Third Ashes Test, Adelaide Oval (day one of five)

Australia 326-8: Carey 106, Khawaja 82; Archer 3-29

England: yet to bat

Australia won the toss

Scorecard

England battled hard to stay in the Ashes as Alex Carey's century led Australia to 326-8 on the first day of the third Test.

On a dramatic, poignant and emotional day in Adelaide, Carey's composed 106 ensured Australia did not waste the opportunity to bat first on a slow pitch in baking temperatures.

It means England, who must win to keep their hopes of regaining the Ashes alive, will be batting under pressure on the second day.

Even before the Adelaide Oval paid tribute to the victims of the shooting at Bondi Beach, Steve Smith was ruled out of the Test with symptoms of dizziness and nausea.

Smith's replacement Usman Khawaja took his unexpected opportunity with 82 after being dropped by Harry Brook on five. Khawaja steadied the home side amid some loose Australian shots against some mixed England bowling.

Jofra Archer was outstanding for his 3-29 from 16 overs, including taking two wickets in the first over after lunch.

Khawaja and Carey added 91 for the fifth wicket, yet when Australia were reduced to 271-7 England had a real opportunity.

Once again, Mitchell Starc found a way to contribute, adding 50 for the eighth wicket with Carey.

England will return on Thursday with a second new ball only three overs old. They have the chance to dismiss Australia for a par total, then could potentially bat themselves back into the series.

• Get cricket news sent straight to your phone

Toronto Raptors (16-11, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (11-16, 10th in the Eastern Conference)

Milwaukee; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Milwaukee Bucks host the Toronto Raptors in Eastern Conference action Thursday.

The Bucks are 9-12 against Eastern Conference opponents. Milwaukee is 7-10 against opponents over .500.

The Raptors are 14-7 in Eastern Conference play. Toronto ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference shooting 36.3% from 3-point range.

The Bucks make 49.1% of their shots from the field this season, which is 2.7 percentage points higher than the Raptors have allowed to their opponents (46.4%). The Raptors average 115.4 points per game, 2.3 fewer than the 117.7 the Bucks give up.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Raptors won 128-100 in the last meeting on Nov. 5. Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 23 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 22 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ryan Rollins is averaging 17 points, six assists and 1.6 steals for the Bucks. Gary Trent Jr. is averaging 4.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Barnes is scoring 19.6 points per game with 7.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists for the Raptors. Brandon Ingram is averaging 28.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 47.4% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bucks: 3-7, averaging 108.1 points, 38.9 rebounds, 26.3 assists, 8.2 steals and 3.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.4 points per game.

Raptors: 4-6, averaging 105.9 points, 44.0 rebounds, 28.1 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.4 points.

INJURIES: Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo: out (calf), AJ Green: day to day (shoulder), Taurean Prince: out (neck).

Raptors: RJ Barrett: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Sacramento Kings (6-20, 13th in the Western Conference) vs. Portland Trail Blazers (10-16, 11th in the Western Conference)

Portland, Oregon; Thursday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Sacramento aims to stop its three-game skid with a victory over Portland.

The Trail Blazers are 8-11 against Western Conference opponents. Portland is 5-6 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 16.0 turnovers per game.

The Kings have gone 4-17 against Western Conference opponents. Sacramento allows 122.4 points to opponents and has been outscored by 11.6 points per game.

The Trail Blazers average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.2 more made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Kings give up. The Kings are shooting 46.5% from the field, 1.7% lower than the 48.2% the Trail Blazers' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Deni Avdija is scoring 25.5 points per game with 7.2 rebounds and 6.3 assists for the Trail Blazers. Shaedon Sharpe is averaging 35.0 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 66.7% over the last 10 games.

Russell Westbrook is scoring 13.8 points per game and averaging 6.8 rebounds for the Kings. Dennis Schroder is averaging 3.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Trail Blazers: 3-7, averaging 113.5 points, 45.5 rebounds, 23.5 assists, 6.8 steals and 6.1 blocks per game while shooting 43.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.9 points per game.

Kings: 3-7, averaging 110.6 points, 40.7 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 9.0 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.1 points.

INJURIES: Trail Blazers: Scoot Henderson: out (hamstring), Matisse Thybulle: out (thumb), Jrue Holiday: day to day (calf), Blake Wesley: out (foot), Donovan Clingan: day to day (leg), Damian Lillard: out for season (achilles).

Kings: Drew Eubanks: day to day (thumb), Zach LaVine: out (ankle), Domantas Sabonis: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Atlanta Hawks (15-12, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (8-18, 12th in the Eastern Conference)

Charlotte, North Carolina; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte hosts the Atlanta Hawks after the Hornets took down the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 in overtime.

The Hornets have gone 7-12 against Eastern Conference teams. Charlotte is 7-11 against opponents over .500.

The Hawks have gone 9-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. Atlanta ranks ninth in the league averaging 14.0 made 3-pointers per game while shooting 37.2% from deep. Nickeil Alexander-Walker leads the team averaging 2.9 makes while shooting 39.1% from 3-point range.

The Hornets average 114.8 points per game, 2.6 fewer points than the 117.4 the Hawks allow. The Hawks average 14.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Hornets give up.

The teams play for the second time this season. The Hawks won the last meeting 113-110 on Nov. 23. Jalen Johnson scored 28 points to help lead the Hawks to the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is scoring 19.4 points per game and averaging 6.0 rebounds for the Hornets. Kon Knueppel is averaging 29.0 points and 4.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Onyeka Okongwu is averaging 16.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Hawks. Dyson Daniels is averaging 27.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 68.4% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 4-6, averaging 112.1 points, 42.8 rebounds, 24.6 assists, 6.9 steals and 5.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.5 points per game.

Hawks: 5-5, averaging 118.7 points, 43.3 rebounds, 31.6 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 122.2 points.

INJURIES: Hornets: Grant Williams: day to day (acl), Pat Connaughton: day to day (calf), Josh Green: out (shoulder), LaMelo Ball: day to day (ankle), Collin Sexton: day to day (thigh), Tre Mann: day to day (ankle).

Hawks: Kristaps Porzingis: out (reconditioning), N'Faly Dante: day to day (concussion), Jacob Toppin: day to day (shoulder), Trae Young: out (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Houston Rockets (16-7, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (5-22, 15th in the Western Conference)

New Orleans; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Rockets -9.5; over/under is 234.5

BOTTOM LINE: Houston hits the road against New Orleans looking to stop its three-game road losing streak.

The Pelicans are 1-6 against the rest of their division. New Orleans averages 13.4 turnovers per game and is 4-12 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents.

The Rockets are 2-2 against Southwest Division teams. Houston ranks third in the league giving up just 111.2 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.

The Pelicans are shooting 46.1% from the field this season, 0.1 percentage points higher than the 46.0% the Rockets allow to opponents. The Rockets average 120.8 points per game, 2.0 fewer than the 122.8 the Pelicans allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Trey Murphy III is averaging 21.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals for the Pelicans. Jeremiah Fears is averaging 20 points and two steals over the last 10 games.

Alperen Sengun is scoring 23.5 points per game with 9.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists for the Rockets. Kevin Durant is averaging 25.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 57.1% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pelicans: 3-7, averaging 123.6 points, 44.9 rebounds, 27.8 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 49.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 125.2 points per game.

Rockets: 6-4, averaging 116.8 points, 46.7 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 9.1 steals and 5.5 blocks per game while shooting 48.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points.

INJURIES: Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (leg).

Rockets: Fred VanVleet: out for season (acl), Dorian Finney-Smith: out (ankle), Tari Eason: day to day (oblique).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Golden State Warriors (13-14, eighth in the Western Conference) vs. Phoenix Suns (14-12, seventh in the Western Conference)

Phoenix; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Golden State plays the Phoenix Suns after Stephen Curry scored 48 points in the Warriors' 136-131 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Suns have gone 13-11 against Western Conference opponents. Phoenix is ninth in the Western Conference scoring 114.8 points while shooting 46.5% from the field.

The Warriors are 10-9 in Western Conference play. Golden State has a 7-9 record against opponents over .500.

The Suns are shooting 46.5% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points higher than the 46.2% the Warriors allow to opponents. The Warriors average 16.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 3.5 more made shots on average than the 12.7 per game the Suns give up.

The two teams play for the second time this season. The Warriors defeated the Suns 118-107 in their last matchup on Nov. 5. Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, and Devin Booker led the Suns with 38 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Booker is scoring 25.1 points per game with 4.4 rebounds and 6.7 assists for the Suns. Mark Williams is averaging 20.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 90.0% over the past 10 games.

Jimmy Butler III is averaging 19.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, five assists and 1.6 steals for the Warriors. Curry is averaging 12.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Suns: 4-6, averaging 108.0 points, 39.6 rebounds, 23.4 assists, 11.0 steals and 3.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.3 points per game.

Warriors: 4-6, averaging 114.4 points, 43.7 rebounds, 28.6 assists, 9.5 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.5 points.

INJURIES: Suns: Isaiah Livers: day to day (hip), Jalen Green: out (hamstring).

Warriors: Al Horford: day to day (back), Pat Spencer: out (personal).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Miami Heat (14-12, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Brooklyn Nets (7-18, 13th in the Eastern Conference)

New York; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Heat -6.5; over/under is 227.5

BOTTOM LINE: Miami aims to break its five-game skid with a win over Brooklyn.

The Nets have gone 6-13 against Eastern Conference teams. Brooklyn is ninth in the Eastern Conference with 25.7 assists per game led by Nic Claxton averaging 4.4.

The Heat are 8-7 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is third in the league scoring 56.2 points per game in the paint led by Jaime Jaquez Jr. averaging 10.9.

The Nets score 110.2 points per game, 7.5 fewer points than the 117.7 the Heat allow. The Heat average 120.7 points per game, 4.8 more than the 115.9 the Nets give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Michael Porter Jr. is scoring 25.6 points per game with 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Nets. Egor Demin is averaging 17.0 points and 3.0 rebounds while shooting 75.0% over the last 10 games.

Kel'el Ware is averaging 11.1 points and 10.2 rebounds for the Heat. Bam Adebayo is averaging 20.0 points over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nets: 4-6, averaging 110.7 points, 41.6 rebounds, 26.6 assists, 7.5 steals and 5.1 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.4 points per game.

Heat: 4-6, averaging 114.2 points, 45.6 rebounds, 26.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.7 points.

INJURIES: Nets: Haywood Highsmith: out (knee), Ben Saraf: day to day (illness), Cam Thomas: out (hamstring).

Heat: Nikola Jovic: day to day (arm), Tyler Herro: day to day (toe), Pelle Larsson: out (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Los Angeles Lakers (18-7, third in the Western Conference) vs. Utah Jazz (10-15, 10th in the Western Conference)

Salt Lake City; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Lakers -6.5; over/under is 241.5

BOTTOM LINE: Utah hosts the Los Angeles Lakers after the Jazz took down the Dallas Mavericks 140-133 in overtime.

The Jazz are 6-11 in conference matchups. Utah allows the most points in the Western Conference, giving up 126.1 points and is allowing opponents to shoot 48.8%.

The Lakers have gone 13-5 against Western Conference opponents. Los Angeles has a 5-0 record in one-possession games.

The Jazz are shooting 45.8% from the field this season, 2.3 percentage points lower than the 48.1% the Lakers allow to opponents. The Lakers are shooting 50.4% from the field, 1.6% higher than the 48.8% the Jazz's opponents have shot this season.

The teams meet for the third time this season. The Lakers won 108-106 in the last matchup on Nov. 24. Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 33 points, and Keyonte George led the Jazz with 27 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Lauri Markkanen is scoring 27.8 points per game with 7.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Jazz. George is averaging 37.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 55.0% over the past 10 games.

Doncic is averaging 34.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 8.8 assists and 1.5 steals for the Lakers. LeBron James is averaging 26 points, four assists, two steals and two blocks over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Jazz: 5-5, averaging 119.1 points, 44.2 rebounds, 30.1 assists, 7.2 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 126.1 points per game.

Lakers: 7-3, averaging 118.8 points, 42.4 rebounds, 23.6 assists, 6.0 steals and 5.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 118.9 points.

INJURIES: Jazz: Georges Niang: out (foot), Jusuf Nurkic: day to day (rest), Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder).

Lakers: Maxi Kleber: day to day (back), Austin Reaves: out (calf).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Washington Wizards (4-20, 15th in the Eastern Conference) vs. San Antonio Spurs (18-7, fourth in the Western Conference)

San Antonio; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: San Antonio will try to keep its four-game home win streak intact when the Spurs face Washington.

The Spurs are 9-2 in home games. San Antonio is seventh in the Western Conference with 25.7 assists per game led by Devin Vassell averaging 2.6.

The Wizards are 2-11 on the road. Washington ranks ninth in the Eastern Conference with 15.4 fast break points per game led by Cam Whitmore averaging 3.6.

The Spurs are shooting 48.3% from the field this season, 0.3 percentage points higher than the 48.0% the Wizards allow to opponents. The Wizards are shooting 46.3% from the field, 0.7% lower than the 47.0% the Spurs' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Victor Wembanyama is averaging 25.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.5 blocks for the Spurs. Vassell is averaging 4.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Kyshawn George is averaging 14.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists for the Wizards. Marvin Bagley III is averaging 23.0 points and 14.0 rebounds while shooting 64.3% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Spurs: 7-3, averaging 120.3 points, 45.0 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 8.0 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 119.5 points per game.

Wizards: 3-7, averaging 113.0 points, 42.4 rebounds, 25.7 assists, 7.3 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 123.6 points.

INJURIES: Spurs: None listed.

Wizards: Khris Middleton: day to day (knee), Malaki Branham: day to day (thumb), Tre Johnson: out (hip), Bilal Coulibaly: out (oblique), Corey Kispert: out (thumb), Alex Sarr: day to day (adductor).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Orlando Magic (15-11, fifth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Denver Nuggets (19-6, second in the Western Conference)

Denver; Thursday, 9 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Denver comes into a matchup against Orlando as winners of five games in a row.

The Nuggets are 7-4 in home games. Denver is eighth in the Western Conference at limiting opponent scoring, giving up just 116.2 points while holding opponents to 46.6% shooting.

The Magic are 5-6 in road games. Orlando is fifth in the Eastern Conference allowing just 114.1 points while holding opponents to 47.6% shooting.

The Nuggets make 51.6% of their shots from the field this season, which is 4.0 percentage points higher than the Magic have allowed to their opponents (47.6%). The Magic average 11.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Nuggets give up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Peyton Watson is scoring 10.5 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is averaging 39.0 points and 15.0 rebounds over the last 10 games.

Anthony Black is scoring 13.0 points per game and averaging 4.0 rebounds for the Magic. Jase Richardson is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 128.3 points, 41.4 rebounds, 29.9 assists, 6.0 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while shooting 52.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 121.4 points per game.

Magic: 6-4, averaging 119.8 points, 44.3 rebounds, 27.0 assists, 8.2 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 46.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.6 points.

INJURIES: Nuggets: Christian Braun: out (ankle), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring).

Magic: Franz Wagner: out (leg), Moritz Wagner: out (knee), Jalen Suggs: out (hip), Colin Castleton: day to day (thumb).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Detroit Pistons (21-5, first in the Eastern Conference) vs. Dallas Mavericks (10-17, 12th in the Western Conference)

Dallas; Thursday, 8:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Dallas faces the Detroit Pistons after Cooper Flagg scored 42 points in the Dallas Mavericks' 140-133 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.

The Mavericks are 7-9 in home games. Dallas averages 14.9 turnovers per game and is 4-4 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.

The Pistons are 9-3 in road games. Detroit ranks sixth in the league scoring 16.8 fast break points per game. Cade Cunningham leads the Pistons averaging 3.7.

The Mavericks average 11.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Pistons allow (13.2). The Pistons average 11.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.1 fewer makes per game than the Mavericks give up.

The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Pistons defeated the Mavericks 122-110 in their last meeting on Nov. 2. Jalen Duren led the Pistons with 33 points, and D'Angelo Russell led the Mavericks with 31 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Flagg is shooting 48.2% and averaging 18.4 points for the Mavericks. Klay Thompson is averaging 4.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Cunningham is averaging 27.1 points, six rebounds, 9.2 assists and 1.5 steals for the Pistons. Javonte Green is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Mavericks: 5-5, averaging 116.5 points, 42.0 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 7.6 steals and 5.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.8 points per game.

Pistons: 7-3, averaging 119.1 points, 46.6 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 8.8 steals and 5.6 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.0 points.

INJURIES: Mavericks: Dereck Lively II: out for season (foot), Kyrie Irving: out (knee), Dante Exum: out for season (knee), Brandon Williams: day to day (achilles), D'Angelo Russell: day to day (illness), Anthony Davis: day to day (calf).

Pistons: Isaac Jones: day to day (knee).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

New York Knicks (18-7, second in the Eastern Conference) vs. Indiana Pacers (6-20, 14th in the Eastern Conference)

Indianapolis; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: New York will try to prolong its six-game win streak with a victory over Indiana.

