 advantage. Murray State fought back to tie the game at 34-34 before another 3-pointer by Pozzato with 13:46 remaining put UE back on top at 42-36. It took just over six minutes for UE to surpass its entire scoring output from the opening period.
The Racers continued to fight back, cutting the gap to a single point as the game entered the final 12 minutes. UE slowly pushed lead back to five points with seven minutes left, but each time the Aces added to the lead, the Racers came right back to make it a 1-point game.
As the game entered the final two minutes, a Turnbull alley-oop gave Evansville its largest lead of the second half at 67-58. Just when it looked like UE would pull away for the win, Murray State made one final push. The Racers chipped away in the final seconds as a triple cut the gap to 72-69 with 34 ticks on the clock. Two more Comer free throws and a Josh Hughes dunk put the Aces up five inside of the final 10 seconds before another MSU triple got them within two at 76-74.
Comer was fouled with 0.7 remaining and connected on both free throws to put the game on ice and seal the 78-74 triumph. The Racers were led by JaCobi Wood’s 29 points.
UE shot over 50% for the second game in a row as they finished at 57.4%. The Aces finished the second half shooting 70.4% with 19 out of 27 field goal tries finding the bottom of the net. Murray State shot 37.5% on the night. The Aces are back on the road on Sunday for a 2 p.m. game at Belmont.
SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
USI COMES HOME THREE-GAME HOMESTAND
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball returns to the friendly surroundings of Liberty Arena for a three-game homestand, starting Saturday when Tennessee Tech University comes to Evansville. Tipoff Saturday is slated for 3:30 p.m.
The USI Screaming Eagles (9-12, 4-7 OVC) were 1-2 on their latest road swing, including a heartbreaking 66-65 loss to Morehead State University to start this week’s action. USI junior guard Jayland Randall led three players in double-digits at Morehead State with 16 points, while sophomore forward Stephen Olowoniyi and graduate forward Jack Mielke followed with 13 points and 12 points, respectively.
For the season, Randall leads the team with 14.6 points per contest, while junior guard Damoni Harrison follows with 14.1 per game. Olowoniyi rounds out the double-figure scorers with 13.6 points per game and a team-best 6.5 rebounds per contest.
The Golden Eagles of TTU (10-11, 5-5 OVC), who visits Morehead State Thursday before coming to USI, snapped a four-game losing streak last Saturday with an 89-85 overtime win at the University of Tennessee at Martin. TTU is 6-4 in the last 10 games, including a five-game winning streak.
USI lost on the road, 68-64, in the first meeting of this season with TTU. Olowoniyi led USI with a double-double, 26 points and 13 rebounds, while Harrison added 20 points.
The homestand will continue next week for Homecoming Week when the Screaming Eagles host the University of Arkansas at Little Rock January 6 and Southeast Missouri State University January 8 (Homecoming game). Game time for both contests is 7:30 p.m.
All of the USI Basketball action can be seen live on ESPN+. The game can also be heard on ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com) and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com).
Tickets for all USI home dates are on sale now at USIScreamingEagles.com.
UINDY WRESTLING
LOWERY, BLUBAUGH AND GRAY MAKE APPEARANCES IN LATEST OPEN MAT RANKINGS
INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men’s wrestling team jumped one spot in the latest Open Mat rankings to No. 18, after a win this past weekend against Drury.
Along with the Greyhound team moving up a spot in the rankings, a new Hound has jumped into the top-20 rankings along with Derek Blubaugh (197) and Cale Gray (285), Brayden Lowery valuted to No. 18 in the 141 weight class rankings.
Lowery makes his first appearance in the Open Mat 141 rankings this season. He has six consecutive individual match victories at 141, including two first period pins against Central Missouri’s Jack Lage and Drury’s Nathan Wishne.
Blubaugh tops the 197 weight class rankings again, and Gray remains at No. 12 in 285 in this week’s edition of the rankings.
Blubaugh had the weekend off against Drury, as he prepares for the Hounds two big duals against Upper Iowa and Quincy, while Gray picked up another comfortable win over Drury’s Jack Stoffel on Saturday night.
All three will face off against top-20 wrestlers in their respective weight classes for Upper Iowa on Friday Jan. 31 when the Hounds team will travel to Fayette, IA for a top-20 dual showdown.
UINDY MEN’S LAX
MEN’S LACROSSE DEBUTS IN USILA TOP 10
BALTIMORE – Fresh off its fifth consecutive NCAA tournament appearance, the UIndy men’s lacrosse team is ranked No. 10 in the USILA preseason poll, released Wednesday.
Reigning national champion Adelphi tops the organization’s top 20, while South Region powerhouses Tampa, Lenoir-Rhyne, and Limestone round out the top four. Wingate (No. 5) and Rollins (No. 8) are also among regional teams ranked ahead of UIndy.
The Greyhounds return three All-GLVC Second Team selections from a year ago, including attacker defender Seamus Faulkner, midfielder Nathan Lam, and Triston Schaffer.
Head coach Greg Stocks is in his 10th season since beginning the program here on the southside and is 90-40 overall with the Hounds.
UIndy opens the 2025 season at Key Stadium on Saturday, hosting Davenport for a noon faceoff.
MARIAN MEN’S BASKETBALL
55-POINT SECOND HALF FUELS MARIAN’S COMEBACK WIN OVER SPRING ARBOR
Spring Arbor, Mich. – Erasing a five-point halftime deficit, the Marian men’s basketball team poured in 55 points in the second half as the Knights landed a come-from-behind 80-71 victory over Spring Arbor Wednesday night. Marian’s win evens the season series against the Cougars, improving their overall record to 10-11 and their league slate to 4-7.
Wedensday’s early start time prompted a delayed scoring output for Marian, as the Knights had trouble getting their offense in gear as they began the game with three empty trips down the floor. Dylan Moles broke the silence with the game’s first basket as he returned after a one-game absence, and helped the Knights build a 6-3 lead by the first media timeout. Aidan Franks followed what Moles started, as the redshirt-freshman picked up his scoring output from previous games with an early three-pointer to regain control of the lead, scoring 10 unanswered points for his team.
Franks’ scoring clip punctuated a 10-2 run that increased Marian’s lead to eight points, as the road warriors held a 16-8 lead. Spring Arbor charged back after falling behind three scores, going inside to their leading-scorer Gabe Newhof. The junior big sparked a 10-2 run for the Cougars that led to the score drawing back to a standstill. The game showed a tie with 6:49 to play, but Marian remained in control as Luke Carroll and Josiah Gustin delivered over the next two minutes of game action to keep their team on top. Gustin’s bucket with 4:19 to play gave Marian a 22-20 lead, but was not enough offense to hold down Spring Arbor, as the home team caught fire behind Aden Zank’s three, ending the first half on a 10-3 run.
