THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” FRIDAY JANUARY 2, 2026

“THE SCOREBOARD”

INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL

BOYS FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE

ALL TIMES EASTERN

BARR-REEVE  AT          EASTERN GREENE                     7:30 PM            

BELLMONT      AT          ADAMS CENTRAL                      7:30 PM            

BENTON CENTRAL     AT          CRAWFORDSVILLE    7:30 PM            

BETHESDA CHRISTIAN           AT          UNIVERSITY    7:30 PM            

BLUE RIVER VALLEY  AT          WAPAHANI                     7:30 PM            

BORDEN           AT          NORTHEAST DUBOIS              7:30 PM            

BROWN COUNTY       AT          WALDRON                     7:30 PM            

BROWNSBURG            AT          PIKE                    7:30 PM            

CALVARY CHRISTIAN (ILL.)   AT          CENTRAL CHRISTIAN              2:00 PM            

CAMBRIDGE CITY LINCOLN AT          MONROE CENTRAL                  7:30 PM            

CANNELTON  AT          VINCENNES RIVET                    6:00 PM            

CENTRAL NOBLE        AT          EAST NOBLE                  7:30 PM            

DETROIT CASS TECH (MICH.)            AT          GARY LIGHTHOUSE   5:30 PM            

DETROIT MUMFORD (MICH.)             AT          HAMMOND MORTON 8:30 PM          

DUGGER UNION         AT          INDIANA DEAF             7:30 PM            

EMINENCE      AT          WASHINGTON CATHOLIC    7:30 PM            

EVANSVILLE DAY         VS.        WAYNE (W.VA.)             1:30 PM            

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         AT          EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL        4:30 PM            

FLOYD CENTRAL         AT          CENTER GROVE                         7:30 PM            

FORT WAYNE DWENGER       VS.        NEW HAVEN                  11:00 AM         

FORT WAYNE HOMESCHOOL            AT          NORWELL        7:30 PM            

GREENFIELD-CENTRAL          AT          RUSHVILLE                    7:30 PM            

HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN              AT          CROWN POINT            4:30 PM            

HENDERSON COUNTY (KY.) AT          EVANSVILLE HARRISON         8:00 PM            

HENRYVILLE   AT          MEDORA          7:30 PM            

LAFAYETTE JEFF           AT          LAPEL 7:30 PM            

LAWRENCE NORTH  AT          MARION            7:30 PM            

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     AT          COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN         7:45 PM            

MADISON-GRANT      AT          COWAN                           7:30 PM            

NORTHEASTERN         AT          NEW CASTLE                7:30 PM            

NORTHWESTERN       AT          MANCHESTER                             7:30 PM            

OLDENBURG ACADEMY        AT          CONNERSVILLE          7:30 PM            

PAOLI  AT          SCOTTSBURG                              7:30 PM            

PRINCETON    AT          JASPER                             8:00 PM            

ROSEVILLE (MICH.)   VS.        GARY 21ST CENTURY 7:00 PM          

SHOALS            AT          CRAWFORD COUNTY             7:30 PM            

SOUTH SPENCER       AT          SPRINGS VALLEY        8:00 PM            

SOUTHERN WELLS    AT          UNION CITY                   7:30 PM            

SOUTHPORT  AT          BREBEUF JESUIT                        4:30 PM            

TRITON CENTRAL       AT          INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    7:30 PM            

UNION COUNTY         AT          WES-DEL                         7:30 PM            

WABASH          AT          LOGANSPORT                             7:30 PM            

WARREN CENTRAL    AT          NOBLESVILLE               7:30 PM            

WHITELAND   VS.        FORT WAYNE NORTH              3:15 PM            

WOODLAN      AT          FREMONT                       7:30 PM            

CENTRAL INDIANA CLASSIC

NORTH WHITE              AT          ELWOOD                         10:00 AM          POOL A

TRI-TOWNSHIP            VS.        EASTERN (GREENTOWN)      12:00 PM POOL B

SMITH ACADEMY        VS.        NORTH WHITE              2:00 PM             POOL A

DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN              VS.        TRI-TOWNSHIP            4:00 PM POOL B

SMITH ACADEMY        AT          ELWOOD                         6:00 PM             POOL A

EASTERN (GREENTOWN)      VS.        DEMOTTE CHRISTIAN              8:00 PM POOL B

CHURUBUSCO            AT          FRANKTON                     10:00 AM          POOL C

HERITAGE        VS.        TRI-CENTRAL                12:00 PM          POOL D

CHURUBUSCO            VS.        NORTH JUDSON                        2:00 PM             POOL C

HERITAGE        VS.        WINCHESTER               4:00 PM             POOL D

NORTH JUDSON         AT          FRANKTON                     6:00 PM             POOL C

TRI-CENTRAL VS.        WINCHESTER               8:00 PM             POOL D

KIPP INDY LEGACY     AT          ALEXANDRIA                 10:00 AM          POOL E

BLACKFORD   VS.        CLINTON PRAIRIE                      12:00 PM          POOL F

RANDOLPH SOUTHERN        VS.        KIPP INDY LEGACY     2:00 PM             POOL E

CLINTON PRAIRIE       VS.        CROTHERSVILLE                        4:00 PM             POOL F

RANDOLPH SOUTHERN        AT          ALEXANDRIA                 6:00 PM             POOL E

CROTHERSVILLE         VS.        BLACKFORD                  8:00 PM             POOL F

CLINTON CENTRAL TOURNAMENT

PURDUE ENGLEWOOD          VS.        SOUTHMONT               6:00 PM             R1

BELIEVE CIRCLE CITY              AT          CLINTON CENTRAL   8:00 PM             R1

DEKALB TOURNAMENT

HANOVER CENTRAL AT          DEKALB             10:00 AM          POOL A

LAKEWOOD PARK      VS.        FORT WAYNE NORTHROP    11:45 AM          POOL B

HANOVER CENTRAL VS.        INDIAN CREEK             1:30 PM             POOL A

FORT WAYNE NORTHROP    VS.        WHITELAND   3:15 PM             POOL B

INDIAN CREEK             AT          DEKALB             5:00 PM             POOL A

WHITELAND   VS.        LAKEWOOD PARK      6:45 PM             POOL B

FISHERS TOURNAMENT

FORT WAYNE WAYNE              AT          FISHERS                           10:30 AM          R1

EVANSVILLE NORTH VS.        CHESTERTON                              12:15 PM          R1

EVANSVILLE BOSSE  VS.        COLUMBUS NORTH                 2:00 PM             R1

NEW ALBANY VS.        LAWRENCE CENTRAL                            3:45 PM             R1

LOSER GAME 2             VS.        LOSER GAME 1                            5:30 PM             CON

LOSER GAME 4             VS.        LOSER GAME 3                            7:15 PM             CON

LAWRENCEBURG TOURNAMENT

INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE             VS.        SILVER CREEK 9:00 AM           POOL B

NEW PALESTINE          VS.        INDIANAPOLIS RITTER            9:00 AM             POOL C

CENTERVILLE AT          LAWRENCEBURG                      11:00 AM          POOL A

PLAINFIELD    VS.        GUERIN CATHOLIC                  11:00 AM          POOL D

FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK  VS.        NEW PALESTINE                         1:00 PM               POOL C

HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)          VS.        INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE 1:00 PM               POOL B

CASTLE             VS.        PLAINFIELD    3:00 PM             POOL D

CENTERVILLE VS.        BLOOMINGTON SOUTH         3:00 PM             POOL A

SILVER CREEK              VS.        HARRISON (WEST LAFAYETTE)          5:00 PM               POOL B

INDIANAPOLIS RITTER            VS.        FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK  5:00 PM               POOL C

BLOOMINGTON SOUTH         AT          LAWRENCEBURG                      7:00 PM               POOL A

GUERIN CATHOLIC   VS.        CASTLE             7:00 PM             POOL D

PLYMOUTH TOURNAMENT

TWIN LAKES    VS.        HUNTINGTON NORTH            4:15 PM             R1

NEW PRAIRIE AT          PLYMOUTH     7:45 PM             R1

SOUTHRIDGE TOURNAMENT

PROVIDENCE VS.        FOREST PARK 11:00 AM         POOL B

SOUTH RIPLEY             AT          SOUTHRIDGE               12:45 PM          POOL A

PROVIDENCE VS.        ORLEANS         2:30 PM             POOL B

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          VS.        SOUTH RIPLEY             4:15 PM               POOL A

ORLEANS         VS.        FOREST PARK 6:00 PM            POOL B

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          AT          SOUTHRIDGE               7:45 PM               POOL A

TIPPECANOE VALLEY TOURNAMENT

LEO      AT          TIPPECANOE VALLEY              10:00 AM          R1

TIPTON              VS.        FORT WAYNE SOUTH              12:00 PM          R1

LOSER GAME 2             VS.        LOSER GAME 1             2:30 PM             3RD

WINNER GAME 2         VS.        WINNER GAME 1         2:30 PM             1ST

WAWASEE TOURNAMENT

LAVILLE             VS.        SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)    10:00 AM          POOL B

VICTORY PREP             VS.        SOUTH NEWTON        11:30 AM          POOL B

CAREER ACADEMY    VS.        JOHN GLENN                1:00 PM             POOL A

ELKHART CHRISTIAN               AT          WAWASEE       2:30 PM             POOL A

VICTORY PREP             VS.        LAVILLE                            4:00 PM             POOL B

SOUTH NEWTON        VS.        SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)    5:30 PM               POOL B

ELKHART CHRISTIAN               VS.        CAREER ACADEMY    7:00 PM             POOL A

JOHN GLENN AT          WAWASEE       8:30 PM             POOL A

===========

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL

FRIDAY’S GIRL’S SCHEDULE

ALL TIMES EASTERN

BENTON CENTRAL     AT          FAITH CHRISTIAN       7:30 PM            

BLOOMINGTON NORTH         AT          INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    1:30 PM            

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    AT          LANESVILLE    7:30 PM            

CANNELTON  AT          ROCK CREEK ACADEMY        1:30 PM            

CARMEL           AT          HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 7:30 PM          

CENTRAL NOBLE        AT          EAST NOBLE   6:00 PM            

EASTSIDE         AT          BELLMONT      7:30 PM            

EDON (OHIO) AT          HAMILTON       6:00 PM            

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         AT          BOONVILLE    7:30 PM            

FISHERS            VS.        TBA                      TBA      

HERITAGE        AT          LAKELAND       7:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS ARSENAL TECH        AT          SPEEDWAY     7:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS       AT          MERRILLVILLE              1:30 PM            

JAY COUNTY   AT          WOODLAN      7:00 PM            

JENNINGS COUNTY  AT          BATESVILLE                   7:30 PM            

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     AT          COLUMBUS CHRISTIAN         5:30 PM            

NEW ALBANY AT          EVANSVILLE HARRISON         2:30 PM            

NORTHWESTERN       AT          MANCHESTER              6:15 PM            

OLDENBURG ACADEMY        AT          JAC-CEN-DEL 7:30 PM           

PURDUE ENGLEWOOD          AT          PARK TUDOR 7:30 PM           

RICHMOND    AT          NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) 2:30 PM           

TRI-CENTRAL AT          DALEVILLE       7:00 PM            

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN TOURNAMENT

IRVINGTON PREP       VS.        CENTRAL CHRISTIAN 3:30 PM           R1

KIPP INDY LEGACY     AT          VICTORY PREP             5:00 PM             R1

CHICAGO JULIAN (ILL.) TOURNAMENT

HAMMOND MORTON              VS.        TBA       TBA      

CLINTON PRAIRIE TOURNAMENT

NORTH WHITE              AT          CLINTON PRAIRIE       10:00 AM          R1

KOUTS VS.        ROCHESTER                  11:30 AM          R1

LOSER GAME 2             VS.        LOSER GAME 1             6:30 PM             3RD

WINNER GAME 2         VS.        WINNER GAME 1         8:30 PM             1ST

DELPHI TOURNAMENT

FRANKFORT    VS.        WINAMAC        10:00 AM          R1

ROSSVILLE      VS.        NORTH NEWTON        11:45 AM          R1

PIONEER          VS.        TAYLOR             1:30 PM             R1

NORTH MONTGOMERY          AT          DELPHI              3:15 PM             R1

WINNER GAME 1         VS.        WINNER GAME 2         5:00 PM             SF

WINNER GAME 3         VS.        WINNER GAME 4         6:45 PM             SF

NORTHVIEW TOURNAMENT

GREENCASTLE             VS.        PARKE HERITAGE        3:30 PM             R1

LINTON             VS.        TERRE HAUTE NORTH             5:00 PM             R1

WEST VIGO     AT          NORTHVIEW                 6:30 PM             R1

SULLIVAN        VS.        TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 8:00 PM          R1

PLYMOUTH TOURNAMENT

NORTH JUDSON         VS.        WASHINGTON TWP.  2:30 PM             R1

NEW PRAIRIE AT          PLYMOUTH     6:00 PM             R1

TRI-TOWNSHIP TOURNAMENT

JOHN GLENN VS.        LAPORTE          5:00 PM             R1

WHEELER        AT          TRI-TOWNSHIP            6:30 PM             R1

WARSAW TOURNAMENT

PERU   AT          WARSAW          10:00 AM          POOL A

COLUMBIA CITY          VS.        PENDLETON HEIGHTS 12:00 PM      POOL B

INDIANAPOLIS RITTER            VS.        PERU   2:00 PM             POOL A

FORT WAYNE LUERS VS.        COLUMBIA CITY          4:00 PM             POOL B

INDIANAPOLIS RITTER            AT          WARSAW          6:00 PM             POOL A

PENDLETON HEIGHTS            VS.        FORT WAYNE LUERS 8:00 PM            POOL B

WHITELAND TOURNAMENT

TRI-WEST         AT          WHITELAND   10:00 AM          R1

OWEN VALLEY             VS.        ANDERSON    12:00 PM          R1

LOSER GAME 2             VS.        LOSER GAME 1             4:00 PM             3RD

WINNER GAME 2         VS.        WINNER GAME 1         6:00 PM             1ST

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INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING

https://indianamat.com

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TOP 25:

NO GAMES SCHEDULED

ELSEWHERE:

OAKLAND 85 YOUNGSTOWN STATE 83

SAMFORD 78 VIRGINIA MILITARY 58

GEORGIA SOUTHERN 82 COASTAL CAROLINA 81 OT

STETSON 70 N. ALABAMA 67

GREEN BAY 72 PURDUE FORT WAYNE 54

WRIGHT STATE 76 MILWAUKEE 70

NORTHERN KENTUCKY 81 IU INDY 72

ILLINOIS STATE 73 EVANSVILLE 47

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 75 VALPARAISO 70

PORTLAND STATE 95 WEBER STATE 90

UNC GREENSBORO 77 CHATTANOOGA 72

TENNESSEE MARTIN 67 WESTERN ILLINOIS 60

LINDENWOOD 77 MOREHEAD STATE 64

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS EDWARDSVILLE 59 SOUTHERN INDIANA 55

UC DAVIS 89 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 80

UC IRVINE 81 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 77

SOUTHERN MISS 87 LOUISIANA MONROE 73

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 84 OMAHA 69

LITTLE ROCK 77 TENNESSEE TECH 58

MONTANA 78 NORTHERN ARIZONA 64

BELMONT 88 BRADLEY 78

HAWAII 88 UC RIVERSIDE 45

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 68 EASTERN ILLINOIS 59

UTAH VALLEY 91 TARLETON STATE 85

NORTHERN IOWA 75 INDIANA STATE 66

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 68 EASTERN ILLINOIS 59

MONTANA STATE 89 NORTHERN COLORADO 75

IDAHO STATE 97 SACRAMENTO STATE 84

MURRAY STATE 81 ILLINOIS CHICAGO 77

CAL POLY 67 UC SAN DIEGO 65

CAL STATE FULLERTON 95 UC SANTA BARBARA 84

===========

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TOP 25:

