THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” TUESDAY JANUARY 6, 2026

“THE SCOREBOARD”

===========

INDIANA USA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL POLLS

CLASS 4A

1.           FISHERS (17)  10-0     179

2.           CROWN POINT (1)      8-0        159

3.           CARMEL           8-0        117

4.           PIKE     8-1        113

5.           MOUNT VERNON (FORTVILLE)          10-2     91

6.           LAWRENCE NORTH  9-1        84

7.           PLAINFIELD    10-1      63

8.           NORTHRIDGE               9-1        60

9.           GOSHEN          7-0        54

10.        SOUTH BEND RILEY  7-1        35

CLASS 3A

1.           SILVER CREEK (16)     12-1      178

2.           INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (2)         7-3        153

3.           COLUMBIA CITY          8-1        117

4.           INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    7-1        103

5.           SHELBYVILLE 9-2        85

6.           NORTHVIEW  8-3        75

7.           PRINCETON    9-2        74

8.           FAIRFIELD        6-0        52

9.           INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS       5-2        39

10.        BATESVILLE    7-1        36

CLASS 2A

1.           OAK HILL (12) 8-0        172

2.           PARKE HERITAGE (6) 9-2        150

3.           WESTVIEW      8-1        126

               PAOLI  8-0        126

5.           CENTERVILLE 9-1        117

6.           BLACKFORD   9-0        88

7.           LINTON             7-3        38

8.           SHENANDOAH             8-1        37

9.           PARK TUDOR 4-3        27

10.        TRITON CENTRAL       7-2        24

CLASS 1A

1.           BARR-REEVE (13)        9-0        166

2.           KOUTS (5)         7-0        155

3.           BLOOMFIELD 8-2        113

4.           HAUSER            7-2        111

5.           TRITON              6-1        101

6.           WEST CENTRAL           7-0        80

7.           ROSSVILLE      8-1        68

8.           ORLEANS         7-2        36

9.           SOUTHWOOD              8-1        29

10.        LIBERTY CHRISTIAN  5-3        24

===========

INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

MONDAY’S SCORES

HAMMOND SCIENCE & TECH           44          CHICAGO WASHINGTON (ILL.)         35              

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

TUESDAY’S BOYS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE

ALL TIMES EASTERN

ARGOS              AT          TRINITY GREENLAWN                             7:30 PM            

BEN DAVIS       AT          INDIANAPOLIS METROPOLITAN       7:30 PM            

BETHANY CHRISTIAN              AT          ELKHART CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM          

BLOOMINGTON NORTH         AT          MOORESVILLE             7:30 PM            

BOONE GROVE            AT          HOBART           8:00 PM            

BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    AT          BARR-REEVE                 7:30 PM            

CALUMET         AT          BOWMAN ACADEMY               8:00 PM            

CASTLE             AT          BOONVILLE                   8:00 PM            

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN              AT          INDIANA DEAF 7:00 PM         

CENTRAL NOBLE        AT          SOUTH ADAMS            7:30 PM            

CLINTON CENTRAL   AT          ATTICA               7:30 PM            

COVENANT CHRISTIAN          AT          HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM        

COVINGTON  AT          NORTH MONTGOMERY                         7:30 PM            

CULVER            AT          SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)    8:00 PM            

DALEVILLE       AT          EASTERN HANCOCK 7:30 PM           

DELPHI              AT          NORTH WHITE              7:30 PM            

EAST NOBLE   AT          WESTVIEW                     7:30 PM            

EASTERN (PEKIN)        AT          CLARKSVILLE 7:30 PM           

EASTSIDE         AT          DEKALB                            8:00 PM            

EDINBURGH   AT          INDIAN CREEK             7:30 PM            

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         AT          EVANSVILLE HARRISON         8:00 PM            

EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL        AT          NORTH POSEY             8:00 PM            

FAIRFIELD        AT          GOSHEN          7:30 PM            

FORT WAYNE CANTERBURY AT          MANCHESTER              7:30 PM            

FORT WAYNE GUARD              AT          LAKELAND                      7:30 PM            

FRANKLIN        AT          COLUMBUS EAST                      7:30 PM            

FRANKLIN CENTRAL AT          SOUTHPORT                 7:30 PM            

GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN    AT          SPEEDWAY                    7:30 PM            

HAMILTON       AT          SMITH ACADEMY                       7:30 PM            

HAMMOND CENTRAL             AT          EAST CHICAGO CENTRAL     8:00 PM            

HERITAGE        AT          BELLMONT                     7:30 PM            

HIGHLAND      AT          TF NORTH (ILL.)           8:00 PM            

ILLIANA CHRISTIAN   AT          WHITING          8:00 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS CHATARD      AT          BEECH GROVE                            7:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS HOMESCHOOL        AT          TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 7:30 PM         

INDIANAPOLIS ROOTED        AT          PHALEN ACADEMY    7:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY        AT          CHRISTEL HOUSE      7:30 PM            

IRVINGTON PREP       AT          INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE    7:30 PM            

JASPER              AT          EVANSVILLE REITZ                    8:00 PM            

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY   AT          CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 7:30 PM        

KIPP INDY LEGACY     AT          INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON           7:30 PM            

LAPORTE          AT          ELKHART          8:00 PM            

LAVILLE             AT          TRITON              7:30 PM            

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN  AT          INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS       7:30 PM            

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     AT          CROTHERSVILLE         6:00 PM            

LINTON             AT          VINCENNES RIVET     7:00 PM            

LOGANSPORT              AT          LAFAYETTE JEFF           7:30 PM            

MISHAWAKA MARIAN              AT          CONCORD      7:45 PM            

MOORESVILLE CHRISTIAN   AT          TABERNACLE CHRISTIAN      7:00 PM            

MORGAN TWP.             AT          WASHINGTON TWP.  8:00 PM            

NEW HAVEN   AT          FORT WAYNE SNIDER              7:30 PM            

NORTH CENTRAL (INDIANAPOLIS) AT          HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN 7:30 PM              

NORTH MIAMI               AT          NORTHFIELD 7:30 PM            

NORTH VERMILLION AT          CRAWFORDSVILLE    7:30 PM            

NORTHWESTERN       AT          PERU                  7:45 PM            

NORTHWOOD             AT          COLUMBIA CITY          7:30 PM            

NORWELL        AT          WABASH                         7:30 PM            

OREGON-DAVIS          AT          WINAMAC        7:30 PM            

PIKE     AT          NOBLESVILLE                              7:30 PM            

PLYMOUTH     AT          TIPPECANOE VALLEY 7:30 PM          

SALEM               AT          MITCHELL                       7:30 PM            

SETON CATHOLIC      AT          UNION COUNTY         7:30 PM            

SOUTH BEND ADAMS              AT          EDWARDSBURG (MICH.)       7:30 PM            

SOUTH BEND RILEY  AT          MICHIGAN CITY           7:30 PM            

SULLIVAN        AT          NORTH KNOX 7:30 PM           

TAYLOR             AT          MACONAQUAH           7:30 PM            

TRINITY LUTHERAN   AT          BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          7:30 PM            

UNIVERSITY    AT          BREBEUF JESUIT         7:30 PM            

VICTORY CHRISTIAN AT          CAREER ACADEMY    7:00 PM            

WASHINGTON CATHOLIC    AT          SOUTH KNOX 7:00 PM           

WEST VIGO     AT          RIVERTON PARKE       7:30 PM            

WESTERN        AT          LAFAYETTE CENTRAL CATHOLIC      7:30 PM            

WESTVILLE      AT          MARQUETTE CATHOLIC        8:00 PM            

WOODLAN      AT          LEO      7:30 PM            

GREENE COUNTY INVITATIONAL

DUGGER UNION         VS.        SHAKAMAK     6:00 PM             R1

PLEASANT VIEW CHRISTIAN               VS.        LOOGOOTEE  7:30 PM             R1

HENDRICKS COUNTY TOURNAMENT

AVON  AT          CASCADE                       7:30 PM             R1

DANVILLE        AT          TRI-WEST         7:30 PM             R1

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

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD

MONDAY’S SCORES

BHRA (ILL.)      48          ATTICA               21         

CALUMET         53          BOWMAN ACADEMY 14         

ELWOOD          44          BLUE RIVER VALLEY  17         

EVANSVILLE MATER DEI         63          EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN        33         

LAKE STATION              55          GARY 21ST CENTURY              11         

LOOGOOTEE  60          BLOOMFIELD 28         

MORGAN TWP.             51          GARY WEST     16         

NEW CASTLE 55          CENTERVILLE 26         

NEW WASHINGTON  36          CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN 30         

NORTH POSEY             61          EVANSVILLE HARRISON         51         

NORTH VERMILLION 51          DUGGER UNION         12         

RIVERTON PARKE       40          SOUTH NEWTON        32         

SOUTH BEND ST. JOSEPH     66          WESTVIEW      42         

SOUTH CENTRAL (UNION MILLS)    46          HOBART           37         

TRITON              38          TRINITY GREENLAWN              21         

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

INDIANA GIRLS BASKETBALL TUESDAY SCHEDULE

ALL TIMES EASTERN

ADAMS CENTRAL       AT          FORT WAYNE LUERS 7:30 PM           

ANDREAN        AT          HAMMOND NOLL       8:00 PM            

BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE          AT          JENNINGS COUNTY  7:30 PM            

BEN DAVIS       AT          LAWRENCE CENTRAL 7:30 PM         

BLACKFORD   AT          DELTA                7:00 PM            

BLOOMINGTON NORTH         AT          MOORESVILLE 6:00 PM         

BOONVILLE    AT          TECUMSEH     8:00 PM            

BREBEUF JESUIT         AT          INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    7:30 PM            

BROWN COUNTY       AT          TRINITY LUTHERAN   7:30 PM            

BROWNSBURG            AT          LAWRENCE NORTH  7:30 PM            

CARROLL (FORT WAYNE)      AT          NORWELL        7:30 PM            

CASTON           AT          WESTERN                       7:30 PM            

CENTER GROVE          AT          BLOOMINGTON SOUTH         7:30 PM            

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY             AT          NEW WASHINGTON  6:30 PM            

COLUMBUS NORTH  AT          WHITELAND   7:30 PM            

CONCORD      AT          WEST NOBLE                6:00 PM            

COVENANT CHRISTIAN          AT          HERITAGE CHRISTIAN 7:30 PM        

COVINGTON  AT          SEEGER                            6:30 PM            

COWAN            AT          EASTERN (GREENTOWN)      7:30 PM            

CRAWFORD COUNTY             AT          PROVIDENCE 7:30 PM           

CRAWFORDSVILLE    AT          SOUTH VERMILLION 7:30 PM           

DELPHI              AT          NORTH WHITE              6:00 PM            

EASTBROOK   AT          WAPAHANI      7:30 PM            

EASTERN GREENE      AT          SHOALS 6:00 PM       

EASTERN HANCOCK AT          GREENSBURG 7:30 PM         

EASTSIDE         AT          DEKALB             7:00 PM            

ELKHART          AT          LAPORTE          7:45 PM            

EMINENCE      AT          CLOVERDALE 6:00 PM           

FAIRFIELD        AT          GARRETT          7:30 PM            

FLOYD CENTRAL         AT          NORTH HARRISON    7:30 PM            

FOREST PARK AT          NORTHEAST DUBOIS              7:30 PM            

FORT WAYNE CONCORDIA  AT          JAY COUNTY   7:30 PM            

FRANKFORT    AT          WEST LAFAYETTE        7:30 PM            

FRANKLIN        AT          PIKE                    7:30 PM            

FRONTIER        AT          TWIN LAKES    6:30 PM            

GOSHEN          AT          FREMONT        7:30 PM            

GREENCASTLE             AT          CLAY CITY                       7:30 PM            

HAMILTON       AT          FORT WAYNE NORTH              6:00 PM            

HAMILTON HEIGHTS AT          NORTH MIAMI               7:30 PM            

HAUSER            AT          INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN   7:30 PM            

HENRYVILLE   AT          CROTHERSVILLE                        6:00 PM            

HIGHLAND      AT          LOWELL                           8:00 PM            

INDIAN CREEK             AT          GREENWOOD 6:00 PM          

INDIANA DEAF             AT          WES-DEL          5:30 PM            

INDIANAPOLIS ATTUCKS       AT          INDIANAPOLIS WASHINGTON 7:30 PM      

INDIANAPOLIS HOMESCHOOL        VS.        TERRE HAUTE SOUTH 6:00 PM         

INDIANAPOLIS SHORTRIDGE             AT          FISHERS            7:30 PM            

IRVINGTON PREP       AT          INDIANAPOLIS RIVERSIDE    6:00 PM            

JOHN GLENN AT          NORTHWOOD                            7:45 PM            

KOKOMO         AT          ALEXANDRIA                 7:30 PM            

KOUTS AT          HANOVER CENTRAL                8:00 PM            

LAKELAND       AT          LAKELAND CHRISTIAN           6:30 PM            

LEO      AT          PRAIRIE HEIGHTS                      7:30 PM            

LIGHTHOUSE CHRISTIAN     AT          BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 6:00 PM       

MADISON        AT          BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    7:30 PM            