The Cougars scored the final seven points of the period in their closing sprint, holding a 30-25 lead over Marian at the break. The late three for Zank allowed Spring Arbor to lead for the majority of the final three minutes in the half, while Marian held a lead for over 13 minutes.
Marian made strong adjustments during the halftime break, getting a high-efficiency three pointer from Noah Lovan on their first possession in the period to spark the offense. Moles and Franks followed suit as they dropped shot after shot inside the arc, shredding the Cougars defense as they made the game a one-score affair. Lovan leveled the score at 40 each as Marian completed the race to draw even, and with 12:43 to play the Knights got a spark from Reis Butcher. The freshman attacked the basket and drew contact at the rim, giving his team a 43-42 lead with the three-point play.
Butcher’s old-school three sparked a 7-0 run, as he and Franks each added to the new found lead and forced Spring Arbor to call for timeout with 11:43 remaining. Leading 47-42, Marian stayed aggressive and pushed their lead into double figures, attacking the basket over the next two minutes to extend their hold on the game. The Cougars would keep within 10 points of the Knights after Moles secured the first 10-point lead in the game for either team, but the home squad failed to recover after Aidan Franks buried a three with 6:35 to play. The second-year Knight’s shot from downtown pushed the lead to 12, and three minutes later Jackson Ames converted a three-point play, driving the advantage to 15 points.
The Knights led 66-51 after Ames’ three-point play, and with 3:50 to play in the game, Spring Arbor was unable to mount a comeback effort, as Marian knocked down their free throws in the waning moments to secure their upset win over the fourth-place Cougars, sealing an 80-71 victory.
After shooting 36 percent in the first half, Marian made 63 percent of their field goals over the final 20 minutes, while going 19-22 from the charity stripe in the second half. Marian out-scored Spring Arbor 55-41 in the second half, and led for the final 12:43 of the game, totaling over 25 minutes with the lead in the contest.
Aidan Franks shined for Marian in the win, as he scored a career-high 35 points, dropping 20 in the second half alone. The 30-point outing is Franks’ second of the season, as he ended the game shooting 13-22 from the field while grabbing a pair of steals and rebounds. Noah Lovan finished the night with 17 points and five assists, while Dylan Moles scored 12 points. Butcher scored seven points off the bench, and Gavin Foe collected a game-high nine rebounds.
Marian will finish their two-game road stretch on Saturday, traveling to Taylor University for a 3:00 p.m. tip-off against the Trojans.
MARIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
MARIAN SWEEPS SPRING ARBOR IN REGULAR SEASON PLAY
Spring Arbor, Mich. – The Marian women’s basketball team defeated the Cougars of Spring Arbor for the second time in the 2025 season with a final score of 75-47. The Knights are now 16-5 overall and 9-2 in the Crossroads League.
The Knights started out with a two basket lead over the Cougars with Taylor Double dropping a three-pointer and Abbey McNally recording a layup to open up the game. Both sides traded layups with McNally recording the basket for Marian. Spring Arbor was able to chip away at the lead benefiting off of a personal foul to record a pair of layups.The Knights bounced back extending their lead with a pair of layups from Kiley McNally to bring the score 11-4. The home team continued to fight with a pair of jump shots with less than two minutes remaining in the quarter. Kenna Kirby and Double were able to counter the blow with a pair of jump shots to end the quarter with a 15-8 lead.
Abbey McNally and Kenna Kirby opened the second quarter with a pair of two-pointers. The Cougars fired back with a pair of three-pointers, a pair of free throws, and a jumper to bring the 19-18 deficit down to one. Both teams fired off jump shots with Abbey McNally recording the basket for the Knights and holding the lead at one. Benefiting off of a personal foul Spring Arbor was able to record the 22-21 lead for the first time in the match-up but had it quickly taken away by Abbey McNally’s trio of layups. The home team continued to bring the heat firing off a three-pointer but had their blow quickly defused by Kiley McNally’s jumper bringing the score 29-25 in favor of Marian. Kiley McNally recorded a three-pointer and Abbey McNally recorded a pair of free throws to end the Knights tallies in the quarter. The Cougars had the last point off of a free throw to end the quarter 34-26 in favor of the Knights.
Kiley McNally opened up the third quarter with a free throw but was quickly countered by a pair of layups and a free throw from the Cougars. Kiley was able once more to lessen the blow with a layup followed by a jump-shot from Double and a three pointer from Olivia Faust. The home team continued to push at the lead with a jumper but were leveled out from Faust’s pair of free throws to bring the score 44-33. Kirby and Double were able to fire off a pair of jumpers to out score Spring Arbor’s three-pointer. The Knights finished the quarter out-scoring the Cougars with a pair of free throws from Kirby and Madisyn Bailey compared to the home team’s jumper finishing the quarter out 52-38.
In the final quarter Eva Fisher opened it up with a pair of jumpers to beat out Spring Arbor’s pair of free throws. Abbey McNally and Kirby went on a scoring run of layups and jumpers, only to be broken up by a layup from the home side of the court. Fisher, Faust, and Abbey extended the run with layups, free throws and a three pointer to extend their lead 72-42 with 2:39 remaining on the clock. The Cougars were able to outscore Bailey in free throws with three while Bailey recorded one. Both sides traded layups to end the game with Esther Sevilla recording the point for the Knights to end the game 75-47.
Abbey McNally led the team in points, rebounds, and blocks with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks. Kiley McNally recorded 12 points while Kenna Kirby recorded 10 points, three rebounds, and led the team with four assists. Taylor Double led the team in steals with five.
The Knights are back in action on Saturday on the road in Upland, Ind. as they take on Taylor at 1 p.m.
ANDERSON MEN’S BASKETBALL
RAVENS PULL AWAY FROM QUAKERS
(RV) Anderson University men’s basketball team (16-3, 11-1) pulled away from Earlham College (1-18, 1-11) and came out on top 85-75 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) action on Wednesday.
Anderson entered Wednesday’s game, receiving votes in the latest D3hoops.com poll.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Earlham converted 25-of-51 (49.0 percent) shots from the floor, while Anderson connected on 35-of-75 (46.7 percent) attempts.