#16 NORTH CAROLINA 71 CALIFORNIA 55

#24 MICHIGAN STATE 80 INDIANA 60

#13 LOUISVILLE 91 SMU 58

#3 SOUTH CAROLINA 83 ALABAMA 57

#23 TENNESSEE 76 FLORIDA 65

#12 VANDERBILT 88 ARKANSAS 71

#14 IOWA 86 #20 NEBRASKA 76

#15 OLE MISS 79 GEORGIA 62

GEORGIA TECH 95 #18 NOTRE DAME 90 OT

ILLINOIS 73 #7 MARYLAND 70

WASHINGTON 64 #6 MICHIGAN 52

#2 TEXAS 89 MISSOURI 71

#8 OKLAHOMA 72 TEXAS A&M 50

#11 KENTUCKY 80 #5 LSU 78

ELSEWHERE:

VILLANOVA 74 CREIGHTON 64

MARQUETTE 67 XAVIER 54

WEST VIRGINIA 79 KANSAS 72

UNC GREENSBORO 114 CAROLINA UNIVERSITY 35

VERMONT 72 ALBANY 56

TENNESSEE MARTIN 86 WESTERN ILLINOIS 78 2OT

NORTH CAROLINA STATE 74 STANFORD 46

JAMES MADISON 84 GEORGIA STATE 64

OLD DOMINION 87 GEORGIA SOUTHERN 84 2OT

MOREHEAD STATE 51 LINDENWOOD 50

SIANA 69 MOUNT ST. MARY’S 59

WISCONSIN 70 RUTGERS 63

ST. JOHN 75 DEPAUL 58

WISCONSIN 70 RUTGERS 63

INDIANA STATE 88 VALPARAISO 78

UC SAN DIEGO 75 CAL POLY 54

DENVER 64 NORTH DAKOTA 57

LITTLE ROCK 51 TENNESSEE TECH 44

CAL BAPTIST 85 TEXAS ARLINGTON 64

CAL STATE FULLERTON 62 UC SANTA BARBARA 61

MARSHALL 87 COASTAL CAROLINA 85 OT

TROY 80 LOUISIANA 54

UC IRVINE 82 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 63

OREGON 87 NORTHWESTERN 54

WAKE FOREST 74 PITTSBURGH 55

SYRACUSE 82 FLORIDA STATE 72

MIAMI FLORIDA 75 VIRGINIA TECH 67 OT

EASTERN KENTUCKY 69 W. GEORGIA 53

ARKANSAS STATE 91 SOUTHERN MISS 83

VIRGINIA 73 CLEMSON 63

MISSISSIPPI STATE 75 AUBURN 53

NORTH DAKOTA STATE 76 ORAL ROBERTS 68

UC DAVIS 85 CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE 66

IDAHO STATE 61 SACRAMENTO STATE 46

===========

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THURSDAY, JAN. 1

OREGON 23 TEXAS TECH 0

INDIANA 38 ALABAMA 3

OLE MISS 39 GEORGIA 34

===========

FRIDAY, JAN. 2

1 P.M. | RICE VS. TEXAS STATE | ARMED FORCES BOWL (FORT WORTH, TEXAS) | ESPN

4:30 P.M. | NAVY VS. CINCINNATI | LIBERTY BOWL (MEMPHIS, TENN.) | ESPN

8 P.M. | WAKE FOREST VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE | DUKE’S MAYO BOWL (CHARLOTTE, N.C.) | ESPN

8 P.M. | SMU VS. ARIZONA | HOLIDAY BOWL (SAN DIEGO) | FOX

THURSDAY, JAN. 8

7:30 P.M. | FIESTA BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL) (GLENDALE, ARIZ.) | OLE MISS VS. MIAMI FL ESPN

FRIDAY, JAN. 9

7:30 P.M. | PEACH BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL) (ATLANTA, GA.) | INDIANA VS. OREGON ESPN

MONDAY, JAN. 19

7:30 P.M. | COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (MIAMI, FLA.) | ESPN

===========

WEEK 18 SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, JAN. 3

CAROLINA PANTHERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 4:30 P.M. ET

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 8 P.M. ET

SUNDAY, JAN. 4

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS, 1 P.M. ET

CLEVELAND BROWNS AT CINCINNATI BENGALS, 1 P.M. ET

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS AT HOUSTON TEXANS, 1 P.M. ET

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT ATLANTA FALCONS, 1 P.M. ET

DALLAS COWBOYS AT NEW YORK GIANTS, 1 P.M. ET

TENNESSEE TITANS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, 1 P.M. ET

NEW YORK JETS AT BUFFALO BILLS, 4:25 P.M. ET

DETROIT LIONS AT CHICAGO BEARS, 4:25 P.M. ET

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT DENVER BRONCOS, 4:25 P.M. ET

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS, 4:25 P.M. ET

ARIZONA CARDINALS AT LOS ANGELES RAMS, 4:25 P.M. ET

MIAMI DOLPHINS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, 4:25 P.M. ET

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 4:25 P.M. ET

BALTIMORE RAVENS AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS, 8:20 P.M. ET

============

NBA

HOUSTON 120 BROOKLYN 96

MIAMI 118 DETROIT 112

PHILADELPHIA 123 DALLAS 108

BOSTON 120 SACRAMENTO 106

LA CLIPPERS 118 UTAH 101

============

NHL

OTTAWA 4 WASHINGTON 3

UTAH 7 NY ISLANDERS 2

TORONTO 6 WINNIPEG 5

MONTRÉAL 7 CAROLINA 5

PITTSBURGH 4 DETROIT 3 OT

TAMPA BAY 5 LOS ANGELES 3

CHICAGO 4 DALLAS 3

SEATTLE 4 NASHVILLE 1

============

TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CFP ROUNDUP: OLE MISS SLIPS PAST GEORGIA ON LAST-MINUTE FG

Lucas Carneiro drilled a tiebreaking 47-yard field goal with six seconds left, propelling No. 6 Ole Miss to a 39-34 victory over No. 3 Georgia in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl on Thursday in New Orleans.

Trinidad Chambliss threw a 40-yard pass to De’Zhaun Stribling on third-and-5 with 26 seconds left, leading to Carneiro’s third field goal of the game. A backwards pass into the end zone on Georgia’s ensuing kickoff return went into the end zone, resulting in a safety with one second left.

Chambliss threw for 362 yards and two touchdowns and Kewan Lacy rushed for 98 yards and two scores for Ole Miss (13-1), which will face No. 10 Miami in a semifinal game at the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 8 in Glendale, Ariz. The Rebels’ Harrison Wallace III made nine receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown.

Gunner Stockton threw for 203 yards and a touchdown for Georgia (12-2), which saw its second straight season end in the quarterfinals in New Orleans. The Bulldogs erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter before falling short.

No. 1 Indiana 38, No. 9 Alabama 3

Fernando Mendoza threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns to lead the top-seeded Hoosiers to a blowout of the ninth-seeded Crimson Tide in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

The Hoosiers advance to the semifinals and will take on fifth-seeded Oregon on Jan. 9 at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. Indiana (14-0) became the first top-four seed to win a game in the 12-team CFP, after teams with a bye went 0-6 to start the expanded playoff era.

Indiana had more rushing yards (215) than the Crimson Tide had total yards (193). Kaelon Black rushed for 99 yards and a touchdown while Roman Hemby ran for 89 yards and a score. Alabama’s Ty Simpson completed 12 of 16 passes, but he had just 67 yards through the air before leaving with a cracked rib.

No. 5 Oregon 23, No. 4 Texas Tech 0

True freshman cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble to win Orange Bowl defensive MVP as the Ducks shut out the Red Raiders in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The Ducks limited Texas Tech to 215 yards and nine first downs while winning their eighth consecutive game and becoming just the third Oregon team to win 13 games in a season. Jordon Davison rushed for two touchdowns, Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals and Bryce Boettcher racked up 12 tackles and a forced fumble for Oregon. Dante Moore completed 26 of 33 passes for 234 yards and one interception.

Ben Roberts had 16 tackles and an interception for Texas Tech (12-2), which had a six-game winning streak halted. Behren Morton completed 18 of 32 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions.

===========

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

REPORT: TEXAS TECH ADDING TALLEST PLAYER IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Texas Tech Lady Raiders coach Krista Gerlich reportedly landed a big recruit on Thursday — the biggest in women’s college basketball history.

Stephanie Okechukwu, a 7-footer from Nigeria, signed to play for 21st-ranked Texas Tech, USA Today reported. If she does play for the Lady Raiders, she would surpass Nicole Dominguez of Middle Tennessee State and Abbie Boutilier of Eastern Illinois, both 6-foot-10 centers, to become the tallest college player ever in the women’s game.

The Texas Tech athletic department didn’t make the news official, but it did post a photo on its website of Okechukwu palming a basketball in each hand.

Gerlich tweeted a video of a tall woman walking through an airport, with the text reading, “Walking into the New Year feeling 7 feet tall! #WreckEm”

Okechukwu would need NCAA approval to join the Lady Raiders midseason. According to USA Today, other major-conference schools including West Virginia attempted to land Okechukwu, but Texas Tech succeeded by sending an assistant coach to visit her in Africa.

The 7-footer’s arrival would bolster the Lady Raiders, who have equaled the best start in team history at 15-0 overall (2-0 in the Big 12).

Texas Tech plays host to Arizona on Saturday.

===========

NBA

NBA ROUNDUP: HEAT TOP EAST-LEADING PISTONS IN 4TH STRAIGHT WIN

Norman Powell hit seven 3-pointers and scored 36 points as the visiting Miami Heat won their fourth straight game, defeating the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons 118-112 on Thursday night.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 19 points off the bench while Andrew Wiggins had 17 points and eight rebounds. Bam Adebayo supplied 15 points and 14 rebounds and Kel’el Ware added 13 boards.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 31 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Reserve Marcus Sasser contributed 18 points, while Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson had 12 points each. Duren played only 18 minutes due to a sprained right ankle as Detroit lost for the third time in four games.

Powell had 19 points by halftime, including five 3-pointers, as the Heat took a 63-54 lead. Jaquez scored 13 by the break, while Cunningham led Detroit with 17 points. Cunningham also scored the first points of the second half on two free throws. Miami then assumed command by logging 15 consecutive points.

Rockets 120, Nets 96

Kevin Durant totaled 22 points and 11 assists against one of his former teams as Houston pulled away in the third quarter for a wire-to-wire victory over short-handed Brooklyn in New York.

Amen Thompson made 10 of 12 shots and led Houston’s potent offense with 23 points, including 12 in the third when the Rockets outscored the Nets 37-25 en route to their fourth straight win. Durant had 10 assists for the first time since Dec. 29, 2023, when he was with Phoenix. Alperen Sengun added 20 points and Tari Eason contributed 15.

The Rockets shot 57.3% from the field and made 12 of 29 3-point attempts (41.4%) while outrebounding the Nets 45-27. Michael Porter Jr. (illness), rookie Egor Demin (back) and Terance Mann (hip) were held out and Brooklyn struggled offensively throughout. Reserve Cam Thomas led the Nets with 21 points and Ziaire Williams added 14.

76ers 123, Mavericks 108

Tyrese Maxey scored 34 points against his hometown team, lifting Philadelphia to a road win over Dallas.

Maxey added 10 assists while receiving plenty of support from VJ Edgecombe (23 points), Joel Embiid (22) and Quentin Grimes (19). Grimes was 5-of-7 from 3-point range, while Maxey hit four 3-pointers and Edgecombe knocked down half of his six attempts from beyond the arc.

Max Christie led the Mavericks with 18 points. Brandon Williams chipped in with 14 points for Dallas, while Anthony Davis added 13 points and eight boards in the team’s fourth straight defeat. Rookie Cooper Flagg shot just 5-of-15 and finished with 12 points.

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NHL NEWS

NHL ROUNDUP: AUSTON MATTHEWS’ HAT TRICK LEADS LEAFS PAST JETS

Auston Matthews registered three goals and an assist Thursday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs overcame a three-goal deficit to defeat the visiting Winnipeg Jets 6-5.

Matthews completed his hat trick by knocking in a loose puck at 15:38 of the third period to snap a 5-5 tie, sending the Jets to their eighth consecutive loss (0-5-3). Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Matias Maccelli each added a goal and an assist to help the Maple Leafs earn their second straight win and fourth in five games. Troy Stecher also scored.

Mark Scheifele produced two goals and an assist, while Gabriel Vilardi had a goal and an assist for the Jets. Dylan DeMelo and Alex Iafallo also scored, and Eric Comrie stopped 24 shots.

The Jets led 4-1 near the midpoint of the second period before Toronto tied it with three straight goals. Winnipeg again took the lead in the third period, but the Leafs scored twice more for the win.

Penguins 4, Red Wings 3 (OT)

Kris Letang scored 58 seconds into overtime for Pittsburgh, which persevered to beat visiting Detroit.

Letang tallied his third goal of the season in his 1,200th career game. Sidney Crosby scored twice and assisted on the game-winner. Pittsburgh’s Blake Lizotte scored, and Erik Karlsson registered two assists, making him the 14th defenseman to reach 900 points in NHL history. Arturs Silovs stopped 24 shots.

Alex DeBrincat, James van Riemsdyk and Andrew Copp scored for the Red Wings, and Cam Talbot made 27 saves. Detroit overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to force overtime but fell to 5-1-1 in the past seven games.

Mammoth 7, Islanders 2

Dylan Guenther collected his first career hat trick and Nick Schmaltz scored twice for Utah, which rolled to a blowout win in Elmont, N.Y.

Mikhail Sergachev and Clayton Keller also scored for the Mammoth, who finished with just 21 shots. The seven goals tied a season-high for Utah, set previously in a 7-4 win over the St. Louis Blues on Oct. 23 and tied in a 7-0 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Dec. 3.

Calum Ritchie and Matthew Schaefer scored for the Islanders, who allowed their most goals since a 9-2 loss to the New York Rangers on April 10, 2025. New York lost leading scorer Bo Horvat to an injury about eight minutes into the third after he got tangled up with Mammoth defenseman Sean Durzi.

Lightning 5, Kings 3

Anthony Cirelli, Gage Goncalves and Nikita Kucherov scored in the final four minutes to lift visiting Tampa Bay to a come-from-behind win against Los Angeles.

Cirelli was the first to a loose puck and chipped it into the top of the net to tie it at 3 at 16:41. Goncalves put the Lightning ahead at 18:19, and Kucherov scored into an empty net with 45 seconds left. Kucherov also had two assists, Brayden Point scored twice, Cirelli added an assist and Jonas Johansson made 17 saves for Tampa Bay, which has won six in a row.

Andrei Kuzmenko and Kevin Fiala each had a goal and an assist, Jeff Malott also scored, Corey Perry had three assists and Darcy Kuemper made 19 saves for Los Angeles after being unavailable the previous six games because of an upper-body injury.

Senators 4, Capitals 3

Fabian Zetterlund scored with 2:22 remaining to lift host Ottawa to a win over Washington.

Zetterlund scored on a one-timer from just below the left hashmarks after receiving a backhand pass from Thomas Chabot on the rush, shortly after Aliaksei Protas tied the game for Washington. Nick Jensen, Ridly Greig and David Perron also scored for the Senators, who had lost three straight (0-2-1) after winning four in a row.

Tom Wilson scored his fifth goal in three games and added an assist for the Capitals, who were coming off a 6-3 win against the New York Rangers on Wednesday. Justin Sourdif had two assists, and Logan Thompson made 28 saves.

Canadiens 7, Hurricanes 5

Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson scored 23 seconds apart in the second period as Montreal came back from a two-goal deficit to win in Raleigh, N.C.