MICHIGAN CITY           AT          NEW PRAIRIE 7:30 PM           

MITCHELL        AT          NORTH DAVIESS          7:00 PM            

MONROVIA     AT          SOUTHMONT               6:45 PM            

MOUNT VERNON (POSEY)    AT          SOUTH SPENCER       8:30 PM            

NEW CASTLE AT          EAST CENTRAL                            7:30 PM            

NORTH CENTRAL (FARMERSBURG)              AT          LAWRENCEVILLE (ILL.) 6:30 PM              

NORTH DECATUR       AT          EDINBURGH   7:30 PM            

NORTHFIELD AT          SOUTH ADAMS            6:00 PM            

OAK HILL          AT          LEWIS CASS                  7:30 PM            

OLDENBURG ACADEMY        AT          MORRISTOWN 7:30 PM         

PARK TUDOR AT          GUERIN CATHOLIC   7:30 PM            

PENN  AT          MISHAWAKA   7:30 PM            

PERRY CENTRAL         AT          PAOLI  8:00 PM            

PERRY MERIDIAN        AT          GREENFIELD-CENTRAL          7:30 PM            

PIKE CENTRAL              AT          HERITAGE HILLS          8:00 PM            

PURDUE ENGLEWOOD          AT          INDIANAPOLIS TINDLEY        6:00 PM            

RENSSELAER CENTRAL         AT          MUNSTER        8:00 PM            

RIVER FOREST              AT          TRI-TOWNSHIP            7:00 PM            

ROCK CREEK ACADEMY        AT          SHAWE MEMORIAL   7:30 PM            

RUSHVILLE     AT          FRANKLIN COUNTY  7:30 PM            

SALEM               AT          LANESVILLE                   7:30 PM            

SCOTTSBURG               AT          SEYMOUR        7:30 PM            

SHERIDAN       AT          LAPEL 7:30 PM            

SOUTH DECATUR       AT          TRI                       7:30 PM            

SOUTHERN WELLS    AT          DALEVILLE       7:00 PM            

SOUTHWESTERN (SHELBYVILLE)     AT          GREENWOOD CHRISTIAN    7:00 PM              

SPEEDWAY     AT          NORTH PUTNAM         7:30 PM            

SPRINGS VALLEY        AT          WEST WASHINGTON 7:30 PM           

TAYLOR             AT          TRI-CENTRAL                7:00 PM            

TIPTON              AT          MISSISSINEWA             7:30 PM            

VINCENNES RIVET     AT          ORLEANS         7:00 PM            

WARREN CENTRAL    AT          RICHMOND    7:30 PM            

WASHINGTON              AT          SOUTHRIDGE 7:30 PM           

WASHINGTON CATHOLIC    AT          SOUTH KNOX                6:00 PM            

WEST CENTRAL           AT          HEBRON                          7:30 PM            

WHEELER        AT          WESTVILLE      8:00 PM            

WHITING          AT          GRIFFITH          8:00 PM            

WINAMAC        AT          KNOX                  8:00 PM            

WINCHESTER AT          ANDERSON PREP       6:30 PM            

WOODLAN      AT          LAKEWOOD PARK      6:00 PM            

YORKTOWN    AT          MUNCIE CENTRAL     7:30 PM            

HENDRICKS COUNTY TOURNAMENT

AVON  AT          CASCADE        6:00 PM             R1

DANVILLE        AT          TRI-WEST         6:00 PM             R1

RIPLEY COUNTY TOURNAMENT

SOUTH RIPLEY             AT          MILAN 6:00 PM            R1

JAC-CEN-DEL VS.        BATESVILLE    7:30 PM            R1

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

INDIANA GIRLS ICGSA POLLS

CLASS 4A

1.           PIKE (5)              14-1      85

2.           WARSAW (4)   17-1      82

3.           CENTER GROVE          14-0     73

4.           HOMESTEAD  15-2     66

5.           VALPARAISO  13-2     37

6.           LAWRENCE CENTRAL             11-3     36

7.           HAMILTON SOUTHEASTERN              14-3     30

8.           NORWELL        13-4     23

9.           FLOYD CENTRAL         14-2     22

10.        PENDLETON HEIGHTS            13-3     8

CLASS 3A

1.           WASHINGTON (5)       13-3     63

2.           GREENSBURG              11-5     58

3.           SILVER CREEK (1)       10-4     54

4.           BELLMONT (1)              14-1      51

5.           CHARLESTOWN          12-3     36

6.           INDIANAPOLIS RONCALLI    13-3     32

7.           JENNINGS COUNTY  12-4     24

8.           INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL 10-4     21

9.           EVANSVILLE CENTRAL            9-9        14

10.        MADISON        10-3     9

CLASS 2A

1.           RENSSELAER CENTRAL (4)   11-2     80

2.           WHITKO (3)     12-1      78

3.           SOUTH KNOX (2)         12-3     77

4.           NORTH KNOX 10-5     43

5.           LAPEL 12-3     42

6.           BREMEN           14-1      41

7.           EASTSIDE         13-2     30

8.           BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL    14-4     29

9.           TRITON CENTRAL       10-3     16

10.        EASTERN HANCOCK 10-3     13

CLASS 1A

1.           MARQUETTE CATHOLIC (4)  13-3     74

2.           BORDEN (2)    12-3     73

3.           FREMONT (2) 14-1      68

4.           ELKHART CHRISTIAN               11-2     52

5.           EVANSVILLE CHRISTIAN        11-4     44

6.           TRINITY LUTHERAN   11-3     37

7.           ORLEANS         12-2     29

8.           OLDENBURG ACADEMY        13-2     22

9.           KOUTS 12-3     20

10.        ROSSVILLE      14-1      11

===========

INDIANA WRESTLING

INDIANA STATE WRESTLING ASSOCIATION: https://www.iswa.com/

INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS WRESTLING COACHES ASSOCIATION: https://www.ihsgw.net/

INDIANA MAT: https://indianamat.com/

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

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

AP POLL

1. ARIZONA 14-0
2. MICHIGAN 13-0
3. IOWA STATE 14-0
4. UCONN 14-1
5. PURDUE 13-1
6. DUKE 13-1
7. HOUSTON 13-1
8. GONZAGA 16-1
9. BYU 13-1
10. NEBRASKA 14-0
11. VANDERBILT 14-0
12. MICHIGAN STATE 12-2
13. ALABAMA 11-3
14. TEXAS TECH 11-3
15. ARKANSAS 11-3
16. ILLINOIS 11-3
17. NORTH CAROLINA 13-2
18. GEORGIA 13-1
19. IOWAS 12-2
20. LOUISVILLE 11-3
21. TENNESSEE 10-4
22. KANSAS 10-4
23. VIRGINIA 12-2
24. SMU 12-2
25. CENTRAL FLORIDA 12-1

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

VILLANOVA 127, SETON HALL 31, SOUTHERN CAL 28, UTAH ST. 27, MIAMI (OHIO) 22, CLEMSON 21, SAINT LOUIS 14, LSU 14, TEXAS 12, FLORIDA 11, SAINT MARY’S 10, KENTUCKY 9, CALIFORNIA 8, MIAMI 5, INDIANA 4, AUBURN 3, TCU 2, UCLA 2, VIRGINIA TECH 2.

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

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

#10 NEBRASKA 72 OHIO STATE 69

#12 MICHIGAN STATE 80 USC 61

RUTGERS 88 OREGON 85 OT

GREEN BAY 79 MILWAUKEE 76

==========

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

AP POLL

1. UCONN 15-0
2. TEXAS 17-0
3. SOUTH CAROLINA 15-1
4. UCLA 14-1
5. OKLAHOMA 14-1
6. KENTUCKY 15-1
7. VANDERBILT 15-0
8. MARYLAND 15-1
9. MICHIGAN 11-2
10. LOUISVILLE 14-3
11. IOWA STATE 14-1
12. LSU 14-2
13. TCU 14-1
14. IOWA 12-2
15. MICHIGAN STATE 14-1
16. BAYLOR 13-3
17. TEXAS TECH 16-0
18. OLE MISS 14-3
19. OHIO STATE 13-2
20. TENNESSEE 10-3
21. USC 10-4
22. NORTH CAROLINA 13-4
23. WASHINGTON 12-2
24. PRINCETON 13-1
25. NEBRASKA 13-2

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES:

ILLINOIS 58, NOTRE DAME 27, STANFORD 25, NC STATE 22, ALABAMA 13, WEST VIRGINIA 9, GEORGIA 5, DUKE 3, OKLAHOMA ST. 1.

===========

WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCORES

#9 MICHIGAN 70 MINNESOTA 60

#14 IOWA 67 NORTHWESTERN 58

PURDUE FORT WAYNE 71 IU INDY 46

==========

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

THURSDAY, JAN. 8

7:30 P.M. | FIESTA BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL) (GLENDALE, ARIZ.) | (13-1) OLE MISS VS. (12-2) MIAMI FL. ESPN

FRIDAY, JAN. 9

7:30 P.M. | PEACH BOWL (CFP SEMIFINAL) (ATLANTA, GA.) | (14-0) INDIANA VS. (13-1) OREGON ESPN

MONDAY, JAN. 19

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

===========

COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRANSFER PORTAL TRACKER

https://www.profootballnetwork.com/cfb-hq/transfer-portal-tracker

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

NFL

NFL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

JAN. 10

LOS ANGELES RAMS AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, 4:30 P.M. ET, FOX

GREEN BAY PACKERS AT CHICAGO BEARS, 8 P.M. ET, PRIME VIDEO

JAN. 11

BUFFALO BILLS AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, 1 P.M. ET, CBS

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, 4:30 P.M. ET, FOX

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, 8 P.M. ET, NBC

==========

NBA

DETROIT 121 NEW YORK 90

BOSTON 115 CHICAGO 101

TORONTO 118 ATLANTA 100

CHARLOTTE 124 OKLAHOMA CITY 97

HOUSTON 100 PHOENIX 97

DENVER 125 PHILADELPHIA 124 OT

PORTLAND 137 UTAH 117

LA CLIPPERS 103 GOLDEN STATE 102

===========

NHL

UTAH 3 NY RANGERS 2 OT

WASHINGTON 7 AT A HIGH 4

DETROIT 5 OTTAWA 3

SEATTLE 5 CALGARY 1

LOS ANGELES 4 MINNESOTA 2

===========

NATIONAL RELEASES

NFL

RAIDERS FIRE PETE CARROLL AFTER 3-14 SEASON AND WILL LOOK FOR A NEW COACH FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders fired Pete Carroll on Monday after just one year, meaning they will enter their third consecutive season with a new coach in charge.

Carroll expressed high hopes upon taking over, saying he was used to double-digit victories and he expected the same in Las Vegas. But the Raiders went 3-14, going on a 10-game losing streak before finishing with a 14-12 victory over Kansas City on Sunday.

Now the question is where the Raiders head next under the direction of owner Mark Davis, minority owner Tom Brady and general manager John Spytek. Davis said in a statement that Spytek would work with Brady to find the next coach.

“Together, they will guide football decisions with a shared focus on leadership, culture, and alignment with the organization’s long-term vision and goals,” Davis said.

The club could seek an offensive-minded coach to work with a young quarterback should the Raiders draft Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza or Dante Moore with the first overall pick.

That formula worked well this season in Chicago with coach Ben Johnson and quarterback Caleb Williams and in Jacksonville with coach Liam Coen and QB Trevor Lawrence. Both teams are playoff bound after experiencing losing seasons the year before.

There is no one path to success, however. New England hired a defensive coach in Mike Vrabel, and he worked well with quarterback Drake Maye to helped the Patriots go from a 4-13 record to 14-3 and the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs.

Carroll, 74, was the NFL’s oldest head coach, and he came to Las Vegas with the intent of winning right away. He got his wish of bringing in quarterback Geno Smith, whom he coached in Seattle. Neither got the success they expected, with Smith throwing a league-high 17 interceptions as the losses piled up.

This wasn’t what Carroll used to as a coach. He coached the Seahawks to a Super Bowl title and Southern California to two national championships.

But now Carroll has been dismissed, just as Antonio Pierce was last year and Josh McDaniels midway through the 2023 season.

CARDINALS COACH JONATHAN GANNON FIRED FOLLOWING DISMAL THIRD SEASON THAT ENDED WITH 3-14 RECORD

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Jonathan Gannon’s once-promising head coaching tenure with the Arizona Cardinals is done following a dismal third season that started with high expectations but quickly collapsed thanks to injuries, embarrassing gaffes and a long string of losses that became increasingly noncompetitive.

Now the franchise is preparing for a rebuild — again.

The Cardinals parted ways with Gannon on Monday, one day after a 37-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams to end their season. It was the team’s ninth straight loss and 14th setback in 15 games.

Now a new coaching staff will get the chance to rebuild a franchise that will have the No. 3 overall pick in April, but has been to the playoffs just once since 2016. General manager Monti Ossenfort will return.

The 43-year-old Gannon finished his tenure with a 15-36 record, including 3-14 this season. Gannon expressed optimism in recent weeks that he would return for a fourth season, but owner Michael Bidwill had other ideas, opting to look for the franchise’s 13th head coach since moving to Arizona in 1988.

Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride was one of many Cardinals players who voiced support for Gannon, but it wasn’t enough to save his job.

“It’s a team game — there’s a lot of things that went wrong,” McBride said shortly before Gannon was fired. “You lose a couple close ones early and then just a little domino effect from there. Very frustrating season.”

Gannon’s dismissal is a development that seemed unlikely just a few months ago.

The Cardinals had an 8-9 record last year in Gannon’s second season and the franchise appeared on the upswing. Two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray was in his prime and Ossenfort spent much of the offseason upgrading the defense, adding veteran pieces like Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell.

But nothing has gone as planned.

Arizona actually won its first two games of the season, though that would prove to be the high point. The Cardinals lost the next five games by a combined 13 points, including three straight on last-second field goals.

During that stretch, injuries started piling up. Murray hurt his foot in a Week 5 loss to the Titans and hasn’t played since, calling into question whether he’ll be the team’s quarterback in 2026 despite a $230.5 million, five-year contract that could run through 2028.

Starting running back James Conner missed most of the season with a foot injury while receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. — who was the No. 4 overall pick in 2024 — struggled with injuries and inconsistency.

There were also some embarrassing moments that added to the tension. Running back Emari Demercado dropped the football just short of a touchdown while celebrating too early against the Titans, which started a stunning collapse that saw a 21-9 lead turn into a 22-21 defeat.

Gannon was caught on camera angrily confronting Demercado, appearing to bump the running back as he swiped his arm downward. The Cardinals fined the coach $100,000 for his actions.

Arizona was also called for a franchise-record 17 penalties in a 41-22 loss to the 49ers in Week 11. The Cardinals were 0-6 against NFC West opponents this season, losing the last four by a combined 88 points.

Gannon was hired in 2023 after two seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, who reached the Super Bowl during his final year before losing to the Chiefs.

BROWNS FIRE TWO-TIME COACH OF THE YEAR KEVIN STEFANSKI AFTER SIX SEASONS

BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Cleveland Browns have fired coach Kevin Stefanski after six seasons.

Stefanski is the fourth NFL coach fired this season, joining Tennessee’s Brian Callahan, the New York Giants’ Brian Daboll and Atlanta’s Raheem Morris.

The Browns won their final two games to finish 5-12, including a 20-18 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

The 43-year-old Stefanski is a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year and had a 46-58 overall record. He led Cleveland to playoff appearances in 2020 and 2023. The Browns’ 48-37 victory over Pittsburgh in an AFC wild-card round game at the end of the 2020 season was the franchise’s first since 1993.

“I leave with an immense sense of gratitude. A sincere ‘Thank You’ to everyone who I have been so blessed to work for and with over these six seasons,” Stefanski said in a statement released through the Browns. “I’d like to especially thank my coaching staff and the players who did everything that was ever asked of them. They fought through injury and adversity, while always putting the team first.”

Stefanski is the sixth coach fired since owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam bought the franchise in 2012. The five coaches hired by the Haslams have a 73-139-1 regular-season record, the second-worst mark in the NFL.

The Haslams are not doing a total house cleaning, announcing Andrew Berry will remain as general manager.

Stefanski met with ownership Monday morning, but Jimmy Haslam indicated the decision had already been made.

“I think those decisions tend to be made over a period of time,” Haslam said during a news conference 45 minutes after Stefanski’s firing was announced. “I don’t think there was one breaking point. I think you’ve got to look at the body of work and sometimes it’s just time for a change.”

Stefanski is credited with establishing a positive culture to a franchise epitomized by dysfunction. However, Stefanski was done in by something that has plagued the Browns since their return in 1999 — the lack of a franchise quarterback.

Stefanski had 13 starting quarterbacks during his tenure, including seven the past two seasons. Both were the most in the league.

The Browns thought they had their quarterback in 2022 when they released Baker Mayfield and acquired Deshaun Watson from Houston for five draft picks, including three in the first round.

Instead, the trade for Watson has set the Browns back for years.

Jimmy Haslam said during the league meetings last March that the Browns “took a big swing and miss” with the Watson trade and that “we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole.”

Stefanski was criticized during the season for his early handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The fifth-round pick did not receive any snaps with the first team in practices until he came in for Dillon Gabriel in the second half of a Nov. 16 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Sanders was the Browns’ starter for the final seven games and went 3-4. He had plenty of growing pains, including working behind a makeshift offensive line and not having his leading rusher or receiver for the final two games.

Cleveland was fourth in the league in total defense as Myles Garrett had 23 sacks, setting the league’s single-season record. However, the offense was 30th and averaged 16.4 points, second-fewest in the league.

Stefanski is expected to be a prime candidate for other openings throughout the league. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is also expected to be high on other team’s wish lists.

Schwartz has head coaching experience, leading the Detroit Lions from 2009 through 2013, and is expected to get an interview for the in-house opening.

“We’ve got to find the right head coach,” Haslam said. “We’ve got to be efficient again in free agency. We have 10 draft picks, including two number ones. We are solely focused on having a great 120 days so we can start winning games around here.”

JAYDEN DANIELS’ INJURIES AND THE WASHINGTON COMMANDERS’ POOR PLAY LED TO A BIG STEP BACK

Late in this disaster of a season for the Washington Commanders, one filled with poor play, lopsided losses and a litany of injuries — none more significant than the series of issues that affected Jayden Daniels — coach Dan Quinn was asked to offer an evaluation of his star quarterback’s second year in the NFL.

“Obviously,” Quinn said, “there’s not enough information to give you a full report on things. … But as an overall assessment, we’ve all missed the mark.”

So true.

Washington, which closed out its 5-12 campaign with a meaningless 24-17 win at the Philadelphia Eagles and their backups on Sunday, didn’t do much to impress anyone in what was a real step back after a 12-5 record and run to the NFC championship game a year ago.