The Pacers are 4-11 against Eastern Conference opponents. Indiana is 3-13 in games decided by 10 points or more.

The Knicks are 14-7 in Eastern Conference play. New York is 1-1 in one-possession games.

The Pacers are shooting 43.0% from the field this season, 3.0 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Knicks allow to opponents. The Knicks are shooting 48.1% from the field, 0.6% higher than the 47.5% the Pacers' opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Pascal Siakam is scoring 23.8 points per game with 6.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists for the Pacers. Bennedict Mathurin is averaging 15.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 33.3% over the past 10 games.

Karl-Anthony Towns is scoring 22.4 points per game with 11.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists for the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is averaging 40.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 59.3% over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pacers: 4-6, averaging 110.3 points, 40.4 rebounds, 23.1 assists, 8.1 steals and 6.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 110.9 points per game.

Knicks: 9-1, averaging 121.3 points, 45.3 rebounds, 26.4 assists, 8.6 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 50.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.4 points.

INJURIES: Pacers: Obi Toppin: out (foot), Ben Sheppard: day to day (calf), Aaron Nesmith: out (knee), Tyrese Haliburton: out for season (achilles).

Knicks: Landry Shamet: out (shoulder), Miles McBride: out (ankle).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Los Angeles Clippers (6-20, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (24-2, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Thursday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Los Angeles aims to break its four-game skid with a win over Oklahoma City.

The Thunder are 20-2 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City is the league leader giving up only 106.3 points per game while holding opponents to 42.6% shooting.

The Clippers are 4-13 in Western Conference play. Los Angeles allows 116.8 points to opponents and has been outscored by 5.5 points per game.

The 123.1 points per game the Thunder score are 6.3 more points than the Clippers give up (116.8). The Clippers average 5.0 more points per game (111.3) than the Thunder allow their opponents to score (106.3).

The teams play for the second time this season. The Thunder won the last meeting 126-107 on Nov. 5, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 30 points in the victory.

TOP PERFORMERS: Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 32.4 points and 6.4 assists for the Thunder. Chet Holmgren is averaging 17.0 points over the last 10 games.

Ivica Zubac is averaging 16.2 points and 11.5 rebounds for the Clippers. Kawhi Leonard is averaging 21.0 points and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 50.0% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 9-1, averaging 125.9 points, 42.2 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 9.7 steals and 4.9 blocks per game while shooting 53.0% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.0 points per game.

Clippers: 1-9, averaging 109.8 points, 39.3 rebounds, 23.2 assists, 8.9 steals and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.5 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Nikola Topic: out (groin), Isaiah Joe: day to day (knee), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

Clippers: Bradley Beal: out for season (hip), Derrick Jones Jr.: out (knee), Nicolas Batum: day to day (illness).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

This Tuesday, the Mexican Football Federation announced a series of friendly matches for the National Team to continue their preparation for the 2026 World Cup. 

The first match for those led by Javier Aguirre will take place on January 22 against Panama, and on the 25th of the same month, they will face Bolivia. Both matches will be held outside of Mexico. 

"Javier Aguirre asked us for a series of commitments that challenge the players and allow him to know and define the squad for the World Cup. Subjecting them to adverse situations, getting them out of their comfort zone, and that's why this tour has been planned," mentioned Sisniega. 

In the announcement, Ivar Sisniega, president of the FMF, confirmed a match against Iceland at La Corregidora Stadium in Querétaro, on February 25.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

---

📸 Omar Vega - 2025 Getty Images

Where to watch JUCO football championship: Channel, live stream, time, TV schedule for Hutchinson vs. Iowa Western originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The two preeminent powers in junior college football are set to face off once again with a trophy on the line. 

Defending NJCAA Division I champion Hutchinson (11-0) meets Iowa Western (11-1) on Wednesday in a rematch of last year's final, which saw the Blue Dragons prevail in a 28-23 thriller. That result and Hutchinson's narrow 30-27 victory over the Reivers in September suggest another tight game is in the works. 

The schools have combined to win four the last five national championships, with Hutchinson taking the crown in the 2020 and 2024 seasons and Iowa Western winning it all in 2022 and 2023.

Who will take home the trophy this year? 

Here's everything you need to know to watch as the junior college national championship is decided. 

Where to watch JUCO football championship

• TV channel: ESPNU
• Live stream:Fubo, ESPN app

The NJCAA championship game between Hutchinson and Iowa Western will air on ESPNU. Fans can also stream the game live via the ESPN app or with Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox and 100+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)

What time is Hutchinson vs. Iowa Western today? 

• Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
• Time: 7 p.m. ET | 6 p.m. CT

The Hutchinson vs. Iowa Western game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 17. The game will be played at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas, home of the West Texas A&M football team. 

NJCAA football playoffs schedule, scores

Semifinals

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Fri., Dec. 5	Iowa Western 41,  Tyler 29	—	—
Sat., Dec. 6	Hutchinson 27, Northwest Mississippi 0	—	—

Championship

Date	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Wed., Dec. 17	Hutchinson vs. Iowa Western	7 p.m.	ESPNU, Fubo, ESPN app

NJCAA football champions

Here are the last 10 NJCAA national champions in football. Winners listed since 2021 are from Division I; prior to that, there was only one division. 

Year	Champion
2024	Hutchinson
2023	Iowa Western
2022	Iowa Western
2021	New Mexico Military
2020	Hutchinson
2019	Mississippi Gulf Coast
2018	East Mississippi
2017	East Mississippi
2016	Garden City
2015	Northwest Mississippi

Related Links

• Latest college football news
• College football schedule, scores
• This week's Top 25 polls
• How to bet on college football

It was another shocking performance by one Chelsea player in the Carabao Cup last night after he failed to stake a claim.

It was an opportunity for Enzo Maresca’s second string team and fringe players to stake a claim to get more minutes in his preferred starting Xl last night, but they pretty much all failed at this test – some more than others.

EXCLUSIVE! The internal reactions to Enzo Maresca’s comments and what to expect going forward!!

Chelsea themselves struggled and fumbled to the win as well, but needed two late goals from two ‘first team’ subs to get the win in the end and save the red faces.

And shockingly, Maresca says he ‘fell in love’ with his second string players last night after the 3-1 win against Cardiff.

Personally, I thought there was some absolutely abysmal performances on display last night, and Jamie Gittens was one of them.

Gittens called woeful

Jamie Gittens battle Kyle Walker. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)

Give Me Sport, who titled their article ‘Chelsea Dud Was ‘Woeful’ vs Cardiff – He’s Been a Monumental Waste of Money’, have gone in on Gittens poor performance last night.

They say that Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones, reporting at half-time, described how both the winger and Facundo Buonanotte had squandered opportunities in attack, labelling them “woeful.”

“Facundo Buonanotte and Jamie Gittens must be in danger of getting hooked at the break,” he wrote. “Both have found lots of pockets of space but have been utterly wasteful with the ball. Between them they have contested 14 duels and lost them all.

“They have both lost possession 10 times each too – the joint-most of any Chelsea players. Woeful.”

The stats are bad

Gittens didn’t manage to complete either of his two dribbles over the course of a 66-minute cameo. And while he did manage to play one key pass in the game, he also lost possession of the ball 10 times, which led to play breaking down as Chelsea struggled to get out of first gear.

Gittens’ Statistics from Cardiff 1-3 Chelsea

Minutes – 66

Touches – 41

Key Passes -1

Passing Accuracy -21/25 (84%)

Total Shots -2

Dribbles (Successful) -2 (0)

Possession Lost – 10

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick offered a measured assessment after his side edged past CD Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey round of 32. 

While the scoreline read a comfortable 2-0 win, the reality on the pitch told a more demanding story. 

Facing a determined opposition from the Primera RFEF, Barcelona were made to work far harder than expected and only found a way through in the final stages of the contest.

Reflecting on the performance after the final whistle, Flick highlighted what mattered most to him on the night, saying, 

“I’m very happy with the players’ attitude and the victory. These Cup games are difficult, but we’ve done well. 

“The important thing is the attitude and mentality we’ve had throughout the game,” he explained.

Ter Stegen’s inclusion

Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept a clean sheet. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

One of the main talking points before kick-off was Flick’s decision to start Marc-Andre ter Stegen. 

With Wojciech Szczęsny also available, questions were raised about the goalkeeping hierarchy, but Flick was quick to frame the decision as a measured one rather than a statement.

Explaining why the German international was given the nod, Flick emphasised leadership, experience and rhythm, stating, 

“Marc is the captain and has played a lot of games. We talked to the other coaches and wanted to give him the chance to play.”

Flick also revisited the difficulty of the contest itself, praising his squad for staying patient and disciplined despite the long wait for the opening goal. 

Assessing the opposition and the nature of the game, Flick said, 

“These games aren’t easy, as I said before. I’m happy with my players’ attitude on the pitch. 

“That’s the key to our victory. It’s not always easy to score in games like this, but we did it.”

More on Ter Stegen pre-match

Barcelona registered a hard-fought win. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Ahead of the match, Flick had also addressed questions about ter Stegen’s role, clarifying that the goalkeeper’s inclusion should not be read as a permanent shift. 

The manager was clear in his explanation, noting that his place in the XI “is only for today” and adding that “he is in good shape and can prove that he is ready.”

Casado as right-back

Another surprise came with Marc Casado lining up at right-back. 

Flick acknowledged the unconventional choice, reiterating his belief in the youngster’s midfield profile while explaining the practical reasoning behind the move. 

As the coach put it, “Casado will play at full back. 

“For me, he’s more of a 6 or an 8, but I wanted to give Jules [Kounde] a rest, and it’s important that he gets some playing time,” he had explained.

Source: MARCA

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick hailed his team’s attitude after Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Guadalajara in the Copa del Rey.

Goals from Andreas Christensen and Marcus Rashford sealed a hard-fought win for the visitors and a place in the next round for the Catalan giants.

Flick felt his team played well and that their attitude was the key to the victory.

“I’m very happy with the players’ attitude and the victory. These Cup matches are difficult, but we played well. The important thing is the attitude and mentality we had throughout the match,” he told reporters.

“These matches aren’t easy, I’ve said that before. I’m happy with my players’ attitude on the field. That’s the key to our victory. It’s not always easy to score in matches like this, but we did.”

Barcelona now head home for their final La Liga fixture of 2025 against Villarreal at La Ceramica on Saturday.

Reports of Usman Khawaja’s demise turned out to be greatly exaggerated as he seized an unexpected chance during the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

Khawaja, who turns 39 on day two of the Test at the Adelaide Oval, struggled with back spasms during the opening match of the series – scoring just two runs in the first innings and then being unable to bat in the second.

He missed out on the second Test triumph at the Gabba with the back issue and, given Australia’s strong performances in demolishing England, wasn’t initially selected for this third Test, prompting career obituaries in the local papers given his age.

However, he was given a surprise opportunity at redemption when Steve Smith was forced to withdraw just before the toss due to vertigo, leaving the ground shortly before play after struggling with “nausea and dizziness”, meaning Khawaja was recalled and slotted into at number four in the home batting line-up.

He was required to don the pads earlier than he would have liked when Australia openers Jake Weatherald and Travis Head fell in quick succession before the first drinks break to leave the hosts at 33-2 but the 38-year-old rose to the occasion in style.

Having been dropped by Harry Brook in the slips when on just five, he eventually made 82 off 126 balls before being caught at deep square leg when slog-sweeping off the bowling of Will Jacks.

Khawaja’s innings had almost been over before it really started when a thick edge off Josh Tongue flew into Brook’s hands at second slip, then popped straight out again and he never looked fully secure at the crease, occasionally flapping at short balls, but held firm and seized on anything wide.

He and a reserved Marnus Labuschagne put on 61 for the third wicket, steering the score to 94-2 at lunch, before Labuschagne flicked the first Jofra Archer ball of the afternoon session straight to midwicket.

The record-breaking, £2m IPL man Cameron Green lasted exactly two balls before falling in a similar manner to Labuschagne but Khawaja and wicketkeeper Alex Carey settled things down with a diligent response as they put on 91 together.

However, Khawaja’s hopes of a fairytale century fell 18 runs short as, having been ruffled by a spell of short bowling from England skipper Ben Stokes, he went on the attack against Jacks' part-time spin and picked out Tongue on the boundary.

That out Australia at 185-5, with the veteran walking off to a big ovation and perhaps an international cricket career saved for the time being.

Carey would kick on after tea, reaching a century as Australia passed 300 and England struggled to build on a promising position by quickly cleaning up their tail.

Additional reporting by PA

Manchester City welcome Brentford to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night in an all-Premier League EFL Cup quarter-final showdown.

Man City booked their place in the last eight with a comfortable 3-1 win over Swansea City.

While Premier League and Champions League success usually take centre stage at the Etihad, the EFL Cup still carries significance for Pep Guardiola’s side, given their rich history in the tournament.

Man City have dominated the competition, lifting the trophy six times in eight seasons between 2014 and 2021.

However, they have not won it since edging Tottenham Hotspur in the 2021 final and have failed to reach the quarter-finals in recent years.

That makes tonight’s contest an important marker, especially as Man City have gone on to win the trophy after each of their last six quarter-final victories.

Guardiola has rotated his squad well so far, guiding Man City past Huddersfield Town and Swansea with little fuss. The hosts also head into the game on the back of five wins in a row across all competitions.

Man City clinically dispatched a profligate Crystal Palace side 3-0 in the Premier League and will be confident of extending their winning streak at the expense of another London club.

How Man City could line up

Guardiola is expected to name a heavily rotated side for tonight’s EFL Cup showdown, with next weekend’s home game against West Ham United in mind.

James Trafford will likely return to the XI for the first time since the 2-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

There should be changes to the backline, although Nico O’Reilly will likely reprise his role.

With John Stones struggling with injury, Nathan Ake returns to the XI for the first time in over a month.

Abdulkodir Khusanov should join the out-of-favour centre-back at the heart of defence, while Rico Lewis lines up at right back.

Tijjani Reijnders should start at the base of midfield with Savinho, Rayan Cherki, Oscar Bobb, and Bernardo Silva ahead of him.

With Omar Marmoush jetting off to the Africa Cup of Nations, Erling Braut Haaland should lead the line.

LAS VEGAS — Each time the New York Knicks needed a problem solved, no matter how mundane or complex the on-court task was deemed to be, the question and answer was Mitchell Robinson. 

His five offensive rebounds in the span of 90 seconds provided the fulcrum of a pivotal three-minute, 16-2 run that gave New York a fourth-quarter lead they would never surrender, but Robinson’s commitment to crashing the glass — against a team that relished a physical bout down low — proved pivotal on one of the game’s biggest stages. Robinson played just 18 minutes but snagged 15 total rebounds — 10 of them being offensive — in a game where the Knicks scored 32 second-chance points from 23 added opportunities. 

“Tonight showed why it’s important to create extra possessions,” Robinson, donning a cup champions T-shirt, told Yahoo Sports following the Knicks’ 124-113 win over the Spurs in the NBA Cup championship. “They shoot the ball, they miss, I get the offensive rebound and that’s another chance of us scoring. I did that, what, ten times tonight? We missed some but the chance is there. It helps a lot.”

Tuesday night’s Cup final was an enthralling contest from start to finish, a deliberate, grind-it-out affair from two of the slower teams in terms of pace. It was an atmosphere fitting of a championship game — the Spurs super fans chanting and dancing for 48 minutes, the Knicks faithful letting their emotions hang on every missed shot or deflection and Vegas providing the perfect backdrop for a high-stakes affair.

But given the playoff-like environment, Victor Wembanyama’s individual star power and New York’s assemblage of talent, the crowning glory would come from which team simply had the ball more. In Robinson, the Knicks have one of the league’s best in doing just that. So much of the Knicks’ offense — second in the NBA according to Cleaning the Glass — comes from their ability to generate more than their opponents. They are the second-most frequent and third-most efficient team in offense after an offensive rebound, per Synergy tracking data. When Robinson is on the floor, New York’s offensive rebounding rate soars by over fourteen percent — good for the 100th percentile. It’s not as glamorous of a stat as isolation efficiency, playmaking control or three-point savvy, but it’s just as important. 

“Mitchell Robinson, he had 10 offensive rebounds in 18 minutes,” head coach Mike Brown said. “That's unbelievable. We had 23 offensive rebounds for the game. He had 10. OG had four. KAT had four. That was probably the biggest difference in the game when you're scoring 32 second-chance points. For him to come off the bench and do that … ”

“Shout-out to Mitch, man,” Karl Anthony-Towns added. “Hell of a day at the office for him.”

Ethan Miller via Getty Images

Still, as critical as offensive rebounds can be to a good half-court offense, they’re deemed futile without everything else working in tandem. Quality floor spacing, decision and shot-making, talent and overall IQ are the other necessary ingredients that make a contender. OG Anunoby led all players on the floor with 28 points on 10-for-17 shooting, Jalen Brunson chipped in 25 of his own and Karl Anthony-Towns finished with 16 — with Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek combining for 29 points from the bench. The Knicks, much like the city of New York, are a diverse group that get their strength from the sum of their parts. They shy away from isolated praise, understanding their ultimate goal can’t be reached on the shoulders of one or two. Brunson, who was named tournament MVP, wasted no time in shouting out the contributions of each of his teammates as he was presented with his trophy as a reminder of the collective. 