Lane Hutson, Sammy Blais and Juraj Slafkovsky each had a goal and an assist while Nick Suzuki and Oliver Kapanen also scored for the Canadiens, who have won three of their past four. Alexander Texier and Ivan Demidov added two assists each, while Jakub Dobes made 20 saves.

Sebastian Aho was involved in all five Hurricanes’ goals with two tallies and three assists. Nikolaj Ehlers and Andrei Svechnikov both added a goal and two assists and Alexander Nikishin chipped in a goal and an assist. Brandon Bussi lost in regulation for the second time in 16 outings, stopping 16 shots.

Blackhawks 4, Stars 3

Ilya Mikheyev scored twice for Chicago, which held on for a win against visiting Dallas.

Artyom Levshunov and Teuvo Teravainen each scored a power-play goal and Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Donato had two assists apiece for the Blackhawks, who won for just the second time in their past 10 games (2-7-1). Spencer Knight made 22 saves.

Mikko Rantanen, Jason Robertson and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist while Jake Oettinger made 17 saves for the Stars, who have lost four straight (0-2-2) for the second time this season.

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TOP INDIANA HEADLINES/PRESS RELEASES

INDIANA PACERS

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS SPURS

The Indiana Pacers have turned the page on an unforgettable year and will open 2026 play by hosting the San Antonio Spurs on Friday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Indiana (6-28), looking to snap a 10-game losing streak, faces a San Antonio (24-9) squad currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference.

While the Pacers have struggled to string together wins to start this season, the team is hungry to change the narrative in the new year as the squad is now the healthiest it has been since the 2025 NBA Finals last June.

The Pacers enter Friday’s matchup with the Spurs coming off a 112-110 New Year’s Eve loss to the Orlando Magic.

Indiana was in it the entire way, but Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero hit a go-ahead basket with 7.5 seconds remaining that proved the difference.

Pascal Siakam continued his All-Star campaign by posting 26 points, while Bennedict Mathurin had 23, Andrew Nembhard logged 19 points and seven assists, and Aaron Nesmith had nine points and 10 rebounds as he works his way back from a knee injury. Siakam’s numbers in December remained close to his overall average for the season, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists across 14 games.

While the Pacers have averaged almost seven players on their injury report for most of the season, just three missed Wednesday’s game.

The Spurs will be without their superstar center Friday, as French phenom Victor Wembanyama injured his knee in the fourth quarter of a 134-132 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

Wembanyama is currently averaging 24.0 points on 51.4 percent shooting, 11.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game for the Spurs. When he exited the game in New York, Wembanyama had 31 points and 13 rebounds in 24 minutes of action.

Even without Wembanyama, the Spurs will prove a tough test for the Pacers.

Stephon Castle, the 2025 NBA Rookie of the Year, is putting up 18.5 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game alongside veteran guard De’Aaron Fox, who is averaging 21.6 points, 6.0 assists, and 1.3 steals nightly.

Devin Vassell (15.0 points per game), Keldon Johnson (13.2), Harrison Barnes (12.3) and rookie Dylan Harper (11.9) are also scoring at a high clip. Vassell missed Wednesday’s game, but Julian Champagnie stepped in and supplied 36 points on 11 made 3-pointers against the Knicks.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard , G – Bennedict Mathurin, F – Johnny Furphy, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Jay Huff

Spurs: G – De’Aaron Fox, G – Stephon Castle, F – Julian Champagne, F – Harrison Barnes, C – Luke Kornet

Injury Report

Pacers: T.J. McConnell – probable (sore right hamstring), Tyrese Haliburton – out (right Achilles tendon tear), Isaiah Jackson – out (concussion), Obi Toppin – out (right foot stress fracture)

Spurs: Devin Vassell – out (left adductor strain), Victor Wembanyama – out (sore left knee)

Last Meeting

Jan. 25, 2025: In their second game against San Antonio in three days at Accor Arena in Paris, the Indiana Pacers avenged a 30-point loss by blasting the Spurs, 136-98.

The Pacers led by nine points at the end of the first quarter before finishing the half on a 15-3 scoring run to go up 15 at the break. San Antonio then stormed back to take the lead early in the third quarter, but Pacers All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton responded by scoring 16 straight points — on six consecutive made baskets — to give Indiana a 12-point advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final frame, the Blue & Gold continued to pour it on as they cruised to a bounce-back win.

Haliburton finished with a team-high 26 points, including six made 3-pointers, and Pascal Siakam added 23 to lead six Pacers players in double figures. Center Victor Wembanyama recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio, while Harrison Barnes scored 25 points in the loss.

The Pacers shot 52 percent from the field and knocked down 17 3-pointers, while holding the Spurs to 41 percent shooting. Indiana also won the rebounding battle, 50-44, and dominated the turnover margin, 22-10.

Indiana finished 1-1 against San Antonio in the Paris Games, and the win marked the largest margin of victory by any team in an NBA Global Game.

Noteworthy

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle is one win away from becoming the 11^th coach in NBA history to record 1,00 career head coaching victories.

Indiana’s Jay Huff leads the league in total blocks with 78 and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama is second with 61.

Last year, the Pacers and Spurs split a pair of games at Accor Arena as part of the Paris Games.

The Pacers’ 10-game losing streak is tied for the fifth-longest skid in franchise history.

The Pacers and Spurs are 5-5 against each other over their last 10 meetings, including splitting their series each of the last two seasons.

Broadcast Information (Where to Watch and Listen to Pacers Games >>)

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

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

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INDY FUEL

FUEL HOST BISON IN FIRST GAME OF 2026

FISHERS– The Fuel will host the Bloomington Bison on Friday night in their first game of the calendar year. After an overtime loss on Wednesday night, the Fuel will look to bounce back and claim two points in the tight Central division standings. 

LAST TIME OUT

The last time these two teams met was on December 12 when the Fuel visited Bloomington and took home a 6-3 loss. Harrison Israels and Kevin Lombardi each had three-point nights, while Bloomington’s Eddie Matsushima and Nikita Sedov also tallied three points each. Kyle Jackson led the pack with four assists for the Bison though. 

STANDINGS TRACKER

The Fuel come into this game in fifth place in the Central division with 26 points. They trail the Bison by six points, with the Cincinnati Cyclones sitting in between them in fourth place with 31 points. With a lot of inter-divisional games in the month of January, a lot could change in the division that is only separated by 18 points from first place to last. 

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NOBLESVILLE BOOM

NOBLESVILLE BOOM ACQUIRES CODY MARTIN FROM CAPITAL CITY GO-GO

The Noblesville Boom, the NBA G League affiliate of the Indiana Pacers, has agreed to a trade with the Capital City Go-Go to acquire guard Cody Martin in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick (via Long Island Nets), a 2027 second-round pick, and the returning player rights to Kaiden Rice, Boom General Manager Chris Taylor announced today.

“Any time you can add a player like Cody to your roster—given his high character, extensive NBA experience, and familiarity with the organization after his time with the Pacers earlier this season—it is incredibly exciting,” said Taylor. “He fits well into our style of play, brings a lot to our culture, and our goals are aligned with providing him a platform on the court in pursuit of Better Basketball Opportunities. Welcome to the Boom family, Cody.”

Martin, a six-year NBA veteran, was the 36th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets. The North Carolina native has appeared in 263 NBA games, averaging 6.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field throughout his career, including a four-game stint with the Indiana Pacers earlier this season.

In his lone season in the NBA G League, Martin spent the 2019-20 campaign with the Greensboro Swarm, appearing in five games and averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 58 percent from the field, including 40 percent from beyond the arc.

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INDIANA FOOTBALL

HOOSIERS DRILL ALABAMA

PASADENA, Calif. – Good-guy Fernando Mendoza, smiling Mendoza, most-charming-dude-on-earth Mendoza, was nowhere to be seen under a steel-gray New Year’s Day sky. This was Mendoza as ruthless competitor, as card shark, as the all-business leader of the nation’s top-ranked team.

Ninety minutes before Thursday’s playoff quarterfinal showdown against Alabama and Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback strode onto Spieker Field at the Rose Bowl with steely eyed intensity, focused on the process, first with his band stretching, then his warm-up throws, rifling spirals from 10 yards as if trying to break the fingers of a team manager as receiver.

Mendoza was ready. Boy, was he ready.

The Crimson Tide (11-4) had no chance.

Mendoza thrived with his arm (completing 14-of-16 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns) and legs (scrambles of 8, 8, 7, and 12 yards) in the top-seeded Hoosiers’ 38-3 victory. Alabama blitzed Mendoza a season-high 12 times. The result — he was 8-for-8 for 161 yards and three touchdowns as IU advanced to the Jan. 9 Peach Bowl semifinals against fifth-seed Oregon (13-1), which beat fourth-seed Texas Tech, 23-0, in Thursday’s Orange Bowl.

The Hoosiers (14-0) defeated the Ducks 30-20 during the regular season in Eugene, Oregon.

“I’m very confident in the way team is playing,” Mendoza said. “We enjoy football. This is why we work so hard. We also enjoy wining. We know what it takes, which is why we put our best foot forward.”

He paused.

“We have a very tough Oregon opponent.”

IU wasn’t fazed by its three-and-a-half-week layoff as the seventh other playoff-bye teams since the 12-team format started in 2024 are 0-7. Once again, a head coach Curt Cignetti’s team achieved the unprecedented in blasting past SEC mystique as effectively as it had the Big Ten.

It wasn’t fazed that it hadn’t won a bowl game since the 1991 Copper Bowl, that it had lost its only previous Rose Bowl appearance to top-ranked USC 14-3 in 1968.

It wasn’t fazed about anything.

“Coach Cignetti did a fantastic job of making sure there was no complacency,” Mendoza said. “That’s very tough to do.”

Cignetti is 25-2 with the Hoosiers, breaking Urban Meyer’s Big Ten record for most victories in a coach’s first two seasons.

“It all starts with Coach Cignetti,” said center Pat Coogan, who earned game offensive MVP honors. “Complacency can be a factor. It’s a never-ending journey of improving, of taking each day as the most important day in the history of the program. He makes sure all of our eyes are focused forward. It’s real. That’s why we see success.”

Success was fueled by Mendoza and Coogan, who led an attack that totaled 407 yards, 215 on the ground. Running backs Roman Hemby (89 yards and a touchdown) and Kaelon Black (99 yards and a TD) ran through Alabama tacklers as if they were a myth.

“First, I want to credit my teammates and coaching staff for believing in me, for entrusting me,” Coogan said. “These guys are unbelievable. The belief we have in each other. It’s about a never-ending growth.”

And yet, even in dominance, Coogan saw flaws.

“We have a lot to clean up. In the fourth quarter, we were kind of sloppy. It starts with me. I have to make sure the guys on are the right page.”

This is exactly what Cignetti wants to hear.

“We have good players with very high character. They listen and they buy in.

“Fernando is a special guy. He’s very unique. He’s selfless. Coogan is the same way. He’s the ultimate team guy.”

The Hoosiers turned a previously potent Alabama offense into rubble, holding the Crimson Tide to just 193 total yards and one field goal behind defensive MVP D’Angelo Ponds (the All-American cornerback recorded his first career forced fumble), safety Devin Boykin (seven tackles, three for loss) and linebacker Aiden Fisher (seven tackles, one sack, one forced fumble). IU had six tackles for loss and three sacks.

“It’s a testament to (defensive coordinator Bryant Haines),” Ponds said. “He did a good job of scheming (Alabama) up. He put us in the right position to make plays and we made them.”

The result was Alabama’s worst-ever postseason loss.

“A tip of the hat to Indiana and everything they did,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “They execute at a high level and feed off each other. They’re all aligned and do a good job.”

Cignetti said IU’s strong Wednesday walk-through was a catalyst.

“Our mindset was good,” he said. “I liked our prep for the most part.

“It was hard fought early in the game. They had us off balance. We made the plays we needed to take over in the second half.”

In other words, the Hoosiers pushed until the Crimson Tide broke.

“It’s changing the way a team thinks and breaking their will,” Cignetti said. “It takes a while. When it happens, it’s in the second half at some point.”

As far as the game, a 30-yard Mendoza-to-Charlie Becker completion and some Black power running highlighted a 16-play, 84-yard, nine-minute drive that ended with Nico Radicic’s 31-yard field goal and a 3-0 Hoosier lead.

They got the ball back when Alabama gambled on fourth-and-1 at its own 35-yard line and lost when linebackers Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy made the play for no gain. Mendoza capitalized with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Becker for a 10-0 lead four minutes into the second half.

“I tried to be aggressive,” DeBoer said, “and it turned out to be reckless.”

IU got the ball back when Ponds forced the fumble and Jones recovered it at the Indiana 41-yard line. The Hoosiers drove for a touchdown, capped by Mendoza’s 1-yard scoring pass to Omar Cooper Jr. for a 17-0 halftime lead. Mendoza was 10-for-12 for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

IU opened the second half by forcing Alabama to a three-and-out, then drove 79 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown. Mendoza capped it with a 24-yard scoring throw to Elijah Sarratt and a 24-0 lead.

Due to an injury, Alabama switched from standout quarterback Ty Simpson to Austin Mack. The result was a field goal and a 24-3 score late in the third quarter. IU countered with Black’s 25-yard touchdown run for a 31-3 lead. It was set up by tight end Riley Nowakowski’s 31-yard catch and run.

Hemby completed the scoring with his 18-yard touchdown fourth-quarter run.

Next stop for IU — Atlanta and Oregon.

“I’m not assuming anything will be fine,” Cignetti said. “It’s a process. We have a big challenge next week. It’s hard to beat a good team twice.”

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INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

INDIANA DROPS NEW YEAR’S DAY GAME TO NO. 24/19 MICHIGAN STATE

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.  –  Indiana women’s basketball dropped the first game of the 2026 ccalendar in an 80-60 loss to No. 24/19 Michigan State on Thursday at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

KEY MOMENTS

The two teams went toe-to-toe in the first quarter, as Ciezki gave IU a lead with a jumper, 13-11, with 4:46 to play. She had another opportunity to swing the lead back in Indiana’s favor on a triple off the offensive board from junior forward Edessa Noyan.

Michigan State (13-1, 2-1 B1G) took the 19-18 lead after one as freshman forward Maya Makalusky tied the game at 21-all early in the second on her first three of the day. The Spartans went on a 5-0 run to take a five-point lead with 2:40 remaining before the half. Indiana trimmed the deficit to as few as one but back-to-back buckets by the visitors put them up 40-35 at the half.

Momentum swung in MSU’s favor in the third, as the Hoosiers put up just 12 points to their 21. The Hoosiers (11-4, 0-3 B 1G) cut the margin down to single digits early in the fourth quarter with some momentum from a 3-pointer from redshirt sophomore guard Lenée Beaumont.

It was short lived as the Spartans used a 10-0 run to regain a double figure lead they would keep through the remainder of the game.

NOTABLE

Ciezki led the way with 16 points while Beaumont added 14 points. Ciezki scores in double figures for the 22nd-straight game while Beaumont extended her streak to 13 games.

Freshman guard Nevaeh Caffey had her second double-figure scoring game of the season with 10 points.

Junior forward Edessa Noyan recorded eight points and a team-high eight rebounds.

Ciezki, Beaumont and senior guard Jerni Kiaku had three steals each.

The game featured six lead changes and seven ties.

UP NEXT

Indiana is on the road for the next two games starting at No. 7/6 Maryland on Sunday in a 6 p.m. ET tip on Big Ten Network.

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NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

NO. 18 IRISH FALL IN OT AT GEORGIA TECH

ATLANTA –  The No. 18 Fighting Irish suffered their first defeat in ACC play this season, dropping a 95-90 decision to Georgia Tech in overtime in McCamish Pavilion on New Year’s Day. Notre Dame is now 10-3 on the season and 2-1 in ACC play.