And Daniels, specifically, went from the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year who appeared in all 20 of the Commanders’ games, often leading them to spectacular finishes, to someone who barely was available. Limited by knee, hamstring and left elbow problems, the Heisman Trophy winner out of LSU and No. 2 overall draft pick played in just seven games and threw for only eight touchdowns before being shut down last month.

“I wish I was out there more,” Daniels said. “That’s kind of the focus for me this offseason — rebuilding myself from the ground up.”

Daniels’ gruesome elbow injury

Among the lasting images of the 2025 season for the Commanders will be the awkward, ugly way Daniels’ non-throwing arm bent when he was tackled in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in November. Quinn acknowledged the next day that the QB shouldn’t have even been in the lineup still.

Daniels never was prone to missing time in college, or as a rookie in the pros, but he couldn’t seem to avoid it this season, raising questions about whether he needs to adjust his playing style at all or learn how to get out of harm’s way.

On the other hand, this was Daniels’ take: “I mean, I can’t really avoid the injuries that I’ve dealt with. Those are just freak accidents.”

Commanders struggled to compete

There was an eight-game losing streak that took Washington from a 3-2 record to 3-10. Within that stretch, there was a four-game span in which the Commanders dropped every contest by at least 21 points apiece.

“It’s been,” wideout Terry McLaurin said, “a long season.”

Things began inauspiciously enough way back before the games even started, when McLaurin — Daniels’ top playmaker — held out while seeking a new extension, which eventually arrived. But he, like so many other key players, then missed a ton of time while hurt.

Washington’s defense slumped

By any measure, the Commanders were incapable of stopping opponents. They allowed an NFL-worst 384 yards per game. They forced just 10 turnovers, a total better only than the New York Jets’ four. Washington gave up 26.5 points each time out; only five teams were worse in that category.

‘Bill’ was a rare bright spot

Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, whose nickname is “Bill,” didn’t play like a seventh-rounder, ending up with 805 yards on 175 carries for a 4.6 average and eight TDs. It’s unclear whether his fumbling might make the team take it slowly with him and look elsewhere for a starter at that position.

Next steps

There will need to be a lot of evaluation to figure out what went wrong, and while Daniels needs new playmakers at receiver and tight end, the unit that requires the most analysis is the defense. One move might be to jettison Joe Whitt Jr., who had no success as the defensive coordinator this season and first was moved from the booth to the sideline on game day, then stripped of play-calling duties by Quinn. Quinn could retain that responsibility or hire a new coordinator.

General manager Adam Peters will need to reconstruct a unit that lacked talent and is in dire need of a pass rusher or two, a linebacker or two and a defensive back or two. The overall roster depth is another major concern that will need to be addressed via the draft — Washington holds six picks currently, only two in the initial four rounds — and free agency. The good news: Peters has the most salary cap space in the league.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS FACE A PIVOTAL OFFSEASON AFTER A DISAPPOINTING 6-11 SEASON

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — What happened over the last month of the season for the Kansas City Chiefs figures to be a whole lot less interesting than what will transpire over the next few months, when a perennial juggernaut in desperate need of a reset begins work on the retooling.

Will tight end Travis Kelce retire after a superlative 13-year career, or will he come back for one more season in an attempt to wipe away the bitter taste of a 6-11 record? How will the Chiefs navigate free agency with glaring needs at several spots and precious little salary cap space? And what will they do with their first top-10 draft pick since Patrick Mahomes went 10th in 2017?

“Optimistic for the future going forward here,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “(General manager) Brett (Veach) has the controls from here with the draft, and he and his guys will do a great job in the draft, and as we work through free agency.”

There is plenty of work to do.

The Chiefs not only had a streak of 10 consecutive playoff appearances end, they also had a nine-year dominance of the AFC West shattered by Denver. Their streak of seven conference title game appearances is over, and given the way the season went, it’s almost hard to believe that the Chiefs played in the last three Super Bowls — with two wins.

But very little went right for the Chiefs this season, beginning with a loss to the Chargers in Brazil and ending with six consecutive defeats, leaving them with their worst record since going 2-14 the year before Reid arrived in Kansas City.

By mid-December, the Chiefs already had been eliminated from the playoffs.

Injuries may have been the biggest problem: Patrick Mahomes tore two ligaments in his knee, backup quarterback Gardner Minshew likewise tore his knee ligament and stars such as Rashee Rice and Trent McDuffie followed them to injured reserve.

But there also were glaring deficiencies on both sides of the ball.

“We’ve got a good nucleus of guys that are veteran players. They’ll be back,” Reid said, “and I think you want that foundation, and that’s where you start. And then you give Brett an opportunity to have the draft picks that he has and picking where he’s picking; you know he’s going to do a great job there. And then whatever happens free agent-wise, or guys we signed up — wherever that goes — you still have a long way to go to add people and do what you need. So, there’ll be a fresh start coming up.”

Kelce’s decision

The first big decision in Kansas City may lie not with the team but with Kelce, who is considering retirement. He said the choice to come back last season was relatively easy after a lopsided Super Bowl loss to Philadelphia. But with myriad interests outside football, and his engagement to pop star Taylor Swift, things have changed in his life over the past 12 months.

“I have so much love for this team, this organization and the people here,” said Kelce, who finished with 76 catches for 851 yards and five touchdowns. “I’ll spend some time with them, go through exit meetings, get close to the family and figure things out.”

Health check

Mahomes is already well into rehab following surgery to repair his knee injury, and the Chiefs are cautiously optimistic that he will be ready for Week 1 next season. Everyone else who landed on injured reserve also is expected to be ready for next season.

Free agency

Among veterans due to hit free agency are running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, wide receivers Marquise Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, cornerbacks Josh Williams and Jaylen Watson, safeties Bryan Cook and Mike Edwards, linebacker Leo Chenal and defensive linemen Derrick Nnadi, Mike Pennel and Charles Omenihu. Several could be back on team-friendly deals.

Draft situation

The Chiefs will pick ninth overall in April, their highest since taking offensive tackle Eric Fisher first overall in 2013. They have a slew of needs on both sides of the ball, but look for them to target offensive playmakers — probably a running back — and someone who can rush the passer after finishing among the league’s worst in quarterback sacks this season.

Next steps

The Chiefs haven’t been finished this early in a season in a decade, so at least in terms of getting a jump-start on next season, the next few weeks are a novel luxury. They’ll spend it preparing for the NFL scouting combine in late February and the start of free agency.

JAGUARS COACH LIAM COEN DESERVES CREDIT FOR GROWTH OF QB TREVOR LAWRENCE AND OTHERS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars won the AFC South, in part, because first-year head coach Liam Coen and his staff got several guys to play well above expectations.

Developing talent? Unleashing potential? Pushing the right buttons? Coen prefers to call it growth, which rarely has been witnessed to this extent over the last two-plus decades in Jacksonville.

Regardless of the wording, it’s considered a key to Jacksonville (13-4) winning the franchise’s most games since 1999 and earning its third home playoff game over the past 26 seasons.

The Jaguars, the AFC’s No. 3 seed, will host sixth-seeded Buffalo (12-5) and Pro Bowl quarterback Josh Allen on Sunday. And the Jags hope to continue getting significant contributions from players who were on the verge of being written off in Jacksonville:

— Trevor Lawrence. The fifth-year quarterback is playing as well as anyone in the league. He has 24 total touchdowns during Jacksonville’s eight-game winning streak, including 19 passing and five rushing, and is making a strong case for comeback player of the year after his 2024 season ended with shoulder surgery and a frightening concussion caused by an illegal hit.

— Devin Lloyd. The fourth-year linebacker is tied for second in the NFL with six takeaways, including a career-high five interceptions that includes a 99-yard TD, and will be in high demand in free agency.

— Antonio Johnson. The third-year safety also has five interceptions, including one he returned 58 yards for a score in a 41-7 rout against Tennessee on Sunday. Three others came on final drives against the New York Jets, Indianapolis and Houston.

— Parker Washington. The third-year receiver has more catches (58), yards (847) and touchdowns (7) this season than he had in his first two years combined. He has become one of Lawrence’s most trusted targets.

Throw in left tackle Cole Van Lanen, cornerback Jarrian Jones, tight end Quintin Morris and defensive tackle Matt Dickerson — guys who were either on the bench (Van Lanen and Jones), on the practice squad (Morris) or even on the street (Dickerson) at some point this season — and Coen deserves credit for finding them more prominent roles.

Those are the kind of deft moves that should earn Coen coach of the year consideration around the league.

“It’s not always perfect, but it’s been a fun progression,” Lawrence said. “He’s a helluva coach, and I’m glad he’s here in Jacksonville and very thankful for him.”

What’s working

The Jaguars ended up leading the league in run defense for the first time in franchise history. They allowed 85.6 yards a game and became the third team since 2000 to not allow a 75-yard rusher in a single game. Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor came the closest, running for 74 and 70 yards in two meetings.

What needs help

Jacksonville’s ground attack slowed to a crawl against Tennessee. The Jags finished with 64 yards rushing, their second fewest of the season. They failed to top 125 yards in their last six games, a potential concern heading into the playoffs.

A shuffled offensive line has been part of the issue, but Coen suggested the need for staying on blocks longer and finding holes that are there.

Stock up

Cam Little has a big leg and probably should have been the AFC’s Pro Bowl kicker. He drilled a 67-yarder to end the first half against Tennessee, giving him the longest outdoor field goal in NFL history. He made a 68-yarder indoors against Las Vegas in early November for the NFL record. He also hit a 70-yarder against Pittsburgh in the preseason.

Stock down

Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead needed 1 1/2 sacks in the finale to earn a $1 million bonus for reaching seven this season. But he played only 24 snaps and had a tackle in the blowout. Armstead doesn’t have a sack since mid-November and continues to deal with a hand injury.

Injuries

Van Lanen injured his right knee late in the game and was having more tests. The Jaguars expect RG Patrick Mekari (back) to return this week after a two-week absence.

Key number

4-1 — The team’s record in home playoff games, with the loss coming against Tennessee in the 1999 AFC championship game. The Jaguars are 2-0 since, with wins against Buffalo (2017) and the Los Angeles Chargers (2022).

Next steps

The Jaguars need to find ways to run more effectively, especially in the playoffs. They are averaging 91.2 yards a game on the ground over their last six.

TUA TAGOVAILOA: ‘I WOULD BE GOOD WITH’ FRESH START IN ‘26

Tua Tagovailoa signaled he would be open to move on from the Miami Dolphins as the players cleaned out their lockers Monday, and coach Mike McDaniel said he will meet with Tagovailoa on Tuesday morning to discuss how to move forward.

Tagovailoa, who was benched after Week 15 in favor of rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, hadn’t previously indicated whether he believed he had played his last game for the franchise that drafted him fifth overall in 2020.

Reporters asked Tagovailoa Monday if he was hoping for a fresh start next season. The quarterback simply responded, “That would be dope. I would be good with it.”

Tagovailoa, 27, added that he understood the question was about playing elsewhere. He declined to share more.

The six-year NFL veteran said he was disappointed when McDaniel benched him in mid-December but did not elaborate further. He was benched less than a year and a half after inking a four-year, $212.5 million contract extension with the team, guaranteeing him $167 million.

The Dolphins fired Chris Grier, the general manager who signed him to that deal, in October. Tagovailoa is guaranteed $54 million in 2026, which could affect the Dolphins’ decision-making process.

Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns and a career-high 15 interceptions in 14 games (all starts) this season. He went 6-8 as a starter and the Dolphins slipped out of the playoff race before finishing 7-10.

McDaniel told reporters his meeting with Tagovailoa was planned for Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. He also pointed to the moving piece of the front office needing a new leader.

“I don’t think anybody quite understands what it’d be like to be through the ringer of a year that he’s had. So to remove emotions, to have a conversation will be very healthy. And beyond that, we’re still in the process of having a GM hired.”

NFL FINALIZES OPPONENTS FOR 2026 REGULAR SEASON

Fourteen NFL teams and their fan bases are looking forward to the playoffs, but for everyone else, the focus has already shifted to next year.

The NFL finalized every team’s opponents for the 2026 season at the conclusion of the 2025 regular season on Sunday night, when Pittsburgh beat Baltimore to claim the AFC North title.

In the league’s scheduling formula, three games on each team’s schedule are based on the prior season’s standings. Two intraconference opponents and one interconference opponent are determined by where teams placed in their divisions the year before.

Next season, the scheduling rotation for the 17th game lines up the AFC East with the NFC West, the AFC North with the NFC East, the AFC South with the NFC North and the AFC West with the NFC South. Among the more intriguing matchups this has created includes the New England Patriots visiting the Seattle Seahawks, the Buffalo Bills traveling to face the Los Angeles Rams and the all-Pennsylvania clash between the Steelers and host Philadelphia Eagles.

As usual, each team will play six division games, four games against a division within its conference and another four games against a division from the opposite conference.

Below are the 2026 opponents for every team, listed by division. The schedule itself will be announced sometime this spring.

AFC EAST
1. New England Patriots
Home: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Buffalo, Miami, N.Y. Jets, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Seattle

2. Buffalo Bills
Home: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers
Away: Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, Las Vegas, L.A. Rams, Minnesota

3. Miami Dolphins
Home: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers
Away: Buffalo, New England, N.Y. Jets, Denver, Indianapolis, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, San Francisco

4. New York Jets
Home: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Cleveland, Denver, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota
Away: Buffalo, Miami, New England, Arizona, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Tennessee

AFC NORTH
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Atlanta, Carolina, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Tennessee

2. Baltimore Ravens
Home: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, L.A. Chargers, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis

3. Cincinnati Bengals
Home: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington

4. Cleveland Browns
Home: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas
Away: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Jets, Tennessee

AFC SOUTH
1. Jacksonville Jaguars
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Cleveland, New England, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, N.Y. Giants

2. Houston Texans
Home: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Dallas, N.Y. Giants
Away: Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Green Bay, L.A. Chargers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

3. Indianapolis Colts
Home: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Miami, N.Y. Giants
Away: Houston, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Cleveland, Kansas City, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington

4. Tennessee Titans
Home: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Cleveland, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington
Away: Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, N.Y. Giants

AFC WEST
1. Denver Broncos
Home: Kansas City, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Buffalo, Jacksonville, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle
Away: Kansas City, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Carolina, New England, N.Y. Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco

2. Los Angeles Chargers
Home: Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Arizona, Houston, New England, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco
Away: Denver, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tampa Bay

3. Kansas City Chiefs
Home: Denver, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Indianapolis, New England, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco
Away: Denver, Las Vegas, L.A. Chargers, Atlanta, Buffalo, Cincinnati, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle

4. Las Vegas Raiders
Home: Denver, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Buffalo, L.A. Rams, Miami, Seattle, Tennessee
Away: Denver, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, Arizona, Cleveland, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco

NFC EAST
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Carolina, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Pittsburgh, Seattle
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Washington, Arizona, Chicago, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tennessee

2. Dallas Cowboys
Home: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Baltimore, Jacksonville, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Washington, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle

3. Washington Commanders
Home: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle
Away: Dallas, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Arizona, Jacksonville, Minnesota, San Francisco, Tennessee

4. New York Giants
Home: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Arizona, Cleveland, Jacksonville, New Orleans, San Francisco, Tennessee
Away: Dallas, Philadelphia, Washington, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, L.A. Rams, Seattle

NFC NORTH
1. Chicago Bears
Home: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Jacksonville, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay
Away: Detroit, Green Bay, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami, Seattle

2. Green Bay Packers
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Houston, Miami
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, L.A. Rams, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, Tampa Bay

3. Minnesota Vikings
Home: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Indianapolis, Miami, Washington
Away: Chicago, Detroit, Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Jets, San Francisco, Tampa Bay

4. Detroit Lions
Home: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Jets, Tampa Bay, Tennessee
Away: Chicago, Green Bay, Minnesota, Arizona, Atlanta, Buffalo, Carolina, Miami

NFC SOUTH
1. Carolina Panthers
Home: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Seattle
Away: Atlanta, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Cleveland, Green Bay, L.A. Chargers, L.A. Rams, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas, Detroit

3. Atlanta Falcons
Home: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Kansas City, San Francisco
Away: Carolina, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Green Bay, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Washington

4. New Orleans Saints
Home: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa?Bay, Arizona, Cleveland, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh
Away: Atlanta, Carolina, Tampa?Bay, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, N.Y. Giants

NFC WEST
1. Seattle Seahawks
Home: Arizona, L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, New England, N.Y. Giants
Away: Arizona, L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Carolina, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Washington

2. Los Angeles Rams
Home: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Buffalo, Dallas, Green Bay, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, N.Y. Giants
Away: Arizona, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Tampa Bay, Washington

3. San Francisco 49ers
Home: Arizona, L.A. Rams, Seattle, Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Washington
Away: Arizona, L.A. Rams, Seattle, Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, N.Y. Giants

4. Arizona Cardinals
Home: L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, N.Y. Jets, Philadelphia, Washington
Away: L.A. Rams, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, Kansas City, L.A. Chargers, New Orleans, N.Y. Giants

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL

MONTANA STATE TOPS ILLINOIS STATE IN OT FOR FIRST FCS TITLE SINCE 1984

Montana State blew a 14-point second-half lead but came away with a 35-34 overtime win over Illinois State in the FCS national championship game Monday in Nashville, Tenn.