The Quakers hit 9-of-21 (42.9 percent) shots from 3-point range, while the Ravens made 9-of-29 (31.0 percent) attempts from beyond the arc.
Earlham drained 16-of-23 (69.6 percent) shots at the free-throw line, compared to Anderson’s 6-of-10 (60.0 percent) shots.
The Ravens converted 20 Quaker Turnovers into 32 points, compared to the Quakers scoring six points off of 6 Raven turnovers.
The Ravens outscored the Quakers on the fastbreak 31-16
Raven of the Game – Rob Davidson – 12 Points, 6 Rebounds, 2 Steals
Tate Ivanyo – 27 Points, 8 Rebounds, 5 Assists, 3 Steals
Bryce Williams – 15 Points, 7 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 2 Steals
Kenney Troutman – 13 Points, 2 Rebounds, 2 Steals
Nolan Swan – 12 Points, 2 Assists
Elisha Moore – 4 Points, 2 Rebounds, 2 Steals
Axel Laby – 2 Points, 7 Rebounds, 3 Blocks, 2 Steals
COACH CARTER COLLINS’S COMMENTS
I didn’t think that we had our best stuff [on Wednesday], especially to open the game, but we righted the ship when we needed to and pulled out another road victory.
Now, we enter a three-game homestand that will be critical in the conference championship race.
UP NEXT
The Ravens start a three-game homestand against Transylvania University (11-8, 9-3) in HCAC action on Saturday, February 1, in game two of a doubleheader, at 3:00 p.m. in O.C. Lewis Gymnasium. Anderson also celebrates FCA Day.
ANDERSON WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
ANDERSON BATTLES PAST EARLHAM
Anderson Battles Past Earlham
The Anderson University women’s basketball team (10-8, 7-5) battled past Earlham College (4-14, 0-11) by a score of 87-73 during Wednesday’s Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) matchup in O.C. Lewis Gymnasium.
COACH JON GIN’S COMMENTS
It was really a tale of two halves. The first half, our offense kept us in the game. We came out firing, but our defense was lackluster. The second half was all about our defense. I thought our fourth-quarter defense was really impressive. Unfortunately, we didn’t hit shots, but we kept an aggressive mindset on offense and made enough plays down the stretch to win. We are still learning how to close out games, and I thought we did a good job of it [on Wednesday].
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first half served as a shootout as Anderson led 48-44 at halftime. In the first half, Anderson drained 10-of-17 (58.8 percent) shots from 3-point range. Earlham drained 18-of-32 (56.2 percent) attempts shots from the field in the first half.
After shooting 58.8 percent from the perimeter in the first half, the Ravens went 0-for-16 from behind the arc in the second half.
The Quakers led the Ravens 65-64 through three quarters, but Anderson dominated Earlham in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Ravens 23-8. Earlham was held to a 16.7-percent (3-of-18) shooting clip in the fourth quarter.
Anderson hit 10-of-33 (30.3 percent) shots from 3-point range while Earlham made 5-of-15 (33.3 percent) attempts from the perimeter.
The Quakers converted 29-of-68 shots from the field while the Ravens hit 29-of-73 (39.7 percent) attempts from the floor.
Anderson outrebounded Earlham 51-37. The Ravens held a 16-7 advantage on the offensive rebounds and rolled past the Quakers 18-2 on second-chance points.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Victoria Detraz recorded the program’s 23rd 5+ block game. The sophomore from Valparaiso has accounted for three of those games this season.
Raven of the Game – Victoria Detraz – 10 Points, 12 Rebounds, 5 Blocks, 5/8 (62.5%) FG
Bella Larrison – 18 Points, 9 Rebounds
Izzy Davis – 15 Points, 4 Assists
Sarah Sewak – 10 Points, 3 Assists, 2 Steals
Makynlee Taylor – 10 Points, 10 Rebounds, 1 Block
Paige Williamson – 7 Points
Lauren Smith – 2 Steals, 5 Points
Brynn Beard – 5 Assists, 3 Points
Mackinzie Toliver – 6 Points
Emily Reed – 3 Points
UP NEXT
Anderson faces off with Transylvania University (13-5, 10-1) in HCAC action on Saturday at 1 p.m. in O.C. Lewis Gymnasium. The Ravens also celebrate FCA Day.
WABASH MEN’S BASKETBALL
THREE-POINT BARRAGE LEADS WABASH TO SEASON SWEEP OF DEPAUW
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Indiana — A barrage of three-pointers gave Wabash a season sweep over DePauw with an 84-65 home victory at Chadwick Court in North Coast Athletic Conference action Wednesday night. The win extended the Little Giants’ overall winning streak to six games. Wabash also owns a six-game winning streak against its arch-rival and has won eight of the last nine contests.
Wabash (13-6, 9-1 NCAC) finished the game making a season-high 14 of 32 three-point shots. The 14 three-pointers tie for 12th on the single-game record list and are the most made three-pointers in a game since the championship game of last year’s NCAC Tournament against Wooster.
Gavin Schippert led the outside shooting attack by making a career-best six of ten long-range shots. The junior finished with a career-high 20 points, matching senior Vinny Buccilla for team-high honors. Schippert made 7-of-11 field goal attempts, while Buccilla drained 8-of-12 total shots while going 2-of-3 from three-point range.
Wabash took a ten-point lead at 14-4 with 14:33 left in the first half when Josh Whack, who added 16 points, made his second three-pointer of the ball game. Schippert made four consecutive triples and a fast break layup from Buccilla after DePauw (9-10, 5-5 NCAC) trimmed the advantage to nine points at 14-5.
Robert Sorensen, who torched the Tigers for 21 points in a 74-48 Wabash victory in the first meeting between the two teams in Greencastle in December, hit a pull-up jumper to push the Little Giants’ advantage to 30-11 midway through the opening period. Wabash led by as many as 23 points in the first half before DePauw rallied in the closing minutes of the period to head to the locker room trailing 44-31.
The visiting Tigers continue their rally in the opening minutes of the second half, outscoring Wabash 9-5 in the few minutes of the contest. DePauw scored its first three-point shot of the game with 17:34 on the clock after going 0-for-10 from long range in the first half to cut the Little Giants’ lead to nine points at 49-40. Reph Stevenson, who led the Tigers with 22 points, followed with a fast-break layup to bring DePauw within seven points.