Hannah Hidalgo paced the Irish with 26 points to go along with 10 assists, eight steals and four rebounds. Cassandre Prosper posted her third straight double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Vanessa de Jesus (16), Malaya Cowles (14) and Iyana Moore (11) each finished in double-figure scoring as well.

HOW IT HAPPENED

After the opening 10 minutes of play, the hosts held a narrow lead at 16-14. Hidalgo paced the Irish with five points and remarkably also had five steals in the first frame. The Yellow Jackets shot the ball well in the first, making 6-of-11 shots from the floor.

The hosts clung to their lead at 26-24 with just under 4 minutes left in the half before Notre Dame went on a 12-4 run to go on top 36-30 with 45 seconds left in the period. The Yellow Jackets managed to hit a three on their final possession to make the score 36-33 at the break.

Prosper had a big second quarter for the Irish, scoring eight points while adding five rebounds and two steals in the period to help the Irish reclaim their advantage.

The two sides traded baskets in the early stages of the third quarter before de Jesus went on a personal 8-0 run followed by a three from Iyana Moore to push the Fighting Irish lead to 14 at 51-37, the largest of the afternoon.

Georgia Tech immediately responded with seven straight points to cut the lead in half at 51-44 with just under 4 minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Irish held a six-point lead at 59-53 at the end of the third quarter.

Trailing by eight, the Yellow Jackets scored six straight to make it a one-possession game at 74-72 with 4 minutes left in regulation.

With the score tied at 78-78, Hidalgo knocked down a pull-up jumper to put the Irish in front by two at the 1:13 mark. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, the Yellow Jackets answered with a jumper with 45 seconds left to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Trailing by two early in the extra period, the Irish got back-to-back layups from Prosper and Hidalgo to go on top 85-83 with 3 minutes left. The hosts once again responded, scoring nine straight points to take control of the game at 92-85 before going on to close out the game by a final score of 95-90.

UP NEXT

The Fighting Irish remain on the road, traveling to Durham, North Carolina, to take on Duke at noon ET on Sunday, Jan. 4 in an ACC showdown. The game will air on ACCN.

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BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BUTLER RINGS IN NEW YEAR SATURDAY, HOSTING VILLANOVA AT HINKLE

The Bulldogs open 2026 with a Saturday tip against Villanova. Saturday is also the men’s basketball alumni game with Bulldog alumni and their families in attendance.

Butler Bulldogs (10-4, 1-2 BIG EAST) vs. –/rv Villanova (11-2, 2-0)

Saturday, Jan. 3 • 12PM

Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.

Follow Along

TV/Stream: TNT & truTV • Brian Anderson, Grant Hill & Andy Katz

Radio/Audio: 93.5 & 107.5 The Fan, Butler Sports App, SiriusXM 385, Sirius XM App, TuneIn Radio App & ButlerSports.com • @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)

Your First Required Reading of 2026

• Butler enters Saturday’s tip off an 89-85 loss at Creighton Tuesday night.

• Michael Ajayi registered his nation’s best 11th double-double of the season with 16 points and 13 rebounds at Creighton.

• Ajayi is the national leader in rebounding, averaging 12.3 caroms per game.

• Yohan Traore scored a season-high 20 points to lead the Bulldogs at Creighton; he became the first Bulldog this season to lead the team in scoring off the bench.

• Evan Haywood has scored in double figures in five consecutive games off the bench. His 11 points at Creighton included a trio of three-pointers in the final 21 seconds of the game. Prior to this stretch, he had three double-figure outputs in his first 32 career games.

• After missing the Dec. 22 NJIT game with an ankle injury, Jamie Kaiser Jr. returned and matched his career-high with 16 points at Creighton.

• Azavier Robinson handed out eight assists and had four steals at Creighton, matching the single-game highs for a Bulldog this season.

• Including Tuesday’s loss at Creighton, Butler has scored 85 or more points in eight games this season; the Bulldogs average 86.3 points per game, which is 52nd nationally.

• Butler has committed 10 or fewer turnovers in six of the last seven games (the Bulldogs only had one game among the first seven contests this season with 10 or fewer turnovers).

• Butler has out-rebounded 12 of its 14 opponents this season. The Bulldogs rank 17th nationally at 42.3 rebounds per game and have a +8.1 rebounding margin (37th nationally).

• Butler ranks 14th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage according to KenPom, collecting 39.1 percent of their misses.

• Butler has out-rebounded their opponent by at least 10 in seven games this season (after having only six games of +10 or greater rebounding margin all of last season).

• Ajayi went over 1,000 career points (in just 80 career Division I games) in the Dec. 22 win over NJIT. Ajayi has scored 232 points in 14 games so far this season after scoring a total of 221 points in 34 games at Gonzaga last season.

• Ajayi ranks fourth in the BIG EAST at 16.6 points per game; Finley Bizjack is seventh at 15.9 points per contest.

• Bulldogs among the BIG EAST leaders include Drayton Jones (fifth at 1.43 blocks per game) and Robinson (eighth at 1.57 steals per game).

• Bizjack and Haywood are third and fifth, respectively, in the BIG EAST in three-pointers made per game.

• The Bulldogs went 24-for-32 from the free throw line against NJIT Dec. 22. Butler averages 26.9 free throw attempts per game, 20th nationally.

• Butler had seven players score in double figures against NJIT, the first time the Bulldogs accomplished the feat since a 144-71 win over The Citadel, Nov. 14, 2015.

• The Bulldogs shot 56 percent from the field against NJIT Dec. 22, the fifth game this season that Butler has made at least half their attempts.

• Thad Matta enters Saturday’s game with 496 career wins as a head coach.

• Eight different Bulldogs have at least four double-figure scoring games for Butler.

Volumes on Villanova

• Villanova is 11-2 on the season and has won both of their BIG EAST contests (at Seton Hall, vs. DePaul).

• Kevin Willard is in his first season leading the Wildcats as head coach.

• Five players average double figures, led by Bryce Lindsay at 16.8 points per game. Duke Brennan averages a double-double at 11.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.

• The Wildcats average 10.5 made three-pointers per game, hitting 37.5 percent of their attempts.

Previously Against the Wildcats

• The Bulldogs and Villanova first met in the 1996 Puerto Rico Shootout; the other 25 meetings in the series have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season.

• Six of Butler’s seven wins in the series have come at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Series: Villanova leads, 19-7

Streak: Villanova, W3

At Hinkle: Tied, 6-6

First Meeting: Nov. 30, 1996; VU, 62-54 (Puerto Rico Shootout)

Last Meeting: March 1, 2025; VU, 80-70

Up Next

Butler continues a quick two-game homestand at Hinkle Fieldhouse when St. John’s visits Indianapolis Tuesday.

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IU INDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

JAGUARS RUN OUT OF GAS IN 81-72 LOSS AT NORTHERN KENTUCKY

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The IU Indianapolis men’s basketball team was unable to get its upset bid all the way to the finish line as the Jaguars fell on the road to Northern Kentucky, 81-72, on New Years Day inside NKU’s Truist Arena. Junior Kyler D’Augustino topped 20 points for a third straight time with a game-high 20 points and Finley Woodward and Kameron Tinsley added 10 points apiece.

The Jaguars (4-12, 0-5 HL) led for more than 25 minutes but were unable to finish the job as they were outscored 32-13 to close the contest. NKU (11-5, 3-2 HL) used a 14-0 run to turn a 59-49 deficit into a four-point advantage with 6:17 to play. The Jags were within one possession numerous times in the closing minutes, but never got over the hump.

Donovan Oday paced NKU with 18 points on 6-of-12 shooting and Dan Gherezgher contributed 17 points, including a pair of late three-point daggers. LJ Wells added 14 points and nine rebounds for the victors.

“Our margin for error is incredibly thin when it comes to winning games. I thought we did a lot of things really, really well,” head coach Ben Howlett said. “We rebounded, we moved the ball, we found the open man, we made our open looks. I thought we defended fairly well for the most part.

“We’re close. We just didn’t finish it out today.”

The Jags were the better team in the opening half, leading the majority of the way, including building a 12-point advantage when Tinsley buried a three at the 5:28 mark. NKU closed the half on a 10-2 run to cut the margin to 39-35 by intermission. The Norse scored the first six points of the second half to take a brief lead, but the Jaguars counterpunched everytime the hosts tried to gain separation.

The Jags built a 10-point lead at 59-49 with 10:49 to play, punctuated by an Aiden Miller three and Matt Compas floater. Momentum shifted moments later when NKU’s Tae Dozier picked off a pass near midcourt and raced the other way in transition. IU Indy’s Maguire Mitchell was called for a flagrant foul while challening Dozier’s dunk attempt, ultimately leading to a five-point NKU possession and igniting the decisive 14-0 Norse run.

NKU finished the game at 49 percent overall and 48 percent from beyond the arc, hitting 12-of-25 attempts. The Jaguars shot 44 percent overall and 32 percent from deep.

However, the more lopsided advantage came at the free throw line where NKU hit 15-of-25 attempts and the Jaguars were perfect on their six attempts, five of which came in the final 2:33 of the contest. IU Indy was hit with 20 personal fouls while the hosts were whistled for just nine fouls.

Mitchell and Jaxon Edwards finished with seven points each and Miller and Micah Davis each closed with six.

The Jaguars will return home to host Wright State on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 2:00 p.m. inside the Jungle. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ as Rick Johnston (pxp) and Hall of Famer Bob Lovell (analyst) describe the action. In addition, the game can be heard in Central Indiana on 1430 Indy’s Sports Ticket as Jimmy Cook (pxp) and Chaz Hinds (analyst) are on the call.

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BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL SET FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON BATTLE AT BUFFALO FOR MAC ROAD OPENER

The Ball State men’s basketball team begins the 2026 portion of its schedule and resumes Mid-American Conference play with a Saturday afternoon game at Buffalo at 2 p.m.

Paul Peck and Pete Lonergan are set to be on the ESPN+ broadcast, while Mick Tidrow and David Eha handle the radio call on WMUN 92.5 FM / 1340 AM and on the WMUN app. Links to both broadcasts and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.

Ball State (4-9, 0-1 MAC) beat Earlham 93-30 on Monday night in a historic defensive effort. The Cardinals limited an opponent to 30 points or fewer for the first time in nearly 80 years, while Preston Copeland (18 points) and Devon Barnes (17) paced a Ball State offense that shot 63.8 percent from the field for the game.

Buffalo (12-2, 2-0 MAC) has won three in a row including most recently beating Northern Illinois 81-67 on New Year’s Eve. Both of the Bulls’ first two conference games have come on the road, as they also topped Western Michigan 88-71 on Dec. 20 in Kalamazoo.

George Halcovage III is in his third season in charge of Buffalo, who finished the 2024-25 season with a 9-22 record (4-14 MAC) to place 11th in the 12-team league.

The Bulls rank second in the conference in 3-point shooting (39.1 percent, No. 18 in NCAA Division I), fewest turnovers per game (10.1, No. 33), free throw attempts per game (25.1) and free throws made per game (18.6).

Sophomore guard Daniel Freitag paces Division I with 98 free throws made and 119 attempts while pacing the MAC in total points (287) and points per game (20.5). Junior guard Ryan Sabol is sixth in the MAC in scoring (16.7 points per game) and leads the league in 3-pointers made (44, No. 22 in NCAA Division I).

Ball State is next set to host Eastern Michigan at 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

DEFENSIVE DOMINATION: Ball State held an opponent to 30 points or fewer for the first time in almost 80 years in Monday night’s 93-30 win over Earlham.

The last time the Cardinals limited a team to that low of a scoring output was in a Jan. 14, 1946 win at Wabash (37-30). Ball State’s most recent home game preventing a team from surpassing the 30-point threshold was on Jan. 20, 1945 in a 47-24 decision against Anderson.

Earlham’s eight points in the first half were the fewest by any team, in any classification, against an NCAA Division I opponent this season. Kennesaw State and Hofstra held opponents to 10 points in the opening period of games earlier this season.

8 – Earlham at Ball State, 12/29/25

10 – SUNY-Old Westbury at Hofstra, 12/10/25

10 – Paine at Kennesaw State, 11/3/25

The 30 total points allowed are tied for the fourth-fewest by any team, in any classification, against a Division I opponent this season.

23 – Rosemont at Navy, 12/21/25 (Half: 35-12; Final: 70-23)

23 – SUNY-Old Westbury at Hofstra, 12/10/25 (Half: 47-10; Final: 92-23)

29 – Maryland-Eastern Shore at Georgia, 11/5/25 (Half: 43-17; Final: 94-29)

30 – Earlham at Ball State, 12/29/25 (Half: 48-8; Final: 93-30)

30 – College of Biblical Studies at UTSA, 11/5/25 (Half: 56-18; Final: 97-30)

30 – Paine at Kennesaw State, 11/3/25 (Half: 60-10; Final: 105-30)

MORE FROM MONDAY: Ball State’s 63-point margin of victory over the Quakers was the highest since a 70-point decision on Nov. 7, 2022 against Earlham as well (109-39).

It was the fourth margin of victory of at least 60 points in the Mid-American Conference this season:

81 – Bowling Green 131, Aquinas 50

80 – Miami (OH) 129, Trinity Christian 49

64 – Kent State 123, Penn State Shenango 59

63 – Ball State 93, Earlham 30

The 48-8 halftime lead for the Cardinals was also the fourth lead of at least 40 points at the break in the MAC this year:

45 – Bowling Green 71, Aquinas 26

43 – Kent State 60, Penn State Shanango 17

40 – Ball State 40, Earlham 8

40 – Northern Illinois 60, Benedictine 20

Earlham’s 19.1% field-goal shooting (9 of 47) was the lowest by any team, in any classification, against a MAC opponent this season. It was the 11th lowest of any team, in any classification, against a Division I opponent this season. The Quakers shot just 2-of-26 from the field in the first half.

YOUNG GUYS WITH CAREER HIGHS: A trio of underclassmen set career highs in Monday night’s win.

Freshman Preston Copeland went for 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field, while sophomore Kody Clancy posted collegiate bests in points (11) and assists (five). Freshman forward Easton Foster tallied six points and four rebounds in a career-high 12 minutes of playing time.

EFFICIENT ELMORE: Senior Elmore James IV had his best offensive output as a Cardinal in Ball State’s MAC opener against Miami on Dec. 20.

The guard scored 20 points in just 26 minutes, going 6-for-10 from the field and 6-for-6 at the foul line.

BENCH SCORING IN BUNCHES: Ball State’s bench scored a season-high 48 points against the RedHawks, surpassing the 40-point mark in bench scoring for the second time this season (44 vs Le Moyne). The Cardinals’ bench did this a third time when it produced 44 points on Monday vs Earlham.

James IV (20 points) scored nearly half of those against Miami followed by Kayden Fish (10), Armoni Zeigler (7), Juwan Maxey (7) and Jai Anthoni Bearden (4).

DOUBLE DIGIT STEALS: Ball State collected 10 steals on Dec. 9 against South Dakota State, making it the fourth time this season the Cardinals have had 10+ steals in a game.

Ball State also had double figures in that category against Mansfield (11) and Little Rock (10) in November and on Dec. 3 at Evansville. This is the first time since the 2019-20 season that the Cardinals have had four non-conference games with 10+ steals.

CARDINALS CLAMPING DOWN ON DEFENSE: Ball State is second in the Mid-American Conference in scoring defense (67.6 points per game) and third in fewest fouls committed per game (16.0) and turnovers forced per game (13.9) through the season’s first 13 contests.

TV GAME AT WORTHEN ARENA: The game against Ohio originally scheduled for Jan. 17 in Muncie has been moved to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 16 due to it being aired on CBS Sports Network.