“Without them I don't hold that trophy,” Brunson said. “We don't hold the trophy as a team. We're on the complete other side of this.”

“Just having everybody out there competing and contributing to the team,” forward Mikal Bridges told Yahoo Sports. “I think we got a lot of talented guys. High-IQ individuals that will go out there and do whatever it takes to win.”

In a lot of ways, being the last one standing — albeit in a midseason tournament — could invigorate the Knicks as they plant their flag in the ground as one of the NBA elite, especially with New York sitting just 2.5 games behind Detroit atop a much-improved Eastern Conference. It was clear from their words both before and after the game that bringing success back home, lifting a banner, meant something. New York outlasted two top four seeds in the Western Conference and Orlando, the East’s fifth seed. Regardless of what the outside perception of the NBA Cup may be, you’d be hard pressed to convince these Knicks that Tuesday night doesn’t matter. 

New York can make a strong claim as the deepest, most talented team in the East — and perhaps the NBA as a whole. How many teams can match the sheer offensive brilliance and leadership of Brunson? The two-way skill set of Anunoby and Bridges? Towns’ unicorn-like gravity? Josh Hart’s glue? Jordan Clarkson’s instant scoring off the bench? The guidance and tactical astuteness of Brown? 

This is why the Knicks should be feared. Brunson is the head of the snake, a likely MVP candidate and rightfully so; his ability to command complete control of a team filled with vibrant personalities, all while understanding how to navigate situations, is admirable. But take a stroll into Madison Square Garden and think that slowing Brunson down is a surefire way to victory, and your mistakes haven’t even begun. New York is deep. New York is dangerous. New York is champion. And they’re just getting started. 

“It's a goal of ours that we get to check off,” Brunson said. “It's an important stepping stone for us. We can still learn from this game and get better, as well. I'm very thankful for the opportunity presented to ourselves. … This is great. We're going to enjoy this. But once we leave tomorrow, we're moving on.”

The University of Dayton men’s basketball team made history against Florida State on Tuesday.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Dayton set the record for most free throws made by any team at UD Arena in a 97-69 win over the Seminoles.

UD shot 40-of-47 from the free throw line.

Senior Javon Bennett scored 25 points to lead 6 Flyers in double figures. De’Shayne Montgomery added 20 while Jordan Derkack scored 13 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Keonte Jones finished with 11 points while Amael L’Etang and Malcolm Thomas each added 10.

Dayton improves to 9-3 overall.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Medical helicopter called after car crashes into grain bin
• ‘My son was going to be something;’ Mom looking for justice months after teen son shot, killed
• Prosecutors charge Rob Reiner’s son Nick with 2 counts of murder in killing of his parents

After trailing 3-2, Jones buried a three-pointer, and Montgomery’s three free throws put UD ahead for good, 8-3.

The Flyers’ largest lead of the first half was 18 points, 30-12, with 7:26 until halftime. FSU scored 9 straight points to cut it 30-21. Florida State got as close as seven points late in the first half, but Dayton led, 42-31, at halftime.

Bennett scored 13 of UD’s first 23 points of the second half as they expanded the lead to 65-45 with 12:32 to play.

After a Florida State timeout, Montgomery found Thomas for a dunk to extend it to 67-45.

Montgomery got the UD Arena crowd to its feet with a steal and windmill reverse jam to put the Flyers’ lead to 81-57.

Dayton scored 55 points in the second half.

Their next game will be Saturday as they host Liberty to conclude non-conference play. Tip-off is at 12:30 p.m. at UD Arena.

Pre-game coverage on WHIO Radio begins at 11:30 a.m. The game will also be carried here at WHIO.com.

[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Man City vs Brentford, Carabao Cup quarter-final preview and prediction

Manchester City welcome Brentford to the Etihad Stadium with a place in the Carabao Cup semi-final on the line. For Man City, this competition carries added edge after a trophyless 2024-25 campaign, a rare blank year by their recent standards. For Brentford, it represents another chance to test themselves against elite opposition, having already shown their appetite for cup football this season.

Both sides arrive with reasons for optimism, but also with clear obstacles to overcome as the margins tighten at the quarter-final stage.

Carabao Cup context for Man City

Man City are eight-time winners of the Carabao Cup, yet have not reached the final four since lifting the trophy in 2020-21. That gap feels longer than it is, largely because of the club’s relentless domestic dominance elsewhere. Pep Guardiola has already rotated heavily in earlier rounds, navigating past Huddersfield and Swansea without fuss.

This match fits a familiar pattern for Man City, a demanding league schedule balanced against a cup competition that often doubles as a testing ground for squad depth. Guardiola has confirmed rotation again, which opens doors for players such as John Stones, while others are likely to be protected with bigger targets in mind. Even so, the underlying expectation remains unchanged, control the game, limit chaos, and let quality decide.

Brentford cup journey so far

Brentford’s route to this stage has been anything but gentle. They edged past Bournemouth, survived a penalty shootout against Aston Villa, and then swept aside Grimsby 5-0, a side who had earlier stunned Manchester United. That run highlights Brentford’s ability to raise their level in knockout football, particularly away from home.

Photo IMAGO

However, history offers limited comfort. Brentford have lost their last two Carabao Cup quarter-finals and have only once reached the semi-final of this competition. Trips to the Etihad rarely forgive defensive lapses, and their Premier League away form remains a concern despite two Carabao Cup wins on the road this season.

Team news shaping Man City vs Brentford

Man City remain without Jeremy Doku, who is sidelined by a leg injury, while Rodri is not expected back in time after his hamstring issue. Mateo Kovacic continues his recovery, and Africa Cup of Nations duty rules out Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri. Erling Haaland has not featured in the competition so far and could again be rested.

Brentford are also affected by AFCON, with Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka unavailable. Fabio Carvalho, Antoni Milambo and Josh Dasilva remain long-term absentees, while Reiss Nelson is a doubt. There is better news in attack, with Kevin Schade poised to return after suspension.

Prediction and match outlook

Brentford have a habit of making Man City uncomfortable, often pressing with bravery and directness. Yet the Etihad presents a different challenge altogether, especially against a Guardiola side determined to avoid another cup exit.

Prediction: Man City to win 2-1.

Liverpool injury list grows ahead of Tottenham test

Liverpool head to Tottenham facing an uncomfortable selection picture, with up to seven senior players potentially unavailable. Credit goes to The Express for outlining the scale of the issue, and the report paints a picture of a squad being stretched at a demanding point of the season under Arne Slot.

Slot already admitted the strain after the recent 2-0 win over Brighton, a match that brought three points but little relief. “Arne Slot lamented having only 13 outfield players available for the Reds’ recent clash with Brighton,” a detail that underlines how fine the margins have become. Even with Hugo Ekitike’s brace settling that contest, the physical toll was evident almost immediately.

Squad depth under serious pressure

Joe Gomez and Dominik Szoboszlai both joined the treatment room during that Brighton victory. Gomez’s hamstring issue appears the most serious. Slot was candid, saying, “If I have a player who goes off with a muscle injury like Joe (Gomez), that’s normally not a positive thing.” He added, “I would not expect him to be in the squad next week [at Tottenham Hotspur]. But sometimes you get a positive surprise.”

Szoboszlai’s ankle problem also raised concern. Slot noted, “And Dom (Szoboszlai), it was his ankle. It didn’t look great when I just saw him. But he has unbelievable mentality so let’s hope for the best.” Those words reflect hope rather than certainty, which tells its own story.

Salah absence compounds problems

The situation becomes more complex with Mohamed Salah unavailable due to Africa Cup of Nations duty. Slot confirmed, “But we’re also going to miss Mo (Salah) because he is going to go to the Africa Cup of Nations.” Losing a player of Salah’s output and leadership ahead of a demanding away fixture is significant, especially when options are already limited.

Photo: IMAGO

There are small positives. Conor Bradley returns from suspension, while Jeremie Frimpong edges closer to fitness. Slot offered cautious optimism, stating, “The good thing is that Conor Bradley comes back from a suspension and normally Jeremie Frimpong will train with us also.” Still, Liverpool may need academy players to make up the numbers.

Tottenham trip tests Slot’s management

Cody Gakpo, Wataru Endo and Giovanni Leoni remain sidelined, with younger options such as Stefan Bajcetic and Jayden Danns also unavailable. It leaves Slot balancing risk and necessity. This is a manager who delivered the Premier League title in his debut season, yet this trip to North London may demand as much problem solving as any tactical masterclass.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

From a Liverpool supporter’s perspective, this report sparks equal parts concern and admiration. Concern because Tottenham away is rarely forgiving, and travelling with a depleted squad invites pressure. Admiration because Slot’s calm messaging suggests a manager comfortable working through adversity rather than deflecting it.

Supporters will look at the Brighton match and see a squad still capable of control and cutting edge, even with limited resources. Ekitike stepping up felt symbolic of a group responding to opportunity. The absence of Salah hurts, but it also opens space for others to take responsibility.

Ultimately, this Tottenham fixture feels like a stress test rather than a crisis point. If Liverpool emerge with anything from the game, it will reinforce belief that this squad, however stretched, remains resilient and well guided.

The Kraken met the Colorado Avalanche on a rainy Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena.  The Kraken have been struggling, with only two wins in their last eight games, while the Avalanche lead the league with a 23-2-7 record.  

The Kraken controlled the pace during much of the first period, out-shooting the Avalanche 11-8 and keeping up the offensive pressure.  Despite starting the game on their heels, Colorado opened the scoring when Arthur Lehkonen deflected a shot attempt by Martin Necas 12:19 into the period.  The first twenty ended 1-0.

Coming out even stronger in the second, Seattle put up two goals in less than six minutes: a quick wrist shot amongst chaos for Shane Wright and a backhander from Captain Jordan Eberle.  Colorado tied it up a few minutes later, and Chandler. Stephenson snuck a quick wrist shot past Mackenzie Blackwood on the power play to put Seattle up 3-2 heading into the second intermission.

Hope and spirits were high as the teams took the ice for the final twenty.  Colorado came back fighting, taking the lead and putting a nail in the Kraken coffin with an empty netter by Nathan McKinnon with just 26 seconds on the clock.

All things considered, the Kraken fared better than expected.  If they continue to play with the grit and drive the net they brought against Colorado, they should see positive results.

Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA -- The South Bay Lakers defeat the San Diego Clippers, 117-106, at UCLA Health Training Center on Tuesday December 16th, 2025. The Sporting Tribune's Nico Alba was there to capture the following TST images. 

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

Los Angeles Lakers Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Jake LaRavia pull up to watch the South Bay Lakers during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) gets a poster dunk during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Kobe Bufkin (6) shoots a three during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) shoots a fadeaway jumper during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) drives past the defense during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Bronny James (9) shoots a three during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Chris Manon (30) shoots a three during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Nick Smith (20) shoots a three during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Nick Smith (20) with an assist that leads to a dunk during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Kobe Bufkin (6) drives past his defender during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Nick Smith (20) shoots a three during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Nico Alba - The Sporting Tribune

South Bay Lakers guard Nick Smith (20) drives past the defense during an NBA basketball game against the San Diego Clippers, Tuesday December 16th, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

The Washington Commanders and the rest of the NFC East teams are currently being featured on the in-season addition of "Hard Knocks."

The in-season version of the show gives viewers a peek behind the curtain to see what teams deal with every week. For teams like the Commanders, you get to see how they deal with a disappointing season. Injuries have decimated the team and it has to deal with missing the postseason one year after making it to the NFC Championship Game.

On the latest episode, the crew caught a cool moment between veteran tight end Zach Ertz and 2024 second-round tight end Ben Sinnott. In Week 14, Ertz suffered a scary, season-ending injury. However, the veteran is still at the team facility and is doing all he can to mentor Sinnott and the other young guys.

Ertz and Sinnott were seen watching Sinnott's practice tape, and Ertz was giving the young pass-catcher pointers. Ertz was wearing a brace on his leg, and after the film study was done, Ertz hobbled out of the room on crutches.

Zach Ertz going over Ben Sinnott’s practice tape with him. Giving him pointers. Love that from the vet after a season-ending injury. pic.twitter.com/evwmgFvAH2

— Grant Paulsen (@granthpaulsen) December 17, 2025

It's very impressive to see Ertz hanging around the team even though he can't play. Even more impressively, Ertz is a free agent after this season, so it wouldn't have been surprising to see him leave the team and go rehab and prepare for 2026.

Instead, Ertz is choosing to see the season out with the Commanders and do all he can to provide positive reinforcement.

Before getting injured, Ertz had 50 catches for 504 yards and four touchdowns in 2025. In Week 13, the tight end moved to 5th in all-time catches by a tight end, showcasing how impressive he's been during his 13-year career.

This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders: Hard Knocks captures cool moment from Zach Ertz

TORONTO (AP) — Dakota Joshua batted in a rebound with 3:01 left, just 8 seconds after Auston Matthews tied it, and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied past the Chicago Blackhawks for a win.

Third-period goals by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Matthews and Joshua erased Toronto’s two-goal deficit and complete a wild comeback.

Joseph Woll made 23 saves and the Maple Leafs earned just their second victory this season after trailing after two periods.

AVALANCHE 5, KRAKEN 3

SEATTLE (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for an NHL-leading 28 goals this season and added an assist as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Seattle Kraken for their third straight win.

MacKinnon also extended his point streak to six games as Colorado won for the fifth time in that span. The Avalanche, who have the league’s best record, have earned a point in 24 of the last 25 games.

Artturi Lehkonen, Samuel Girard and Brock Nelson also scored for the Avalanche. Mackenzie Blackwood had 34 saves.

Chandler Stephenson, Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle scored goals for the Kraken, who have lost nine of their last 10 games. Philipp Grubauer stopped 33 shots.

BLUE JACKETS 4, DUCKS 3 F/OT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Adam Fantilli scored with 1:28 left in overtime to lift the Columbus Blue Jackets to a win over the Anaheim Ducks, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Zach Werenski scored twice and added an assist in his 600th NHL game, Boone Jenner had a goal and an assist, and Kent Johnson added two assists. Jet Greaves stopped 24 shots for his first win since Nov. 20.

Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist, Ryan Strome and Jackson LaCombe also scored goals, and Ryan Poehling recorded two assists for Anaheim. Ville Husso made 24 saves as the Ducks dropped three games on their five-city road trip.

BRUINS 4, MAMMOTH 1

BOSTON (AP) — Morgan Geekie scored a pair of goals and Jeremy Swayman stopped 20 shots to help the Boston Bruins beat Utah for their fifth win in their last six games.

Casey Mittelstadt and Michael Eyssimont also scored goals, and David Pastrnak had a pair of assists as the Bruins returned from a three-game road trip to open a five-game homestand with a victory.

Barrett Hayton scored for the Mammoth, and Vitek Vanecek made 19 saves.

CANUCKS 3, RANGERS 0

NEW YORK (AP) — Evander Kane and Liam Ohgren scored and Thatcher Demko made 23 saves as the league-worst Vancouver Canucks defeated the New York Rangers.

Conor Garland added an empty-net goal as Vancouver, which had won only three of its previous 12 games, smothered the Rangers from start to finish. New York is 4-10-3 at home.

Kane scored his sixth goal 1:46 into the contest, when he beat Rangers netminder Jonathan Quick after defenseman Matthew Robertson’s path was briefly blocked by a linesman.

FLYERS 4, CANADIENS 1

MONTREAL (AP) — Carl Grundstrom and Bobby Brink scored in the final minute of the first and second period, respectively, leading the Philadelphia Flyers to a win over the Montreal Canadiens.

Trevor Zegras, playing in his 300th NHL game, ran his goal streak to a career-high four games as Philadelphia (17-9-6) snapped a season-worst three-game skid.

Travis Konecny added an empty-net goal for the Flyers, and Dan Vladar made 21 saves. Vladar has won both his starts this season in Montreal.

Alexandre Texier scored his second goal in two games for the Canadiens (17-12-4), who have dropped four of six.

OILERS 6, PENGUINS 4

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had four assists and became the fourth-fastest active player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career points as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Draisaitl, who hit the milestone in the first period on a secondary assist, became the 103rd player in NHL history, first German-born player and fifth in franchise history to reach 1,000 points. He has 416 goals and 587 assists in 824 games for 1,003 points.

Connor McDavid scored twice, including a spectacular power-play goal and added two assists, as he and Draisaitl improved to 23-0-0 when both have at least three points in a regular-season game.

RED WINGS 3, ISLANDERS 2

DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored two power-play goals in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Islanders.

DeBrincat has eight goals and 13 points in his last eight games for the Red Wings, who have won five of six. John Gibson made 16 saves to win his sixth straight start.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots for the Islanders, who had won three in a row and seven of eight. New York was going for a season sweep, having outscored Detroit 12-2 in the first two meetings.