The Bobcats (14-2) led 14-0 late in the first half and 28-14 with little more than 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter before the Redbirds (12-5) scored 14 straight fourth-quarter points and lined up for a go-ahead field goal with 1:04 left. That was blocked by Jhase McMillan and the game went to overtime.

Illinois State got the ball to begin overtime and scored a touchdown before its extra point was blocked. On Montana State’s possession, Justin Lamson found Taco Dowler for a 14-yard touchdown on fourth-and-10. The ensuing extra point clinched Montana State’s second FCS title and first since 1984.

Lamson completed 18 of 27 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 30 yards and two more scores. Dowler had eight catches for 111 yards for the second-seeded Bobcats.

Tommy Rittenhouse was 33-of-46 passing for 311 yards and four touchdowns to lead the unseeded Redbirds, who became the first team in FCS playoff history to win four straight road games to reach the title game.

Victor Dawson had 29 carries for 162 yards to go with five catches for 33 yards. Dylan Lord caught 13 passes for 161 yards and two TDs in the loss.

REPORTS: NOTRE DAME QB KENNY MINCHEY FLIPS FROM NEBRASKA TO KENTUCKY

Former Notre Dame backup quarterback Kenny Minchey, who had committed to Nebraska a little over 24 hours previously, instead changed his commitment to Kentucky on Monday, multiple outlets reported.

Minchey, who entered the portal Friday, had lost an offseason competition to become the Fighting Irish starting quarterback to eventual starter CJ Carr over the summer.

His playing time, as expected, was subsequently limited, though he did appear in six games, completing 20 of 26 passes for 196 yards. He added seven carries for 84 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

He only appeared in four games over the previous two seasons, preserving an additional year of eligibility in the process. He will be classified as a junior in 2026.

Minchey had originally told ESPN on Sunday that he would be joining Matt Rhule’s Nebraska program. His flip Monday was reported by ESPN, CBS Sports, and On3.

Kentucky needed a quarterback once its previous starter Cutter Boley entered the portal and found a home with Arizona State. Boley paced the Wildcats with 2,160 yards and 15 touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions in 2025.

Nebraska will now go back into the portal to look for a replacement for Dylan Raiola, who also entered the portal this offseason after guiding Nebraska for much of the past two seasons.

Kentucky had been one of two main pursuers of hot quarterback target Sam Leavitt, formerly of Arizona State, along with LSU. The Tigers, helmed by new coach Lane Kiffin, might well be the leader to acquire Leavitt now with Kentucky acquiring Minchey and the Tigers previously missing out on Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, who chose Texas Tech.

GEORGIA STANDOUTS ZACHARIAH BRANCH, CJ ALLEN, OSCAR DELP DECLARE FOR DRAFT

Georgia gained a better idea of what it will need to replace in 2026 on Monday, as the Bulldogs’ top pass-catcher Zachariah Branch and top tackler CJ Allen both declared their intentions to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

They were joined by top receiving tight end Oscar Delp in announcing their moves on social media.

Branch, a 5-foot-10 wideout, transferred to Georgia after two seasons at Southern California and promptly established himself as the Bulldogs’ top receiving option. He recorded 81 receptions, 54 more than any other player on the roster last fall, compiling 811 yards and six touchdowns in the process.

He added 385 yards on 25 combined kick and punt returns.

Allen, a 6-foot-1 linebacker, paced Georgia with 88 combined tackles in 2025, a year after he nearly led the team with 76 tackles in 2024.

Over his career, Allen totaled 205 tackles to go along with 4.5 sacks and an interception in 41 career games. He also had 10 passes defended, two fumbles forced and a fumble recovery.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Branch as his No. 4 wide receiver and Allen as his No. 3 linebacker for the upcoming draft.

The 6-foot-5 Delp recorded 20 receptions for 261 yards last fall, tops among Georgia tight ends. He finished his Bulldogs career with 70 receptions for 854 yards and nine touchdowns.

Those three join defensive lineman Christen Miller, who announced his departure for the NFL on Saturday.

REPORT: TOP TRANSFER QB SAM LEAVITT VISITING LSU

Quarterback Sam Leavitt, the top player in the On3 transfer portal rankings, is visiting LSU on Monday and Tuesday, per On3.

Leavitt spent the past two seasons at Arizona State. His 2025 season was cut short after seven games by a foot injury that required surgery.

New LSU head coach Lane Kiffin is in need of a starting QB. The position was filled last season by Garrett Nussmeier, who is out of eligibility, and sophomore Michael Van Buren Jr. He has entered the portal.

Leavitt previously visited Kentucky.

In 2024, Leavitt led Arizona State to the Big 12 title and an appearance in the College Football Playoff as he threw for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in 13 games.

In seven appearances in 2025, Leavitt completed 60.7% of his passes for 1,628 yards, 10 TDs and three picks.

Leavitt started his college career in 2023 at Michigan State and attempted just 23 passes before transferring to the Sun Devils. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

TOP TRANSFER QB BRENDAN SORSBY COMMITS TO TEXAS TECH

Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, considered the top quarterback in the transfer portal, said Sunday night that he has committed to Texas Tech.

Sorsby reportedly visited Texas Tech on Friday and LSU on Saturday before making the decision.

Sorsby will receive an estimated $5 million in 2026, according to On3. The website said former Texas Tech star Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs was one of the people Sorsby called to break the news.

He had a stellar season for the Bearcats this season, throwing for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns while being intercepted five times. Sorsby also rushed for nine scores.

Sorsby has three seasons of starting experience, one for Indiana in 2023 and two with Cincinnati.

Overall, Sorsby has passed for 7,208 career yards and 60 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. He has 1,305 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground.

Texas Tech spent a lot of money on transfers last offseason and it paid off with a program-record 12 wins. The Red Raiders were the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff but were blanked in their lone playoff game, a 23-0 loss to No. 5 Oregon.

Quarterback Behren Morton completed 18 of 32 passes for 137 yards and two interceptions and Texas Tech had just 215 yards.

Also, Sorsby is the boyfriend of Texas Tech women’s volleyball player Gretchen Sigman, who transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech in mid-December.

LSU reportedly will host Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt on a visit Monday. Leavitt was interested in Texas Tech and visited Kentucky over the weekend.

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MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

COEN CARR’S 18-POINT EFFORT PROPELS NO. 12 MICHIGAN STATE PAST USC

Coen Carr scored 18 points and pulled down six rebounds as No. 12 Michigan State rolled to an 80-51 win over USC in East Lansing, Mich., on Monday night.

Jaxon Kohler supplied 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Jeremy Fears Jr. contributed 15 points and seven assists for the Spartans. Kur Teng and Jordan Scott added eight points apiece for Michigan State (13-2 overall, 3-1 Big Ten), which bounced back from a two-point road loss to undefeated Nebraska.

Ezra Ausar led USC with 16 points and seven rebounds, but he also made seven turnovers. Jerry Easter II had 12 points, but Chad Baker-Mazara, the team’s top offensive threat, was held to four points.

The Trojans (12-3, 1-3) were coming off a 30-point loss Friday to Michigan to begin their three-game road trip. They’ll visit Minnesota on Friday to finish off the Midwest journey.

Michigan State led USC 33-17 at the break, limited the Trojans to 21.4% shooting and forced nine turnovers.

USC scored the first five points of the game. From there, the Spartans dominated the last 17 minutes of the half. They scored 10 unanswered points, four by Carson Cooper, before USC got another basket.

The Spartans soon turned a 13-9 advantage into a 19-point advantage with a 20-5 run. Fears got it started by making consecutive jumpers. Kohler hit back-to-back 3-pointers and also assisted on a Divine Ugochukwu layup following a Trojans turnover to finish off the outburst.

A three-point play by Carr and a Fears basket after another USC turnover pushed Michigan State’s lead to 21, 44-23, with 17:24 remaining.

Moments later, Fears made a behind-the-back pass to Teng for a fast-break layup. A Fears layup with 14:38 left gave the Spartans a 52-28 lead. A Denham Wojcik steal and layup nudged the advantage to 25.

NO. 10 NEBRASKA REMAINS PERFECT WITH RESILIENT WIN AT OHIO STATE

Braden Frager scored 15 points to help No. 10 Nebraska remain unbeaten and hold off Ohio State 72-69 in Columbus, Ohio on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the Cornhuskers (15-0, 4-0 Big Ten) reached the top 10 for the first time since being ranked No. 9 on Feb. 28, 1966.

Rienk Mast had 12 points, and Jamarques Lawrence and Pryce Sandfort tallied 11 each for Nebraska.

John Mobley Jr. led the Buckeyes (10-4, 2-2 Big Ten) with 22 points, and Bruce Thornton had 14 of his 16 points in the second half.

Mast’s three-point play put the Huskers ahead 60-58 and Sandfort’s 3-pointer off a loose ball scramble increased the lead to five. Frager then followed with a jumper plus a free throw for a 66-58 lead with 2:18 left.

The 9-0 run was stopped by a triple from Mobley and later Christoph Tilly’s steal and dunk cut the lead to 67-65 with 1:01 left.

Frager then hit a layup, was fouled and made the foul shot to go up 70-65 before Thornton’s basket trimmed the margin to 70-67 with 25 seconds left.

A lay-in by Devin Royal made it 70-69 before Lawrence hit two foul shots for Nebraska with 9.1 seconds to go for 72-69 lead.

Tilly missed a 3-pointer with four seconds remaining, and Cale Jacobsen grabbed the defensive rebound to seal the win.

Ohio State trailed by 14 in the first half but took its first lead, 49-48, with 10:24 to play on a pair of free throws by Thornton. Mast immediately responded with a jumper to regain the lead.

Nebraska led 38-31 at the half but it could have been more if not for eight turnovers that produced 11 points for the Buckeyes, who gave the ball away four times for just three points.

Ohio State did not lead in the first half and faced an early 13-5 deficit after the Cornhuskers opened 4-of-6 from the floor and a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc.

After the Buckeyes pulled to within 15-13, Nebraska reeled off 12 straight points for the 27-13 advantage. During one stretch, the Huskers showed their inside presence with Frager layups sandwiching a Berke Buyuktuncel dunk.

ARIZONA HOLDS NO. 1 SPOT OVER MICHIGAN BY SINGLE POINT IN ONE OF THE CLOSEST AP TOP 25 RACES EVER

Arizona held on to No. 1 by a single point over fast-closing Michigan in the AP Top 25 on Monday, making it one of the closest races for the top spot in the 78-year history of the men’s college basketball poll.

The Wildcats received 32 of 61 first-place votes and had 1,494 points, while the Wolverines scooped up the other 29 first-place votes from the national media panel. The one-point difference kept the first poll of 2026 from becoming the second ever with a tie for No. 1; Oregon State and Virginia shared the top spot on Jan. 26, 1981.

Arizona has been on top for the last five polls, but the Wolverines have been able to make up ground, thanks in part to becoming the first team in the poll era to win three consecutive games against ranked opponents by at least 30 points apiece. Michigan was 20 points behind Arizona in the last poll.

“All glory is fleeting, as you guys have heard me say,” Michigan coach Dusty May said after the most recent blowout, 96-66 over then-No. 24 USC, which also kept his team among the six unbeatens left in Division I men’s hoops.

The Wolverines have not been No. 1 since Jan. 28, 2013, and that stint lasted just one week.

The top six remained unchanged Monday from the final poll of 2025: Arizona and Michigan were followed by undefeated Iowa State, UConn, Purdue and Duke, while Houston jumped Gonzaga and BYU and Nebraska rounded out the top 10.

The Huskers, who are riding a nation-best 18-game winning streak dating to last season and are off to the best start in school history, are in the top 10 for the first time since climbing to No. 9 on Feb. 28, 1966. Their latest win was a 58-56 slugfest with then-No. 9 Michigan State.

“Happy for Fred Hoiberg. Not that many years ago, everybody was on his butt,” Spartans coach Tom Izzo said afterward. “He did a hell of a job. Nebraska did a hell of a job. That was probably the best game — their biggest game — in 36 years. They responded.”

Vanderbilt, another program with scant men’s basketball success, remained right behind the Huskers at No. 11. That is the highest the unbeaten Commodores have been since they were No. 7 in the preseason poll for the 2011-12 season.

“SEC play comes at you fast, and now we know the difficulties of this league and what’s ahead of us,” Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington said after Saturday’s win over South Carolina while looking ahead to Tuesday night’s matchup with No. 13 Alabama.

Michigan State fell three spots to No. 12 following its loss to Nebraska, while the Crimson Tide were followed by Texas Tech and Arkansas in this week’s poll. Illinois, North Carolina, Georgia, Iowa and Louisville rounded out the top 20, while Tennessee, Kansas, Virginia, SMU and UCF completed the initial top 25 of the new year.

The Knights, who opened Big 12 play by beating the Jayhawks, are ranked for the first time since March 4, 2019.

“We’re not just playing the opponent in front of us. We’re trying to play to our standards,” UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. “I just want them to go out there and just follow their hearts, play for each other, and I thought they did that.”

Rising and sliding

Iowa made the biggest move by climbing six spots to No. 19 following its win over UCLA on Saturday, while Georgia jumped five spots to No. 18. Kansas and North Carolina, which lost to SMU on Saturday, each fell five spots but remained in the poll.

In and out

No. 24 SMU is ranked for the first time since finishing No. 11 in the final poll of the 2016-17 season. The Mustangs and UCF joined the Top 25 at the expense of USC and Florida, which lost 76-74 to Missouri on Saturday night.

On the doorstep

Villanova was the first team outside the Top 25, five points back of UCF. Also on the rise are Utah State and Miami (Ohio), which at 15-0 is the only unbeaten still outside the poll.

Conference watch

The Big 12 led the way with seven ranked teams, including four in the top 10, while the Big Ten had six in the Top 25 and three in the top 10. The ACC and SEC had five ranked teams apiece, and the West Coast and Big East each had one.

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WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP: NO. 9 MICHIGAN RALLIES TO BEAT MINNESOTA

Olivia Olson scored 13 of her 21 points after halftime and No. 9 Michigan used a fourth-quarter run to escape Minnesota 70-60 on Monday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Wolverines (12-2, 3-1 Big Ten) avoided another letdown after losing by 12 to Washington on Thursday. The Golden Gophers (10-4, 1-2) outshot Michigan 57.1% to 25% in the first quarter to build a 19-10 lead.

Michigan trailed by one at halftime and took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter before pouring in the first seven points of the period. Syla Swords had six points and three assists in the quarter and ended the night with 12 points, as did teammate Mila Holloway.