Buccilla responded with a basket and free throw, and Sorensen added another triple to push the lead back 13 points with 16:13 left on the clock. DePauw got as close as 11 points with a basket from Caleb Washington, but another layup from Buccilla and a basket from Nate Matelic kept the lead at double digits. DePauw got no closer than 12 points before the Little Giants expanded their advantage back to as many as 22 points with 5:52 left to play before earning the 19-point victory.
Wabash shot 32 of 60 from the field (53.3 percent) and made 6 of 9 free throw attempts. The Tigers finished 20 of 56 from the field (35.7 percent) and made just 2 of 17 three-point tries. DePauw made more free throws than field goals in the contest, going 23 of 29 from the stripe for 79.3 percent.
Schippert grabbed a team-high six rebounds in the game, while Noah Hupmann and Whack finished with five boards. Hupmann also blocked five shots to add to his Division III lead in shot rejections.
Wabash remains in second place in the NCAC standings, trailing conference leader Denison (17-1, 9-0 NCAC) after the Big Red defeated Oberlin 72-59 Wednesday night. The Little Giants host Denison next Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Chadwick Court.
Game Notes
» The Little Giants shot well from three-point range, knocking down 14 of 32 long-range attempts.
» The Little Giants held the Tigers to only 35.7 percent shooting from the field.
» Wabash never trailed on the way to an 84-65 victory.
» Wabash recorded 15 total assists in the game, led by Randy Kelley with a career-high eight helpers.
» Wabash had a stellar day defensively, holding DePauw to 12 percent from beyond the arc on 17 attempts.
» The Little Giants were active in affecting shots on the defensive end, tallying seven blocks as a team.
» Wabash turned the ball over five times while dishing out 15 assists.
» Gavin Schippert led the Little Giants with 20 points, and Vinny Buccilla added 20.
» Wabash got a team-high six rebounds from Gavin Schippert.
TAYLOR WOMEN’S BASKETBALLL
HEARTBREAKING FINISH UNDOES GUTSY ROAD PERFORMANCE
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio – A 9-0 Cougar run in the late stages of the fourth quarter spoiled a determined road showing from the Taylor women’s basketball team in an 80-78 loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene (13-8, 5-6 CL) Wednesday evening.
Emma Fohl notched a game- and career-high 22 points in the loss to go with six rebounds and eight assists, both of which matched her career bests. Quinn Kelly also scored a career-high 18 in the game while making an abundance of hustle plays and clutch shots in the second half.
Taylor quickly shook off a slow start Wednesday by scoring at all three levels in a balanced first quarter to lead, 16-14.
The Trojans again took some time to find their groove in the second period as they trailed 25-23 with 5:33 remaining until halftime. Then, a missed shot by MVNU was rebounded by Kelly, who started a secondary break that ended in a trey for Emma Fohl, assisted by Ava Henson.
TU’s backcourt took off from there, with fly-around defense from all five Trojans leading to decisive, fast-paced offense. Henson buried back-to-back triples just moments after a three-pointer from Kendall Wayne, and Fohl capped a stellar first half with a three that gave Taylor a 44-31 halftime advantage.
The second-quarter fury closed perhaps the most impressive half of basketball played by the Purple and Grey during the Crossroads League season, as the team generated 11 assists against just four turnovers while simultaneously scoring eight points off 10 MVNU turnovers.
The second half was not as kind to Taylor, as TU could not get a single three-pointer to fall in the contest’s final 20 minutes.
Still, with MVNU having reclaimed the lead at 56-55 with under three minutes to go in the third quarter, Kelly found a way to swing momentum back to the Trojans by drawing two charges and knocking down a pair of buckets on broken possessions. The junior forward’s efforts helped give TU a 61-56 edge with one stanza remaining.
Fohl and Kelly kept Taylor above water in a back-and-forth fourth frame, with a pair of free throws from the freshman guard holding the Trojans’ lead at five, 74-69, with 1:42 left.
MVNU responded with its 9-0 burst, however, before ultimately closing out the game at the charity stripe.
In addition to her 18 points, Kelly added seven rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in a complete effort.
Henson also had a strong night with 21 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Whitney Warfel contributed 10 points to round out those in double figures.
Taylor (6-15, 1-10 CL) next hosts No. 15 Marian (15-5, 8-2) on Saturday at 1 p.m.
VINCENNES BASKETBALL
NO. 16 TRAILBLAZERS SURVIVE LATE SURGE IN REGION 24 ROAD SHOWDOWN AT KASKASKIA
CENTRALIA, Ill. – The No. 16 ranked Vincennes University Trailblazers hit the road again Wednesday night, heading to Centralia, Ill. for another tough Region 24 road showdown with Kaskaskia College.
The Trailblazers got off to an early lead but were unable to put the game away as VU had to come up clutch at the free throw line late to come away with an 85-81 victory over the Blue Devils.
The Trailblazers got off to another excellent start Wednesday night, jumping out to an early 12-2 lead over the Blue Devils.
Kaskaskia would fight back and cut the VU lead down to five at 30-25 before the Blazers got a couple of big shots late in the first half to get the lead back to 42-29 at the halftime break.
Coming out in the second half the Blazers looked to put the game away early and expanded the lead to 58-42.
Kaskaskia once again answered back, getting the ball to go down and ride the home crowd momentum and got the VU lead back down to single digits at 60-52.
Vincennes would keep the Blue Devils at a distance for most of the final stretch of the game before Kaskaskia used a late 7-1 scoring run to get within three with under two minutes to play.
VU was able to hold off the Blue Devils at the free throw line, coming away with the 85-81 victory over Kaskaskia College.
“Kaskaskia deserved to win,” VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. “They played harder, tougher, more disciplined. Appeared to be better coached than our ball club. I’m very bothered right now. There’s a lot that’s put into this and these guys are also representing the guys that have played before. We’re supposed to be about something. Win, lose, I can handle whatever. But we were not about getting down in a defensive stance, fighting a screen or being strong and protecting the ball. This team has turned the ball over too much all year and we’ve tried to get it down and we’ve emphasized that the last couple of days and I could see no evidence of that tonight that anyone had taken that to heart.”
“Just really, really bothered by tonight’s effort,” Franklin added. “This would be bad if it happened in the middle of November. For the second half, they really got disciplined and really went after us. We’ll make them guard this and see if they ever stand up and we did not. We just hoped that somehow it would work out for us tonight. We did not try to stop anybody. So I’ve obviously done a poor job. We worked on how to fight through screens and I didn’t see anything tonight that looked like we’ve practiced it.”
The Trailblazers were led offensively by sophomore and 2024 NJCAA All-American Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) who finished with 20 points and a team-high 10 assists to notch his third double-double of the season.