SHARKS 6, FLAMES 3

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Macklin Celebrini scored a jaw-dropping goal and added an empty-netter and two assists to become the fastest San Jose player to reach 50 points in a season as the Sharks beat the Calgary Flames.

Celebrini assisted on two goals in the first period and then took over the game in the third. First he took a pass from Collin Graf, spun without breaking stride and beat Dustin Wolf for his 17th goal of the season to make it 4-2.

The empty-netter put it away, giving the 19-year-old Celebrini 51 points in San Jose’s 34th game of the season. That’s three games faster than any other Sharks player reached the 50-point mark, with Erik Karlsson, Joe Thornton and Owen Nolan all doing it in 37 games. The only teenagers to reach 50 points earlier in an NHL season were Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky.

WILD 5, CAPITALS 0

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves, and Kirill Kaprizov became Minnesota’s career leader in power-play goals in the Wild’s win over the Washington Capitals.

The Wild are an NHL-best 17-3-2 since Nov. 1 and 3-0 since acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes on Friday via one of the NHL’s biggest blockbuster trades in recent memory.

Washington has lost three in a row and been outshot 183-134 in its past five games.

Kaprizov’s backhand score with 7:09 left in the second period moved him past Zach Parise for the club’s career lead in power-play goals with 70. It was also Kaprizov’s 206th career goal, surpassing Mikko Koivu for second in the team’s 25-year history.

_____

49ers game review: What causes for concern emerged in win over Titans? (paywall)
“On Thursday, defensive coordinator Robert Saleh attributed the 49ers’ 15 missed tackles in a 26-8 win over the Browns on Nov. 30 to fatigue and said the bye week had come at a “perfect time” for his tired group. On Sunday, however, the refreshed 49ers missed 11 more tackles, including two from safety Malik Mustapha, who also dropped a gift-wrapped interception and was in coverage on wide receiver Van Jefferson’s 43-yard catch that set up Simmons’ score.

As for the other starting safety, Ji’Ayir Brown, he also dropped an interception, and he appeared to be out of position on tight end Gunnar Helm’s 34-yard touchdown catch on 1st-and-20 in the second quarter.“

49ers minutia minute: Brock Purdy’s wheels and Trent Williams’ knockdowns (paywall)
“The 49ers recorded no sacks for the fourth time this season despite Tennessee having surrendered 49 sacks — second most in the NFL — entering the game. San Francisco’s top pass rusher might have been White, who started at defensive end and had two quarterback hits.

The 49ers played without starter Jordan Elliott, who, according to Shanahan, had a “totally random” knee injury while getting ready for the game in the locker room at 11:20 a.m. Sunday. Collins started in his place, the first start of the rookie’s career. Shanahan said Monday the issue didn’t turn out to be serious and that Elliott should practice this week.

Meanwhile, Sam Okuayinonu (high-ankle sprain) is expected to return to practice this week, while Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring) will continue to practice as he works to come off injured reserve.“

49ers overreactions: Will rehabbing Fred Warner return during 2025 NFL playoffs?
“He recently provided an update on social media, saying, “I’m ecstatic about where it’s at.”

Warner is lifting weights and rebuilding his strength while increasing his range of motion. He said he is doing sled walks and sled pushes as part of his physical therapy.

Lynch suggested it might not be realistic for Warner to rush back for the postseason. The first round of playoff games will open on Jan. 10.

“I think it’s outside the realm, and I promise you, it’s our duty, with a player like Fred, not to ever put himself in harm’s way in terms of not being ready,” Lynch said.“

49ers practice and media schedule ahead of Week 16 matchup vs. Colts
“Wednesday, December 17
Players’ day off

Thursday, December 18
11:15 a.m. – Kyle Shanahan press conference
1:05 p.m. – Practice

Friday, December 19
12:40 p.m. – Practice
After practice (approx. 2:35 p.m.) – Robert Saleh press conference
Following Saleh – Klay Kubiak press conference
Following Kubiak and locker room interviews – Brock Purdy press conference
Saturday, December 20
12:35 p.m. – Practice
After practice (approx. 1:35 p.m.) – Kyle Shanahan press conference”

Braves leveraged Scott Boras' blueprint with Pete Alonso, Alex Bregman to re-sign Ha-Seong Kim originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Atlanta Braves made the decision to claim shortstop Ha-Seong Kim off waivers during the final month of the regular season. In recent years, the shortstop position had become a weak spot for the team. Kim, however, took full advantage of his opportunity, quickly turning himself into an attractive name on the free-agent market. Kim also admitted that he enjoyed his time playing in Atlanta.

“It was great. I enjoyed it in Tampa Bay, but I think I had more fun and enjoyed playing baseball in Atlanta. I'm sorry I kept feeling unwell and in pain in Tampa Bay,” Kim said.

On Monday, Kim signed back with the Braves on a one-year deal.

“Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim is returning to the Atlanta Braves, agreeing Monday to a one-year, $20 million contract that addressed a major offseason priority for the team. Kim gets a $4 million raise. He had declined a $16 million player option that was in the two-year, $29 million contract he signed in February with Tampa Bay, a deal that paid him $13 million. The Braves announced the new deal with Kim on Monday night,” ESPN reported.

While other teams reportedly offered Kim longer contracts, his agent Scott Boras focused on maximizing short-term value — and Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos executed his strategy perfectly.

“Given that teams have largely avoided the lengthy nine figure deals aside from the absolute best free agents in recent years, Boras has pivoted somewhat to having his clients start taking short-term deals over and over again to get the total amount of money they wanted from the beginning. Pete Alonso had to do it with the Mets last offseason as did Alex Bregman. That Boras has both men as clients was not an accident,” HTHB’s Eric Cole wrote. “In this case, the Braves knew what they wanted and they knew how they could get it from the Boras client and the team is now in much better position for it.”

The Braves have done nearly everything right this winter. After missing the playoffs last season, Atlanta has positioned itself as a legitimate threat to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Anthopoulos isn’t just playing his cards correctly with players — he’s also navigating one of the most difficult agents in baseball in Scott Boras. If the Kim experiment goes well during the first half of the season, an extension could very well be in play.

More MLB news:

• Braves manager Walt Weiss hints at massive Ronald Acuna Jr. decision for upcoming season

• Dodgers insider urges LA to trade for Cardinals' $5M Gold Glove winner, outbid Giants, Mariners

• Braves reportedly offered 5-year deal to former $69M NL rival that joined Dodgers on lesser deal

• Braves predicted to sign $4M World Series champion, All-Star Gold Glover amid Sean Murphy injury

• Braves' $2 million gamble pays off after long-awaited $20M contract decision on Gold Glove winner

• Braves' manager Walt Weiss delivers fiery message to fans after Brian Snitker era, playoffs missed

• Mets sign Braves World Series champion to join Juan Soto amid Pete Alonso, Edwin Diaz departures

• Phillies signing Rangers' Adolis Garcia forces $20M decision on $100M 2-time All-Star veteran

I have no real defence of Anthony Joshua versus Jake Paul. It's crazy that it's happening and I think the critics are spot on.

But we just couldn't turn it down. No boxer in their right mind would have said no. Anyone who says they would are completely lying through their teeth.

We took a fight that we believe will be very straightforward, will give AJ a huge profile in America and one of his career-high paydays.

AJ was going to have a run-out fight in November in Saudi - an eight-rounder against a guy who was ranked about 100th in the heavyweight division.

It was an opportunity to wrap the hands with his new training team, do the ringwalk and go through the motions. Now we're doing that same run-out but for 50 times more money.

We have a clear strategy in mind - to knock Jake out asap. Then we go into normal service being resumed in 2026.

AJ will fight against a world-class opponent in February and - if all goes well - he will then fight Tyson Fury.

So there's a method to this madness and taking this fight does not affect AJ's legacy. But losing to Jake or it even going the distance would.

It would be an absolute disaster and awfully embarrassing.

Paul v Joshua is not scripted

So many people have come up to me asking if it's scripted. Firstly, we'd be investigated by the FBI if it was. It would be illegal. This is a professional contest and a sanctioned bout where people are betting on it.

And do you think I would ever allow AJ to have a script with Jake? A script where we might lose or even hold him up and look bad? No way.

We are not giving this guy an edge or a chance to say "told you I was better than AJ" or "I won rounds". This would be catastrophic for AJ and we're not going to risk that.

Then there are those saying if AJ doesn't knock him out in the first round then it's a disgrace.

He's expected to walk through this guy but, blimey, give him two or three rounds just in case. Because how Jake approaches it will reflect on the speed of destruction.

If he gets brave, it will all be over quickly. But if he is boxing on the back foot and trying to tie him up and jab and move, then he might last a couple of rounds.

We're not going to see AJ run across the ring in the first few seconds and start windmilling.

Just like he did against Francis Ngannou, he will go in there, measure him up and then go in with the heavy artillery.

Paul can whack a little bit

I've heard the likes of Roy Jones Jr and Teddy Atlas saying you can't count Jake out in this fight. Am I losing the plot here? Is there something they're seeing that I'm not?

Let's get one thing right - Jake is a professional boxer. I think he's a decent cruiserweight - top 60 or 70 in the world.

This isn't a guy who has never laced a pair of gloves before. He can whack a little bit. He's sparring Lawrence Okolie and top-10 heavyweights.

Forgetting the win over Mike Tyson, who was an old man, Jake did beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr - who may have been a done fighter but was not a complete mug.

Chavez Jr trained for the fight and was a former world champion who went to points with Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and nearly stopped Sergio Martinez in the final round.

So I actually credit Jake for training hard and showing respect to the craft of boxing, and he has done so much for women's boxing with his Most Valuable Promotions.

But despite his delusion, passion, dedication and improved skills, he should be getting iced by Joshua.

Once AJ lands, it's over

Jake and his team are hoping for a lot of things. Hoping AJ is underestimating him, hoping AJ is shot, hoping AJ's inactivity will cost him, hoping AJ is low in confidence, hoping AJ's chin isn't what it once was.

But, unfortunately for them, AJ is super switched on. He's had a camp and he's training like he's fighting Oleksandr Usyk or in a Daniel Dubois rematch.

I expect my fighter to win inside two rounds with a devastating knockout.

He could hit Jake to the body and he would break his ribs and he wouldn't be able to get up.

If he hits him clean, he will knock him spark out. Or the referee could jump in.

We don't know how it could play out but with the way AJ punches - with the speed and destruction - as soon as Jake is hit on the chin, the fight is over.

Then we go back to AJ's two goals he wants to achieve in the time he has left in this sport - to fight Fury and to become a three-time world heavyweight champion.

Eddie Hearn was speaking to BBC Sport's Kal Sajad.

• Boxing schedule and results 2025
• Watch every Born to Brawl episode

More boxing from the BBC

• Notifications, social media and more with BBC Sport

Liverpool are reportedly looking to replace a new signing already. It's only been six months with the Reds.

Liverpool’s summer didn’t go the way they hoped. Well, it did and it didn’t - they largely signed exactly who they wanted to, after all, with only Marc Guehi escaping their grasp.

But the signings just haven’t worked. Only Hugo Ekitike - a player they didn’t actually plan to sign - has really delivered what was promised.

That’s underselling it, though. Liverpool’s team just hasn’t worked and they look a world away from where they were a year ago.

This isn’t a squad capable of winning the top trophies, it seems. Now, we don’t believe the players are bad - it just feels as though they can’t mesh together the way Liverpool want them to.

So where do the Reds go from here? Maybe with some dramatic transfer deals.

Liverpool eye Daniel Munoz

Caught Offside reports that Liverpool have 'joined the race' for Daniel Munoz of Crystal Palace. Munoz has been fantastic for the Eagles over the last 18 months, establishing himself as one of the best full-backs in the league.

Competition for him is fierce, though. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all there in the fight for the Colombian.

But this link is notable for one massive reason: Liverpool signed a right-back in the summer. They moved to get Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen so the idea that they're willing to sign a new right-back six months later is quite mad.

So mad that, honestly, we don't believe it. Especially as Munoz is 29.

SEATTLE (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon scored twice for an NHL-leading 28 goals this season and added an assist as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Seattle Kraken 5-3 on Tuesday night for their third straight win.

MacKinnon also extended his point streak to six games as Colorado won for the fifth time in that span. The Avalanche, who have the league’s best record, have earned a point in 24 of the last 25 games.

Artturi Lehkonen, Samuel Girard and Brock Nelson also scored for the Avalanche. Mackenzie Blackwood had 34 saves.

Chandler Stephenson, Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle scored goals for the Kraken, who have lost Kraken have lost nine of last 10 games. Philipp Grubauer stopped 33 shots.

The reeling Kraken put pressure on the league-leading Avalanche throughout the game and scored three goals in the second period to take a 3-2 lead going into the third.

MacKinnon tied the game early in the third period with a one-timer from the right circle, and iced the victory with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

The Kraken had a chance to take a third-period lead when they were given a penalty shot as Josh Manson was whistled for covering the puck with his glove in the crease with 12:11 left in the game. Eberle’s shot hit the right post.

Less than a minute later Nelson scored the go-ahead goal for the Avalanche.

Lehkonen deflected a shot for the game’s first goal midway through the first period.

Up Next

Avalanche: Host Winnipeg on Friday.

Kraken: At Calgary on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

LOS ANGELES - No. 4 UCLA had by far their best scoring game of the season Tuesday night when they took to the court against the Cal Poly Mustangs and turned in one of their best defensive performances too, finishing the game with a massive 115-28 final score in favor of the Bruins.

It was UCLA's first triple digit finish of the season and the 87 point margin of victory was the fourth-largest in program history and the largest in the NCAA era. 

What made the Bruins eclipsing the 100-point threshold that much more impactful was the player who did it. With just under seven minutes to go, freshman forward Sienna Betts spun, stepped back and sank a midrange shot for her fifth point of the game and UCLA's 101st. 

Betts, the younger sister of superstar UCLA senior center Lauren Betts, made her long-awaited debut Tuesday night after being kept out of the season so far with an injury. She was subbed in midway through the first quarter and Pauley Pavilion roared as over a month of anticipation was finally released.

For the Betts sisters, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. 

"I just felt super jolly. I was just so happy to be on the court with her. She's just done a lot of work and I know that this process hasn't been easy, but just to have that moment with her, this is something that we've grown up dreaming about, so to be at this level and to be on the court with her is really amazing."

It's been a long road to this point for the younger Betts. Close has spoken at length this season about the drive that Betts has and the disappointment that Betts has felt not being able to be on the court. Still just a freshman, that intense drive can be a spark plug for success, but it can also be straining mentally. Close has made it an important mission to guide Betts through that, and reminding her not only of her talent, but of her value both as a person and a player. 

"I know who Sienna Betts is and I know how good she's going to be," head coach Cori Close said at halftime. "I just want her to give herself some grace right now. She's trying to do everything all at once. She has done a heck of a job in how she's returned to play, what's she's been learning... how she will continue to improve even though it's not the way she wanted too or planned."

Now that her first game is behind her, one of two things can happen for Betts. Either the pressure is off her shoulders and she can simply focus on moving forward, or the liklier option, she'll ramp up the intensity as much as she can now that she's got a taste of college ball.

"Sometimes an overused strength becomes a weakness. And her strength is  she demands a very high level of herself all the time. But, when you over use that or it gets out of balance it can also hold you back. So, I'm encouraging her to think about process, encouraging her to write down all of the things she did well... She made so many maturation steps over this last six or seven weeks. It's hard. If it was easy everyone would do it." 

We asked for your questions and we got them sent through in the bucket load! So Bomber, Andrew & Chris got together to discuss questions on beating the mags, AFCON, the January transfer window, Supermarket shopping and which way round to wear our home socks!

On today’s agenda:

• First up, Gav speaks with Joanne Youngsun about the planned memorial game…
• We run through the questions from the weekend…
• What are the options during AFCON?
• How is the January transfer window shaping up?
• Which Supermarket will we be shoppinf in?!
• How should the Lads wear their socks?!

All of this and more – get subscribed to Haway The Podcast so you never miss another episode of the show!

This episode of Haway The Podcast is sponsored by ⁠⁠LiveScoreBe⁠⁠t, a principal partner of Sunderland AFC. For more information Visit LiveScoreBet.com or Download the LiveScore Bet app. Over 18s only, please bet responsibly. For more information go to ⁠⁠GambleAware.org⁠⁠ 

𝗛𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗢𝗗𝗖𝗔𝗦𝗧 🎙️

How is the January transfer window shaping up for Sunderland? what are our AFCON options? PLUS – a big update from the SAFC Heaven Branch…

APPLE: https://t.co/GmyVimKCkN
SPOTIFY: https://t.co/MZFsdtiMIdhttps://t.co/MrScfojZL0 | #SAFC ❤️🤍 pic.twitter.com/lMaYxHCqdF

— Roker Report (@RokerReport) December 17, 2025

What channel is Delaware vs. Louisiana on? Live stream, time, TV schedule to watch 68 Ventures Bowl 2025 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns are set to meet the Delaware Blue Hens in the 68 Ventures Bowl in Mobile.