Grace Grocholski had 22 points and eight rebounds to pace Minnesota. Mara Braun added 14 points but the Golden Gophers committed 17 turnovers that led to 19 points for Michigan.

No. 14 Iowa 67, Northwestern 58

Ava Heiden shot 9 of 11 for 23 points and guided the Hawkeyes to a close win over the Wildcats in Evanston, Ill.

The game was played almost entirely within a single-digit margin. After Casey Harter (11 points) and Caroline Lau hit back-to-back 3-pointers to cut it to 62-58 with 59 seconds to play, Heiden and Chazadi Wright combined to ice the game with five free throws.

Wright put up 12 points, five rebounds and seven assists for Iowa (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten). Heiden also grabbed five boards to aid Iowa’s 39-30 rebounding advantage. Grace Sullivan led all players with 28 points and seven rebounds to carry Northwestern (6-9, 0-4).

KENTUCKY, VANDERBILT INTO TOP 10 IN WOMEN’S AP TOP 25 AFTER 4 OF TOP 10 TEAMS FALL; UCONN, TEXAS 1-2

Kentucky and Vanderbilt made major jumps in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday after four of the top 10 teams lost last week, causing a shakeup in the poll.

This was the first week since the end of November that a new school had entered the top 10 this season.

The first four remained unchanged with UConn still No. 1, receiving 28 first-place votes and No. 2 Texas getting the other four. South Carolina and UCLA followed while Oklahoma moved up to fifth, the Sooners’ highest ranking since they were fourth in the final poll of 2009.

Kentucky and Vanderbilt each rose five spots to sixth and seventh, respectively, after each knocking off then-No. 5 LSU in consecutive games. The Wildcats edged LSU 80-78 on a last-second shot.

Vanderbilt has not been in the top 10 since it was seventh on March 12, 2007. Vandy’s 65-61 win over LSU on Sunday was its first against a top five team in 17 years.

The Tigers, one of seven unbeaten teams to lose over the last week, plummeted to 12th.

Maryland fell one spot to eighth after losing to Illinois, its first defeat of the season. Michigan dropped two places to ninth after a loss at Washington, which re-entered the Top 25 at No. 23.

Louisville moved up three spots to 10th. TCU dropped to 13th after losing its first game of the season to Utah in overtime.

There are only four undefeated teams left: UConn, Texas, Vanderbilt and No. 17 Texas Tech.

Unbeaten no more

Besides LSU, Maryland and TCU losing for the first time this season, No. 11 Iowa State, Arizona State, Alabama and Georgia also all suffered their first losses.

Falling Irish

Notre Dame saw its run of 85 consecutive appearances in the Top 25 end after the Irish (10-4) lost to Georgia Tech and Duke last week. It was the third-longest active streak, trailing only UConn (615) and South Carolina (257). Notre Dame had been in the poll every week since Nov. 29, 2021.

Milestone wins

Louisville’s Jeff Walz and Miami’s Tricia Cullop both earned their 500th career victories last week, doing so in back-to-back games against Virginia Tech.

Game of the week

No. 2 Texas at No. 12 LSU, Sunday. The Tigers will have a chance to rebound from the tough week with a game against the Longhorns. A victory would get LSU back in the SEC regular-season title race.

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NBA

NBA ROUNDUP: VISITING HORNETS SHOCK THUNDER WITH BLOWOUT WIN

Brandon Miller scored 28 points to help lift the Charlotte Hornets to a stunning 124-97 road victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The loss marked OKC’s first regular-season home defeat against an Eastern Conference opponent since March 2024, and the Thunder’s first loss versus an Eastern team since Jan. 8, 2025, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s also the first time OKC has been held to under 101 points this season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 points on 7-of-21 shooting, while Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren managed 16 and 15 points, respectively. The Thunder shot 59.1% from the field in the first quarter before finishing at 37% for the game.

Charlotte’s surprise victory was its first against OKC since March 2023. Miller’s dominance was bolstered by Kon Knueppel’s 23 points and five 3-pointers, as well as Miles Bridges’ 17-point, 11-rebound double-double. Moussa Diabate also had a team-high 12 boards. In addition, the Hornets finished a season-high 51.4% from beyond the arc.

Pistons 121, Knicks 90

Cade Cunningham scored 29 points and handed out 13 assists as host Detroit dominated a matchup of Eastern Conference powers, thumping New York.

Javonte Green supplied 17 points, Jaden Ivey tossed in 16 and Daniss Jenkins added 12, as Detroit’s reserves notched 58 points. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 25 points but committed six turnovers and didn’t record an assist. Miles McBride had 17 points off the bench and Mikal Bridges chipped in 10.

This was the first game between the two leaders in the Eastern Conference since the Knicks eliminated the Pistons during the first round of last season’s playoffs. New York has now lost four straight games.

Rockets 100, Suns 97

Kevin Durant nailed a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining as Houston rallied for a win over visiting Phoenix to secure the four-game season series.

In addition to Durant’s 26 points, Jabari Smith Jr. provided 17 points and Amen Thompson contributed 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the Rockets overcome a 9-for-37 performance from behind the arc (24.3%).

Devin Booker paced the Suns with 27 points, while Dillon Brooks and Royce O’Neale each scored 15. Phoenix used a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to take a 97-94 lead before Durant’s eventual heroics.

Celtics 115, Bulls 101

Anfernee Simons made eight 3-pointers and scored a game-high 27 points to help Boston extend its winning streak to four games with a victory over visiting Chicago.

Payton Pritchard added 21 points for the Celtics, who received 13 points and 13 rebounds from Neemias Queta. Boston shot 40% from the field but matched its season high with 20 offensive rebounds. Boston’s Jaylen Brown was 6 of 24 from the floor and finished the game with 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

Matas Buzelis led Chicago with 26 points. Nikola Vucevic added 15 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists. Chicago, which had won its previous four road games, played without point guard Josh Giddey (left hamstring strain) and center/forward Jalen Smith (concussion). Giddey is averaging a team-high 19.2 points per game.

Raptors 118, Hawks 100

Brandon Ingram scored 19 points to lead five starters in double figures, and Toronto defeated visiting Atlanta to complete a four-game season sweep.

Scottie Barnes added 18 points and 10 assists, RJ Barrett and Collin Murray-Boyles each scored 17 and Immanuel Quickley tallied 16 for the Raptors, who jumped ahead early and never trailed in their second win over the Hawks over the past three days.

Onyeka Okongwu had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Hawks, who have lost two of their last four. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 14 points, while Jalen Johnson totaled 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

Nuggets 125, Sixers 124

Bruce Brown was credited with the decisive bucket with 5.3 seconds left in overtime as short-handed Denver topped Philadelphia.

The Nuggets were without seven of their top eight scorers and all five starters, but Jalen Pickett picked up the slack with a career-high 29 points. Brown also made a critical contribution when he drew a goaltending call on Joel Embiid on a transition layup attempt.

Embiid led the Sixers with 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Tyrese Maxey scored 28 and VJ Edgecombe dropped 17. Philadelphia had its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

Clippers 103, Warriors 102

Kawhi Leonard led the way with 24 points, Kobe Sanders chipped in with 20 and Los Angeles overcame the absence of James Harden to hold off visiting Golden State.

Leonard also had a game-high 12 rebounds, while Ivica Zubac had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double. The Clippers managed to win their seventh game in their last eight contests despite missing James Harden with a stiff shoulder.

Stephen Curry led all scorers with 27 points, Jimmy Butler III notched 24 and Gary Payton II rounded out the Warriors’ double-digit scorers with 14. Butler had a chance to win the game for Golden State with his team down one in the final seconds, but he put up a fadeaway 16-foot airball, with the rebound being deflected toward midcourt as time expired.

Trail Blazers 137, Jazz 117

Deni Avdija recorded 33 points, nine assists and eight rebounds to lead Portland to a convincing victory over visiting Utah.

Shaedon Sharpe put up 29 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five 3-pointers, while Donovan Clingan secured the glass with 17 rebounds to go along with 12 points. Toumani Camara also scored 15 points, while reserves Sidy Cissoko and Caleb Love added 14 apiece.

Lauri Markkanen scored 22 points and Jusuf Nurkic added 21 points, 12 rebounds and five assists for the Jazz. Keyonte George also tallied 15 points, but that wasn’t enough to keep Utah from losing its fourth consecutive game and its eighth in its last 10 contests.

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NHL

NHL ROUNDUP: MAMMOTH RALLY TO BEAT RANGERS IN OT

Sean Durzi scored 66 seconds into overtime to help the visiting Utah Mammoth rally for a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers, who lost goalie Igor Shesterkin to a lower-body injury in the first period.

Michael Carcone ensured the game reached the extra period by tying the affair at two 6:15 into the third frame. Dylan Guenther provided the other tally for Utah to help the team finish 2-1-0 on a three-game trip through the New York area.

Alexis Lafreniere and Vincent Trocheck notched second-period power-play goals for the Rangers, who fell to 5-10-4 at home.

Shesterkin left with a lower-body injury after he collided with Utah’s JJ Peterka. Jonathan Quick filled in with 14 saves.

Capitals 7, Ducks 4

Justin Sourdif had his first career hat trick and two assists, and Washington hung on to beat visiting Anaheim.

Connor McMichael had four assists, Alex Ovechkin scored two goals, and Ryan Leonard and John Carlson each had a goal and an assist for the Capitals, who got 41 saves from Charlie Lindgren and built a 5-1 lead before needing two empty-net goals to seal the win.

Chris Kreider, Alex Killorn, Jacob Trouba and Beckett Sennecke scored for the Ducks, who have lost six in a row (0-5-1).

Red Wings 5, Senators 3

John Gibson made 35 saves and James van Riemsdyk had a goal and two assists as Detroit skated to a road win over Ottawa.

Andrew Copp, Dylan Larkin, Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen all scored for the Red Wings, who chased Leevi Merilainen after he allowed three goals on eight shots in the first period.
Claude Giroux, Dylan Cozens, and Brady Tkachuk scored Ottawa’s goals. Tim Stutzle recorded two assists and now has 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists) over a 13-game point streak.

Kings 4, Wild 2

Warren Foegele and Kevin Fiala each scored goals in the final five minutes of the second period, and Los Angeles finished off a home victory to end Minnesota’s six-game point streak.

Andrei Kuzmenko had a goal and an assist, Adrian Kempe had a goal and Darcy Kuemper made 33 saves against his former team as the Kings defeated the Wild for the second time in three days. Los Angeles earned a 5-4 home shootout win over Minnesota on Saturday.

Ryan Hartman scored a goal, Jared Spurgeon had a goal with an assist and Filip Gustavsson had 29 saves for the Wild, who had earned points in 13 of the previous 14 games (10-1-3).

Kraken 5, Flames 1

Shane Wright celebrated his 22nd birthday with the go-ahead goal early in the third period as Seattle defeated host Calgary behind four third-period goals.

Jacob Melanson, Vince Dunn, Freddy Gaudreau and Matty Beniers also scored for Seattle, which extended its point streak to eight games (7-0-1) since a Dec. 18 loss in Calgary. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer made a season-high 41 saves.

Adam Klapka tallied for the Flames, who lost their second in a row at home, and Dustin Wolf stopped 23 of 27 shots.

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COLTS FOOTBALL

CARLIE IRSAY-GORDON SAW PROGRESS FROM CHRIS BALLARD, SHANE STEICHEN IN 2025, BUT EXPECTS COLTS TO BETTER OVERCOME ADVERSITY IN 2026

Colts Owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon opened her end-of-season press conference on Monday at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center by speaking directly to her team’s fans in the aftermath of an 8-9 season.

“You’re right to be frustrated with the latter part of how our season went,” Irsay-Gordon said. “I’m pissed. We’re all pissed.”

In 2025, the Colts experienced the remarkable heights of being 8-2 with the NFL’s top offense and the crushing lows of losing their starting quarterback, several key defensive players and their final seven games. As Irsay-Gordon evaluated the entire Colts’ 2025 season, she decided to have general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen return for their 10th and fourth seasons in those positions, respectively.

But with that continuity, Irsay-Gordon stressed Monday, comes with an extremely high sense of urgency to not only replicate the Colts’ early-season success, but to fix the issues that led to the team’s late-season crash.

“We have been very clear with Chris and Shane that giving them another opportunity means that the sense of urgency for them to deliver and perform has never been higher,” Irsay-Gordon said. “Chris and Shane are both capable of facing this challenge head-on and finding a way to achieve the results that our fans deserve, which is winning games, getting to the postseason and ultimately winning championships.”

For Irsay-Gordon, injuries to quarterback Daniel Jones, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and cornerbacks Charvarius Ward Sr. and Sauce Gardner – among others – were not enough to explain the Colts’ seven-game losing streak to end the season. She emphasized Ballard and Steichen’s “first priority” is to figure out how to get this team to consistently finish games; she also emphasized those solutions need to include solutions for better handling the sort of adversity every NFL team faces in some manner during a season.

“We’ve got to be able to handle adversity better and still find a way to win, because injuries are never an excuse,” Irsay-Gordon said. “Not in this league.”

But those charges also came with an acknowledgement that Ballard and Steichen did build an 8-2 team that didn’t have a fluky foundation. Heading into Week 12, the Colts had an NFL-best point differential of +105; even despite losing their final seven games, the Colts ended their season with a +54 point differential, better than five playoff teams and the same as the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles.

Within that success, Steichen and quarterback Daniel Jones worked well together, with Jones finishing 2025 with the NFL’s third-best yards per attempt average (8.1), fourth-best completion percentage (68 percent) and sixth-best passer rating (100.2).

“We were all encouraged by our first half,” Irsay-Gordon said. “We experienced a lot of progress, which gives us optimism for the future and the direction we are heading as a team.”

Irsay-Gordon also saw Ballard adapt his approach to building the Colts, with splash free agent contracts for Ward and safety Cam Bynum landing in the spring before a blockbuster trade for Gardner hit a few hours before the NFL trade deadline in November.

“You have to look at where Chris improved and that we believe that he’s going to be able to replicate what we were on our way to doing before we went through that losing streak,” Irsay-Gordon said.

Coming to the decision to retain Ballard and Steichen was not something Irsay-Gordon and her sisters, Owner & Executive Vice President Casey Foyt and Owner & Chief Brand Officer and President of the Indianapolis Colts Foundation Kalen Jackson, came to lightly. The 2025 season was not to the Colts’ standard, Irsay-Gordon said.

But this decision was made because Irsay-Gordon believes Ballard and Steichen can re-capture the success they had in the first 10 weeks of 2025, while fixing the issues that plagued the Colts over the final eight weeks of the season.

“We’re going to have to look at how things go through the whole season,” Irsay-Gordon said. “But we really believe this decision is based on – we wouldn’t make it if we didn’t think Chris and Shane were capable of replicating what we saw in the first half of our season and being able to finish through the entire season next year.”

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INDIANA RELEASES

INDIANA PACERS

GAME PREVIEW: PACERS VS CAVALIERS

The Pacers (6-30) return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Tuesday to host the Cleveland Cavaliers (20-17) in another rematch from last year’s playoff run.

The Blue & Gold will host six of their next seven games beginning Tuesday. They make a quick trip to Charlotte on Thursday before beginning a five-game homestand on Saturday against Miami.

The Pacers are still searching for their elusive next win, which will be the 1,000th career victory for head coach Rick Carlisle. Indiana has dropped 12 straight games, tying the longest losing streak in franchise history. The Pacers’ last win was on Dec. 8 against Sacramento.

The Pacers are coming off a close call on Sunday afternoon in Orlando. They clawed back from a double-digit deficit and were down just three with under three minutes remaining, but couldn’t quite complete the comeback in a 135-127 loss.

Pascal Siakam was outstanding in the loss. Despite the Pacers’ record, Siakam is making a strong case for a fourth career All-Star selection. Siakam had 34 points against Orlando on 14-of-21 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and five assists.

Aaron Nesmith added 25 points and eight assists while going 5-for-11 from 3-point range, while Andrew Nembhard finished with 20 points and 11 assists.