Ball State’s most recent home MAC game on a Friday was back on March 3, 2023 against Toledo in a game that was also broadcast on CBS Sports Network.

WELCOME TO THE MAC: Ball State plays league newcomer UMass twice in the regular season in the first season in the league for the Minutemen.

The Cardinals play at UMass on Jan. 10 before hosting the Minutemen on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The two teams have faced off only once prior, in an 89-86 Ball State win on Nov. 21, 2021 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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INDIANA STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

STRONG SECOND HALF PUSHES PANTHERS OVER SYCAMORES ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Indiana State men’s basketball fell in the first of their two-game swing trip, falling to Northern Iowa 75-66.

Ian Scott led the way offensively for Indiana State, scoring 15 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Sterling Young was right behind with 14 points off the bench, finishing 6-for-9 from the floor. Jo Van Buggenhout finished with seven points, five rebounds, and seven assists.

Northern Iowa held the lead early on, 11-7, at the first media timeout at 15:36. The Panthers made their first 5-of-7 shots in the game. Camp Wagner made a corner three coming out of a timeout, followed by a Van Buggenhout layup.

The game would be tied at the 12:42 mark at 18 apiece, then the game would go scoreless until the 9:46 mark when Young stopped the drought with a layup. He would go on to score back-to-back layups – three in a row – for a personal 6-0 run which would give the Sycamores a 24-18 lead with 8:07 left in the first half.

Derek Vorst drained a wide open three-pointer from the top of the key at the 6:34 mark, pushing the Sycamores’ lead to eight points, 29-21.

Back-to-back steals was capitalized on by a Bruno Alocen layup, forcing a Panther timeout with 4:23 on the clock, as Indiana State led 33-25. Northern Iowa scored four straight, but Enel St. Bernard converted an and-one that was followed by Scott layup to lead 38-29. UNI scored the last two buckets of the half for a 38-33 Sycamore lead at the break.

The teams were tied at an even 28-28 in paint points in the first half. All nine players who entered the game for Indiana State scored at least two points, and all but one player grabbed at least one rebound.

Northern Iowa opened the half on a 15-6 through the first seven minutes of the half. Van Buggenhout drilled a three, got a steal, and made the layup for a personal 5-0 run, but UNI outscored the Sycamores 7-2 over the next 90 seconds to lead at the under-12 media, 62-53.

A Young tough and-one was followed with a Panther layup at the 7:30 mark, then neither team could find the basket for the next four game minutes – Alocen stopped the drought with a three-pointer with 3:30 left in the game, cutting the lead down to three, 67-64.

The Panthers responded with a layup and held onto the five-point lead before making four free throws in the final 30 seconds, giving Northern Iowa the 75-66 victory.

News & Notes

The Sycamores shot 52.7% (29-for-55) from the field, the second-best effort against Division I opponents this season and fourth-best overall.

Indiana State made 23-of-29 from inside the arc (79.3%), the best two-point shooting night of the season.

The 66 points scored by Indiana State is the third highest by a Northern Iowa opponent this season, and the most since December 6 (74 in overtime by Wichita State).

Northern Iowa shot 54.4% against the Sycamores on Thursday night, the best percentage by a Sycamore opponent this season.

This is the highest since last season on February 11, 2025, when Northern Iowa shot 58.2% from the field in Cedar Falls.

Indiana State attempted four free throw attempts (2-for-4) to Northern Iowa’s 15 (10-for-15).

The Panthers grabbed 10 offensive rebounds, leading to 12 second chance points.

The Sycamores recorded only 22 rebounds in the game, a season low. It’s the lowest since February 27, 2021 when the Sycamores grabbed 22 rebounds against Valparaiso.

Jo Van Buggenhout recorded career highs of five rebounds and seven assists.

Derek Vorst swatted two shots for the second-straight game. He has six blocks in the last four games, after recording only one in his first seven games of the season.

Sterling Young has averaged 13.5 points per game through the last two games, shooting 64.7% (11-for-17) from the field and 50% from three (4-for-8).

Up Next

Indiana State will play at Drake on Sunday, January 4 with a 3 p.m. ET start time.

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INDIANA STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SYCAMORES SNAP SKID, START NEW YEAR WITH WIN OVER VALPO

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Tierney Kelsey and Clemisha Prackett led a quintet of Sycamores in double-figures Thursday afternoon with 18 points each, as Indiana State claimed an 88-78 New Year’s Day win over visiting Valparaiso inside Hulman Center.

Samiyah Briggs added 14, while Kennedy Claybrooks and Jayci Allen both came off the bench to score in double-digits with 12 and 10, respectively. Pracett and Briggs each tallied eight rebounds, with Briggs also tacking on five assists and four steals.

Indiana State’s offense was in a rhythm early on, with the Trees shooting better than 45 percent in the opening half. Kelsey’s first-quarter buzzer-beating jumper had the Sycamores ahead 23-22 after one and Indiana State had full control of the second, as Prackett matched the Beacons’ 13-point second quarter scoring total to give the Blue and White a 47-35 advantage at the break. The Sycamores exploded for 32 third-quarter points, 27 of which came from the trio of Kelsey, Briggs and Claybrooks, to push their lead past 20 late in the frame. Valpo made a late run and outscored the Sycamores by 11 in the fourth, but the game was out of reach in favor of the Trees by that point.

First Half

Da’Naria Washington knocked down a midrange jumper to start the scoring for Indiana State, but it was Valpo who was the early aggressor in taking a five-point lead just over two minutes into the contest. Briggs and Allen connected on treys just past the media timeout to give Indiana State its first lead of the contest at 14-11 but the Beacons responded to pull back in front late in the quarter. Late baskets from Washington and Kelsey, the latter’s coming just before the horn, put Indiana State ahead 23-22 after the opening period.

Valparaiso retook the lead early in the second before layups from Prackett and Claybrooks, the latter being part of a three-point play, saw the Sycamores go back in front. Prackett put Indiana State ahead for good midway through the quarter with a jumper, and the Trees took control late in the frame to build a sizeable lead. A 9-1 Sycamore run closed the final minutes of the half, as Prackett had seven points in the last 2:30 to give Indiana State a 47-35 lead at the intermission.

Second Half

Kelsey and Briggs both connected on early midrange jumpers as the Trees kept their foot on the gas pedal in the third quarter. Threes from Briggs and Kelsey extended the Sycamore lead to 57-42 midway through, and Prackett tacked on a layup moments later to continue her strong afternoon. Valpo clawed back within 10 midway through the frame, but Indiana State erased any doubt of a comeback with a strong close to the quarter. Allen knocked down another trey and had seven points in a 90-second span late in the period, while Kelsey and Claybrooks hit layups as the Sycamores led 79-58 heading to the fourth.

Valparaiso started the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, showing fight despite the scoreline with a Claybrooks jumper being the only points for the Blue and White in the first four minutes of the frame. Claybrooks added a trey just past the midway point, while Kayla Smith hit a layup in transition push the Sycamore lead back out to 88-69. The visitors closed with a 9-0 run over the final three minutes of the game, but the result was already out of reach for Valparaiso as Indiana State opened 2026 with an 88-78 win on its home court.

News and Notes

Indiana State surpassed its 2024-25 win total (four) with Thursday’s win.

Indiana State had five players in double-figures in Thursday’s game, marking the third time this season where the Sycamores had five or more players with 10-plus points in the same game. The Sycamores are 3-0 in those games.

Indiana State improved to 4-1 this season inside Hulman Center, with the Sycamores scoring 80-plus points in three of their first five home games.

Indiana State’s 33 fastbreak points were the most for the program in a game since the 2021-22 season opener against Stephens College (Mo.), when the Trees had 39 points on the fastbreak.

Indiana State recorded its fourth game this season with 40-plus bench points, as three Sycamores – Clemisha Prackett, Kennedy Claybrooks and Jayci Allen – all scored in double-figures off the bench. Indiana State leads the MVC and ranks in the top 15 nationally in bench scoring.

Indiana State improved to 3-0 this season when scoring 80-plus points, and 5-1 all-time in the Marc Mitchell era when hitting the 80-point mark.

Indiana State’s 32-point third quarter matched the Sycamores’ highest-scoring quarter of the season. The Trees also had 32 points in the first quarter of their win over Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Clemisha Prackett’s 18 points were a career high, while her six field goals made tied a career-best mark. Prackett also added season-high marks of three steals and three blocks.

Tierney Kelsey scored in double-figures for the 12th time in Indiana State’s 13 games this season, tying for the team lead with 18 points. Kelsey surpassed 200 points for the season in Thursday’s game.

Samiyah Briggs tied her career high of eight rebounds in Thursday’s game, while scoring in double-figures for the sixth time this season with 14 points. Briggs’ 14 points were her most in a game since November 24 against Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

Kennedy Claybrooks’ 12 points were her most in a game since November 19 at SIU Edwardsville, while her eight rebounds tied her season high which was also set in that same game against the Cougars.

Up Next

Indiana State heads north for a Sunday afternoon bout with UIC. Tipoff from the Windy City is slated for 3 p.m.

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE MEN’S BASKETBALL

GREEN BAY TAKES #HLMBB GAME FROM PURDUE FORT WAYNE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne fell 72-54 to Green Bay on Thursday (Jan. 1) in Horizon League men’s basketball play at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Green Bay opened the contest by scoring the first 15 points of the game. However, by half it was only a 30-24 Green Bay lead. Darius Duffy closed the half with a dunk. Corey Hadnot II had seven of his 21 points in the game in the first half.

After being called for only one foul in the first 20 minutes, the ‘Dons committed 13 fouls in the second half. It contributed to the Phoenix finishing the game shooting 23-of-25 from the free throw line.

A Mastodon 3-pointer made it a 34-30 score with 17:04 remaining. It was as close as the Mastodons advanced in the contest.

Justin Allen scored a team-high 21 points for Green Bay.

Maximus Nelson was 4-of-10 form three in the game for 12 points.

The result snaps a nine-game win-streak over the Phoenix for Purdue Fort Wayne.

Green Bay improves to 7-8 (2-2 Horizon League). Purdue Fort Wayne falls to 8-8 (2-3 Horizon League). The ‘Dons are back in action on Sunday (Jan. 4) at home against Cleveland State.

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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

2026 BEGINS WITH TRIP TO OAKLAND FOR MASTODON WBB

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball will start 2026 with a trip to Oakland for a Horizon League contest on January 2.

Game Day Information
Who: Oakland Golden Grizzlies
When: Friday, January 2 | 6:30 PM
Where: Rochester, Mich. | O’Rena
Live Stats: Link
Watch: ESPN+
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Oakland | Horizon League

Know Your Foe

Oakland is 4-9 and 1-2 to start Horizon League play. The Golden Grizzlies lost at Wright State and to Cleveland State, but beat Robert Morris on the road after the resumption of league play. Cali Denson leads the Golden Grizzlies with 12.2 points per contest. She is shooting 40 percent from beyond the arc this season.

Series History

Oakland leads the series 19-15, with a 13-12 edge since the two programs have been Division I. As Horizon League foes, the two teams have split the 10 games 5-5, with OU winning the first five and the Mastodons winning the most recent five. The ‘Dons won 77-37 in Rochester last season.

A Win Would…

• Give the Mastodons a 16-19 all-time record against Oakland

• Be the sixth win in a row against the Golden Grizzlies

• Give the ‘Dons a 6-5 mark against Oakland as members of the Horizon League

• Be the Mastodons’ 10th of the season, marking the fourth season in a row with double-digit wins. It would be the first four-year stretch with double-digit wins since 1993-97

• Move the Mastodons a half-game ahead of Youngstown State for second place or better in the league

Marchesano Mania

Maria Marchesano owns 50 Horizon League wins as the Mastodon head coach. She was the fastest to reach 50 league wins in program history. She needs six more to break into the top-20 in HL wins in league history.

More Maria Madness

Maria Marchesano’s 58.8 winning percentage (50-35) in Horizon League contests ranks 13th in league history with a minimum of three seasons. Cleveland State’s  Chris Kielsmeier is the only active coach with a better mark.

That’s a Lot of Points

Alana Nelson eclipsed the 2,500 career-point threshold on December 29. She is the only player in the country with 2,500 points at all levels.

Chasing 2,000

Jordan Reid needs 195 points to reach 2,000 in her career between Purdue Fort Wayne and Indiana Wesleyan.

League Leader

Alana Nelson leads the Horizon League this season in points (246), points per game (17.6), effective field goal percentage (61.4), field goals (87) and minutes per game (34.7). In league play, she leads in points (90), points per game (22.5), field goals (32), 3-point field goals per game (3.3) and minutes per game (39.0).

Career Points Tracker

Let’s take a look at the career scoring numbers for the three former NAIA All-Americans on the roster regardless of level.

Alana Nelson – 2,515 (482 at Northwood, 1,787 at Spring Arbor, 246 at PFW)

Jordan Reid – 1,805 (1,395 at Indiana Wesleyan, 410 at PFW)

Lauren Lee – 1,678 (1,630 at Campbellsville, 47 at PFW)

In the Polls

Purdue Fort Wayne was receiving votes in the latest Mid-Major Top 25 Poll on December 30. The Mastodons spent eight weeks in the Top 25 last season and received votes in all but the first poll of the 2024-25 season.

Lili Love

Lili Krasovec scored a career-high 19 points against Northern Kentucky after going 7-of-11 from the floor. She has scored in double-digits eight times this season after doing so just twice at Boston College.

Lock In Lili

Lili Krasovec has scored 15+ points five times this season (Purdue, Eastern Michigan, Wright State, Northern Illinois, Northern Kentucky). In those games, she was a combined 29-for-45 (64.4 percent) from the floor and 23-of-26 (88.5 percent) from the free throw line.

3-Ball Fun

The Mastodons are 3-1 this season when they hit 10 or more 3-pointers this season. Under Maria Marchesano’s leadership, the ‘Dons have had 53 such games with a 41-12 record in those games.

Look at Lee!

Through four Horizon League games, Lauren Lee leads the HL with 4.8 assists per game. She also has a 2.4 assist to turnover ratio, which is second-best.

Reid About Jordan

Jordan Reid is the only player in the Horizon League in the top-10 in both rebounding (5.6) and steals (2.5) per game this season.

I’ll Take That

Jordan Reid is averaging 2.5 steals per game, which ranks second in the Horizon League and top-70 nationally. If that average holds for a season-long mark, it would be second-best in the program’s Division I era and fourth-best overall.

Inside The Arc? Guaranteed Bucket

Lili Krasovec is shooting 64.8 percent from the floor this season (59-for-91). If she qualified for the leaderboard with enough makes, she would lead the Horizon League in the field goal percentage category. Once she reaches 75 made baskets, she would qualify for the season mark in Mastodon history. Her 64.8 percent would rank first, topping Jazzlyn Linbo’s 58.3 from last season.

Home Sweet Gates

Purdue Fort Wayne is 49-22 (69.0 percent) at home under head coach Maria Marchesano and 34-7 (82.9 percent) over the last three seasons.

Last Time Out

Purdue Fort Wayne fell to Northern Kentucky 88-85 in overtime for the Mastodons’ first loss at home and of the league season. Lili Krasovec had a career-high 19 points.

Next Time Up

The Mastodons return home for a game against IU Indy for the second time this season. The ‘Dons won 74-68 in Indianapolis earlier this season.

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EVANSVILLE MEN’S BASKETBALL

ACES FALL IN NEW YEAR’S DAY CONTEST AT ISU

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State forward Chase Walker scored a game-high 22 points to lead the Redbirds to a 73-47 win over the University of Evansville men’s basketball team on New Year’s Day inside CEFCU Arena.

Bryce Quinet was the leading scorer for the Purple Aces with 13 points. He was a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown while adding four boards and a pair of assists. AJ Casey wrapped up the game with eight points and seven caroms while Alex Hemenway scored seven. Walker was one of three ISU players to reach double figures. Ty’Reek Coleman and Landon Wolf totaled 12 apiece.