Freshman Dayton Williams (Louisville, Ky.) battled early foul trouble to come away with 15 points, including hitting three big threes for the Blazers.
Sophomore Michael Cooper (Minneapolis, Minn.) also came away Wednesday night with another double-double, finishing his night with 14 points and 10 rebounds and hitting a perfect 12 of 12 from the free throw line.
Sophomore Bryan Akanmu (Paris, France) was the fourth Trailblazer scorer in double figures Wednesday night, finishing the game with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists.
“We’ve won a bunch of games so far this season, I guess we just aren’t going to play with any toughness,” Franklin said. “Because it was pretty evident what was going on for really the last 30 minutes of the game. We had a little spurt late in the first half where we hit some shots and hit some early in the second half. But if we had not done that, we would have lost this game. I knew it, I could see it and I just couldn’t find anybody.”
“We had guys that get their opportunity, get in the game and they are not about that life,” Franklin added. “We said, ‘this is why you are going in’ and they might hit a shot or something but they weren’t about that. If you want to be a champion or just know that I gave everything that I had, that’s what this is about. And that just didn’t happen. If you want to play, there were a lot of guys out here to played tonight, but did they really guard. Did they fight a screen? Did they fire back and get a box out? I didn’t see one all night. I saw us getting bullied and getting pushed underneath the goal. I saw us sticking on every screen of any type. I’ve got guys that are talking about being Division I players who can’t handle the ball without turning it over, can’t handle any kind of screen and won’t get in a stance.”
“I’ve been very positive about this team,” Franklin said. “I told everybody that I thought that we were on the move and going forward and I really meant that. But I’m also going to be honest right now. That was a very, very alarming effort and I don’t like leaving the gym feeling like we didn’t deserve to win. That hasn’t happened a whole lot over the years with our teams. But I did not feel like we deserved to win tonight.”
The Trailblazers will look to keep their 12 game winning streak going this weekend when VU hits the road again Saturday, Feb. 1 to take on John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. at 4 p.m. eastern.
Vincennes will then return home to the P.E. Complex Wednesday, Feb. 5 when VU hosts Lincoln Trail College at 7 p.m. eastern.
“I’m looking for the same things I looked for going into tonight,” Franklin said. “The same things that we’ve looked for out of our teams for the last 28 years. And if you came to Vincennes and you came to play for this team, then you should have come here to guard somebody. You should have come in here to fight over some screens. You should have come here to box out and learn to be strong and tough with the ball and not just give the ball up. You should be a guy that beats everybody up and down the floor. That’s what our team has been and anybody that has competed against us will say that.”
“I have great, great love and admiration for the players that have played for us,” Franklin added. “I’ve never hidden that. But they all earned it. There are good days and bad days and times where they had to learn. But you go into February right now, we should not be being outplayed by anybody. So what do I want to see between now and Saturday? The same thing I wanted to see coming into tonight. The same thing I wanted to see when I signed these guys. Our standard is our standard. We’ve had more success than anybody and we’ve had better guys and they have gone on to do better things. I’m very disappointed that we had a group of young men out here tonight that I don’t think tried to live up to that standard. That’s on me, it’s my team. But if anyone is confused about what my message is, or what my message has been, it’s the same message that I’ve given for the last 28 years.”
INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE WEB SITES
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
“SPORTS EXTRA”
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
73 – 22 – 78 – 72 – 44 – 16 – 99 – 20 – 13 – 32
January 30, 1936 – The new owners of baseball’s Boston Braves did a survey of newspaper journalists to pick a new team moniker. There were 1327 different nicknames submitted for review and a handful were strongly considered. The winner was announced in the Boston Globe the next morning that the team would now be known as the Boston Bees however the franchise would return to ‘Braves’ name in 1941. The entries started with every letter of the alphabet except the letter “X.”
January 30, 1968 – NFL Draft: Ron Yary from USC first pick by Minnesota Vikings. Yary would wear the Number 73, for the Vikes as the future Hall of Fame player would end up playing 15 seasons, making it to 7 Pro Bowls and was a 6 time All-Pro.
January 30, 1973 – 26th NHL All-Star Game, Madison Square Garden, NYC: Eastern Division beats Western Division, 5-4; MVP: Greg Polis, Number 22 of the Pittsburgh Penguins, LW
January 30, 1973 – 1973 NFL Draft: John Matuszak from University of Tampa first pick by Houston Oilers. John wore Number 78 in his time with the Oilers. he was probably better known by his Number 72 with the Raiders in later years of his career.
January 30, 1978 – Addie Joss & Larry MacPhail were both elected to Baseball Hall of Fame. Joss was a great pitcher for Cleveland from 1902 to 1910, many years before uniform numbers were worn. MacPhail was a famous lawyer and quite the baseball executive before World War II, with the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees, and was a one-third owner of the Yankees from 1945 through 1947.
January 30, 1983 – At the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California the Super Bowl XVII was played as the Washington Redskins outlasted the Miami Dolphins, 27-17; MVP: was Washington’s bruising Running back John Riggins, who wore Number 44. The Question of the Day? Who was the Dolphins starting QB in the game. The Answer is David Woodley, Number 16. Remember this is a few years before ole Number 13 Dan Marino was drafted.
January 30, 1990 – Los Angeles Kings center Wayne Gretzky, wearing his famous Number 99 set an NHL record by scoring his 100th point of the season for the 11th straight season! The “Great One” reached the milestone record with an assist in a 5-2 Kings’ win over visiting New Jersey Devils
January 30, 1994 – Super Bowl XXVIII, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA: Dallas Cowboys beat Buffalo Bills, 30-13; MVP was Dallas Cowboy Runningback Number 22, Emmitt Smith.
January 30, 1996 – Future Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson wearing his legendary Number 32 jersey after a 5 year retirement; re-entered the League with his old team to help the LA Lakers to 128-118 win over Golden State at the Great Western Forum. He still had the “magic” to as he scored 19 points, hauled down 8 rebounds and registered 10 assists.
January 30, 1998 – All-Star Florida Marlin catcher Darren Daulton who wore Number 20 with the club in his one partial season there, retired. Daulton had spent the previous 14 seasons as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies wearing Number 10. A little known fact is that he did play part of the 1983 season on a call up from the minors to the Phillies wearing Number 29.