Both these programs come into this game with 6-6 records. Louisiana has won four straight, whereas Delaware has lost three of its last five.

The Blue Hens are led by standout junior quarterback Nick Minicucci. Minicucci has thrown for 3,505 yards, which is the fifth most in the entire NCAA, and 22 touchdowns.

The Ragin' Cajuns have depended on sophomore running back Bill Davis on offense. Davis gained 743 yards and scored six touchdowns on 148 carries this season.

Who will walk away from the 68 Ventures Bowl with a winning record?

The Sporting News has you covered with everything that you need to know to watch Delaware vs. Louisiana.  

Where to watch Delaware vs. Louisiana: TV channel, live stream

• TV channel: ESPN
• Live stream:ESPN app | Fubo

Delaware vs. Louisiana will air on ESPN, with Clay Matvick, Max Browne, and Alyssa Lang on the call. College football fans can stream the game on the ESPN app and Fubo, the latter offering a free trial. 

Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the new ESPN app.

68 Ventures Bowl start time

• Date: Wednesday, Dec. 17
• Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

The 68 Ventures Bowl will begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Dec. 17. 

Delaware vs. Louisiana radio station

• Radio station: SiriusXM channel 84

You can listen to Delaware vs. Louisiana live on SiriusXM. Coverage will be available on channel 84

New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.

68 Ventures Bowl location, stadium

• City: Mobile, Alabama
• Stadium: Hancock Whitney Stadium

The 2025 68 Ventures Bowl location will be held at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. The 25,450-seat stadium serves as the home for University of South Alabama. 

College football bowl schedule 2025-26

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Salute to Veterans Bowl	Jacksonville State vs. Troy	9 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Wednesday, Dec. 17

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Cure Bowl	Old Dominion vs. South Florida	5 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
68 Ventures Bowl	Louisiana vs. Delaware	8:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Thursday, Dec. 18

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Xbox Bowl	Missouri State vs. Arkansas State	9 p.m.	ESPN2, Fubo, ESPN app

Friday, Dec. 19

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Myrtle Beach Bowl	Western Michigan vs. Kennesaw State	11 a.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Gasparilla Bowl	NC State vs. Memphis	2:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
CFP First Round	Alabama vs. Oklahoma	8 p.m.	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app

Saturday, Dec. 20

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
CFP First Round	Texas A&M vs. Miami (Fla.)	Noon	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app
CFP First Round	Ole Miss vs. Tulane	3:30 p.m.	TNT, DIRECTV
CFP First Round	Oregon vs. James Madison	7:30 p.m.	TNT, DIRECTV

Monday, Dec. 22

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl	Utah State vs. Washington State	2 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Boca Raton Bowl	Louisville vs. Toledo	2 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
New Orleans Bowl	Southern Miss vs. Western Kentucky	5:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Frisco Bowl	Ohio vs. UNLV	9 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Hawaii Bowl	California vs. Hawaii	8 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Friday, Dec. 26

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
GameAbove Sports Bowl	Northwestern vs. Central Michigan	1 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Rate Bowl	Minnesota vs. New Mexico	4:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
First Responder Bowl	UTSA vs. Florida International	8 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Saturday, Dec. 27

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Military Bowl	East Carolina vs. Pitt	11 a.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Pinstripe Bowl	Clemson vs. Penn State	Noon	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app
Fenway Bowl	Army vs. UConn	2:15 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Pop-Tarts Bowl	BYU vs. Georgia Tech	3:30 p.m.	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app
Arizona Bowl	Fresno State vs. Miami (Ohio)	4:30 p.m.	The CW Network, Fubo
New Mexico Bowl	San Diego State vs. North Texas	5:45 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Gator Bowl	Missouri vs. Virginia	7:30 p.m.	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app
Texas Bowl	Houston vs. LSU	9:15 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Monday, Dec. 29

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Birmingham Bowl	Georgia Southern vs. App State	2 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Independence Bowl	Louisiana Tech vs. Coastal Carolina	2 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Music City Bowl	Illinois vs. Tennessee	5:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Alamo Bowl	TCU vs. USC	9 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Wednesday, Dec. 31

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
ReliaQuest Bowl	Vanderbilt vs. Iowa	Noon	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Sun Bowl	Duke vs. Arizona State	2 p.m.	CBS, Fubo, Paramount+
Citrus Bowl	Texas vs. Michigan	3 p.m.	ABC, Fubo, ESPN app
Las Vegas Bowl	Utah vs. Nebraska	3:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
CFP Quarterfinal (Cotton Bowl)	Ohio State vs. Texas A&M/Miami (Fla.)	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Thursday, Jan. 1

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
CFP Quarterfinal (Orange Bowl)	Texas Tech vs. Oregon/JMU	Noon	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
CFP Quarterfinal (Rose Bowl)	Indiana vs. Oklahoma/Alabama	4 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
CFP Quarterfinal (Sugar Bowl)	Georgia vs. Ole Miss/Tulane	8 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Friday, Jan. 2

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
Armed Forces Bowl	Texas State vs. Rice	1 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Liberty Bowl	Cincinnati vs. Navy	4:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Duke's Mayo Bowl	Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest	8 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app
Holiday Bowl	SMU vs. Arizona	8 p.m.	Fox, Fubo

Thursday, Jan. 8

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
CFP Semifinal (Fiesta Bowl)	Cotton winner vs. Sugar winner	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Friday, Jan. 9

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
CFP Semifinal (Peach Bowl)	Rose winner vs. Orange winner	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Monday, Jan. 19

Bowl	Matchup	Time (ET)	TV/Live stream
CFP National Championship	TBD vs. TBD	7:30 p.m.	ESPN, Fubo, ESPN app

Related Links

• Latest college football news
• College football schedule, scores
• This week's Top 25 polls
• How to bet on college football

Ruben Amorim has come under fire for his reluctance to utilise Manchester United’s academy graduates this season.

Kobbie Mainoo remains the prime example, with the midfielder yet to start a Premier League game in this campaign. Which is why he wants to jump ship in January.

The head coach, who had handed debuts to the likes of Chido Obi, Harry Amass, and Tyler Fredricson last term, called out the club’s academy pipeline before the game against Bournemouth.

He indirectly hinted that the club’s famed young stars might not be as good as fans hype them up to be, citing three most recent examples.

Amorim’s surprisingly harsh words

“Toby [Collyer], and this injury, he’s returning here. He is from the academy, he played here, went to West Bromwich, and he’s not playing. He played for Manchester United!

“Amass is now struggling in the Championship. Chido [Obi] is not always a starter in the Under-21.”

English is not Amorim’s first language so it might have got lost in translation or he might be misinformed, but Harry Amass is certainly not struggling in the second tier of English football.

Far from it, with the 18-year-old adjudged Sheffield Wednesday’s Player of the Month for November. And his performances have caught the attention of multiple EFL sides.

Interest in Harry Amass on the rise

As per The Daily Mail, promotion hopefuls Millwall and Stoke City are among 12 clubs interested in landing the Carrington graduate in January.

It was quite the surprise to see the ex-Watford starlet leave on loan in the summer, that too, to join cash-strapped Sheffield Wednesday, but he seems to be making the most of his opportunities.

His loan deal includes a break clause, and while the Owls would like to keep the youngster at the Hillsborough Stadium, they are yet to reach an agreement with the 20-time English league champions.

“Amorim raised plenty of eyebrows with his comments that academy full back Harry Amass is ‘struggling’ at Sheffield Wednesday.

“While this was later clarified privately to mean Wednesday’s league position – they are bottom of the Championship on minus nine points after deductions for financial difficulties – it certainly left figures close to the player suitably unimpressed.

Shining out on loan

“Plenty of clubs would disagree that Amass, Wednesday’s player of the month for November, is finding it hard right now. Confidential understands that Championship promotion hopefuls Millwall and Stoke City are among around a dozen teams to have made contact about Amass’ availability in January.

“Amass is loving life at Wednesday and they are eager to keep him for the remainder of the season. But all options remain on the table.”

A move higher up the EFL ladder would suit the Red Devils and the young fullback as he looks to earn a place in the United senior team next season.

His parent club have been impressed with what they have seen from Harry Amass out on loan, and are in talks over a new deal.

online polls

---

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social

Manchester City turn attentions to a Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Brentford after a 0-3 win in South London over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday.  

City got their revenge on the Eagles after last season’s FA Cup final, with an Erling Haaland brace and a trademark 20-yard pile-driver from Phil Foden being enough to come away from Selhurst Park with three points.

The win saw Pep Guardiola’s side move back to within two points of league leaders Arsenal, following the Gunners’ dramatic 2-1 win over bottom-placed side Wolves on Saturday evening.

City reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup for the 22^nd time after beating Swansea 1-3 in South Wales six weeks ago. The Blues survived a scare after the hosts took the lead with 12 minutes played, as Jeremy Doku equalised six minutes before half-time and took the lead later in the contest through a Sergio Aguero-esque near-post finish from Omar Marmoush.

The Cityzens faced Huddersfield Town in the third round, sinking the Terriers with a 0-2 win, and have now also won their last five matches in all competitions. City have missed out on the quarter-finals of the competition for the last two years with defeats to Tottenham and Newcastle. 

Manchester City also their last quarter-final tie 2-0 away defeat to Southampton in the 2022/23 treble-winning season – the only competition that they failed to win that year.

As for Brentford, Keith Andrews’ side reached this stage of the competition with a 0-5 away win over Grimsby in the fourth round, who most notably defeated Manchester United on penalties in the second round. 

The Bees have beaten two Premier League sides en route to the quarters, with a 2-0 win over Bournemouth in the second round, and a penalty shoot-out win against Aston Villa in the third round.  

Brentford have now also qualified for the quarter-finals for the second year in a row and will be looking to equal their best-ever performance in the tournament when they reached the semi-finals in 2021.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Manchester City’s clash against Brentford in the last-eight of this season’s Carabao Cup!

Match Details

Manchester City against Brentford will take place at 19:30 (GMT) on Wednesday 17^th December at the Etihad Stadium.

Match Officials

Referee Sam Barrott will take charge of the match on Wednesday night, having taken charge of 18 games across all competitions so far this campaign, showing a total of 76 yellow cards and one red card in the process.

There will be no VAR in use for the quarter-final tie.

You can check out the full list of match officials below!

Match Officials: Sam Barrott to referee Manchester City vs Brentford in Carabao Cup

Team News

Manchester City now have Jeremy Doku ruled out for between two and three weeks with an injury having not travelled to Selhurst Park on Sunday, while Pep Guardiola has set the away match to Sunderland on New Years’ Day as a potential return date for the Belgian.  

John Stones (thigh) and Rodri (hamstring) also remain sidelined, while Mateo Kovacic (ankle) will be ruled out until at least February following surgery earlier in Autumn.

Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri have now both joined up with Egypt and Algeria respectively for their upcoming African Cup of Nations campaigns. The pair could be unavailable for just over a month.

As for the visitors, Keith Andrews has confirmed that Reiss Nelson will be absent from the trip due to injury, while Dango Outtarra and Frank Onyeka have both headed to the African Cup of Nations with Burkina Faso and Nigeria respectively.

Press Conference Quotes

Pep Guardiola on James Trafford: “He’s top! An incredible keeper! Unfortunately, Gigio [Donnarumma] is first keeper, but he’s incredible. I know the position of keeper is so special… But of course, he’s with us, he’ll be with us this season, and after we’ll see what happens.”

On whether Man City can win the Carabao Cup this season: “Well, we lost now Rayan [Ait-Nouri] and Omar [Marmoush to AFCON]. We have some injuries like John [Stones], Rodri still is not there. So we’ll see, but of course we want [to take] the step to get [into] the semi-finals.”

On team selection for the match with Saturday’s Premier League clash against West Ham in mind: “James [Trafford] is going to play, all the players that didn’t play recently are going to play plus some that played [vs Crystal Palace], and of course some from the Academy because after three days we have West Ham.

“I’m not saying it’s priority – it’s getting to the semi-final of the Carabao Cup – but normally when we achieve it it’s because we have all the squad, no injuries, we can rotate, team is good, and after we got to the last stages. “But, when you’re one game away from the semi-finals in a competition, if you can take it, take it! Because you never know when it’s coming back.”

Head To Head

Manchester City and Brentford have already faced each other once this season in a game that ended in a tight 0-1 away win for Pep Guardiola’s outfit thanks to an early goal from Erling Haaland.

The matches between the two sides in the Premier League are always tight, with none of the games being won by more than two goals. Four out of the nine matches played in the Premier League have ended 1-0, with City seeing the better side of that result on three occasions. 

Phil Foden always seems to shine in this fixture, and the England international has scored seven goals against the Bees so far.  

The last meeting between these two clubs at the Etihad Stadium was over a year ago, with Manchester City picking up a 2-1 win after going behind in the game after just 22 seconds.  

Statistics

Manchester City have scored 3+ goals in their last four Premier League outings. The last time they achieved the feat was back in April 2024. 

Erling Haaland (17) and Brentford striker Igor Thiago (11) are the only players to reach double figures in the Premier League this season. 

Erling Haaland leads the Premier League for shots (57) and shots on target (31) while generating more expected goals (xG) per 90 (0.95) than any other player in the division. 

Only Thiago (31.83%) has a higher conversion rate than Erling Haaland (28.81%) in the Premier League this season. 

Manchester City have won four of the last five meetings between these two clubs. 

It will be the first League Cup meeting between Manchester City and Brentford since 1989, when the former won 4-1 at Maine Road. 

How To Watch

Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch live on Sky Sports Main Event.

Viewers in the United States will be able to watch on Paramount+. 

A full list of global TV listings can be found here!

City Xtra will have full live coverage available on X, Facebook and Instagram throughout the matchday, with content also on cityxtra.co.uk! 

One player is now confirmed to be out of our upcoming fixture against Newcastle United this coming Saturday afternoon.

Maresca has already been talking about a lack of time between fixtures ahead of this game, suggesting that fatigue is always going to be an issue in these situations.

EXCLUSIVE! The internal reactions to Enzo Maresca’s comments and what to expect going forward!!

This comes after Chelsea had to play last night in The Carabao Cup – yet another midweek game ahead of a big Premier League fixture at the weekend.

Maresca would have been annoyed that he had to use some of his first team players off the bench to win the game last night, with his second string team clearly being far from good enough.

It took two late goals from subs Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho to give Chelsea the win late on, after Cardiff pulled it back to 1-1 and threatened to pull off a shock. They actually didn’t deserve to be the losing side last night and Chelsea got very lucky in the end.

There was one big name missing last night though, a player we all expected to see starting the game after his lack of minutes lately – Estevao Willian.

The Brazilian is injured

Estevao fires in. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

According to Maresca, who spoke on it after the game in words picked up on X, Estevao is injured and he will miss the Newcastle game at the weekend as well.

Maresca said:

“He had a small problem, a muscle problem. He won’t be available for Newcastle, and we’ll see for the next one.”

Hopefully it wont be any worse

Let’s hope Estevao has no set backs here and the injury does not end up being any worse than what Maresca is hoping.

We need all the quality we can get right now at a crucial period.

Manchester City host Brentford in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals this evening, with both sides arriving at the Etihad hoping to book a place in the first cup semi-final of the season.

Pep Guardiola’s side are in fine form of late, having beaten Real Madrid and Crystal Palace last week to consolidate their Champions League standing while maintaining pressure on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.

And tonight they could book yet another semi-final in a competition they have done well in under Guardiola, with the Spaniard having won the League Cup four times since 2017/18.

City’s opponents are a Bees side that are struggling under Keith Andrews in the Premier League, sitting in 15th, but with City likely to make changes to the starting XI, they will be wary of the potential for an upset at the Etihad tonight.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

When is Manchester City vs Brentford?

The match is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 17 December at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. Kick-off is set for 7.30pm GMT.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra HDR, with coverage starting at 7pm GMT. Subscribers can also stream the action online via NOWTV.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Team news

Winger Jeremy Doku will presumably face a late fitness test after missing the match against Palace with a leg injury, though Guardiola did not elaborate on the extent of the issue, so the Belgian could miss more matches.

Omar Marmoush and Rayan Ait-Nouri will be absent for the hosts due to Afcon, with both making a return at some point in January. This match will likely come too soon for Rodri and John Stones, both of whom are expected back closer to Christmas, while Mateo Kovacic remains the club’s only long-term injury absentee.

For Brentford, Joshua Dasilva, Antoni Milambo and Fabio Carvalho are the long-term absentees, while Dango Ouattara and Frank Onyeka are missing due to Afcon duty.

Kevin Schade is suspended and will return for the weekend Premier League game, while Reiss Nelson will be assessed but this match should come a little too soon for the attacker.

Predicted line-ups

Man City XI: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Gvardiol, Ake; Lewis, Gonzalez, Reijnders; Savinho, Haaland, Foden.

Brentford XI: Kelleher; Kayode, Collins, van den Berg, Hickey; Henderson, Janelt; Damsgaard, Jensen, Lewis-Potter; Thiago.