“We gave Illinois State too many opportunities today and did not look like ourselves at all,” UE head coach David Ragland explained after the game. “They (ISU) are playing with a lot of confidence and have a veteran group who have played together for a long time. As good as ISU is, you cannot turn the ball over 23 times on the road and win.”

A 3-pointer on the Redbirds’ first possession opened a 7-0 stretch to begin the game. The ISU defense held the Purple Aces to a 0-for-4 start from the floor along with forcing three turnovers. AJ Casey got UE on the board with a free throw before Bryce Quinet knocked down a triple to make it an 8-4 game.

After an Illinois State score, the Aces utilized a 15-4 run to take their first lead of the game.  Alex Hemenway connected on a triple before a pair of Leif Moeller free throws tied the game at 10-10. Following another ISU score to put them back on top, the Aces continued to fight back. Following a Moeller jumper that tied the game, Casey’s field goal at the 12:26 mark put UE on top for the first time.

Keishon Porter followed with a basket before Casey hit from downtown to solidify a 19-14 lead inside the 11-minute mark. UE made six consecutive field goals during the rally. Just as quickly as the Aces made their run, the Redbirds countered with 12 points in a row as they retook a 26-19 edge. Their defense held UE to 0-6 with four turnovers during a scoreless stretch of over four minutes.

Hemenway got UE back on the board with a pair of free throws to make it a 5-point game, but the Redbirds were just getting started. Over the final six minutes of the period, ISU outscored the Aces by a 20-7 margin to take a 46-28 halftime lead. Chase Walker had a game-high 16 points in the opening stanza for the Redbirds while Casey led the Aces with eight.

Josh Hughes converted an early basket to complete a 5-0 run to begin the second half. Unfortunately, that is as close as the Aces would get. Holding a 52-35 advantage inside of 15 minutes remaining, Illinois State embarked on a 15-0 run to take their largest lead at 67-35 with 7:26 remaining. In total, it was a 21-2 rally. UE missed eight consecutive field goals while turning the ball over six times during the scoring drought.

Connor Turnbull’s second-chance basket ended the stretch, but the deficit was too much to overcome with ISU completing the game with the 73-47 victory. The Redbirds shot 46.6% in the victory while the Aces shot 31.4%.  The shooting mark was the lowest since the Aces shot 30.0% in the season opener at #1 Purdue. UE completed the day with a 37-34 edge on the glass.

On Sunday, the Aces return to the Ford Center to face Northern Iowa at 3 p.m.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL

USI FALLS SHORT ON NEW YEAR’S AT SIUE, 59-55

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball fell short on New Year’s Day at SIU Edwardsville, 59-55, Thursday afternoon at First Community Arena in Edwardsville, Illinois. The Screaming Eagles go to 3-10 overall and 0-3 in the OVC, while the SIUE Cougars are 9-5, 2-1 OVC.

A defensive battle through the first 10 minutes of the game, USI managed only one field goal and four free throws, trailing by three points, 9-6. The Screaming Eagles were one-of-13 from the field to start the contest, while SIUE was four-of-15.

Following a run that saw the Cougars extend the lead to eight points, 18-10, with 7:54 before halftime, senior guard/forward Steven Clay and junior forward Tolu Samuels rallied the Screaming Eagles with a combined eight points to pull USI to within three, 21-18, with 4:09 before the break. Clay had five of the eight points during the surge.

USI and SIUE would trade points for the remainder of the half, which saw the Cougars with the advantage, 28-23. Samuels paced the Eagles during the first 20 minutes with seven points.

In the second half, USI fell behind by 10 points, 41-31, with 13:32 to play, but rallied to close to within five points (41-36 and 42-37) over the next two minutes. The margin would be cut further when senior guard Cardell Bailey hit a three-pointer to pull the Screaming Eagles to within four, 44-40.

The Cougars, however, responded with back-to-back three-pointers to push their advantage back to 10 points, 50-40, with 8:23 left. The Screaming Eagles would rally one last time and cut the 10-point deficit to four points, 54-50, when sophomore guard Josiah Dunham hit a three-pointer with 1:54 to play.

USI closed the gap to two points, 57-55, when junior guard Sheridan Sharp scored on a drive to the bucket with 13 seconds left, but SIUE sealed the 59-55 final with 10 seconds left on a pair of free throws.

USI was led by the 14-point performance of Samuels. The junior forward was five-of-10 from the field with a three-pointer and three free throws, while tying for a team-high with eight rebounds.

SIUE sported the 66ers game jerseys for today’s game only to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Highway 66 across the United States.

Next Up For USI:

USI finishes the first road trip of the 2026 calendar by visiting Lindenwood Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. game in St. Charles, Missouri.

Lindenwood defeated Morehead State at home this afternoon, 77-64, to go to 9-5 overall and 3-0 OVC. The Lions are the hottest team in the OVC to start the second half of the season, winning seven of their last eight.

The Screaming Eagles lead the Lions, 8-2, overall (OVC and GLVC) in a series that began in 2020.

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SOUTHERN INDIANA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

SCREAMING EAGLES PULL AWAY FROM SIUE WITH STRONG SECOND HALF

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball resumed Ohio Valley Conference play on Thursday afternoon with a 70-55 road victory at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, pulling away late after shooting nearly 60 percent in the second half.

The Screaming Eagles improved to 9-3 overall and to a 3-0 start in OVC play for the third consecutive season after finishing Thursday’s game shooting 47 percent overall (27-58) with three triples and 72 percent (13-18) at the free-throw line. USI capitalized on 18 fast-break points and matched a season-low eight turnovers with 19 assists.

Junior forward Chloe Gannon led four Screaming Eagles in double figures with a game-high 19 points on 8-13 shooting and pulled down seven rebounds. Senior guard Ali Saunders scored 10-plus for the fifth game in a row with 14 points for the second straight game. Saunders was 4-12 from the floor and made all five free-throw attempts to extend her free-throw streak to 28 consecutive free throws made. Junior forward Amiyah Buchanan recorded 12 points, while junior guard Sophia Loden netted 11 points.

SIUE (8-5, 1-2 OVC) shot for 36 percent (20-56) from the floor with a trio of threes and went 12-20 for 60 percent at the charity stripe. SIUE won the battle on the glass, 39-34.

SIUE tallied the first two baskets of the contest before USI went on a run to take a 9-6 lead just past the midway point of the opening quarter. The Screaming Eagles led by as many as five late in the first quarter after a pair of free throws by Buchanan, who notched six points in the first. USI led 15-12 going to the second quarter.

After an early timeout in the second quarter, Gannon got rolling for the Screaming Eagles. Gannon scored six points in an eight-point run for USI in the middle of the second to push the Eagles in front by seven, 23-16. SIUE drew back within three with under four minutes to go in the first half. By the end of the half, USI increased its advantage back to seven, 30-23, going into the break. Gannon finished with 13 first-half points after dropping 11 points in the second quarter.

Out of halftime, SIUE trimmed USI’s lead back down to three, 34-31, four and a half minutes into the second half. The Screaming Eagles answered with a 13-0 run, including three triples, to surge ahead by 16, 47-31, by the two-minute mark of the third quarter. USI led by a dozen, 49-37, through three after SIUE converted at the free-throw line late in the period.

In the fourth quarter, USI’s lead climbed back to 16 when junior forward Maddy Fay connected on a jumper with 7:44 left. SIUE cut the difference back down to 12 a minute later, but would not draw any closer. A three-point play by Saunders and back-to-back buckets from Buchanan extended the Screaming Eagles’ lead to 19, 64-45, with less than three minutes remaining and essentially put the game out of reach.

The Screaming Eagles will stay on the road when USI visits Lindenwood University on Saturday at 1 p.m. in St. Charles, Missouri. The game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.

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VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL

PETTIGREW, DEASE ESTABLISH CAREER HIGHS AT SIU

The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team received career performances from fifth-year senior Owen Dease (Evansville, Ind. / Evansville Reitz [Texas A&M Corpus Christi]) and freshman JT Pettigrew (Lisle, Ill. / Bolingbrook), but the visiting Beacons experienced cold shooting in a 75-70 loss to Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill. on New Year’s Day. Valpo battled back into the game after trailing by 14 with 10:43 remaining. A key first-half scoring drought that saw SIU embark on a 14-0 run was the difference in the game.

How It Happened

Freshman Rakim Chaney (Rockford, Ill. / Rockford Auburn [212 Sports Academy]) hit a 3 to begin the game, but the Beacons went cold from long range after that. After Valpo raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first minute of the contest thanks to the Chaney trey and a 3-point play by Dease, SIU slogged ahead by going on an 8-0 run to make it 8-6 with 13:33 on the clock.

Valpo missed 15 straight shots and went over seven minutes without scoring, leading into the under-12 media timeout with SIU on top 12-6 as the Salukis had extended the run to 14-0 before Valpo broke through with a pair of free throws.

The Beacons surged back, thanks in large part to getting to the free-throw line and making their first seven freebies of the game, slimming the lead to one at 15-14 with 7:58 left in the first half.

Defense continued to reign supreme on both ends of the court. Valpo briefly took the lead, but the Salukis see-sawed back in front at 22-21 with 3:43 on the clock.

The hosts closed the half on a 6-0 run and scored 13 of the half’s final 15 points to go into the break up 36-25.

Pettigrew scored eight points in the first four minutes of the second half, knocking down a pair of 3s. The SIU lead remained nine at 47-38 at the under-16 media timeout.

Valpo had a four-minute scoring drought, but they held SIU without a field goal for three of those minutes and hung around at 51-39 with 11:44 to play.

The Beacons forced a turnover and turned it into points for Dease at the five-minute mark of the second half, cutting the lead to six at 62-56.

After Chaney fouled out with 2:39 left, Valpo got within four with 21 seconds to go and SIU missed a pair of free throws, but the Salukis pulled down a key offensive rebound and salted away the victory.

Inside the Game

Dease’s 26 points led all scorers and surpassed his previous personal best of 25 from Dec. 21 vs. Murray State. He had a team-best plus-minus of +8 in a game where all five Valpo starters were even or positive in the plus-minus but the Salukis made their runs against the bench.

Dease went 11-of-12 at the free-throw line, surpassing his previous career high of eight made free throws set on Dec. 30, 2023 vs. Schreiner while playing for Texas A&M Corpus Christi. He grabbed seven rebounds on Thursday, setting a season high. 

Pettigrew outdid his previous season best of 17 points, which occurred on Dec. 13 vs. UNCW, finishing with 18 to go along with seven rebounds.

Pettigrew scored in double figures for the fifth time in his last six games, while Dease has scored 17 points or more in six of his last eight.

Dease made his first start since Nov. 7 at Kentucky and his third start of the year.

Junior Shon Tupuola (Brownsburg, Ind. / Brownsburg [Saint Mary-of-the-Woods]), who is the lone Beacon remaining who has started every game this season, paced the team with eight rebounds. He has squeezed five or more in 12 straight. He also blocked four shots on Thursday, establishing a new season high.

The Beacons made a season-high 24 free throws and shot 82.8 percent at the line. The 24 made free throws were Valpo’s most since Feb. 19, 2025 vs. Missouri State and most in a regulation road game since Feb. 12, 2022 at Missouri State.

Valpo won the rebounding battle 47-43 including a 14-10 edge on the offensive glass.

Valpo held SIU to just 40 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from 3. This marked the seventh straight game that a Valpo opponent has missed at least two thirds of its 3-point attempts.

The Beacons committed just 10 turnovers, the team’s 10th time in 14 games with 10 turnovers or fewer.

Valpo shot 21-of-66 (31.8 percent) overall including 4-of-21 (19 percent) from 3.

Up Next

Valpo (6-8, 0-3 MVC) will play its first home game since Dec. 21 on Sunday as UIC comes to the Athletics-Recreation Center for a 2 p.m. tip. It’s Faith & Family Day with tickets available at tickets.valpoathletics.com.

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VALPO WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

BEACONS SCORE SEASON HIGH IN THURSDAY LOSS AT INDIANA STATE

The Valpo women’s basketball team scored a season-high 78 points on Thursday, its highest scoring output in MVC play in nearly two full years, but it was not enough to overcome host Indiana State as the Sycamores earned an 88-78 New Year’s Day win.

How It Happened

The Beacons got off to a quick start offensively, scoring on each of their first three possessions, and pulled out to a 9-4 edge just over two minutes in on a triple from Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy).

An 8-0 ISU run over a two-minute stretch mid-quarter turned a five-point Valpo lead into a three-point edge for the Sycamores.

The teams traded the lead over the last few minutes of the period. A 3-pointer by Kayla Preston (Omaha, Neb./Millard North) had Valpo up 22-21 with 20 seconds to play in the quarter, but the Sycamores got a midrange jumper right before the horn to lead 23-22 10 minutes in.

It was a one-possession game for the first half of the second quarter, with a free throw from Autumn Dibb (Muskego, Wis./Muskego) tying things up at 30-30 with 5:23 remaining in the half. ISU outscored the Beacons 17-5 over the second half of the period to claim a 47-35 lead at halftime.

A late-quarter run in favor of the hosts proved vital in the third quarter as well, as after the Beacons had kept the deficit right around that 12-point mark from intermission for most of the period, ISU went on a 12-2 run over three minutes to push out to a 21-point lead – a lead which was 79-58 with 10 minutes to play.

After giving up 79 points over the first three quarters, Valpo limited ISU to just nine points in the fourth quarter, holding the Sycamores to 3-of-18 shooting, in an attempt to rally. The Beacons got to within 10 late on a 3-pointer from Mikayla Huffine (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran [Quincy/Iowa Western C.C.]), but were unable to get any closer.

Inside the Game

The 78 points marked a season high for the Beacons, whose previous best this season was a 69-point effort against SIUE.

It was Valpo’s highest-scoring game since scoring 79 at Milwaukee Nov. 14, 2024, and the program’s highest-scoring game in Valley play since scoring 79 versus Bradley Jan. 21, 2024.

The Beacons connected on a season-high 11 3-pointers and hit at a 40.7% clip from the 3-point line, also a season best.

Valpo was strong at the foul line as well, going 23-for-29 (79.3%) at the charity stripe — also a season best for free throws made.

Kayla Sullivan (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran North [State Fair C.C.]) led the way at the free throw line, going a perfect 8-for-8 — the first Valpo player to shoot 100% from the stripe with at least eight attempts since Leah Earnest went 12-for-12 at Lehigh Dec. 1, 2024.

For the third straight game, Sullivan posted a season best in the scoring column, finishing with 14 points. The junior, who made her first start of the season Thursday, also matched her season high with six rebounds.

Fiona Connolly (South Burlington, Vt./Brewster Academy [La Salle]) led all players with 21 points, tying her career high set earlier this season against Radford. The senior went 5-of-7 from the floor, including a career-best three 3-pointers, and shattered her career best by making eight free throws (8-for-11).

Connolly is the first Valpo player to score at least 21 points with no more than seven field goal attempts since Grace White scored 23 points on seven field goal attempts against Xavier Dec. 16, 2020.

Connolly also surpassed her career best by coming up with four steals.

von Schlegell finished one off her season high with 17 points on 6-of-12 shooting, a mark which included three triples to match her season best.

Huffine filled out the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds and seven assists Thursday — the six rebounds matched her career best, while the seven assists were the second-highest output of her career in that category.

Huffine is the first Valpo player to hit those three marks in the same game since Shay Frederick posted 11 points, seven rebounds and seven assists at Loyola Feb. 25, 2022.

Making her first start since Nov. 28 at Cleveland State, Kamryn Winch (Bonne Terre, Mo./North County [Maryville]) tallied seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and paced the Beacons with nine rebounds.