January 30, 2000 – In the Big NFL Game of the season, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta the very memorable Super Bowl XXXIV was played. It came down to the last play, last second, and the final 1/2 yard on the field as th St. Louis Rams stopped the Tennessee Titans, 23-16. The game’s MVP was Quarterback Kurt Warner, Number 13 of the Rams.
January 30, 2002 – The Utah Jazz, legendary Number 32, Karl Malone became only the second player in NBA history at the time to register 34,000 career points. The talented power forward tossed in 18 points in a 90-78 win over the Chicago Bulls at the Delta Center. The top player at that time was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Number 33 with 38,387 points playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks.
January 30, 2018 – Houston Rockets forward James Harden, who wore Number 13 registered the highest scoring triple-double in NBA history when he recorded 60 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists as the Rockets outlasted the Orlando Magic, 114-107 in Houston. Harden also has worn lucky 13 for the Brooklyn Nets.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
Football History Headlines
January 30, 1892 – Athens, Georgia – The University of Georgia played its first football game in Athens against Mercer University. According to an interesting post on the UGA.edu website the Bulldogs started off their first gridiron campaign with Chemistry Professor, Dr. Charles Holmes Herty organized not on Georgia’s first football team but the first in the deep south of America. In this first game the Bulldogs pummelled Mercer 50-0. Their schedule for that first season consisted of only one other game that took place on February 20 against Auburn. We will cover that one more in detail in the upcoming February 20 Football History Headlines. An interesting story that comes from the article tells that in this first game on the athletics fields (now known as Herty Field) there are reports that indicate that the official scorer for the game missed at least one touchdown when he walked to the city alcohol dispensary on Broad St. across from the campus to purchase a bottle of whiskey during the game. With a 50 point differential the players from Mercer may have wished they had joined him!
January 30, 1960 – Oakland Raiders entered the American Football League per the Raiders.com. The Oakland group was awarded the former Minneapolis-St. Paul franchise which was basically abandoned when the NFL granted permission for the Minnesota Vikings franchise to form before the AFL could set on up.
January 30, 1968 – Ron Yary from USC is the first overall pick by Minnesota Vikings in the 1968 NFL Draft. Yary was an awesome pick as he made it into the Hall of Fame! According to the Pro Football Reference website the other future Pro Football Hall of Famers from this class so far include Claude Humphrey, Larry Csonka, Curly Culp, Ken Stabler, Charlie Sanders, Elvin Bethea and Art Shell. The Raiders had a banner day building the core of their offense of the 1970’s with the picks of Shell and Stabler!
January 30, 1973 – The team’s front offices assembled in New York for the 1973 NFL Draft. John Matuszak from the University of Tampa was first overall pick by the Houston Oilers. The Pro Football Reference data tells us that Hall of Famers that have busts in Canton so far from this class are John Hannah, Ray Guy and Joe DeLamielleure.
January 30, 1983 – Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California – Super Bowl XVII was a rematch of Super Bowl VII, which was also played in the LA area as it pitted the 8-1 Washington Redskins against the Miami Dolphins who spotted a record of 7-2 in the strike shortened NFL season. The American Football Database fills us in with the game details on their great article. The Dolphins held a 17-10 lead at the half with a Fulton Walker 98 yard touchdown return of a kick off and Jimmy Cefalo’s 76 yard TD reception. The turning point in the game came with 10:10 remaining in the fourth. Washington was facing a fourth down and 1-yard to go situation at the Dolphins’ 43-yard line, and they were still trailing 17-13. That’s when Washington’s veteran running back John Riggins broke through the Dolphin defense and ran all the way to paydirt to take the lead. D.C. Wide receiver Charlie Brown then added an insurance touchdown with his 6-yard scoring catch and the Washington Redskins outlasted the Miami Dolphins, 27-17. The Redskin offensive line was known as the Hogs. O-line Coach Joe Bugel gave the original group of linemen the moniker in 1982. They were comprised of Center Jeff Bostic, left guard Russ Grimm, right guard Mark May, left tackle Joe Jacoby, right tackle George Starke, guard Fred Dean, along with tight ends Don Warren and Rick Walker. Riggins with his power running behind the Hogs earned the game’s MVP award.
January 30, 1994 – Georgia Dome, Atlanta – The Buffalo Bills played in their fourth straight championship appearance in Super Bowl XXVIII when they faced the powerful Dallas Cowboys. Things looked promising for the Bills in the first half as they held a 13-6 lead in the locker room. The third quarter though things started to unravel according to the statmuse.com web site article on the game. Cowboys defender James Washington picked up a 3rd quarter Bill fumble and rambled 48 yards for a score to tie the game. It was then more stifling defense and a heavy dose of running back Emmit Smith who scored twice in the second half to lead the Dallas Cowboys over Buffalo Bills 30-13. The game’s MVP was Emmitt Smith who besides his two late TDs added 132 hard earned yards on the ground.
January 30, 2000 – Georgia Dome, Atlanta – Who can forget the suspense of the very last play of Super Bowl XXXIV? The St. Louis Rams were up by seven but Steve McNair had marched the Tennessee Titans most of the length of the field to the Rams ten yard-line with 6 seconds on the clock and no timeouts remaining! A Bleacher Report article reminds of the rest, as DB Mike Jones was covering Titan tight end Frank Wycheck on the play near the goal line when an open Kevin Dyson caught the pass from McNair. Jones left his coverage when the ball was passed and tackled Dyson at his legs, leaving the receiver to stretch for the goal line. As the play happened, everybody watching was on the edge of their seats, and then Dyson’s shoulder touched the ground…the ball was short of the line! The Rams win in the most dramatic of endings over Tennessee 23-16. St. Louis Quarterback Kurt Warner won the Most Valuable Player award after he threw for 414 yards and two scores in the game to lead the Greatest Show on Turf. At the time this game had the fifth highest number of viewers in the history of television as over 130.7 people watched the game.
January 30, 2011 NFL Pro Bowl was played once again at beautiful Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The result of the game was that the NFC outscored the AFC, 55-41. Washington Redskins defensive back, DeAngelo Hall was given the MVP.
HOF Birthdays
January 30, 1925 – Detroit, Michigan – The nifty halfback that played both for Purdue and Michigan in college Chalmers Bump Elliott was born. Bump was also a head coah and an AD that made it to the College Hall of Fame.
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1919 During World War I, the Reds, unable to contact their manager Christy Mathewson, who is serving as a captain in the newly-created chemical service along with Ty Cobb, hire Pat Moran. The former Phillies skipper pilots the club to a 96-44 record en route to leading Cincinnati to a World Championship when they defeat the White Sox in the scandal-ridden Fall Classic.