Newcastle host Fulham in a fascinating Carabao Cup quarter-final tie this evening, with the Magpies in need of a boost after a damaging derby defeat this weekend.

Eddie Howe’s men were beaten 1-0 by fierce rivals Sunderland, leaving them 12th in the Premier League after an inconsistent first few months of the season.

They’ll face Fulham as they look to reach the semi-finals of the competition they memorably won last year, and have form over Marco Silva’s side, having beaten them 2-1 in the top flight earlier this season.

But Fulham are just two points and one place behind Newcastle in the Premier League, setting up what should be a closely fought tie for a place in the final four.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

When is Newcastle v Fulham?

Newcastle host Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday 17 December at St James’ Park, with kick-off at 8.15pm GMT.

How can I watch it?

Viewers in the UK can watch the match for free on ITV1 and streaming service ITVX. Subscribers can also watch the game live on Sky Sports Premier League.

If you’re not a Sky customer, you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription.

Team news

The hosts will be without Dan Burn after the defender suffered a broken rib and a punctured lung against Sunderland, sustaining the gruesome injury in a 50/50 challenge that will see him absent for at least a month.

He joins existing injury absentees Nick Pope, Kieran Tripper, Sven Botman and Will Osula on the sidelines, but Yoane Wissa may make his first start for the club after substitute appearances in their last two top-flight games.

Fulham will be without Rodrigo Muniz and Ryan Sessegnon, who both have thigh injuries, while Calvin Bassey, Samuel Chukwueze and Alex Iwobi are all unavailable as they are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Predicted line-ups

Newcastle XI:Ramsdale; Livramento, Schar, Thiaw, Hall; Miley, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Wissa, Barnes

Fulham XI: Leno; Tete, Andersen, Cuenca, Castagne; Berge, Lukic; Wilson, King, Kevin; Jimenez

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and added an assist to extend his lead as the NHL’s top scorer this season as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Seattle Kraken 5–3 on Tuesday night at Climate Pledge Arena.

Brock Nelson found the net again, giving him four goals in his last five games. Artturi Lehkonen also scored, while Samuel Girard recorded his first goal of the season. Cale Makar, Martin Necas, and Valeri Nichushkin each chipped in with two assists. Mackenzie Blackwood turned aside 34 shots in an impressive performance between the pipes.

For the Avalanche, it marked their third straight victory, while the Kraken have lost their last three, although they put up a good showing here.

Nathan MacKinnon now has TWENTY EIGHT (28!) GOALS in just 33 games. 🔥

70 goal pace btw for those interested. 😤 pic.twitter.com/F5DvCA2yqI

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 17, 2025

Seattle received goals from Chandler Stephenson, Shane Wright, and Jordan Eberle. Former Avalanche goaltender Philipp Grubauer was solid in defeat, stopping 33 shots.

First Period

Just over two minutes into the game, Josh Manson delivered a forceful check from behind on Mason Marchment, sending the brash forward sprawling to the ice. Several Avalanche players rose from the bench to assess the aftermath, and when Marchment regained his footing, he exchanged words with those looking on.

Seattle dictated the pace through much of the opening stretch, holding a 6–3 edge in shots on goal, but it quickly became the Mackenzie Blackwood show. The Colorado netminder robbed Matty Beniers and Frederick Gaudreau on a dazzling sequence of saves to keep the game scoreless.

With 7:40 remaining in the period, the Avalanche struck first. Necas fired a wrister through traffic that Artturi Lehkonen expertly redirected past Grubauer, who never picked up the puck. The goal was initially credited to Necas, but replay confirmed Lehkonen’s deft tip.

Moments later, Marchment broke free on a partial breakaway, but Sam Malinski hustled back, latched onto him, and forced a collision with Blackwood. Malinski was sent off for holding, though the Avalanche penalty kill stood firm. Shortly thereafter, Malinski was whistled again, this time for hooking Gaudreau, but Colorado once more survived the disadvantage.

Seattle then returned the favor when Ryan Winterton tripped Necas as he attempted to slice into the neutral zone. Despite the opportunity, Colorado’s power play woes persisted, and the period ended with the Avalanche clinging to a 1–0 lead.

Second Period

Just 3:03 into the middle frame, the Kraken evened the score. Jani Nyman’s shot rang off the post, and Shane Wright pounced on the rebound, batting it home at the backdoor.

Seattle seized the lead soon after. Beniers threaded a beautiful cross-crease pass to Adam Larsson, whose initial chance was somehow turned aside by Blackwood. The puck, however, trickled loose in the crease, and with no Avalanche defender tying him up, Eberle tapped it into a wide-open net.

Colorado caught a break when Marchment slashed Necas, putting the Avalanche on the power play. Necas appeared to respond moments later, but his goal was waved off after video review showed he had knocked the puck in with his glove.

The Avalanche finally broke through at 13:29 when Girard one-timed a shot past Grubauer for his first goal of the season, igniting a roar from the sizable contingent of Avalanche fans in attendance. Girard entered the game with three assists over his previous two contests, and his breakthrough felt inevitable.

With 3:43 left in the period, Vince Dunn was sent off for tripping Necas as the parade to the penalty box continued. Still, Seattle’s penalty kill, the league’s worst entering the night, once again outperformed Colorado’s struggling power play, holding the Avalanche to an 0-for-3 mark.

Colorado’s momentum stalled late when Ross Colton was called for boarding former Avalanche defenseman Ryan Lindgren with 1:04 remaining. Seattle capitalized almost immediately, as Chandler Stephenson fired a shot that deflected off Brent Burns’ skate and into the net, restoring the Kraken’s lead at 3–2.

Third Period

Tempers flared to open the final frame after Marchment slashed Manson following the whistle. The two had been at each other all night, and Manson finally had enough, dropping Marchment with a flurry of right hands that bloodied his nose. Brent Burns and Brandon Montour joined the fray and wrestled to the ice. All four players were assessed four-minute double minors for roughing.

Colorado responded quickly. Just 2:40 into the period, MacKinnon blasted a one-timer off a feed from Makar to tie the game at three.

Joel Kiviranta was sent to the box for tripping Nyman off the ensuing faceoff, giving Seattle another power-play opportunity.

At 7:49, Eberle was awarded a penalty shot after officials ruled that Manson had covered the puck in the crease with his glove. Replay appeared to show the puck sitting uncovered, leaving Manson visibly furious at the call. Eberle’s attempt came up empty, however, as his toe-drag move missed wide.

A penalty shot because Manson "covered the puck with his glove," while the puck was sitting in the crease.. clearly not covered at all.#goavsgo@TheHockeyNews

— Ryan O'Hara (@OHaraSports) December 17, 2025

Dunn was later whistled for tripping Gabe Landeskog, and just nine seconds into the ensuing power play, Brock Nelson buried a rebound off a MacKinnon one-timer to give the Avalanche a one-goal lead with more than 12 minutes remaining. Colorado finished the night 1/4 on the power play.

Seattle pulled Grubauer for the extra attacker with 1:48 left, but the push came up empty. MacKinnon sealed the outcome with an empty-net goal with 23.4 seconds remaining, punctuating a hard-fought Avalanche victory.

Next Game

The Avalanche (24-2-5) have two nights of rest before they take on Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets (15-15-2) Friday night at Ball Arena. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. local time. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

The Red Storm’s Big East title defense didn’t begin in style at Carnesecca Arena on Tuesday night, but they took care of business in a 79-66 victory over the DePaul Blue Demons to begin conference play with a win for the fifth consecutive season.

DePaul hung around for the first nine minutes, something they couldn’t accomplish in their two uncompetitive matchups with the Red Storm a season ago, before a big St. John’s run swayed momentum in the home team’s direction for good.

After a Kaleb Banks mid-range jumper cut the St. John’s lead to 19-16, the bench trio of Dylan Darling, Ruben Prey, and Lefteris Liotopoulos scored nine straight points before handing off the baton to the starters, who finished off an 18-3 run that gave the Red Storm a 37-19 lead with five minutes remaining in the first half.

RUBEN STEAL AND SLAM 😤 pic.twitter.com/bEBeMS59td

— St. John's Men’s Basketball (@StJohnsBBall) December 17, 2025

Strokes of bad luck (such as a Zuby Ejiofor technical foul midway through the second half) and poor finishing at the rim prevented St. John’s from turning this game into a laugher, but the Red Storm maintained their distance and led by double-digits in the final 11 minutes of play.

Coming off the bench, Dylan Darling shook off an extended shooting slump and looked like a confident and clinical scorer. Darling posted a team-high 17 points off the bench (5-of-9 from the field). Through eight games, Darling has only made one of his 15 three-point attempts this season. On Tuesday night, he was 3-of-5 from three.

5 straight for Dylan‼️

➡️ 3-4 from beyond the arc 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WyK31QjZLX

— St. John's Men’s Basketball (@StJohnsBBall) December 17, 2025

Joson Sanon and Ian Jackson were the only other players to score in double figures for St. John’s. Sanon put up 15 points and nine rebounds to nearly record a double-double, and Jackson tallied 10 points despite only playing in 14 minutes of action.

St. John’s will have a three-day turnaround before they travel to Atlanta and face the Kentucky Wildcats (7-4) in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday, December 20 (12:30 p.m., CBS), which features the much-anticipated coaching duel between Rick Pitino and his former player Mark Pope.

With Notre Dame’s 2025 college football season at an abrupt end, we can start to focus on roster management and the possibilities to come with NFL Draft entries and transfer portal transactions. Notre Dame’s recruiting class for 2026 is signed and set, and with the exception of the increased likelihood of 2027 QB Teddy Jarrard reclassifying to the 2026 class, those are the only 27 players guaranteed to be on the 2026 roster.

Below is the 2026 scholarship chart. Every name listed on the chart is a player currently eligible for 2026 and has not declared publicly for the NFL Draft or the transfer portal. It will, undoubtedly, change quite a bit over the coming months — but this is what we have for right now.

We can speculate on which positions the Irish will go after in the portal, and if you guessed that it’s going to be wide receivers and defensive tackles — you’re probably right. Names like Michigan State WR Nick Marsh and Wake Forest DT Mateen Ibirogba will be tossed around, but whatever discussion we have, it will be smoking hot when the transfer portal opens on January 2nd until it closes on January 16.

Player/Class	Freshmen	Sophomore	Junior	Senior	Graduate
Quarterback	Noah Grubbs	Blake Hebert	C.J. Carr	–	`
Running Back	Javian Osborne, Jonaz Walton	Nolan James	Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young	–	Jadarian Price, Gi’Bran Payne
Tight End	Preston Fryzel, Ian Premer	James Flanigan	Jack Larsen	Cooper Flanagan	–
Wide Receiver	Dylan Faison, Bubba Frazier, Kaydon Finley, Devin Fitzgerald, Brayden Robinson	Elijah Burress, Jerome Bettis Jr., Antavious Richardson	Cam Williams, Micah Gilbert, Logan Saldate	Jaden Greathouse, KK Smith, Jordan Faison	–
Center	–	–	–	–	Ashton Craig
Guard	Sullivan Garvin, Tyler Merrill, Gregory Patrick	Cameron Herron	–	Joe Otting, Chris Terek	Billy Schrauth
Tackle	Ben Nichols, Grayson McKeogh, Charlie Thom	Will Black, Owen Strebig, Matty Augustine	Peter Jones, Anthonie Knapp, Styles Prescod, Guerby Lambert	Sullivan Absher, Charles Jagusah	Aamil Wagner
Defensive Tackle	Tiki Hola, Elijah Golden	Joseph Reiff, Davion Dixon	Sean Sevillano	Brenan Vernon, Devan Houstan, Armel Mukam	Donovan Hinish, Elijah Hughes
Defensive End	Ebenezer Ewetade, Rodney Dunham	Christopher Burgess, Gordy Sulfsted	Cole Mullins, Bryce Young, Loghan Thomas	Boubacar Traore	Joshua Burnham, Junior Tuihalamaka
Linebacker	Thomas Davis Jr., Kobe Clapper	Dominik Hulak, Ko’o Kia, Anthony Sacca, Madden Faraimo	Teddy Rezac, Bodie Kahoun, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa	Drayk Bowen, Preston Zinter, Jaiden Ausberry	Jaylen Sneed
Safety	Ayden Pouncey, Joey O’Brien, Nick Reddish	Ethan Long, JaDon Blair, Brandon Logan	Taebron Bennie-Powell, Brauntae Johnson	Adon Shuler, Ben Minich, Luke Talich	–
Cornerback	Chaston Smith, Khary Adams	Cree Thomas, Dallas Golden, Mark Zachery	Karson Hobbs, Leonard Moore	Christian Gray	–
Specialists	–	Erik Schmidt	–	–	–
Totals	27/105 (27)	52/105 (25)	74/105 (22)	93/105 (19)	103/105 (10)

When you're trying to achieve something you have never managed before, help from the opposition is always welcome.

Losing wickets to loose, attacking strokes has been a market cornered by Englishmen over the past four weeks down under.

Day one of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide - a match England must win to have any hope of coming from 2-0 down to win an Ashes series for the first time - was the day Australia's top-order batting got a touch soft, some might say Englandy.

By drinks in the evening session the hosts were 271-7 on a blameless surface - the pitch best for batting in Australia.

Six of the hosts' top seven had made double figures, only for all bar wicketkeeper Alex Carey to be dismissed.

Batter Jake Weatherald was the first to go, bounced out by the impressive Jofra Archer for 10, but he was the least guilty.

• Australia's Smith out of third Test with illness
• The Ashes: Second Test, day one live updates

After that, Travis Head drove to cover, where Zak Crawley took a spectacular one-handed catch, to leave the score 33-2.

The worst of the dismissals came from the most unlikely source. Marnus Labuschagne, a man who prizes his wicket more than most, tamely pulled the first ball after lunch from Archer straight to mid-wicket.

Two balls later, all-rounder Cameron Green chipped a catch straight to the same fielder. 94-2 became 94-4 with England having done little.

"With the exception of Weatherald who got an excellent ball they have given their wickets away," said BBC Test Match Special commentator Jonathan Agnew.

"The fall of wickets have been quite cavalier and casual.

"If that had been England throwing those wickets away I think we know what we would have been saying."

Even Usman Khawaja, who dug in for 82 from 126 balls after being given a late call-up to replace the ill Steve Smith, gave his wicket away.

England were toiling in the afternoon session after those two quick wickets before the left-hander slog-swept England spinner Will Jacks to deep square leg.

"Australia have been a little bit soft," said former England spinner Phil Tufnell.

"I don't know if the late withdrawal of Steve Smith panicked them a little bit.

"The force that Smith is in that batting line-up may have got them a little jittery but England have hung in."

Carey may yet save Australia and push them towards a competitive first-innings score.

But the average first effort on this ground this century is 396, while Australia have made 440 or more here eight times in their past 14 matches. Such a mark is still a fair way away.

This was only the fourth time on record four of Australia's top five have been dismissed with an attacking shot on day one of a Test.

"England have not bowled that well consistently," said former Australia bowler Glenn McGrath. "They have not bowled in consistent areas.

"They have been a bit all over the place, but they have picked up seven wickets."

England have been given a helping hand.

The Avs hop on a plane for a short road trip to the Evergreen State to take on the Seattle Kraken, their first of three matchups against the team that handed them their first-round exit in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Avs win the first period by score alone. Artturi Lehkonen tips home a Martin Necas shot to put Colorado up 1-0.

The Kraken came out winning the second. Shane Wright and Jordan Eberle, who leads the team in points, score to get the leg up on the Avs. It almost looked like Colorado could come out of this period tied, thanks to a goal from Samuel Girard, but Chandler Stephenson converts on Seattle’s split power play before the period is over to take the Kraken into the second intermission tied.

Then, the Avs have a HUGE third period, getting two from Nathan MacKinnon and one from Brock Nelson (on the power play!) to rally through a gritty game and head back home with a 5-3 win under their belt.

Samuel Girard gets his first goal of the season

Having missed quite a bit of time due to injury, Girard scored his first goal of the season in the second period of tonight’s game, the game-tying goal before Stephenson found Seattle’s lead.

Girard slams home his first of the season! pic.twitter.com/FK5JIwebE8

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 17, 2025

A beautifully-placed goal for his first, tallied in his 18th game of the season.

Heading into tonight’s game, Girard was the only skater left on this roster without a goal to his name.

Avs special teams check-in

Heading into tonight’s game, here are the stats:

Seattle:

• PP: 19.1%, 16th
• PK: 67.5%, 32nd

Colorado:

• PP: 15.3%, 25th
• PK: 85.7%, 1st

Good news is that the Avs converted on another power play opportunity since Cale Makar‘s late goal in the team’s loss to Nashville in the shootout.

Bad news is… the PK gets scored on for the second game in a row.

This was turning into a game that the Avalanche couldn’t excuse, especially if they didn’t score on the power play. The league-worst penalty kill against a power play looking to find something, anything, to get their man advantage to work more consistently. They went 0-for-3 at one point in the night, and a really simple wide shot that turns into a bank pass behind the net finds Brock Nelson with a wide-open net (credit to Martin Necas for drawing Ryan Lindgren with him to draw the pressure away).