Valpo played Thursday without the services of Mor Shabtai (Tel Aviv, Israel/Tichonet), who had started 34 straight games dating back to last season.

Next Up

Valpo (0-14, 0-3 MVC) completes the Indiana road swing with a Saturday afternoon game at Evansville. Tip is slated for 3 p.m.

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UINDY MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL OPEN 2026 ON THE ROAD WITH A PAIR OF CONFERENCE CONTESTS

vs. Illinois Springfield (8-4) 
Friday // January 2
7 p.m. ET // Springfield, IL
Watch | Live Stats | Listen

vs. McKendree (9-2)
Sunday // January 4
4 p.m. //  Lebanon, IL
Watch | Live Stats | Listen

The Greyhounds look to return to the win column this weekend with match ups against UIS and McKendree, after dropping their final three contests to non-conference opponents in Parkside, Tampa, and Eckerd. UIndy currently sits 3-0 against conference opponents, defeating Lewis, Maryville and Missouri-St. Louis.

Illinois Springfield

Friday marks the 21st meeting between the Prairie Stars and the Greyhounds. UIndy leads the series 16-4, however, UIS was the victor in the last outing, besting the Hounds 68-62 at TRAC after falling to UIndy, 79-80 at The Nic earlier in the 2024-25 season. Illinois Springfield also sits undefeated against GLVC opponents, with wins over Missouri-Saint Louis, William Jewell, McKendree and Maryville.

McKendree

Sunday’s matchup will be the 25th matchup between the two programs, with UIndy leading the series 20-4. The Hounds secured two close wins against the Bearcast in the 2024-25 season to give UIndy a five-game win streak over McKendree.

The Bearcats are on a four-game win streak and currently sit 2-1 against conference opponents, having defeated Rockhurst 95-85 in double overtime before dropping a road game at UIS. The Bearcats bounced back in their next game with a 20-point win at Maryville to kick off their four-game win streak.

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UINDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HOUNDS BEGIN 2026 ON ROAD AGAINST ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD

vs. Illinois Springfield (4-8)
Friday // January 2
5 p.m. ET // Springfield, IL
Watch | Live Stats | Listen 

The Greyhounds are coming off a win at home against Ohio Dominican to finish the 2025 slate of games, marking the team’s first win since Feb. 13, 2025 against Illinois Springfield, and its first win at Nicoson Hall since a 70-48 thumping over Southwest Baptist.

UIndy and the Prarie Stars have met 19 times since 2010, with UIndy holding a 13-6 record over UIS, including the Greyhounds winning 11 of the first 12 meetings over that stretch. The two sides split last season’s series, with each team picking up a win on each other’s home floor.

Junior guard Autumn Rucker has excelled in a heightened offensive role through the first 11 games of the season. She is averaging 12.2 points per game shooting an efficient 49.5% from the field, after averaging just 2.7 points per last season. The team has also been efficient on the defensive end, creating 200 turnovers with 94 steals and 25 blocks. In the team’s last outing, the Greyhounds held Ohio Dominican to a 2025 low shooting percentage, 38.5%.

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SMALL INDIANA COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES

UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/

MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/

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

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TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

ON JANUARY 2 IN …

1832 – FIRST CURLING CLUB IN US (ORCHARD LAKE CURLING CLUB) OPENS.

1879 – FIRST TEST MATCH HAT-TRICK, FRED SPOFFORTH AT THE MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND.

1879 – NORTHWESTERN LEAGUE (MINOR BASEBALL LEAGUE) IS ORGANIZED, IN ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

1909 – FIRST OFFICIAL DUTCH 11-CITY SKATE (MINNE HOEKSTRA WINNER IN 13:50).

1911 – BROOKLYN DODGERS’ PRESIDENT CHARLES EBBETS ANNOUNCES PURCHASE OF GROUNDS TO BUILD A NEW CONCRETE-AND-STEEL STADIUM TO SEAT 30,000.

1918 – NHL MONTRÉAL WANDERERS DISBAND AFTER WESTMOUNT ARENA BURNS DOWN.

1933 – DONALD BRADMAN SCORES 103 AGAINST THE BODYLINE ATTACK IN THE SECOND TEST.

1933 – NHL BOSTON BRUINS BEAT NEW YORK RANGERS IN NEW YORK 13-3.

1934 – DONALD BRADMAN SCORES 253 NEW SOUTH WALES VERSUS QUEENSLAND, 204 MINUTES, 29 FOURS 4 SIXES.

1936 – DONALD BRADMAN SCORES 357 FOR SOUTH AFRICA VERSUS VICTORIA, 424 MINUTES, 40 FOURS.

1939 – DONALD BRADMAN SCORES 107 SOUTH AFRICA VERSUS VICTORIA, HIS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE CENTURY.

1961 – FIRST AFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, HOUSTON OILERS BEAT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS 24-16.

1965 – NEW YORK JETS SIGN QUARTERBACK JOE NAMATH.

1966 – GREEN BAY PACKERS BEAT CLEVELAND BROWNS 23-12 IN NFL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

1971 – A BARRIER COLLAPSES AT IBROX PARK FOOTBALL GROUND AT END OF A SOCCER MATCH IN GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, KILLING 66.

1972 – DALLAS COWBOYS BEAT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 14-3 IN NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

1972 – MIAMI DOLPHINS BEAT BALTIMORE COLTS 21-0 IN AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

1977 – BOWIE KUHN SUSPENDS ATLANTA BRAVES’ OWNER TED TURNER FOR ONE YEAR DUE TO TAMPERING CHARGES IN GARY MATTHEWS FREE-AGENCY SIGNING.

1979 – 30TH NEW YORK ISLANDERS’ SHUT-OUT OPPONENT-GLENN RESCH 9-0 VERSUS VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

1979 – GAVASKAR GETS TWIN TONS FOR INDIA FOR THE THIRD TIME (VERSUS WEST INDIES).

1980 – 68TH AUSTRALIAN MEN TENNIS: GUILLERMO VILAS BEAT JOHN SADRI (7-6, 6-3, 6-2).

1981 – MARY TERSTEGGE MEAGHER SWIMS FEMALE RECORD 200 METRE BUTTERFLY (2:05.65).

1981 – SYLVESTER CLARKE KNOCKS OUT SPECTATOR WITH BRICK, WEST INDIES VERSUS PAKISTAN.

1982 – 70TH AUSTRALIAN MENS TENNIS: JOHAN KRIEK BEATS S DENTON (6-2, 7-6, 6-7, 6-4).

1982 – SAN DIEGO CHARGERS BEAT MIAMI DOLPHINS, 41-38 IN 13:52 OF OVERTIME.

1983 – KEN ANDERSON OF CINCINNATI, OHIO COMPLETES RECORD 20 CONSECUTIVE PASSES.

1984 – DARRYL CULLINAN, 16, SCORES HIS FIRST FIRST-CLASS CRICKET CENTURY.

1984 – MIAMI BEATS NEBRASKA IN ORANGE BOWL FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

1985 – 90TH HAT TRICK IN NEW YORK ISLANDERS’ HISTORY-BRENT SUTTER.

1985 – AUSTRALIA BEATS WEST INDIES BY INNINGS AT SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND, BOB HOLLAND 10 MATCH WICKETS.

1985 – NEVADA-LAS VEGAS BEATS UTAH 142-140, HIGHEST COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORE.

1985 – UNDEFEATED BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY BECOMES COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPION.

1986 – NEW YORK ISLANDERS’ MIKE BOSSY SCORES HIS 500TH GOAL.

1987 – PENNSYLVANIA STATE UPSETS MIAMI IN FIESTA BOWL FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

1989 – NOTRE DAME BEATS WEST VIRGINIA FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

1989 – UCLA WINS A RECORD 7TH CONSECUTIVE BOWL GAME.

1991 – COLORADO WINS ITS FIRST AP NATIONAL TITLE POLL.

1992 – TEST DEBUT OF SHANE WARNE, VERSUS INDIA AT SYDNEY.

1995 – CARQUEST BOWL 5: SOUTH CAROLINA BEATS WEST VIRGINIA, 24-21.

2022 – AT UNITED CENTER IN CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: CALGARY FLAMES BEATS CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS BY SCORE 5-1.

2022 – AT T-MOBILE ARENA IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: WINNIPEG JETS BEATS VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS BY SCORE 5-4.

2022 – AT BALL ARENA IN DENVER, COLORADO, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: COLORADO AVALANCHE BEATS ANAHEIM DUCKS BY SCORE 4-2.

2022 – AT CAPITAL ONE ARENA IN WASHINGTON, D.C., USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: NEW JERSEY DEVILS BEATS WASHINGTON CAPITALS BY SCORE 4-3.

2022 – AT PPG PAINTS ARENA IN PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: PITTSBURGH PENGUINS BEATS SAN JOSE SHARKS BY SCORE 8-5.

2022 – AT LITTLE CAESARS ARENA IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: BOSTON BRUINS BEATS DETROIT RED WINGS BY SCORE 5-1.

2022 – AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA, NHL REGULAR SEASON GAME: NEW YORK RANGERS BEATS TAMPA RAY LIGHTNING BY SCORE 4-0.

BIRTHS OF SPORTS FIGURES ON JANUARY 2

1927 – BIRTH OF GINO MARCHETTI; NFL DEFENSIVE END (DALLAS TEXANS, BALTIMORE COLTS).

1947 – BIRTH OF ALEKSANDR TIKHONOVA IN USSR; BIATHALON RELAY (OLYMPICS-GOLD-1968, 1972, 1976, 1980).

1947 – BIRTH OF CALVIN HILL; NFL RUNNING BACK (DALLAS COWBOYS).

1947 – BIRTH OF LANNY BASSHAM; AMERICAN RIFLE-3 POSITION (OLYMPICS-GOLD-1976).

1954 – BIRTH OF LUDMILA BOROZNA IN THE USSR; VOLLEYBALL PLAYER (OLYMPICS-GOLD-1972).

1959 – BIRTH OF KIRTI AZAD; CRICKET PLAYER (INDIAN OFF-SPIN ALL-ROUNDER IN 7 TESTS 1981-83).

1960 – BIRTH OF RAMAN LAMBA; CRICKET PLAYER (INDIAN OPENING BATSMAN 1986-87).

1963 – BIRTH OF DAVID CONE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, USA; BASEBALL PITCHER (NEW YORK METS/TORONTO BLUE JAYS/NEW YORK YANKEES).

1963 – BIRTH OF EDGAR MARTINEZ IN NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, USA; BASEBALL FIRST BASEMAN (SEATTLE MARINERS).

1964 – BIRTH OF PERNELL WHITAKER; BOXER (OLYMPICS-GOLD).

1964 – BIRTH OF RUMESH RATNAYAKE; CRICKET PLAYER (SRI LANKAN PACER IN 23 TESTS 1983-92).

1965 – BIRTH OF GREG SWINDELL IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, USA; PITCHER (HOUSTON ASTROS, CLEVELAND INDIANS).

1965 – BIRTH OF RUSS COURTNALL IN DUNCAN, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA; NHL RIGHT WING (VANCOUVER CANUCKS).

1967 – BIRTH OF HARLON BARNETT; NFL SAFETY (MINNESOTA VIKINGS).

1968 – BIRTH OF SCOTT MITCHELL; NFL QUARTERBACK (DETROIT LIONS).

1969 – BIRTH OF RICK TABARACCI IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA; NHL GOALIE (CALGARY FLAMES).

1969 – BIRTH OF ROBERT SVEHLA IN MARTIN, CZECHOSLOVAKIA; NHL DEFENSEMAN (FLORIDA PANTHERS, SLOVAKIA).

1969 – BIRTH OF STEPHEN DAVIES; AUSTRALIAN FIELD HOCKEY FORWARD/VICE CAPTAIN (OLYMPICS-SILVER-1992, 1996).

1970 – BIRTH OF ALEKSANDR SHIMIN; HOCKEY GOALTENDER (TEAM KAZAKHSTAN OLYMPICS-1998).

1970 – BIRTH OF ANTHONY STUART, CRICKET PLAYER (AUSTRALIAN ODI PACE BOWLER, HAT TRICK 1997).

1970 – BIRTH OF GLENN CADREZ; NFL LINEBACKER (DENVER BRONCOS-SUPER BOWL XXXII).

1970 – BIRTH OF ROYCE CLAYTON IN BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, USA; INFIELDER (SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS, SAINT LOUIS CARDINALS).

1971 – BIRTH OF AAMER NAZIR; CRICKET PLAYER (PAKISTANI PACE BOWLER 1993-).

1971 – BIRTH OF AARON WILLIAMS; NBA CENTER (SEATTLE SUPERSONICS).

1971 – BIRTH OF BRAD PARPAN; WLAF QUARTERBACK (RHEIN FIRE).

1971 – BIRTH OF HORACE COPELAND; NFL WIDE RECEIVER (TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS).

1971 – BIRTH OF ROBERT O’NEAL; WLAF DEFENSIVE BACK (AMSTERDAM ADMIRALS).

1972 – BIRTH OF JEFF JACKSON; AMERICAN BASEBALL OUTFIELDER (PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES).

1972 – BIRTH OF LAKE DAWSON; NFL WIDE RECEIVER (KANSAS CITY CHIEFS).

1972 – BIRTH OF MATTIAS NORSTROM IN MORA, SWEDEN; NHL DEFENSEMAN (TEAM SWEDEN, LOS ANGELES KINGS).

1973 – BIRTH OF ABU WILSON; RUNNING BACK (INDIANAPOLIS COLTS).

1973 – BIRTH OF CHRIS WOODRUFF IN KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, USA; TENNIS STAR (1993 NCAA DIVISION I).

1973 – BIRTH OF FREDRIC FORD; WLAF CORNERBACK (SCOTLAND CLAYMORES)/NFL CORNERBACK (EAGLES).

1974 – BIRTH OF JUHA LIND; NHL FORWARD (TEAM FINLAND OLYMPICS-BRONZE-1998, DALLAS STARS).

1980 – BIRTH OF STEPHANIE STIEGLER IN SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA; PAIRS SKATER (AND ZIMMERMAN).

1981 – BIRTH OF MAXI RODRIGUEZ; ARGENTINA AND ATLETICO MADRID FOOTBALL PLAYER.

1985 – BIRTH OF HEATHER O’REILLY; US WOMEN’S NATIONAL SOCCER PLAYER.

DEATHS OF SPORTS FIGURES ON JANUARY 2

1946 – JOE DARLING, CRICKET PLAYER (AUSSIE CAPTAIN 21 TESTS, WON 7 LOST 4), DIES.

1960 – FAUSTO COPPI, ITALIAN, RAN WORLD RECORD 45,798 KM, DIES AT AGE 40.

1961 – BOB CATTERALL, CRICKET PLAYER (1555 RUNS/24 TESTS FOR SOUTH AFRICA 1922-31), DIES.

1994 – SAMMY TAFT, CANADIAN BUSINESSMAN (COINED TERM “HAT TRICK”), DIES AT AGE 81.

2004 – DEATH OF PAUL HOPKINS, REPORTED TO BE THE OLDEST LIVING FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER (BORN 1904).

2017 – DEATH OF VIKTOR TSARYOV, RUSSIAN FOOTBALLER (BORN 1931).

2023 – DEATH OF KEN BLOCK IN A SNOWMOBILE CRASH IN UTAH; AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL RALLY DRIVER (HOONIGAN BRAND, DC SHOES BRAND).