1948 Attending the MLB Winter Meetings, 53-year-old Phillies GM Herb Pencock collapses in the New York hotel lobby, dying two hours later of a stroke after being rushed to a hospital. The former left-hander pitcher, who hurled 22 years in the majors with the A’s, Red Sox, and Yankees, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame within weeks of his death.
1952 The Little League headquarters relocates to Williamsport, PA, with Peter J. McGovern becoming the circuit’s first full-time president. In November of 1955, Carl Stotz, who started the youth baseball program 28 years earlier, will not agree with the increasing commercialization of the organization, causing the LLB Inc. Board to remove him from his position as commissioner.
1958 Commissioner Ford Frick announces the fans will no longer vote in selecting participants for the All-Star Game, with teams now chosen by major league players and coaches. The change prevents the stuffing of the ballot box, as happened when fans, spurred on by ballots published daily in the Cincinnati Times-Star, local broadcast media, and Burger Beer supplying ballots to taverns, elected eight Reds to start last season’s Midsummer Classic.
1959 The Reds trade catcher Smoky Burgess, pitcher Harvey Haddix, and third baseman Don Hoak to the Pirates. In return, Cincinnati receives third baseman Frank Thomas, right-hander Whammy Douglas, outfielder Johnny Powers, utility man Jim Pendleton, and cash.
1987 The Cubs trade veteran third baseman Ron Cey to the A’s for infielder Luis Quinones. After he plays 45 games, Oakland releases the 39-year-old ‘Penguin,’ who retires with a .261 lifetime batting average after spending 17 years in the major leagues.
1996 The expansion Devil Rays name the first two skippers of their minor league system. Former major leaguer Tom Foley will manage at Butte in the Pioneer League, and veteran minor-league coach and manager Bill Evers will be at the helm for the St. Petersburg team in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.
2003 In his first year of eligibility, by a unanimous vote of the media covering the team, Cal Ripken Jr. joins his dad by becoming the 40th member of the Orioles Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will occur at Camden Years on September 6, marking the eighth anniversary of the night the Baltimore infielder broke Lou Gehrig’s record consecutive games streak of 2,130 games.
2006 The Cubs and Jerry Hairston Jr. (.261, 4, 30) avoid salary arbitration when the second baseman/outfielder agrees to a one-year, $2.3 million deal. Last February, the 29-year-old Illinois native was acquired from the Orioles for slugger Sammy Sosa.
2007 🇨🇳 Sending coaches, scouts, and player-development staff to the Far East, the Yankees agree to help establish baseball academies in China. The team’s president, Randy Levine, committed the Bronx Bombers to help the Chinese Baseball Association develop young talent while promoting the game in a culture where the sport remains virtually unknown.
2009 The Mets avoid salary arbitration with John Maine (10-8, 4.18) when both sides agree to a $2.6 million, one-year deal. The 25-year-old right-handed starter, who missed the last five weeks of the season due to an injury to his pitching shoulder, is expected to play a significant role this year in the team’s pitching rotation.
2009 Locking up their most effective starter through his remaining eligible years, the Pirates avoid arbitration by signing Paul Maholm to a $14.5 million, three-year contract, including a team option for 2012. In his 31 starts for the Bucs last season, the 26-year-old southpaw compiles a 9-9 record with a 3.71 ERA for a Pittsburgh team, a team finishing 28 games under .500.
2009 Jason Varitek reaches a preliminary agreement with the Red Sox for a reported guaranteed $5 million, one-year contract, including options for the 2010 season. The team’s catcher and captain, a 12-year veteran, accepts much less than he would have made had he taken the team’s arbitration offer made in December.
2009 Jon Garland agrees to a one-year deal with the Diamondbacks worth at least $7.25 million. The 29-year-old right-hander, who will fill Randy Johnson’s spot as a starter, joins a strong Arizona rotation, including Brandon Webb, Dan Haren, Max Scherzer, and Doug Davis.
2009 Appearing on CNN’s “Larry King Live,” Joe Torre answers questions concerning his book’s inflammatory excerpts, The Yankee Years, which caused a firestorm of reaction from former players and fans after they were released last week. The Dodgers skipper, who managed the Bronx Bombers for a dozen seasons, tells the host he believes the controversy will die down and people will cool down after they get a chance to read the actual book.
2012 The Rangers sign Ron Washington to a two-year contract extension, which will keep the 59-year-old skipper in the Texas dugout through the 2014 season. Washington piloted the team to consecutive appearances in the World Series, losing to San Francisco and St. Louis in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
2017 As a result of a ruling handed down by commissioner Rob Manfred, the Cardinals will relinquish their top two picks in this year’s amateur draft and pay the Astros $2 million as punishment for hacking into Houston’s email system and scouting database. After pleading guilty to five counts of unauthorized access to a protected computer in federal court, Chris Correa, the former Redbirds scouting director, is placed on baseball’s permanently ineligible list after being sentenced to serve 46 months in prison.
TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY
Jan. 30
1926 — The major league rules committee mandates that pitchers must have access to a rosin bag.
1971 — UCLA starts its 88-game winning streak with a 74-61 win over UC Santa Barbara.
1983 — John Riggins rushes for a Super Bowl-record 166 yards on 38 carries to spark the Washington Redskins to a comeback 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins. For Riggins, the game’s MVP, it’s his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game during the playoffs, also a record.
1992 — Jockey Mike Smith wins six races in one day at Aqueduct for the second time in the month. His first six-winner day at Aqueduct was on Jan. 13.
1993 — Monica Seles beats Steffi Graf 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to capture her third straight Australian Open.
1994 — The Dallas Cowboys, behind MVP Emmitt Smith and safety James Washington, beat Buffalo 30-13 for their second straight NFL title while giving the Bills four straight Super Bowl losses.
1996 — Magic Johnson finishes with 19 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-118 victory over Golden State. It is Johnson’s first regular-season game back from a 4 1/2-season retirement.
1999 — Martina Hingis wins her fifth Grand Slam title and third straight Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-3 victory over France’s Amelie Mauresmo.
2001 — Daron Rahlves wins the super giant slalom, the first American to capture the event at the world championships.
2002 — Utah’s Karl Malone becomes 2nd player in NBA history to register 34,000 career points by scoring 18 in a 90-78 win over Chicago at the Delta Center; trails only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points).
2006 — Teemu Selanne scores two goals for his 1,000th career point in Anaheim’s 4-3 overtime victory against Los Angeles.