Teams have begun to telegraph the Avs’ passing sequences on the power play… Are moves like this the super-simple answer?

Avs postgame pod

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Angels made a couple of moves to add pitching depth Tuesday night, signing left-hander Drew Pomeranz and right-hander Jordan Romano to one-year contracts.

Pomeranz gets a $4 million salary next season, and Romano will earn $2 million.

The 37-year-old Pomeranz was 2-2 with a 2.17 ERA and one save in 53 relief appearances and four starts for the Chicago Cubs last season. He struck out 57 batters in 49 2/3 innings.

It was the first major league stint for the oft-injured Pomeranz since 2021 with San Diego. He went 23 1/3 consecutive innings without permitting an earned run over his first 26 games to begin the season.

Pomeranz was selected fifth overall by Cleveland in the 2010 amateur draft from the University of Mississippi and made his big league debut with Colorado in 2011. He was an All-Star in 2016 with the Padres.

Pomeranz is 50-60 with a 3.82 ERA and 940 strikeouts over 908 innings in 12 seasons with the Rockies, Athletics, Padres, Red Sox, Giants, Brewers and Cubs. He won a World Series championship with the 2018 Red Sox, making 26 regular-season appearances, but did not pitch in the postseason that year.

Romano, 32, was a two-time All-Star closer for Toronto but struggled this year in his only season with Philadelphia, going 2-4 with an 8.23 ERA and eight saves in 49 appearances. He struck out 47 batters and served up 10 home runs in 42 2/3 innings.

Romano is 22-21 with a 3.73 ERA and 113 saves in 280 big league games over seven seasons with the Blue Jays and Phillies.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

(All times Central)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, December 18
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN'S)
6:30 p.m.

Dayton at Western Michigan — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

NBA BASKETBALL
8:30 p.m.

Detroit at Dallas — FDSN Detroit, KFAA 29, WFAA, MavsTV, NBA League Pass

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

(All times Central)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, December 18
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN'S)
5 p.m.

Hampton at Jackson State — ESPNU

7 p.m.

Delaware State at Saint Joseph's — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

7:30 p.m.

Norfolk State at Grambling State — ESPNU

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN'S)
6 p.m.

Virginia Tech at Florida State — ACCNX

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

(All times Central)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Thursday, December 18
COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN'S)
7 p.m.

Lafayette at Charlotte — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

Delaware State at Saint Joseph's — ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

Temple at Davidson — FDSN South, FDSN South TN Nash., ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN'S)
6 p.m.

St. Francis (PA) at Pittsburgh — ACCNX

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN'S)
6:30 p.m.

Texas A&M at Pittsburgh — ESPN

NHL HOCKEY
7 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Ottawa — SportsNet Pittsburgh, ESPN app, ESPN Select, Fubo Sports

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV.

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks have won a second consecutive bowl game in their young FBS tenure as they overcome the Troy Trojans 17-13 in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.

The game got going early with Jax State finding the endzone on their first possession, as Caden Creel found Brock Rechsteiner (son of WWE legend Rick Steiner) for a 22-yard score to make it an early 7-0 advantage. Later in the quarter, the Trojans’ defense forced a critical turnover with a strip sack of Creel that was returned for a touchdown to knot the score at 7-7 after 15 minutes.

Troy took a 13-7 lead into the locker room at the halftime break in what was a very quiet second quarter. Scott Taylor Renfroe connected on a pair of field goals from 38 and 30 yards, respectively, to give the Sun Belt West champs the slight edge.

With 6:35 left in the third quarter, Garrison Rippa got the Gamecocks back on the board with a 51-yard field goal that sliced Troy’s lead in half at 13-10 before opening the fourth quarter with an 11-play touchdown drive that ended with Andrew Paul finding pay dirt and giving Charles Kelly’s squad the lead.

Then, a pair of three-and-outs kept the game close before Tucker Kilcrease threw a critical interception as the Trojans were looking to retake the lead down 17-13. With 2:20 remaining, Creel found Deondre Johnson for a 28-yard pitch and catch on third and six to force Troy into calling their final timeout of the game.

Troy got the football back with time on the clock, but they were unable to find the endzone on the final play as the Hail Mary attempt was tipped to a Trojans receiver, but fell just incomplete as the Gamecocks secured the 17-13 win.

Chelsea advanced to the League Cup semifinals with last night’s perfunctory 3-1 win over third-division Cardiff City, showing just enough bits of requisite quality in the second half to dispatch the opposition. It wasn’t pretty, and it was hardly entertaining, but it got the job done while giving some much needed rest to many.

Enzo Maresca rotated all eleven players from the weekend, almost picking the exact same lineup as voted for by the WAGNH Community. The one difference was Tyrique George starting at right wing instead of Estêvão, who, surprisingly, was not included at all in the matchday squad.

There was no shortage of hot takes about that decision, but as it turns out, the reason for the 18-year-old wonderkid’s absence was a minor injury.

“Estêvão has a small muscular problem, a light injury. He won’t be available for Newcastle but we will see for the next one. I think he can be available for the next one.”

-Enzo Maresca; source: Chelsea FC

It’s not quite clear when the injury occured; the youngster seemed to be playing with a knock in his last couple appearances and not quite reaching the heights of his Barcelona performance. Hopefully a bit of rest and recovery will do him good.

Chelsea claimed a 3-1 win over Cardiff City to advance to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, with the Blues eyeing another trophy under Enzo Maresca.

Chelsea made a meal of the clash with the League One side but eventually emerged victorious thanks to a brace from Alejandro Garnacho and a goal from Pedro Neto.

Despite the win, the absence of youngster Estevao Willian confused Chelsea fans who expected to see the exciting teenager strut his stuff.

Unfortunately, he missed the tie due to a muscle issue and is set to be unavailable this weekend when Chelsea travel to face Newcastle United.

Maresca said (via Football London), “He had a small problem, a muscle problem. He won’t be available for Newcastle, and we’ll see for the next one.”

The ‘exciting’ Estevao was a huge miss for Chelsea, with Maresca turning to Tyrique George on the right wing in his absence.

The Cobham Academy graduate failed to make an impact and was hooked for Neto, who scored an important goal.

Neto will likely retain his starting berth this weekend, but the Blues must be desperate to have the young Brazilian in the side, even as an option off the bench.

Estevao has the ability to get fans off their seats and also has the end product to go with it, making him one of the most exciting football talents around.

Maresca has been criticised for managing his minutes. The Italian tactician is being careful with his development, but fans are impatient and want to see their gem in action.

The truth is that finding the right moments to give Estevao a chance to shine is key. Throwing him into the deep end and hoping he swims does not help.

There are still aspects of his game that need fine-tuning, and Maresca is in the best position to help him grow.

The 2026 college football transfer portal does not open until Jan. 2, but there are already several athletes who have announced their intention to find a new home.

Locally, UC quarterback Brendan Sorsby is leaving the Bearcats for the transfer portal and should get a big payday elsewhere.

There are also several former Cincinnati high school football products who are headed to the portal looking for a new collegiate home.

Here's a running list of some former local standouts on the move in college.

More: Vote for the Greater Cincinnati high school athlete of the week Dec. 15

More: Four-star Taft quarterback Monsanna Torbert transfers to Princeton

Noah King, Colorado

King was a top 15 player in Ohio in the Class of 2025. He began his career at Kansas State last spring but entered the transfer portal after spring ball.

King joined Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes as an undergraduate transfer and redshirted. He is entering the transfer portal for the second time.

NEW: Colorado safety Noah King plans to enter the NCAA transfer portal, @PeteNakos reports.

King was a 4-star in the 2025 class. https://t.co/pc0ZjqBtZZpic.twitter.com/FXIAQ13Jnh

— Transfer Portal (@TransferPortal) December 5, 2025

King was a four-star defensive back at Hamilton, according to 247Sports, who helped lead the Big Blue to the playoffs in 2024. He originally had a dozen Division I offers before going to Kansas State, including from Nebraska, Kentucky and West Virginia.

Brody Foley, Tulsa

Foley, a former Anderson High School standout, announced on social media Dec. 11 that he'll enter the transfer portal for the second time in his collegiate career.

Foley appeared in 20 games at Indiana University over the last two seasons before committing to Tulsa. This season, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound tight end had 37 catches for 528 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Foley was a first-team All-Ohio selection at Anderson on defense in 2021 and was the No. 12 tight end in the nation for the Class of 2022, per 247Sports. Foley had 38 catches for 362 yards and 6 touchdowns with the Raptors.

Brogan McCaughey, Yale

McCaughey, a former St. Xavier quarterback, will enter the transfer portal as a grad transfer with two years of eligibility remaining, he announced on social media.

McCaughey led St. Xavier to the school's fourth state football title in 2020. He was a three-star prospect in the Class of 2022 and spent three seasons at Yale. In 2024, he appeared in two games, throwing for 389 yards and two touchdowns.

Airriss Rosemond, St. Francis

Rosemond announced on social media Dec. 5 that he'll enter the transfer portal after spending one season at St. Francis. He originally committed to Army in July 2024.

He was a three-star defensive back at Princeton in the Class of 2025. He held 13 original offers, with several suitors from the MAC.

Jyaire Brown, UCF

Brown moved from New Orleans to Cincinnati as a junior and became one of Ohio's top recruits at Lakota West. Brown was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2022

He spent two seasons at Ohio State before transferring to LSU for the 2024 season, then spent the last year at UCF. With the Knights, he had seven tackles. He announced Dec. 4 that he'll enter the transfer portal.

MJ Flowers, UConn

Flowers ran for 2,744 yards and 36 touchdowns at Colerain, including a 1,404-yard, 17-touchdown season as a senior in 2021.

The 2022 prospect began his career at Eastern Illinois, where he logged back-to-back 850-yard seasons in 2023-2024, combining for 15 touchdowns. He spent this season at UConn, running for 69 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts.

Pierce Ayers, Wittenberg

Ayers set a Wittenberg record with 17 catches in a game this season and he'll join the UC Bearcats next season, according to Tim Maklem.

Ayers had 59 catches for 1,332 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior at Williamsburg in 2023. He also had 50 tackles, two forced fumbles and three interceptions, helping lead Williamsburg to a division title and a playoff berth.

Wabash gave me brothers for life and memories I’ll carry forever. After an incredible 3 years of Football at Wabash College, I have officially entered the NCAA transfer portal as a graduate transfer. Looking forward to connecting with coaches and exploring new opportunities. pic.twitter.com/IvgvI9ShTX

— Samuel Ringer | 6’0ft 205lbs | OLB/Nickle/S (@ringer_samuel) November 19, 2025

Samuel Ringer, Wabash

Ringer, a 6-foot outside linebacker, was a Class 4A All-State selection at East Central. He announced in November that he'll enter the portal as a graduate transfer after three seasons as Wabash.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Former Cincinnati prep football stars entering NCAA's transfer portal

Subscribe to Yahoo Fantasy Forecast

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube

It’s another edition of Data Dump on the Yahoo Fantasy Forecast as we make the pivot from Week 15 to Week 16 in the NFL. Ray Garvin joins Matt Harmon to share 10 data points you need to know for this upcoming week.

(3:00) - Ray's 1st data point: Trevor Lawrence has gone from mid to money

(15:15) - Matt's 1st data point: Bo Nix's monster game in Week 15

(24:45) - Ray's 2nd data point: Trust these TEs down the stretch

(35:55) - Matt's 2nd data point: Kenny Gainwell's massive passing game role

(42:55) - Ray's 3rd data point: What do we do with Rashee Rice?

(49:55) - Matt's 3rd data point: Can we trust DJ Moore again?

(57:30) - Ray's 4th data point: Where do we rank Ashton Jeanty this week?

(1:04:15) - Matt's 4th data point: Where do we rank TreVeyon Henderson this week?

(1:10:00) - Ray's 5th data point: Trey McBride is this year's fantasy MVP

(1:14:30) - Matt's 5th data point: Bucs WR rotation now that everyone is healthy

Jason Jung

🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at yahoosports.tv

Eberl thinks threat is overblown (Sport1 via @iMiaSanMia)

Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl is remaining calm and confident when it comes down to the negotiations with Dayot Upamecano.

“What keeps circulating right now is: He rejected [the offer]… threat… ultimatum – all of that is nonsense. We’re in very good talks. The eye of the needle is getting smaller and he has to go through it. My wish would be to go through the eye of the needle and not around it,” Eberl said. “It would be desirable [to get it done before the end of the year], but I can’t promise that. Generally speaking, I’m very optimistic. We’ve already done several contract extensions over the past weeks and months. It’s our big wish [to extend with Upamecano].”

The emergence of Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain as legitimate threats to acquire Upamecano has added some pressure to the situation. Time continues to tick…

Raum available? (Sky Germany’s Philipp Hinze)

In the summer, RB Leipzig star David Raum will see his release clause fall below €40 million:

🔴 Sky Info: Leipzig captain David Raum’s exit clause will drop below €40m next summer. Contract until 2027, no concrete talks yet about a possible extension. But: Raum is very happy at RB, and last summer after missing out on European qualification, he was determined to stay. Leipzig would generally like to extend. No pressure on it yet.

The situation is different for Xaver Schlager, from whom RB is demanding a decision by January at the latest. The Austrian’s contract currently expires this summer.
@SkySportDE

Raum and Schlager are two of RB Leipzig’s foundational players (not the transactional, transients who act as mercenaries to improve their value before being sold). To lose one — or both— of them would be an absolute killer for Die Roten Bullen.

Vlahović to Milan? (ESPN)

AC Milan is reportedly close to landing the signature of Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović:

Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is close to reaching an agreement with AC Milan, as Barcelona have doubts over signing him, says Sport. It is increasingly likely that 39-year-old Robert Lewandowski will leave the Blaugrana in the summer when his contract ends, and Vlahovic, 25, is also expected to become a free agent in the summer. However, his wage demands of €12 million a season are an obstacle, while his six goals in 17 appearances have not been enough for Barca to maintain an interest.

Bayern still watching Fernandes? (Sports Mole)

According to a report out of England, Bayern Munich is keeping watch on Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes:

Bayern Munich are reportedly ‘big admirers’ of Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

The 31-year-old gave an interview in November in which he claimed that some of the club directors wanted him gone during the summer window, but they lacked the courage to confront Ruben Amorim, who wanted him to stay. Several Saudi Pro League clubs, such as Al-Hilal were reportedly interested in signing him and were ready to pay around £100m, but Fernandes decided to continue at the club.

According to a report from talkSPORT, several Man Utd players believe that Fernandes could depart in the summer after his bombshell interview. Fernandes has a £57m release clause in his contract that foreign clubs can trigger in the summer, and United could be tempted to cash in on him. The report claims that German giants Bayern Munich are big admirers of the attacking midfielder, who has arguably been Man Utd’s best player post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

Fans of Fernandes or not, it would make no sense to bring in the Portuguese star when Jamal Musiala, Lennart Karl, and Serge Gnabry could all be on the roster….HARD PASS.

Ryerson to Barca? (Sky Germany’s Patrick Berger)

FC Barcelona could be eyeing talented Borussia Dortmund right-back Julian Ryerson:

🔵🔴 FC Barcelona is looking for a (cost-effective) backup for Jules Koundé and have #BVB full back Julian Ryerson (28/🇳🇴) on their list; first talks have taken place between Ryerson camp and Barça. But nothing advanced or concrete at this stage.

Ryerson‘s contract at Dortmund runs until 2028. He is open to a transfer in summer.
@SkySportDE

Ryerson is mostly known as a right-back, but can play on the left side as well. The Norwegian also has significant experience in playing as a midfielder as well.

Roma chasing Tel (ESPN)

Former Bayern Munich striker Mathys Tel is on the radar of AS Roma:

Tottenham Hotspur striker Mathys Tel has emerged as a potential option for Roma amid plans to strengthen their attack. Calciomercato reports. the Giallorossi see the 20-year-old as a potential alternative to Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, with the Red Devils keen on keeping him until the summer. The Serie A club are yet to make contact with Spurs regarding a deal for Tel, while they are also believed to be looking at Fiorentina’s Albert Gudmundsson.

---

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

Dylan Raiola's Nebraska offensive coordinator admits huge reason for potential portal exit originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers will have a new quarterback under center next fall as several reputable reports indicated Monday.

College football media pundits like Will Compton, a former Cornhuskers linebacker and Barstool Sports podcast host, have begun to weigh-in on the situation. It is also getting back to the Cornhuskers' coaching staff though, too,  including offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.

Holgorsen met reporters Tuesday as the Cornhuskers are gearing up for their bowl game against the Utah Utes Dec. 31 and was asked to comment about Raiola's immediate future in Lincoln. Although Holgorsen didn't officially confirm quarterback Dylan Raiola's intent to enter the portal, he did admit a massive discrepancy that may have held Raiola back from being a long-term star.

“There's times where I thought we were really headed in the right direction. There's times where we weren't,” Holgorsen said. "I mean, that falls on me, not just from his perspective, from the whole offense’s perspective."