===========

TV SPORTS

FRIDAY, 1/2/2026

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
SAN ANTONIO SPURS VS INDIANA PACERS	7:00 PM	FANDUEL SPORTS SW FANDUEL SPORTS IND
BROOKLYN NETS VS WASHINGTON WIZARDS	7:00PM	MNMT YES
DENVER NUGGETS VS CLEVELAND CAVALIERS	7:30PM	PRIME ALT FANDUEL SPORTS OHIO
ATLANTA HAWKS VS NEW YORK KNICKS	7:30PM	MSG FANDUEL SPORTS ATL
ORLANDO MAGIC VS CHICAGO BULLS	8:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS FL CHSN
CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS MILWAUKEE BUCKS	8:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS CHA FANDUEL SPORTS MIL
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS NEW ORLEANS PELICANS	8:00PM	RIP CITY GCSN
SACRAMENTO KINGS VS PHOENIX SUNS	9:00PM	AFSN NBCS-CA
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER VS GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS	10:00PM	PRIME FANDUEL SPORTS OKC NBCS-BAY
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES VS LOS ANGELES LAKERS	10:30PM	FANDUEL SPORTS MEM SPECTRUM
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS VS ST. LOUIS BLUES	3:00PM	SCRIPPS FANDUEL SPORTS MW
NEW YORK RANGERS VS FLORIDA PANTHERS	8:00PM	TNT MAX
SEATTLE KRAKEN VS VANCOUVER CANUCKS	10:30PM	KONG SN
MINNESOTA WILD VS ANAHEIM DUCKS	10:30PM	FANDUEL SPORTS NORTH VICTORY+
COLLEGE FOOTBALL	TIME ET	TV
LOCKHEED MARTIN ARMED FORCES BOWL: RICE VS. TEXAS STATE	1:00PM	ESPN
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL: NAVY VS. CINCINNATI	4:30PM	ESPN
DUKE’S MAYO BOWL: WAKE FOREST VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE	8:00PM	ESPN
HOLIDAY BOWL: 17 ARIZONA VS. SMU	8:00PM	FOX
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
NM STATE AT FIU	12:00PM	ESPN+
ALFRED STATE AT CORNELL	2:00PM	ESPN+
SACRED HEART AT NIAGARA	2:00PM	ESPN+
MOUNT ST. MARY’S AT MERRIMACK	3:00PM	NESN
FAIRFIELD AT CANISIUS	4:00PM	ESPN+
SAM HOUSTON AT WKU	5:00PM	ESPN+
KENNESAW STATE AT LIBERTY	7:00PM	ESPNU
USC AT MICHIGAN	7:00PM	PEACOCK
ROBERT MORRIS AT DETROIT MERCY	7:00PM	ESPN+
JACKSONVILLE STATE AT DELAWARE	7:00PM	ESPN+
LAMAR AT MCNEESE	7:00PM	CBSSN
NEW HAVEN AT STONEHILL	7:00PM	ESPN+
LE MOYNE AT SAINT FRANCIS U	7:00PM	NEC FRONT ROW
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT AT LIU	7:00PM	NEC FRONT ROW
WAGNER AT CHICAGO STATE	7:00PM	NEC FRONT ROW
MARIST AT SAINT PETER’S	7:00PM	ESPN+
QUINNIPIAC AT MANHATTAN	7:00PM	ESPN+
SIENA AT IONA	7:00PM	ESPN+
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON AT MERCYHURST	7:30PM	NEC FRONT ROW
OREGON AT MARYLAND	7:30PM	PEACOCK
LOUISIANA TECH AT MIDDLE TENNESSEE	7:30PM	ESPN+
LOUISVILLE AT STANFORD	8:00PM	ACCN
OHIO STATE AT RUTGERS	8:00PM	PEACOCK
UTEP AT MISSOURI STATE	8:00PM	ESPN+
WEST VIRGINIA AT IOWA STATE	9:00PM	ESPN2
SEATTLE U AT GONZAGA	9:00PM	KHQ
MICHIGAN STATE AT NEBRASKA	9:00PM	PEACOCK
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT AT WASHINGTON STATE	9:30PM	ESPN+
OREGON STATE AT PACIFIC	10:00PM	ESPN+
PORTLAND AT SAINT MARY’S	10:00PM	ESPN+
PEPPERDINE AT SANTA CLARA	10:00PM	ESPN+
SAN DIEGO AT SAN FRANCISCO	10:00PM	ESPN+
NOTRE DAME AT CALIFORNIA	11:00PM	ESPN2
GOLF	TIME ET	TV
TGL: BOSTON COMMON GOLF VS. LOS ANGELES GOLF CLUB	7:00PM	ESPN2
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
LIGUE 1: TOULOUSE VS LENS	2:45PM	BEIN SPORTS FUBOTV
SERIE A: CAGLIARI VS MILAN	2:45PM	PARAMPONT+ FUBOTV
LA LIGA: RAYO VALLECANO VS GETAFE	3:00PM	ESPN+ FUBOTV

SATURDAY, 1/3/26

NFL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
CAROLINA PANTHERS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS	4:30PM	ABC ESPN
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS	8:00PM	ABC ESPN
NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES VS MIAMI HEAT	5:00 PM	FANDUEL SPORTS NORTH FANDUEL SPORTS SUN
ATLANTA HAWKS VS TORONTO RAPTORS	7:30PM	FANDUEL SPORTS ATL SN
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS VS NEW YORK KNICKS	7:30PM	NBATV NBCS-PHI MSG
CHARLOTTE HORNETS VS CHICAGO BULLS	8:00PM	CHSN FANDUEL SPORTS CHA
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS VS SAN ANTONIO SPURS	8:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS SW RIP CITY
HOUSTON ROCKETS VS DALLAS MAVERICKS	8:30PM	KFAA SCHN
UTAH JAZZ VS GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS	10:00PM	KJZZ NBCS-BAY
BOSTON CELTICS VS LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS	10:30PM	NBATV FANDUEL SPORTS SOCAL NBCS-BOS
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS VS DETROIT RED WINGS	12:00PM	ABC ESPN+
UTAH MAMMOTH VS NEW JERSEY DEVILS	3:00PM	UTAH16 MSGSN
BUFFALO SABRES VS COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS	3:00PM	MSG-BUF FANDUEL SPORTS OHIO
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS VS EDMONTON OILERS	3:30PM	NBCS-PHI SN
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING VS SAN JOSE SHARKS	4:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS SUN NBCS-CA
MONTREAL CANADIENS VS ST. LOUIS BLUES	4:00PM	SN FANDUEL SPORTS MW
NASHVILLE PREDATORS VS CALGARY FLAMES	7:00PM	SN FANDUEL SPORTS NSH
COLORADO AVALANCHE VS CAROLINA HURRICANES	7:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS SOUTH ALT
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS VS WASHINGTON CAPITALS	7:00PM	CHSN MNMT
WINNIPEG JETS VS OTTAWA SENATORS	7:00PM	SN TVAS
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS NEW YORK ISLANDERS	7:00PM	SN MSGSN
MINNESOTA WILD VS LOS ANGELES KINGS	9:00PM	FANDUEL SPORTS NORTH FANDUEL SPORTS WEST
BOSTON BRUINS VS VANCOUVER CANUCKS	10:00PM	SN NESN
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
AUBURN AT GEORGIA	1:00PM	SECN
AMERICAN AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY	1:00PM	ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS AT KENT STATE	1:00PM	ESPN+
WOFFORD AT THE CITADEL	1:00PM	ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA AT VMI	1:00PM	ESPN+
SOUTHERN MISS AT LOUISIANA	1:00PM	ESPN+
VERMONT AT NEW HAMPSHIRE	1:00PM	ESPN+
GEORGIA STATE AT COASTAL CAROLINA	1:00PM	ESPN+
COLGATE AT ARMY WEST POINT	1:00PM	ESPN+
BYU AT KANSAS STATE	1:30PM	CBS
HOUSTON AT CINCINNATI	2:00PM	FOX
LA SALLE AT GEORGE WASHINGTON	2:00PM	USA
XAVIER AT DEPAUL	2:00PM	FS1
BAYLOR AT TCU	2:00PM	TNT
VANDERBILT AT SOUTH CAROLINA	2:00PM	ESPNU
BOSTON COLLEGE AT GEORGIA TECH	2:00PM	ACCN
DAYTON AT LOYOLA CHICAGO	2:00PM	CBSSN
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE AT NORTH DAKOTA	2:00PM	MIDCO SPORTS
KANSAS AT UCF	2:00PM	PEACOCK
BALL STATE AT BUFFALO	2:00PM	ESPN+
OHIO AT EASTERN MICHIGAN	2:00PM	ESPN+
NJIT AT BINGHAMTON	2:00PM	ESPN+
EASTERN KENTUCKY AT WEST GEORGIA	2:00PM	ESPN+
NAVY AT HOLY CROSS	2:00PM	ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN AT UMASS	2:00PM	ESPN+
USC UPSTATE AT PRESBYTERIAN	2:00PM	ESPN+
UALBANY AT UMASS LOWELL	2:00PM	ESPN+
UNC ASHEVILLE AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN	2:00PM	ESPN+
BRYANT AT MAINE	2:00PM	ESPN+
STETSON AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS	2:00PM	ESPN+
HOFSTRA AT DREXEL	2:00PM	FLOCOLLEGE
NORTH CAROLINA AT SMU	2:15PM	CW
TENNESSEE AT ARKANSAS	3:00PM	ESPN2
BELLARMINE AT QUEENS	3:00PM	ESPN+
TOLEDO AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN	3:00PM	ESPN+
MEMPHIS AT RICE	3:00PM	ESPN+
JAMES MADISON AT ARKANSAS STATE	3:00PM	ESPN+
FGCU AT NORTH ALABAMA	3:00PM	ESPN+
OLE MISS AT OKLAHOMA	3:30PM	SECN
TEXAS STATE AT ULM	3:30PM	ESPN+
AKRON AT MIAMI (OH)	3:30PM	ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN AT OLD DOMINION	3:30PM	ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M AT BETHUNE-COOKMAN	3:30PM	HBCU GO
DUKE AT FLORIDA STATE	3:45PM	CBS
RHODE ISLAND AT GEORGE MASON	4:00PM	USA
LSU AT TEXAS A&M	4:00PM	ESPNU
ORAL ROBERTS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE	4:00PM	CBSSN
NORTH CAROLINA A&T AT STONY BROOK	4:00PM	SNY
UC SANTA BARBARA AT CSUN	4:00PM	SPECTRUM
SAN JOSE STATE AT UTAH STATE	4:00PM	KMYU
ALCORN STATE AT JACKSON STATE	4:00PM	SWAC TV
ARIZONA AT UTAH	4:00PM	PEACOCK
MERCER AT ETSU	4:00PM	ESPN+
UTAH VALLEY AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN	4:00PM	ESPN+
WESTERN CAROLINA AT FURMAN	4:00PM	ESPN+
TENNESSEE STATE AT LITTLE ROCK	4:00PM	ESPN+
EAST TEXAS A&M AT NICHOLLS	4:00PM	ESPN+
APP STATE AT MARSHALL	4:00PM	ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB AT WINTHROP	4:00PM	ESPN+
COPPIN STATE AT DELAWARE STATE	4:00PM	ESPN+
SAMFORD AT UNCG	4:00PM	ESPN+
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN AT SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA	4:30PM	ESPN+
SOUTHERN INDIANA AT LINDENWOOD	4:30PM	ESPN+
MOREHEAD STATE AT SIUE	4:30PM	ESPN+
SOUTH ALABAMA AT TROY	4:30PM	ESPN+
NORFOLK STATE AT NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL	4:30PM	ESPN+
NEW ORLEANS AT NORTHWESTERN STATE	4:30PM	ESPN+
EASTERN ILLINOIS AT UT MARTIN	4:30PM	ESPN+
WESTERN ILLINOIS AT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI	4:45PM	ESPN+
COLORADO AT ARIZONA STATE	5:00PM	ESPN2
MINNESOTA AT NORTHWESTERN	5:00PM	BTN
AIR FORCE AT UNLV	5:00PM	KVVU-DT2
EASTERN WASHINGTON AT IDAHO	5:00PM	SWX
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M AT GRAMBLING STATE	5:00PM	SWAC TV
CALIFORNIA BAPTIST AT TARLETON	5:00PM	ESPN+
LEHIGH AT BUCKNELL	5:00PM	ESPN+
CSU BAKERSFIELD AT UC DAVIS	5:00PM	ESPN+
NORTH FLORIDA AT LIPSCOMB	5:00PM	ESPN+
LAFAYETTE AT LOYOLA MARYLAND	5:00PM	ESPN+
JACKSONVILLE AT AUSTIN PEAY	5:00PM	ESPN+
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN AT UIW	5:00PM	ESPN+
A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI AT UTRGV	5:30PM	ESPN+
WICHITA STATE AT CHARLOTTE	6:00PM	ESPNU
MISSISSIPPI STATE AT TEXAS	6:00PM	SECN
DAVIDSON AT SAINT JOSEPH’S	6:00PM	CBSSN
MONMOUTH AT TOWSON	6:00PM	MNMT2
UCLA AT IOWA	6:00PM	PEACOCK
PORTLAND STATE AT IDAHO STATE	6:00PM	ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO AT MONTANA	6:00PM	ESPN+
ILLINOIS AT PENN STATE	7:00PM	BTN
HAMPTON AT UNCW	7:00PM	WWAY-DT3
NEVADA AT FRESNO STATE	7:00PM	MWN
UC IRVINE AT CAL STATE FULLERTON	7:00PM	ESPN+
LONGWOOD AT HIGH POINT	7:00PM	ESPN+
PURDUE AT WISCONSIN	8:00PM	FOX
WYOMING AT NEW MEXICO	8:00PM	CBSSN
COLORADO STATE AT GRAND CANYON	8:00PM	KTVK
NORTHERN ARIZONA AT MONTANA STATE	8:00PM	ESPN+
KANSAS CITY AT OMAHA	8:00PM	SUMMIT
FLORIDA AT MISSOURI	8:30PM	SECN
UTA AT SOUTHERN UTAH	8:30PM	ESPN+
SACRAMENTO STATE AT WEBER STATE	9:00PM	ESPN+
CAL POLY AT LONG BEACH STATE	9:00PM	ESPN+
BOISE STATE AT SAN DIEGO STATE	10:00PM	CBSSN
HAWAI’I AT UC SAN DIEGO	10:00PM	ESPN+
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
SERIE A: COMO VS UDINESE	6:30AM	PARAMOUNT+
SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP: CELTIC VS RANGERS	7:30AM	CBSSN PARAMOUNT+
EPL: ASTON VILLA VS NOTTINGHAM FOREST	7:30AM	USA PEACOCK
LA LIGA: CELTA DE VIGO VS VALENCIA	8:00AM	ESPN+
SERIE A: SASSUOLO VS PARMA	9:00AM	PARAMOUNT+
SERIE A: GENOA VS PISA	9:00AM	PARAMOUNT+
EPL: BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION VS BURNLEY	10:00AM	USA PEACOCK
EPL: WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS VS WEST HAM UNITED	10:00AM	NBCSN PEACOCK
LA LIGA: OSASUNA VS ATHLETIC CLUB	10:15AM	ESPN+
LIGUE 1: MONACO VS OLYMPIQUE LYONNAIS	11:00AM	BEIN SPORTS FUBOTV
SERIE A: JUVENTUS VS LECCE	12:00PM	PARAMOUNT+
EPL: AFC BOURNEMOUTH VS ARSENAL	12:30PM	PEACOCK
LA LIGA: ELCHE VS VILLARREAL	12:30PM	ESPN+
LA LIGA: OSASUNA VS DEPORTIVO ALAVÉS	12:30PM	ESPN+ FUBOTV
LIGUE 1: NICE VS STRASBOURG	1:00PM	BEIN SPORTS FUBOTV
SERIE A: PISA VS JUVENTUS	2:45PM	PARAMOUNT+
LA LIGA: ESPANYOL VS BARCELONA	3:00PM	ESPN+
LIGUE 1: LILLE VS RENNES	3:05PM	BEIN SPORTS FUBOTV

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