2010 — Serena Williams ends Justine Henin’s hopes of a Grand Slam title in her return from retirement with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 victory in the Australian Open final.
2011 — MVP DeAngelo Hall has one of his team’s five interceptions and returns a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown to help the NFC match a Pro Bowl scoring record in a 55-41 victory over the AFC. AFC quarterbacks Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Matt Cassel each throw first-half interceptions to help the NFC blow open a 42-0 lead.
2011 — Loui Eriksson’s second goal, an empty-netter at 18:49 of the third period, helps seal an 11-10 victory for Team Lidstrom against Team Staal in the NHL All-Star Game.
2015 — The Phoenix Open continues without Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The biggest shock is Woods, who bogeys on his last hole for an 82, the worst score in his two decades as a pro. Mickelson shoots 76 and misses the cut by two shots.
2016 — Angelique Kerber upsets Serena Williams 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open title, ending the six-time champion’s unbeaten streak in finals at Melbourne Park.
2018 — Houston guard James Harden puts up highest scoring triple-double in NBA history (60 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists) as the Rockets beat Orlando Magic, 114-107 in Houston.
2022 – Australian Open Men’s Tennis: Rafael Nadal wins record 21st Grand Slam singles title with an epic 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 win over Daniil Medvedev of Russia.
TV SPORTS THURSDAY
| NBA REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Los Angeles Lakers vs Washington Wizards | 7:00pm | Spectrum MNMT |
| Atlanta Hawks vs Cleveland Cavaliers | 7:30pm | FanDuel Sports SE FanDuel Sports OH |
| Houston Rockets vs Memphis Grizzlies | 7:30pm | TNT |
| Minnesota Timberwolves vs Utah Jazz | 10:00pm | TNT |
| Orlando Magic vs Portland Trail Blazers | 10:00pm | FanDuel Sports FL Rip City |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON | TIME ET | TV |
| Washington Capitals vs Ottawa Senators | 7:00pm | ESPN+ MNMT Sportsnet |
| Minnesota Wild vs Montreal Canadiens | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports North Sportsnet |
| Winnipeg Jets vs Boston Bruins | 7:00pm | ESPN+ NESN Sportsnet |
| Los Angeles Kings vs Tampa Bay Lightning | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports West FanDuel Sports Sun |
| Chicago Blackhawks vs Carolina Hurricanes | 7:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports South CHSN |
| New York Islanders vs Philadelphia Flyers | 7:30pm | ESPN+ Hulu |
| Detroit Red Wings vs Edmonton Oilers | 9:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports DET Sportsnet |
| Anaheim Ducks vs Calgary Flames | 9:00pm | ESPN+ Victory+ Sportsnet |
| Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights | 10:00pm | ESPN+ FanDuel Sports OH Scripps |
| San Jose Sharks vs Seattle Kraken | 10:30pm | ESPN |
| MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL | TIME ET | TV |
| Stony Brook at Charleston | 6:00pm | CBS Sports Network |
| Vermont at Binghamton | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| New Hampshire at Maine | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Ohio State vs. Penn State | 6:30pm | FS1 |
| Wright State at Youngstown State | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Towson at Delaware | 6:30pm | FloSports |
| Bryant at UMBC | 7:00pm | ESPNU |
| Drexel at Monmouth | 7:00pm | SNY |
| Le Moyne at Fairleigh Dickinson | 7:00pm | YES |
| Central Connecticut at LIU | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Saint Francis U at Mercyhurst | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Wagner at Stonehill | 7:00pm | NEC Front Row |
| Coastal Carolina at James Madison | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgia Southern at Troy | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Georgia State at Marshall | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Northern Kentucky at Detroit Mercy | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Green Bay at Oakland | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| IU Indianapolis at Robert Morris | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| FIU at Jacksonville State | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UMass Lowell at NJIT | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UNCW at North Carolina A&T | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| William & Mary at Campbell | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Hofstra at Elon | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Northeastern at Hampton | 7:00pm | FloSports |
| Tennessee Tech at Morehead State | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| NM State at Middle Tennessee | 7:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Liberty at Kennesaw State | 8:00pm | CBS Sports Network |
| South Dakota State at North Dakota State | 8:00pm | WDAY-DT3 |
| Tennessee State at Little Rock | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UTEP at WKU | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Bellarmine at Austin Peay | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Eastern Kentucky at Lipscomb | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Louisiana at Texas State | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| ULM at South Alabama | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Southern Utah at UTA | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Utah Tech at Tarleton | 8:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Illinois at Nebraska | 8:30pm | FS1 |
| UT Martin at Southeast Missouri | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Eastern Illinois at Western Illinois | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| SIUE at Lindenwood | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Memphis at Tulane | 9:00pm | ESPN2/ESPNU |
| Cleveland State at Purdue Fort Wayne | 9:00pm | ESPNU |
| Kansas City at Denver | 9:00pm | Altitude |
| Idaho at Weber State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Portland State at Montana | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Sacramento State at Montana State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Eastern Washington at Idaho State | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Cal Poly at CSU Bakersfield | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| UC Davis at UC Riverside | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| UC Irvine at Long Beach State | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| CSUN at UC Santa Barbara | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Abilene Christian at California Baptist | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Pepperdine at San Diego | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Portland at Loyola Marymount | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Washington State at Pacific | 10:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Oregon at UCLA | 10:30pm | FS1 |
| Seattle U at Grand Canyon | 11:00pm | ESPNU |
| UC San Diego at Hawai’i | 11:59pm | Spectrum Sports-HI |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| PGA Tour: Pebble Beach Pro-AM | 3:00pm | GOLF |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Europa League: Roma vs Eintracht Frankfurt | 3:00pm | CBSSN Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Ajax vs Galatasaray | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Anderlecht vs Hoffenheim | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: FCSB vs Manchester United | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Elfsborg | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Athletic Club vs Viktoria Plzeň | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Dynamo Kyiv vs Rīgas FS | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Porto | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Midtjylland vs Fenerbahçe | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Twente vs Beşiktaş | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Ferencváros vs AZ | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Rangers vs Union Saint-Gilloise | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Real Sociedad vs PAOK | 3:00pm | CBSSN Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Nice vs Bodø / Glimt | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Olympiakos Piraeus vs Qarabağ | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Slavia Praha vs Malmö FF | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |
| UEFA Europa League: Sporting Braga vs Lazio | 3:00pm | Paramount+ VIX |