After winning 64 games last season, the Cavs have had an up-and-down campaign this season. They are just 5-6 in their last seven games and current reside in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Despite Cleveland’s inconsistency, Donovan Mitchell is having another outstanding season. The All-NBA guard ranks fifth in the league in scoring, averaging a career-best 29.8 points per game. Mitchell is shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 38.8 percent from 3-point range to go along with 4.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.

This will be the third meeting this season between Indiana and Cleveland. The Cavs won the first two, prevailing on Nov. 21 in Cleveland and again on Dec. 1 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Projected Starters

Pacers: G – Andrew Nembhard , G – Aaron Nesmith, F – Johnny Furphy, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Micah Potter

Magic: G – Darius Garland, G – Donovan Mitchell, F – Sam Merrill, F – Jaylon Tyson, C – Evan Mobley

Injury Report

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton – out (right Achilles tendon tear), Isaiah Jackson – out (concussion), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right thumb sprain), Obi Toppin – out (right foot stress fracture)

Cavaliers: TBA

Last Meeting

Dec. 1, 2025: Donovan Mitchell scored 43 points as the Cavaliers led for all but the opening 88 seconds in a 135-119 victory over the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Mitchell went 16-for-27 from the floor, 4-for-10 from 3-point range, and 7-for-9 from the free throw line while also tallying nine rebounds and six assists. Jaylon Tyson added 27 points and 11 boards for the Cavs.

Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 26 points on 11-of-21 shooting and seven rebounds. Andrew Nembhard tallied 21 points and six assists, while Jay Huff and Garrison Mathews scored 15 points apiece.

Noteworthy

The Cavs and Pacers play twice more in the regular season: in Indianapolis on Tuesday and on April 5 in Cleveland.

Cavaliers center Thomas Bryant was a member of the Pacers’ Eastern Conference championship team last season.

The Pacers’ 12-game losing streak is tied for the longest in franchise history. They lost 12 consecutive games three different times in the 1980s: from Feb. 16 – March 11, 1983; from March 14 – April 3, 1985; and from Jan. 26 – Feb. 23, 1989.

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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INDIANA FOOTBALL

NO. 1 INDIANA STARTS POST-MENDOZA ERA BY ADDING FORMER TCU QUARTERBACK, NEW RECEIVER, AP SOURCE SAYS

As No. 1 Indiana prepares for Friday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 5 Oregon, coach Curt Cignetti is already reloading.

On Sunday, the undefeated Hoosiers acquired two key players in the transfer portal, landing former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, according to a person with knowledge of the commitment. The person requested anonymity because official announcements have not yet been made. Former Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh also is headed to Indiana, his mother, Yolanda Wilson, confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday.

Marsh considered transferring last year but said he turned down more money from other schools to stay with the Spartans.

Hoover could be the successor for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza even though Mendoza’s younger brother, Alberto, could stay at Indiana. But Hoover brings a dimension that has worked well for Cignetti in his first two seasons in Bloomington — a proven, multiyear starter.

Indiana went with Kurtis Rourke, a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year with Ohio, in 2024 then got Mendoza, a two-year starter at California, this season.

Hoover is 19-12 in 2 1/2 seasons as the Horned Frogs starter and has completed 65.2% of his 1,183 attempts for 9,629 yards and has 71 TD passes and 33 interceptions. In 2025, the Texan was 272 of 413 for 3,472 yards with 29 TDs and 13 interceptions. He also has eight TD runs in his career.

But the other part of Sunday’s haul was equally impressive. Marsh had 100 receptions for 1,311 yards and nine TD receptions in his two seasons with the Spartans and broke school records for a freshman with 41 catches and 649 yards in 2024.

The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Marsh is expected to replace Elijah Sarratt, who caught the winning TD passes at Iowa and in Indiana’s first matchup against Oregon.

Multiple news outlets also reported former Boston College running back Turbo Richard also was heading to Indiana. Richard had 145 carries for 749 yards and nine TDs in 11 games last season after only logging 55 carries in 2024. The Hoosiers also are losing their top two rushers — Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black.

The Hoosiers (14-0) and Ducks (13-1) meet Friday night in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta with the winner advancing to the Jan. 19 national championship game.

Sorsby to Texas Tech

Quarterback Brendan Sorsby announced in an Instagram post that he is transferring to Texas Tech.

Sorsby was regarded as one of the top quarterbacks available in the transfer portal. He had thrown for at least 2,800 yards each of the last two seasons at Cincinnati. This season, Sorsby completed 61.6% of his passes for 2,800 yards with 27 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also rushed for 580 yards and nine touchdowns.

That followed a 2024 season in which Sorsby completed 64% of his passes for 2,813 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He rushed for 447 yards and nine touchdowns that year.

Other Big Ten QBs

Quarterback Colton Joseph is heading to Wisconsin after throwing for more than 2,500 yards and eclipsing 1,000 yards rushing at Old Dominion this season.

Joseph announced his decision Sunday with an X post that included the message, “On Wisconsin.” He completed 59.7% of his passes this season for 2,624 yards with 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Old Dominion, which went 10-3. He also rushed for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns on 158 carries. He didn’t play in Old Dominion’s 24-10 Cure Bowl victory over South Florida after deciding to enter the transfer portal.

Wisconsin has gone to the transfer portal for quarterbacks every year since coach Luke Fickell arrived, though injuries have limited their production.

Tanner Mordecai came over from SMU in 2023 but missed 3 1/2 games with a broken hand that season. Tyler Van Dyke arrived from Miami the following year but tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the third game of the season. Former Mississippi State quarterback Braedyn Locke started when Mordecai and Van Dyke were injured.

Billy Edwards Jr. transferred from Maryland and opened the 2025 season as Wisconsin’s starter, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ season-opening victory over Miami (Ohio). He did not play after Sept. 20. San Diego State transfer Danny O’Neil, Southern Illinois transfer Hunter Simmons and freshman Carter Smith each started multiple games after Edwards’ injury.

Illinois found a potential replacement for Luke Altmyer, signing QB Katin Houser out of the transfer portal. He threw for 6,438 yards and 43 touchdowns over four seasons for Michigan State and East Carolina.

Colorado’s additions

It was a big weekend for Colorado coach Deion Sanders, who was looking to add weapons for highly touted quarterback Julian Lewis.

The Buffaloes received commitments from an array of players including San Jose State receiver Danny Scudero, who was named to The Associated Press All-America second team. Scudero’s intention to join the Buffaloes was confirmed by a person familiar with the situation who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Colorado hasn’t announced its new arrivals.

Colorado also had pledges from receiver Kam Perry of Miami (Ohio), along with defensive linemen Lamont Lester Jr. and Yamil Talib, the nephew of longtime NFL cornerback Aqib Talib. In addition, running back Damian Henderson II is set to join Colorado.

Scudero had 88 catches for 1,291 yards and 10 TDs last season for San Jose State. He had a program-best four touchdown catches against Wyoming.

The Buffaloes will be the third school for Perry, who started at Indiana before transferring to Miami (Ohio). He finished with 43 catches for 976 yards and six touchdowns for the RedHawks in 2025.

Henderson follows his coach at Sacramento State to Colorado. Brennan Marion was hired by Sanders as offensive coordinator to implement Marion’s high-tempo, run-oriented “Go-Go” system. Henderson rushed for 565 yards last season after starting his career at Colorado State.

Talib comes to Boulder from Charlotte, where he had 28 tackles and an interception last season for the 49ers. He was at Oklahoma State in 2024.

Lester had 9 1/2 sacks and two forced fumbles last season for Monmouth.

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BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL

BULLDOGS CONTINUE QUICK HOMESTAND TUESDAY NIGHT AGAINST ST. JOHN’S

The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday night, hosting BIG EAST preseason favorite St. John’s at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler enters the game off a loss to Villanova Saturday afternoon; the Bulldogs have lost back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Butler Bulldogs (10-5, 1-3 BIG EAST) vs. St. John’s (9-5, 2-1)

Tuesday, Jan. 6 • 7PM

Hinkle Fieldhouse; Indianapolis, Ind.

Follow Along

TV/Stream: Peacock & NBC Sports Network • Noah Reed & Nick Bahe

Radio/Audio: Fuego 92.7FM, Butler Sports App, SiriusXM 386, Sirius XM App, TuneIn Radio App & ButlerSports.com • @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner

(@n_gardner)

Bullet Points on the Bulldogs

• Butler has lost three BIG EAST games; those three opponents are currently a combined 10-1 in conference play this season.

• Michael Ajayi registered his nation-leading 12th double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds against Villanova.

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

• Butler has out-rebounded 13 of its 15 opponents this season. The Bulldogs rank 23rd nationally at 41.9 rebounds per game and have a +8.0 rebounding margin (33rd nationally).

• Butler ranks 16th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage according to KenPom, collecting 38.9 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).

• The Bulldogs went a season-best 13-for-14 from the free throw line against Villanova (93 percent). Over the last six games, Butler is shooting 76.6 percent at the free throw line. The Bulldogs opened the season by shooting only 65.6 percent at the line over the first nine games, shooting 70 percent or better only twice in that stretch.

• The 14 free throw attempts Saturday matched Butler’s season-low. On the season, the Bulldogs average 26.1 free throw attempts per game, a mark that is 31st nationally.

• Finley Bizjack scored a game-high 18 points Saturday against Villanova, his best scoring output since Dec. 13 against Providence (26 points).

• Ajayi ranks third in the BIG EAST at 16.3 points per game; Bizjack is sixth at 16.0 points per contest.

• Including most recently at Creighton Dec. 30, Butler has scored 85 or more points in eight games this season; the Bulldogs average 85.0 points per game, which is 61st nationally.

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

• Bulldogs among the BIG EAST leaders also include Bizjack (fourth at 2.33 three-pointers made per game), Drayton Jones (fifth at 1.33 blocks per game) and Azavier Robinson (seventh at 1.6 steals per game).

• Through the first 10 games of the season, Butler hit 38.9 percent of their three-point attempts (86-for-221); over the five most recent games, Butler is shooting only 26.7 percent from behind the arc (35-for-131).

• Yohan Traore scored a season-high 20 points to lead the Bulldogs at Creighton Dec. 30; he became the first Bulldog this season to lead the team in scoring off the bench.

• Ajayi went over 1,000 career points (in just 80 career Division I games) in the Dec. 22 win over NJIT. Ajayi has scored 244 points in 15 games so far this season after scoring a total of 221 points in 34 games at Gonzaga last season.

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

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

Red Storm Resume

• BIG EAST Preseason Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor leads the Red Storm, averaging 15.9 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game.

• St. John’s is among the nation’s leaders in free throw attempts per game (sixth, 28.4), blocked shots (13th; 5.9), and offensive rebounds (14th; 14.4).

• The Red Storm were picked to win the BIG EAST in the preseason coaches poll.

Series with St. John’s

• The Bulldogs and St. John’s first met in the 1958 NIT.

• Twenty-six (26) of the 27 match-ups in the all-time series have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST prior to the 2013-14 season.

• Eight of Butler’s 11 wins in the series have come at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

The Series: St. John’s leads, 16-11

Streak: St. John’s, W6

At Hinkle: Butler leads, 8-4

First Meeting: March 13, 1958; SJU, 78-68 (NIT; NYC)

Last Meeting: March 13, 2025; SJU, 78-57 (BIG EAST Tournament; NYC)

Up Next

Butler has the weekend off before returning to action Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Xavier.

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IU INDY WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

IU INDY DROPS ROAD CONTEST TO PURDUE FORT WAYNE

FORT WAYNE – The IU Indy Jaguars fell on the road Monday afternoon, dropping a 71–46 decision to the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons in the Gates Sports Center. PFW controlled the tempo throughout the contest. Hailey Smith led the Jags with 11 points and eight rebounds.

Purdue Fort Wayne set the tone early, jumping out to a 17–7 lead in the opening period. The Mastodons limited IU Indy’s offensive rhythm, forcing contested shots while building a double-digit advantage. IU Indy struggled on offense, shooting just 18.2 percent from the field to open the game.

IU Indy battled defensively in the second quarter, holding PFW to 10 points, but struggled to close the gap offensively. The Jaguars went into halftime trailing 27–16 after a low-scoring stretch for both teams.

The Mastodons broke the game open in the third, outscoring IU Indy 24–15. PFW pushed the pace and capitalized in transition to extend its lead to 51–31 heading into the final period.

IU Indy continued to compete in the fourth quarter, shooting 36.4 percent from the field but Purdue Fort Wayne maintained control down the stretch. The Mastodons closed out the game at 71–46.

The Jaguars forced 19 Mastodon turnovers but couldn’t convert those to points. Hailey Smith led the charge with two steals, 11 points and eight rebounds. Sydney Bolden followed with eight points and two rebounds.

IU Indy will look to regroup as the Jags continue conference play on Sunday, Jan. 11 in the Jungle when they face Wright State.

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BALL STATE MEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTING EASTERN MICHIGAN TUESDAY NIGHT AT WORTHEN ARENA

The Ball State men’s basketball team continues Mid-American Conference play hosting Eastern Michigan on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Tuesday’s contest will be the first home one of the Spring 2026 semester, and early arriving fans can get free T-shirts. Concessions vouchers will also be handed out to Ball State students in attendance.

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

Ball State (4-10, 0-2 MAC) got a season-high 20 points from Devon Barnes and outscored Buffalo 47-44 in the second half but fell 85-72 to the Bulls on Saturday afternoon in upstate New York.

Eastern Michigan (7-8, 1-2 MAC) surrendered a five-point lead with 94 seconds to play in a 68-67 setback to Ohio on Saturday. The other two conference games for the Eagles resulted in a 93-72 loss at Akron on Dec. 19 and an 80-74 win vs UMass on Dec. 30.

Stan Heath is in his fifth season in charge of Eastern, who was picked to finish ninth in the MAC preseason poll after going 16-16 (9-9 MAC) in 2024-25.

The Eagles rank third in the league in blocks per game (3.7) and 3-point defense (31.3 percent) and fifth in rebounds per game (37.1) and scoring defense (72.3 points per game).

Redshirt freshman forward Mo Habhab leads EMU in scoring (14.1 points per game), rebounding (7.6) and assists (3.1) while ranking third in the MAC in playing time (almost 35 minutes a game) and fifth in total rebounds (106) and rebounding average.

Ball State is next set to travel to UMass for the first matchup between the two programs since the Minutemen joined the conference.

BARNES BREAKING OUT: Senior Devon Barnes posted season-bests in scoring in back-to-back games, most recently putting up 20 points at Buffalo on Saturday afternoon.

The guard out of Hinesville, Ga., went 9-for-10 at the free throw line while attempting only nine shots from the field to get to 20 a game after tallying 17 points, six rebounds and five assists in a win against Earlham. Barnes went 10-for-18 from the field, including 5-for-10 from distance, and made 12 out of 13 free throw attempts across the two games.

FINE FROM THE LINE: Led by Barnes, Ball State hit a season-best 82.6 percent (19-23) of its free throw attempts on Saturday in Buffalo.

The most recent time the Cardinals shot that well from the foul line was March 4, 2025 against Central Michigan with a 91.7 percent (11-12) mark. Ball State’s last game shooting over 80 percent from the line on at least 20 attempts before Saturday was Feb. 11, 2025 in an overtime win against Eastern Michigan (89.3 percent, 25-for-28).

DEFENSIVE DOMINATION: Ball State held an opponent to 30 points or fewer for the first time in almost 80 years in the 93-30 win over Earlham on Dec. 29.

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).

YOUNG GUYS WITH CAREER HIGHS: A trio of underclassmen set career highs in the Dec. 29 win against Earlham.

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 (68.9 points per game) and third in fewest fouls committed per game (15.9) and steals per game (7.9) through the season’s first 14 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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PURDUE FT. WAYNE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MASTODONS ROLL PAST IU INDY IN RIVALRY GAME 71-46

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne women’s basketball team won its second game in a row in wire-to-wire fashion on Monday night (Jan. 5). The Mastodons topped IU Indy 71-46 in the Gates Sports Center behind a stellar defensive outing.

The Mastodons now have a seven-game winning streak against IU Indy, the longest in the rivalry’s 46-year history.

Monday was the third time this season and second against a Division I foe that the Mastodons held their opponent under 50 points. The IU Indy’s 46-point performance was the 15th-lowest scoring output by a Division I foe in program history.

With the victory, Purdue Fort Wayne improved to 11-5 and 5-1 in Horizon League with a half-game lead on Youngstown State for second place before the toughest six-game stretch of the season.

The defensive pressure proved too much for IU Indy from the opening tip. The ‘Dons held the Jaguars to just one field goal, a 3-pointer, in the first 8:19 of the contest. In that time, the Mastodons had already built up a 15-3 lead with nine early points from Alana Nelson.

The Mastodon offense slowed down a bit for the rest of the half, but the ‘Dons still led 27-16 at the halftime break. After the break, the fastest team in program history showed why, racking up 44 points in the last 20 minutes, 24 in the third quarter and 20 in the fourth.

IU Indy started the score more easily in the second half but 13 of the Jaguars’ 30 were at the charity stripe. They were just 7-of-23 for 30.4 percent in the second half, but better than the 5-for-25 (20.0 percent) from the first half.

What the Jaguars were unable to score, the Mastodons mopped up on the glass, crushing the visitors 45-29 in the rebounding category. Nelson had seven rebounds, a team-high. Ella Riggs, Jordan Reid and Lili Krasovec all have five or more.

Nelson led all scorers with 15 points. Krasovec had 12, while Nika Lokica and Rylee Bess added 11 each. Hailey Smith had 11 for the Jaguars.

IU Indy fell to 5-10, 1-5 in the HL. The 11-5, 5-1 Mastodons will hit the road this week for visits to Robert Morris (Jan. 8) and Youngstown State (Jan. 10).

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VALPO MEN’S BASKETBALL

VALPO TO HOST MVC PRESEASON FAVORITE ILLINOIS STATE ON WEDNESDAY

Valparaiso (7-8, 1-3 MVC)

vs. Illinois State (12-3, 4-0 MVC)

Game No. 16 – Wednesday, Jan. 7, 7 p.m. CT

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

Next Up in Valpo Basketball: The Valparaiso University men’s basketball team will play the second of back-to-back home games against opponents from the Land of Lincoln on Wednesday as the Beacons welcome Missouri Valley Conference preseason favorite Illinois State – a team that is unbeaten thus far in league play – for a midweek showdown. It’s Decades Night at the ARC as music from various decades will be played.

Last Time Out: A career-high 21 points from freshman JT Pettigrew helped the Beacons notch their first Missouri Valley Conference victory of the season on Sunday afternoon at the ARC, a 66-59 triumph over UIC. Pettigrew went a glowing 10-of-10 at the free-throw line, contributing to Valpo’s 31 made free throws as the Beacons did all of their damage at the stripe down the stretch in a game where their final made field goal came with 5:12 on the clock. Justus McNair contributed 12 points and six boards in the victory.

Glancing Ahead: Valpo will head south for a swing trip to the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, visiting Murray State on Saturday, Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. and Belmont on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at 6:30 p.m. The Beacons and Racers will close out the season series on Saturday in Murray before Valpo has played five other Missouri Valley Conference opponents for the first time.

Following the Beacons: Streaming – ESPN+ – Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Jamie Stangel (analyst)

Radio – WVUR 95.1 FM Valparaiso, TuneIn Radio App, ValpoAthletics.com – Brian Jennings

X updates – @ValpoBasketball

Links for video, audio and live stats will be available at ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Roger Powell Jr.: Roger Powell Jr. (29-52) is in his third season as the head coach of the Valpo men’s basketball program. After helping guide Gonzaga to a 121-13 record during his four seasons as an assistant coach, Powell returned to Valpo, where he was part of head coach Bryce Drew’s staff from 2011-2016 and led the team to 124 wins in five seasons, including a program-record 30 victories and a National Invitation Tournament (NIT) title game appearance in 2015-16. He was part of head coach Mark Few’s Gonzaga staff as the Bulldogs reached the 2021 national championship game after winning their first 31 games of the season. During Powell’s first season on staff in 2019-20, Gonzaga was 31-2 at the time the NCAA college basketball season was halted due to COVID-19. The Bulldogs reached the Sweet Sixteen in each of his final three seasons on staff, including two Elite Eight appearances and the aforementioned trip to the 2021 national title game. Prior to his arrival at Gonzaga, Powell served as the associate head coach at Vanderbilt University under Bryce Drew from 2016-2019. During his stint as an assistant at Valpo, he was part of four Horizon League regular-season championships in a five-year period while also leading the 2012-13 and 2014-15 squads to Horizon League tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. A product of Joliet West High School and a native of Joliet, Ill., Powell capped a prolific collegiate playing career at Illinois with a national title game appearance in 2005 before going on to a successful professional playing career. In the second season of the Powell Era in 2024-2025, Valpo over doubled its overall win total from the previous season and doubled its conference win output before earning a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament semifinal berth. The Beacons finished with 15 wins, the team’s highest total since 2019-20.

Series Notes: Valpo leads the all-time series between these two teams 16-10 despite dropping the only matchup last year, 86-78 on Feb. 1 in Bloomington-Normal. The Redbirds will visit the ARC for the first time since March 3, 2024 (a 75-72 Valpo win) as they were the only MVC team that did not play in Northwest Indiana last season. Valpo has had more success against Illinois State than any other Missouri Valley Conference opponent since joining the league as the Beacons are 12-3 in the last 15 matchups with the Redbirds. Illinois State is 0-6 at the ARC since Valpo joined the Missouri Valley Conference and the last time the Redbirds experienced success in Valpo was Jan. 19, 1981.

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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

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

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

On January 6 in …

1681 – First recorded boxing match (Duke of Albemarle’s butler versus his butcher).

1896 – First US women’s six-day bicycle race starts, Madison Square Garden, New York.

1925 – Paavo Nurmi sets indoor record, 4:13.6 mile and 14:44.6 5,000m.

1930 – Donald Bradman scores 452* in cricket for New South Wales against Queensland, 377 minutes, 49 fours.

1937 – Donald Bradman scores 270 Australia versus England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, including 110 singles.

1947 – Ray Lindwall smashes 100 versus England in Melbourne Cricket Ground Test.

1951 – Indianapolis beats Rochester 75-73 in NBA-record six overtimes.

1956 – US Federal court bars former Little League Commissioner Carl Stotz from forming a rival group.

1964 – Charlie Finlay announces he wants to move Kansas City Athletics to Louisville.

1965 – Geoff Boycott takes 3-47 against South Africa, his best Test bowling.

1972 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Janet Lynn.

1972 – US male Figure Skating championship won by Kenneth Shelley.

1976 – Ted Turner purchases Atlanta Braves for reported $12 million.

1980 – Philadelphia Flyers set NHL record of 35 straight games without a defeat.

1981 – 50th hat trick in New York Islanders’ history – John Tonelli scores five goals.

1984 – Last day of Test cricket for Chappell, Marsh and Lillee.

1986 – Last day in Test cricket for Bob Holland.

1991 – Qian Hong swims female world record 50m butterfly (27.30 seconds).

1992 – New York Yankees sign free agent Danny Tartabul.

1992 – Sachin Tendulkar completes 148 versus Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

1992 – Shane Warne takes 1-150 in his first Test innings.

1994 – In Detroit, Michigan, ice skater Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an assailant under orders from figure skating rival Tonya Harding’s ex-husband.

1994 – Yat Weiju swims world record 50m butterfly stroke (26.44).

1995 – Atlanta Hawks’ Lenny Wilkens becomes NBA’s winningest coach (939).

1998 – Barry Switzer resigns as Dallas Cowboys’ coach.

1998 – Don Sutton selected to Baseball Hall of Fame.

2006 – 18-year-old shortstop Justin Upton signs a five-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks for US$6.1 million, the largest signing bonus in a minor-league contract for a drafted player who was not a free agent.

2006 – The Toronto Blue Jays trade Corey Koskie to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league pitching prospect Brian Wolfe.

2022 – At crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, USA, NHL regular season game: Florida Predators beats Los Angeles Kings by score 4-2.

2022 – At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, NHL regular season game: Vegas Golden Knights beats New York Rangers by score 5-1.

2022 – At Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, USA, NHL regular season game: Arizona Coyotes beats Chicago Blackhawks by score 6-4.

2022 – At Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, USA, NHL regular season game: Colorado Avalanche beats Winnipeg Jets by score 7-1.

2022 – At American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, USA, NHL regular season game: Dallas Stars beats Florida Panthers by score 6-5.

2022 – At Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, NHL regular season game: Pittsburgh Penguins beats Philadelphia Flyers by score 6-2.

2022 – At Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA, NHL regular season game: New Jersey Devils beats Columbus Blue Jackets by score 3-1.

2022 – At Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, USA, NHL regular season game: Tampa Bay Lightning beats Calgary Flames by score 4-1.

2022 – At KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, USA, NHL regular season game: San Jose Sharks beats Buffalo Sabres by score 3-2.

2022 – At TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, NHL regular season game: Minnesota Wild beats Boston Bruins by score 3-2.

Births of sports figures on January 6

1864 – Birth of Ban Johnson in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA; baseball founder (American League).

1891 – Birth of Ted McDonald; cricket player (great Australian quick of 1920s).

1920 – Birth of Early Wynn in Hartford, Alabama, USA; Baseball Hall of Famer (pitcher).

1921 – Birth of Cary Middlecoff; golfer (1956 Vardon Trophy, 1955 Byron Nelson Award).

1931 – Birth of Graeme Hole; cricket player (Australian batsman of the fifties).

1935 – Birth of Ian Meckiff; cricket player (Australia quick 57-63, “threw”? his career away).

1937 – Birth of Lou Holtz; American football coach (New Jersey Jets).

1943 – Birth of Terry Venables; British soccer player/manager.

1944 – Birth of Robert Landers in Tarrant County, Texas, USA; PGA golfer (Fort Worth-1976, 1978, 1980).

1945 – Birth of Barry John; Welsh international rugby player.

1946 – Birth of Harold Jackson in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA; NFL wide receiver (Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots).

1947 – Birth of Ian Millar in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; dressage rider (World Cup 1988, 1989, Olympics-1996).

1948 – Birth of Dayle Hadlee; cricket player (brother of Richard, New Zealand medium-pacer of 1970s).

1949 – Birth of Michael Boit in Nandi, Kenya; 800m runner (Olympics-bronze-1972).

1954 – Birth of Norbert Hahn in the German Democratic Republic; two-man luge (Olympics-gold-1976, 1980).

1957 – Birth of Nancy Lopez Knight in Torrance, California, USA; pro golfer (1988 Mazda, 1981 Dinah Shore).

1959 – Birth of Kapil Dev; cricket player (India’s finest all-rounder 1978-94, Cup-1982).

1960 – Birth of Paul William Azinger in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA; PGA golfer (1987 Phoenix Open).

1961 – Birth of Howie Long; NFL tackle/actor/broadcaster (Broken Arrow).

1962 – Birth of Philip Brown in Birmingham, England; 4x400m runner (Olympics-silver-1984).

1962 – Birth of Sean Landeta; NFL place kicker (New York Giants).

1963 – Birth of Norm Charlton in Fort Polk, Louisiana, USA; pitcher (Seattle Mariners).

1964 – Birth of Charles Haley; NFL defensive end (Dallas Cowboys).

1965 – Birth of Christine Wachtel; East German running star (world indoor record 800m).

1965 – Birth of Jose Dejesus; US baseball pitcher (Kansas City Royals).

1965 – Birth of Lindsay H Burns in Big Timber, Montana, USA; rower (Olympics-silver-1996).

1965 – Birth of Tim McDonald; NFL player (San Francisco 49ers).

1966 – Birth of Bob Kratch; NFL guard (New England Patriots).

1966 – Birth of Donnell Woolford; NFL cornerback (Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears).

1966 – Birth of Shahid Saeed; cricket player (Pakistani batsman in Test versus India 1989).

1967 – Birth of David Belcher; Australian rower (Olympics-1996).

1967 – Birth of Larry Donald in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; US boxer (Olympics-1992).

1968 – Birth of Jerry Crafts; NFL/WLAF tackle (Philadelphia Eagles, Amsterdam Admirals).

1968 – Birth of Vlastimil Plavucha in Banska Bystrica, Czechoslovakia; hockey forward (Team Slovakia).

1969 – Birth of Alvin Morman in Rockingham, North Carolina, USA; pitcher (Houston Astros).

1969 – Birth of Florence Descampe in Brussels, Belgium; LPGA golfer (1992 McCall).

1969 – Birth of Jason Childs; NFL tackle (Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers).

1969 – Birth of Nick A’Hern; Australian 20k walker (Olympics-22-1992, 1996).

1970 – Birth of Daniel Naulty in Los Angeles, California, USA; pitcher (Minnesota Twins).

1970 – Birth of Gabrielle Reece in Trinidad; volleyball star/model (Extremists).

1970 – Birth of Geert Brusselers; soccer player (NAC).

1970 – Birth of John Gerak; NFL tight end/guide (Minnesota Vikings, Saint Louis Rams).

1970 – Birth of Keenan McCardell; NFL wide receiver (Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars).

1970 – Birth of Kerrin Petty in Townshend, Vermont, USA; cross country skier (Olympics-1994).

1970 – Birth of René Binken; soccer player (Volendam).

1971 – Birth of Jed DeVries; NFL tackle (Cleveland Browns).

1971 – Birth of Mike Wells; NFL defensive end (Detroit Lions).

1971 – Birth of Myron Baker; NFL linebacker (Chicago Bears).

1972 – Birth of Denis Montana; Canadian Football League receiver (Montreal Alouettes, Toronto Argonauts).

1972 – Birth of Willie Clark; NFL cornerback (San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles).

1973 – Birth of Sairaj Bahatule; cricket player (promising Bombay leg-spin all-rounder).

1974 – Birth of Juan Roque; tackle (Detroit Lions).

1974 – Birth of Marcus Crandell; Canadian Football League quarterback (Edmonton Eskimos).

1974 – Birth of Paul Grant; NBA center (Minnesota Timberwolves).

1975 – Birth of James Farrior; linebacker (New York Jets).

1975 – Birth of Laura Berg in Whittier, California; softball outfielder (Olympics-gold-1996).

1976 – Birth of Jeremy Linn; American 100m breaststroke (Olympics-silver/gold-1996).

1976 – Birth of Richard Zednik in Bystrica, Czechoslovakia; NHL forward (Team Slovakia, Washington Capitals).

1977 – Birth of Stacey Gartrell in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; swimmer (Olympics-1996).

1978 – Birth of Steve Hartsell in Ann Arbor, Michigan; pairs skater (with Danielle Hartsell).

Deaths of sports figures on January 6

1907 – Walter Read, cricket player (English batsman, 117 at no 10 versus Australia 1884), dies.

1915 – Reginald Wood, cricket player (one Test England versus Australia 1886), dies.

1928 – Alvin C Kraenzlein, track star (Olympics-4 gold-1900), dies at age 51.

1936 – Charles A Stoneham, president (New York Giants), dies.

1939 – Albert Ward, cricket player (England batsman in 7 Tests 1893-95), dies.

1967 – Johnny Keane, baseball player/manager (Saint Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees), dies at age 55.

2015 – Death of Vlastimil Bubník, Czech ice hockey player and footballer (born 1931).

2023 – Death of Gianluca Vialli at age 58; soccer player (Italy, Juventus, Chelsea), manager, coach.

On January 7 in …

1908 – England beats Australia by one wicket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

1910 – Ottawa Senators sweep Galt in two games for the Stanley Cup.

1927 – Harlem Globetrotters play first basketball game (Hinckley, Illinois).

1932 – First game played at Orchard Lake Curling Club, Michigan, USA.

1936 – Tennis champions Helen Moody and Howard Kinsley volley 2,001 times (1 hour 18 minutes).

1947 – Australia versus England at Melbourne Cricket Ground drawn in six days, first cricket draw in Australia since 1882.

1956 – Vinoo Mankad scores 231 versus New Zealand, 413 opening stand with Roy.

1961 – First NFL Playoff Bowl (runner-up bowl)-Detroit Lions beats Cleveland Browns 17-16.

1962 – AFL Pro Bowl: West beats East 47-27.

1968 – GE College Bowl quiz show premieres on NBC TV.

1972 – Los Angeles Lakers chalk up 33rd consecutive win (NBA record).

1973 – Jo Ann Prentice wins LPGA Burdine’s Golf Invitational.

1973 – Johnny Watkins bowls six overs 0-21 versus Pakistan Never again.

1980 – Minnesota North Stars end Philadelphia Flyers’ NHL record 35 game unbeaten streak.

1982 – New York Islanders’ Bryan Trottier’s 10th career hat trick.

1983 – Australia regain the Ashes with a 2-1 series win versus England.

1985 – Lou Brock and Hoyt Wilhelm elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

1987 – Kapil Dev takes his 300th Test wicket, at age 28 the youngest.

1989 – Cleveland Cavaliers block 21 New York Knicks’ shots tying NBA regulation game record.

1990 – Lynn Jennings runs world record 5km indoor at 15:22.64.

1992 – Last day of Test cricket for Imran Khan.

1992 – Tom Seaver and Rollie Fingers elected to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame.

1994 – South Africa beats Australia in the Sydney Test by five runs.

1994 – US female Figure Skating championship won by Tonya Harding.

2005 – Baseball commissioner Bud Selig announces Major League Baseball and the Players Association will donate $1 million to help the victims of last month’s Indian Ocean tsunami.

2006 – At the sixth Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Legacy ceremonies in Kansas City, Bob Watson, the first black general manager in baseball history, receives the Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award.

2007 – Randy Johnson agrees to a US$26 million, two-year Arizona Diamondbacks deal.

2010 – Matt Holliday signs a US$120 million seven-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals.

2022 – At Enterprise Center in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, NHL regular season game: Saint Louis Blues beats Washington Capitals by score 5-1.

2022 – At PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, NHL regular season game: Carolina Hurricanes beats Calgary Flames by score 6-3.

Births of sports figures on January 7

1875 – Birth of Thomas Hicks; English/US marathon runner (Olympics-gold-1904).

1890 – Birth of Maurice E McLoughlin; tennis champion (US Open-1912).

1910 – Birth of Jack Lovelock; New Zealand/US surgeon/runner (Olympics-gold-1936).

1911 – Birth of Merv Waite; cricket player (South Australian all-rounder).

1916 – Birth of Gerrit Schulte AKA De Bossche Reus in the Netherlands; Dutch six day bicyclist, ten-time national champion, twice European champion, World Champion.

1918 – Birth of Colin Snedden; cricket player (Test New Zealand versus England 1947, 0-46, did not bat).

1928 – Birth of Rajindranath; cricket player (4 stumpings in his only Test for India).

1929 – Birth of Kenneth Henry; American 500m speed skater (Olympics-gold-1952).

1934 – Birth of Charles Lamont Jenkins in New York City, New York, USA; 400m runner (Olympics-gold-1956).

1942 – Birth of Vasili Alexeyev in USSR; weightlifter (Olympics-gold-1972, 1976).

1943 – Birth of Jim Lefebvre in Hawthorne, California, USA; baseball manager (Seattle Mariners).

1945 – Birth of Tony Conigliaro in Massachusetts, USA; baseball outfielder (Boston Red Sox).

1953 – Birth of Agha Zahid; cricket player (open batting for Pakistan vs West Indies 1975, scored 14 and 1).

1954 – Birth of Alan Butcher; cricket player (one Test England versus India, scored 14 and 20).

1956 – Birth of Robin Walton in Boise, Idaho, USA; LPGA golfer (1995 GHP Heartland Classic-15th).

1956 – Birth of Rosalyn Bryant in Chicago, Illinois, USA; 4x400m runner (Olympics-silver-1976).

1962 – Birth of Jeff Montgomery in Wellston, Ohio, USA; pitcher (Kansas City Royals).

1963 – Birth of Craig Shipley; Australian/US baseball infielder (San Diego Padres).

1965 – Birth of Mark Rushmere; cricket player (South Africa opening bat in comeback Test 1992).

1966 – Birth of Jennifer Luff; Australian rower (Olympics-1996).

1966 – Birth of Randy Burridge in Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada; NHL left wing (Buffalo Sabres).

1967 – Birth of Guy Hebert in Troy, New York, USA; NHL goalie (Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Team USA 1998).

1967 – Birth of Scott Galbraith; NFL tight end (Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys).

1968 – Birth of Michael Rosati; hockey goaltender (Team Italy 1998).

1968 – Birth of Nathaniel Bolton; WLAF running back (Frankfurt Galaxy).

1969 – Birth of Chris Hatcher; US baseball outfielder (Houston Astros).

1969 – Birth of Erric Pegram; NFL running back (Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers).

1969 – Birth of Todd Kinchen; NFL wide receiver (Saint Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons).

1970 – Birth of Darryl Williams; NFL safety (Seattle Seahawks, Cincinnati Bengals).

1970 – Birth of Frank “Cliff” Mannon in Amarillo, Texas, USA; team handball (Olympics-1996).

1970 – Birth of Paul McCallum; Canadian Football League/WLAF kicker/punter (Scottish Claymores, Saskatchewan Roughriders).

1970 – Birth of Todd Day; NBA guard/forward (Boston Celtics).

1971 – Birth of Bobby Hamilton; NFL/WLAF defensive end (Amsterdam Admirals, New York Jets).

1971 – Birth of Masato Itai; WLAF wide receiver (Amsterdam Admirals).

1971 – Birth of Todd Yeaman; NFL defensive tackle (New York Giants).

1972 – Birth of Aaron John Mcintosh in Auckland, New Zealand; sailboard yachter (Olympics-1996).

1972 – Birth of Chuck Levy; kick returner/running back (San Francisco 49ers).

1972 – Birth of Donald Brashear in Bedford, Indiana, USA; NHL left wing (Montreal Canadiens).

1973 – Birth of Bobby Engram; wide receiver (Chicago Bears).

1973 – Birth of Brian Milne; fullback (Cincinnati Bengals).

1973 – Birth of Ricky Wood in Van Nuys, California, USA; diver (Olympics-1996).

1973 – Birth of Robert Dunn in Glenn Cove, New York, USA; team handball left wing (Olympics-1996).

1975 – Birth of Robert Norman Waddell in Cambridge, New Zealand; single scull rower (Olympics-1996).

Deaths of sports figures on January 7

1936 – Howard Francis, cricket player (two Tests South Africa versus England 1898-99, 39 runs), dies.

1955 – Gerald Hartigan, cricket player (South African batsman in five Tests 1911-14), dies.

1967 – Sid Emery, cricket leg-spinner (New South Wales and Australia, five wicket in 1912 series), dies.

1972 – Clarence Passailaigue, cricket player (487 for 6th wicket for Jamaica), dies.

1982 – Bert Oosterhuis, Dutch motor racer (Paris-Dakar), dies in race crash.

1990 – Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski, football hall of famer, dies at age 81.

1990 – Horace Stoneham, baseball owner (San Francisco Giants), dies at age 86.

1990 – Joseph Robbie, lawyer/NFL owner (Miami Dolphins), dies at age 73.

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TV SPORTS

Tuesday, 1/6/26

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Indiana Pacers	7:00pm	FanDuel Sports Ohio FanDuel Sports IND
Orlando Magic vs Washington Wizards	7:00pm	MNMT FanDuel Sports FL
Miami Heat vs Minnesota Timberwolves	8:00pm	NBC Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers vs New Orleans Pelicans	8:00pm	Spectrum GCSN
San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports SW FanDuel Sports MEM
Dallas Mavericks vs Sacramento Kings	11:00pm	NBC Peacock
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Anaheim Ducks vs Washington Capitals	7:00pm	MNMT Victory+
Utah Mammoth vs New York Rangers	7:00pm	Utah16 MSG
Detroit Red Wings vs Ottawa Senators	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports DET ESPN+
Seattle Kraken vs Calgary Flames	9:30pm	KONG ESPN+
Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings	10:30pm	FanDuel Sports North FanDuel Sports West
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Bowling Green at Kent State	1:00pm	ESPN+
UMass at Ohio	6:00pm	CBSSN
Duke at Louisville	7:00pm	ESPN
Cincinnati at West Virginia	7:00pm	ESPN2
Michigan at Penn State	7:00pm	FS1
South Carolina at LSU	7:00pm	ESPNU
Georgia at Florida	7:00pm	SECN
Syracuse at Georgia Tech	7:00pm	ACCN
St. John’s at Butler	7:00pm	Peacock
Central Michigan at Akron	7:00pm	ESPN+
Eastern Michigan at Ball State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Western Michigan at Miami (OH)	7:00pm	ESPN+
Georgetown at DePaul	8:00pm	TruTV
Iowa at Minnesota	8:00pm	BTN
George Washington at Dayton	8:00pm	CBSSN
UCF at Oklahoma State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Toledo at Northern Illinois	8:00pm	ESPN+
Lindenwood at SIUE	8:30pm	ESPN+
TCU at Kansas	9:00pm	ESPN
Texas at Tennessee	9:00pm	ESPN2
Texas Tech at Houston	9:00pm	FS1
Texas A&M at Auburn	9:00pm	SECN
NC State at Boston College	9:00pm	ACCN
Utah State at Air Force	9:00pm	ALT
New Mexico at Colorado State	9:00pm	MWN
UCLA at Wisconsin	9:00pm	Peacock
UNLV at Wyoming	10:00pm	CBSSN
Fresno State at San Jose State	10:00pm	NBCS-BAY
San Diego State at Nevada	11:00pm	FS1
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Serie A: Pisa vs Como	9:00am	Paramount+
Serie A: Lecce vs Roma	12:00pm	Paramount+
Copa del Rey: Granada vs Rayo Vallecano	12:00pm	ESPN+ fuboTV
EPL: West Ham United vs Nottingham Forest	3:00pm	Peacock
Serie A: Sassuolo vs Juventus	2:45pm	Paramount+

Wednesday, 1/7/26

NBA REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Denver Nuggets vs Boston Celtics	7:00pm	ESPN ALT NBCS=PHI
Toronto Raptors vs Charlotte Hornets	7:00pm	SN FanDuel Sports CHA
Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons	7:00pm	CHSN FanDuel Sports DET
Washington Wizards vs Philadelphia 76ers	7:00pm	MNMT NBCS-PHI
Los Angeles Clippers vs New York Knicks	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports SoCal MSG
Orlando Magic vs Brooklyn Nets	7:30pm	FanDuel Sports FL YES
New Orleans Pelicans vs Atlanta Hawks	7:30pm	GCSN FanDuel Sports ATL
Phoenix Suns vs Memphis Grizzlies	8:00pm	AFSN FanDuel Sports MEM
Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder	8:00pm	FanDuel Sports OKC KJZZ
Los Angeles Lakers vs San Antonio Spurs	9:30pm	ESPN FanDuel Sports SW Spectrum
Milwaukee Bucks vs Golden State Warriors	10:00pm	FanDuel Sports MIL NBCS-BAY
Houston Rockets vs Portland Trail Blazers	10:00pm	SCHN Rip City
NHL REGULAR SEASON	TIME ET	TV
Dallas Stars vs Washington Capitals	7:00pm	TNT MAX
Calgary Flames vs Montreal Canadiens	7:30pm	ESPN+ SN
Ottawa Senators vs Utah Mammoth	9:30pm	Utah16 ESPN+
St. Louis Blues vs Chicago Blackhawks	9:30pm	TNT MAX
San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings	10:30pm	NBCS-CA FanDuel Sports West
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL	TIME ET	TV
Furman at Chattanooga	5:00pm	CBSSN
UNCG at Wofford	6:00pm	Nexstar
Loyola Maryland at Army West Point	6:00pm	ESPN+
Holy Cross at Lehigh	6:00pm	ESPN+
Indiana at Maryland	6:30pm	BTN
Charleston Southern at Winthrop	6:30pm	ESPN+
Longwood at UNC Asheville	6:30pm	ESPN+
Missouri at Kentucky	7:00pm	ESPN2
Xavier at Marquette	7:00pm	FS1
Miami (FL) at Wake Forest	7:00pm	ESPNU
Oklahoma at Mississippi State	7:00pm	SECN
Stanford at Virginia Tech	7:00pm	ACCN
Saint Louis at VCU	7:00pm	CBSSN
Belmont at UNI	7:00pm	MVC TV
George Mason at Fordham	7:00pm	SNY
La Salle at Rhode Island	7:00pm	WLNE-DT5
UConn at Providence	7:00pm	Peacock
Richmond at St. Bonaventure	7:00pm	ESPN+
Missouri State at Kennesaw State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Marshall at James Madison	7:00pm	ESPN+
VMI at ETSU	7:00pm	ESPN+
Presbyterian at Radford	7:00pm	ESPN+
Gardner-Webb at High Point	7:00pm	ESPN+
The Citadel at Mercer	7:00pm	ESPN+
Bucknell at Navy	7:00pm	ESPN+
East Carolina at Temple	7:00pm	ESPN+
American at Colgate	7:00pm	ESPN+
FIU at Jacksonville State	7:00pm	ESPN+
Western Carolina at Samford	7:00pm	ESPN+
Duquesne at Saint Joseph’s	7:00pm	ESPN+
Boston University at Lafayette	7:00pm	ESPN+
Purdue Fort Wayne at Youngstown State	7:15pm	ESPN+
Creighton at Villanova	7:30pm	Peacock
Florida Atlantic at UAB	7:30pm	ESPN+
Rice at Wichita State	7:30pm	ESPN+
Iowa State at Baylor	8:00pm	Peacock
Murray State at Evansville	8:00pm	ESPN+
Southern Illinois at UIC	8:00pm	ESPN+
South Florida at North Texas	8:00pm	ESPN+
Illinois State at Valparaiso	8:00pm	ESPN+
Troy at Arkansas State	8:00pm	ESPN+
Charlotte at UTSA	8:00pm	ESPN+
Washington at Purdue	8:30pm	BTN
Alabama at Vanderbilt	9:00pm	ESPN2
Kansas State at Arizona	9:00pm	FS1
SMU at Clemson	9:00pm	ESPNU
Arkansas at Ole Miss	9:00pm	SECN
California at Virginia	9:00pm	ACCN
Davidson at Loyola Chicago	9:00pm	CBSSN
Drake at Bradley	9:00pm	MVC TV
South Dakota at St. Thomas	9:00pm	KMSP-DT2
Arizona State at BYU	9:00pm	Peacock
Utah at Colorado	9:00pm	ESPN+
Grand Canyon at Boise State	11:00pm	FS1
SOCCER	TIME ET	TV
Serie A: Bologna vs Atalanta	12:30pm	Paramount+
Serie A: Napoli vs Verona	12:30pm	Paramount+
Supercopa de España: Barcelona vs Athletic Clubo	2:00pm	ESPN2 fuboTV
EPL: AFC Bournemouth vs Tottenham Hotspur	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Brentford vs Sunderland	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Crystal Palace vs Aston Villa	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Everton vs Wolverhampton Wanderers	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Fulham vs Chelsea	2:30pm	Peacock
EPL: Manchester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion	2:30pm	Peacock
Serie A: Lazio vs Fiorentina	2:45pm	Paramount+
Serie A: Parma vs Internazionale	2:45pm	Paramount+
Serie A: Torino vs Udinese	2:45pm	Paramount+
EPL: Burnley vs Manchester United	3:15pm	Peacock
EPL: Newcastle United vs Leeds United	3:15pm	Peacock

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

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