Holgorsen kept it classy when discussing Raiola holistically, but admitted it's a "new norm" for the transfer portal not to play a key factor every season.

“I’m not going to speak on any of that,” Holgorsen said. “I really loved working with Dylan. He’s a great kid and gave a lot to this place for two years.”

Regardless of who the quarterback is, Holgorsen said his job remains status quo and would rather discuss who is part of the program rather than not.

“At the end of the day, my job’s not done here,” Holgorsen said. “Coach Rhule hired me to come in and get us as good as we can on offense, and I don’t feel like we’re at that point right now.”

Holgorsen said he knows what kind of quarterback the team is looking for. Now it's about execution.

“The way I look at it is you get the best player you can,” Holgorsen said. “We can mold our coaching around what that player does well and what his skill set is.”

With a few quarterbacks already intending to enter, it seems as if Nebraska will have plenty of options as January approaches.

For the time being, though, the postseason remains the key focus.

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: Carlos Rodón indicated he was progressing well in his recovery from elbow surgery and expects to rejoin the Yankees early on in the regular season. The southpaw said on the YES Network that he’s progressed to throwing from distances of 60 to 75 feet after an October procedure to shave down a bone spur and remove loose bodies from his throwing elbow. “Obviously it’s not going to be part of the Opening Day rotation, but hopefully it’s a few weeks,” he said Tuesday. “Whatever it is, I just want to be 100 percent and be able to pitch in every game that I can,” Rodón continued, emphasizing the importance of availability following a season in which he recorded a career-high 195.1 innings pitched. After an up-and-down start to his career in pinstripes, the 33-year-old bounced back in a major way last year, winning 18 games while making his third All-Star team. The veteran’s return will be especially welcome given the fact that fellow starters Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are also expected to start the season on the IL.

Wall Street Journal | Jared Diamond: ($) A profile on Tatsuya Imai, whose free agency is perhaps the most intriguing of this offseason. The Japanese starter, who spent the past eight seasons with the NPB’s Saitama Seibu Lions, is expected to command a contract between $150 million to $200 million and has until January 2nd to finalize his decision. Diamond lists the Yankees alongside the Cubs and Phillies as among those bidding on Imai’s services. “We have been very aggressive in the more recent market, but fell short,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said of efforts to sign a player from Japan since Masahiro Tanaka’s departure following the 2020 season. “Those players made the decision to go play for the Dodgers, and clearly the success has followed them.” Imai, for one, has expressed a hesitancy to join LA, instead preferring the chance to “take them down.”

MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: A round-robin on Yankees offseason questions. Hoch concurs that the team’s interest in Japanese starter Tatsuya Imai is legitimate, though it’s unclear where they stand in his sweepstakes. Same for Michael King, with whom the Yankees are pursuing a reunion while the Red Sox and Orioles are expected to be among his other suitors. Bo Bichette is a less likely option, with his limitations at shortstop meaning the team would likely need to move either Jazz Chisholm Jr. or Ryan McMahon in a corresponding move. Likewise for Luke Weaver, whose relationship with the Yankees wore down late last year as he struggled with the strain of mechanical adjustments due to pitch tipping. While still very much on the Yankees’ radar, returning Cody Bellinger is far from a sure thing, with many other teams (including the Mets) in on him.

MLB Trade Rumors | Nick Deeds: As a counterpoint to Hoch’s insights, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner reports that there is mutual interest between Luke Weaver and the Yankees in a reunion. He also indicates that “about 10 teams” have asked after the right-hander, who is seeking a multi-year deal. With an early run on relievers this offseason so far, the veteran is one of the top bullpen arms still available on the free agent market. As Kirschner notes, though, the Yankees have been reticent to give large, multi-year deals to relievers, a potential stumbling block in their negotiations with Weaver, who resurrected his career during a two-plus-year stint in New York that saw him post a 3.22 ERA in 162 innings.

Baseball Prospectus | Michael Donodeo and BP Prospect Staff: ($) Baseball Prospectus has updated its list of the Yankees’ top 10 prospects as we approach 2026. Shortstop Dax Kilby, taken by the Yankees in the first round of the 2025 draft, raked in his first professional action with the Tampa Tarpons and jumps into the first slot. He’s followed by Elmer Rodríguez, the right-hander who dominated Double-A and earned a late promotion to Triple-A last year after coming aboard from Boston in the Carlos Narváez deal last offseason. That drops shortstop George Lombard Jr., the team’s top prospect according to many outlets, down to third. And Spencer Jones, who hit 35 minor-league homers last year and has been mentioned as both a potential outfield option and as trade bait this offseason, drops down to eighth as concern around his swing-and-miss profile continues to grow.

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025.

1. Paddy Pimblett will have to ‘get lucky’ at UFC 324 to beat ‘perfect’ Justin Gaethje, steal White House spot: If Justin Gaethje is remotely close to his best, he could definitely derail the UFC plan of a Paddy Pimblett championship.
2. No Chama? Alex Pereira reverses course, suddenly declares UFC White House ‘NO GO’: One wonders if this is a money issue, Jon Jones issue, or something else entirely.
3. Conspiracy? Islam Makhachev and scheming manager ‘planting the seeds’ for ‘easier’ Usman fight: Kamaru Usman receiving the next title shot would kill a small piece of my soul. I’m Team Shavkat but would happily watch Morales or Garry get their shot too.

Insomnia

Jake Paul is going to get knocked out in honor of The Hulk, brother!

Jake Paul pays tribute to the immortal Hulk Hogan 🇺🇸 with his Fight Night outfit made from real Alligator 🐊🤯

——-
Friday, December 19th
LIVE only on Netflix
Kaseya Center – Miami, FL#JakeJoshuapic.twitter.com/V4kPS04y4F

— MVP – Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) December 16, 2025

Michael Morales’ new back tattoo goes hard! He might need to take a week off wrestling though.

View this post on Instagram

Sam Alvey may not have a concussion (doubtful), but he seems to have a severe case of RED.

"Honestly, I wasn't even concussed, and I would have sworn I could have been, but no, I had everything checked out, looked at, X-rayed, examined, and not even a concussion."

Sam Alvey provides an update after suffering a scary KO loss to Robelis Despaigne. pic.twitter.com/Oo0M64Me58

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 16, 2025

Weird fact of the day:

Tom Brady reveals he is first cousins with UFC Matchmaker Sean Shelby pic.twitter.com/oNA8W5TwnC

— Nina-Marie Daniele (@Ninadrama) December 16, 2025

This whole clip is genuinely funny, but the last line was too close to Robbie Lawler’s 2016 “take his soul” line — which was actually scary!

This interview still ranks up there with the best ever segments done with MMA fighters.

Rory MacDonald and Robbie Lawler were given pre written trash talk lines to read out loud to each other before their rematch at UFC 189. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/4X5M3rEdct

— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) December 15, 2025

Bantamweight banger alert, who ya’ got?!?

Jean Matsumoto will fight Farid Basharat at #UFCVegas113 on February 7th. #UFC#MMA#UFCParamount#UFConParamount#UFC2026pic.twitter.com/QQPZ4n9gvL

— Marcel Dorff 🇳🇱🇮🇩 (@BigMarcel24) December 14, 2025

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Based on the sound and result, I’m guessing this mat doesn’t have a lot of give.

Gran azote de 🇲🇽Christian Hernandez! #SFN10pic.twitter.com/b03OTxrDeQ

— Barrele la pierna (@Barrelelapierna) December 14, 2025

Power kick from the open side! A little feint is all that’s needed.

Knocked the F Out!!!

Cro Cop would be proud pic.twitter.com/oAbbAAnwJr

— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) December 13, 2025

Baris Adiguzel showed off fast hands at PFL Lyon.

🚨WOWWWWW LE KO AU 1ER POUR BARIS ADIGUZEL 🇫🇷

IL DEVIENT LE NOUVEAU CHAMPION BANTAMWEIGHT DU PFL ! 🏆🏆 #PFLLYONpic.twitter.com/OnaufAwqM4

— ARENA (@MMArena_) December 13, 2025

Random Land

A terrifying slingshot.

View this post on Instagram

Midnight Music: New wave, 1979

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

The San Diego Padres finalized manager Craig Stammen’s coaching staff with the hiring of Bob Henley as the third base coach, Kevin Plawecki as the catching coach, and Ryan Goins as the infield coach for the 2026 season.

The majority of the new staff includes coaches who had a previous relationship with Stammen during their time together with the Washington Nationals. All of the recent hires have a passion to teach the sport, which should help support the first-year skipper having a fundamentally sound roster.

Henley will be in the manager’s ear 

Stammen is facing a steep learning curve, so he is banking on his coaching staff to offer valuable advice that proves to be the right move in high-pressure game situations. It is all about building confidence.

The hiring of Henley as the third base coach offers another friendly voice who adds valuable insight for making in-game decisions. He has a long history with the Washington Nationals organization. Henley was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1991 MLB Draft, and played 41 games as a catcher in his lone season (1998) as a major leaguer.

Henley managed and coached at various levels in the Nats’ minor league system before being promoted to third base coach in 2014. He is known for having an aggressive base-running style, as Stammen needs assistance in taking advantage of potential run-scoring opportunities.

His knowledge of the game will help Stammen navigate the challenges that come with judging which outfielder’s arm is worth the risk of attempting to take an extra base. Hopefully, it forces the defense to make an error that scores an unearned run. 

Stammen taps Goins and Plawecki for key staff roles

In 2025, Goins was a member of the Los Angeles Angels coaching staff. However, after manager Ron Washington left his position due to a medical emergency, Goins was elevated to interim bench coach. 

This season, his role is to help align the infield defense, as he was an outstanding fielder during his playing days. Goins will emphasize fundamentals, which include proper positioning on relay throws from the outfield and quick transfers to execute double plays perfectly. He is the right hire for this role, as Goins played every infield position during his eight-year major league career.

Plawecki has been working in the Padres organization since he retired as a player in 2024. The former catcher is known for his strong defensive skillset behind the plate. Plawecki has a unique ability to build a bond with the organization’s catching prospects. Managing clubhouse dynamics can be a challenge for most first-year managers. To achieve immediate success, Stammen needs to have a staff member who can communicate with the players.

The primary function of the new coaching hires is to remind players about the importance of playing situational baseball, which was greatly missed last season. It means doing the “little things,” such as bunting runners into scoring position or hitting behind the runner attempting to steal a base. Maintaining a winning culture will gain support from the veterans inside the locker room. 

Adversity is a part of a baseball season, as a team mirrors its manager’s reactions when things go bad. It is a delicate balancing act for Stammen, who is hoping to make a smooth transition from being a former ballplayer and front office executive to becoming the field boss.

The Friar Faithful expect the team to contend for a postseason berth in 2026. Unfortunately, Stammen is not on a long leash to learn his trade. But he has a personality that should thrive under the pressure associated with managing a major league ballclub with high expectations.

The Chargers' game against the Cowboys this Sunday, which is being played at AT&T Stadium, will have the following announcers for the FOX broadcast: 

• Play-by-play: Adam Amin
• Analyst: Drew Brees
• Reporter: Kristina Pink

How to watch

Watch on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)

The Week 16 matchup will begin at 10:00 am PT.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers vs. Cowboys: Announcers set for Week 16 game

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ja’Kobi Gillespie had 23 points and five assists to lead No. 20 Tennessee to an 83-62 victory over No. 11 Louisville on Tuesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak.

Nate Ament scored 13 and Jaylen Carey had 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Volunteers (8-3). Gillespie had 20 of his points in the second half.

Ryan Conwell scored 22 and Adrian Wooley had 19 for the Cardinals (9-2).

Tennessee outrebounded Louisville, 35-30, and limited the Cardinals to just 38% shooting from the field.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 96, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 62

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Freshman Brayden Burries scored 20 points, Motiejus Krivas added 15 and Arizona rolled to a win over Abilene Christian.

Arizona (10-0) jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first 90 seconds and never trailed, taking a 51-31 lead by halftime. Coach Tommy Lloyd’s Wildcats have won five straight by at least 20 points for the first time since the 2010-11 season.

The 6-foot-4 Burries scored at least 20 points for the third time this season, shooting 9 of 11 from the field. He had a season-high 28 points in Saturday’s win over then-No. 12 Alabama. The 7-foot-2 Krivas made all four of his field-goal attempts and shot 7 of 8 on free throws.

Six Arizona players scored in double figures. Ivan Kharchenkov had 11 points while Jaden Bradley, Koa Peat and Tobe Awaka all had 10. The Wildcats shot 66.7% from the field.

NO. 3 DUKE 97, LIPSCOMB 73

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 26 points and had 13 rebounds to help Duke overcome a 10-point deficit and earn Jon Scheyer his 100th coaching victory with a win over Lipscomb.

Isaiah Evans scored 16 points, reserves Maliq Brown and Darren Harris each provided 11 points and Patrick Ngongba II added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Duke (11-0), which has matched its best start since the 2017-18 season.

The Blue Devils, who had been off since winning Dec. 6 at then-No. 7 Michigan State, prevailed despite committing 22 turnovers.

NO. 5 UCONN 79, BUTLER 60

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Solo Ball scored a career-high 26 points and Tarris Reed Jr. added 16 as UConn began Big East play Tuesday night with a victory over Butler.

Jayden Ross had 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench and Braylon Mullins scored 12. The tenacious Huskies (11-1, 1-0) held Butler 30 points below its season average after the Bulldogs entered shooting 49% from the field.

Drayton Jones had nine of his 13 points in the first half for Butler (8-3, 1-1). Azavier Robinson and Evan Haywood finished with 10 apiece.

UConn improved to 12-0 against Butler. Their first meeting came in the 2011 NCAA championship game.

NO. 9 MICHIGAN ST. 92, TOLEDO 69

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jaxon Kohler had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and Michigan State never trailed while rolling to a victory over Toledo.

Kohler’s double-double was his sixth of the season. Jeremy Fears Jr., who came in averaging a Division I-best 9.5 assists per game, had 15 points and eight assists.

Coen Carr and Kur Teng added 14 points apiece for Michigan State (10-1). Carson Cooper added eight points and nine rebounds as the Spartans recorded season highs in scoring and rebounding.

NO. 10 BYU 93, PACIFIC 57

PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Richie Saunders led BYU with 24 points, and the Cougars beat Pacific.

Robert Wright III added 22 points for BYU (10-1). Saunders and Wright each had five steals.

Kajus Kublickas scored 14 points for Pacific (8-4). Elias Ralph added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Wright, Dybantsa and Kennard Davis Jr. each scored in the paint to make it 6-0 and the Cougars led throughout. The Tigers missed their first eight field-goal attempts, went 0 for 11 from 3-point range in the first half and trailed 41-20at the intermission.

NO. 12 NORTH CAROLINA 77, ETSU 58

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Henri Veesaar scored a career-high 26 points to power North Carolina to a victory over East Tennessee State.

Veesaar shot a near-perfect 10-of-11 from the floor and also pulled down eight rebounds for the Tar Heels (10-1). Caleb Wilson added 20 points and eight rebounds for UNC.

Brian Taylor paced ETSU (8-4) with 14 points, while Blake Barkley scored 11.

ETSU held a two-point advantage midway through the first half after Taylor threw down a fast-break dunk following a UNC turnover. But the Tar Heels used a 19-9 run — which included back-to-back dunks from Wilson and Veesaar — to take an eight-point lead at intermission.

NO. 14 ARKANSAS 108, QUEENS (NC) 80

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Trevon Brazile scored a career-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field to lead Arkansas to a victory over Queens (NC).

Arkansas (9-2) was never in trouble, taking a 24-point lead into halftime behind 60% shooting from the floor. Brazile had 18 points in the opening 20 minutes. Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 23 points and 10 assists, scored 16 in the first half.

Brazile went 5 for 7 from 3-point range and Arkansas was 14 of 28 compared to 6 for 25 for the Royals (5-7). The Razorbacks also outscored Queens 32-14 on fast-break points.

NO. 17 KANSAS 73, TOWSON 49

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had 18 points and 10 rebounds to spur Kansas to a victory over Towson.

Tre White had 16 points and a career-high six assists for the Jayhawks (9-3). Melvin Council, coming off a career-best 36-point performance in Saturday’s overtime win over N.C. State, added 15 points.

Kansas improved to 273-9 at home against unranked opponents under coach Bill Self.

Sophomore guard Jamari McDowell started for preseason All-American Darryn Peterson, who missed an eighth game due to injury. Self said Peterson had quadriceps cramps.

NO. 19 TEXAS TECH 101, NORTHERN COLORADO 90

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — LeJuan Watts scored 36 points on 12-of-13 shooting, JT Toppin scored 23 and Texas Tech extended its nonconference home winning streak to 45 games with a win over Northern Colorado.

Texas Tech (8-3) never trailed after leading by as many as 14 points, but needed a spurt by Watts in the second half to go ahead for good.

Northern Colorado (9-2) tied the game twice on baskets by Brock Wisne a minute apart in the second half. Wisne, who finished with 29 points, made it 70-all on a fast-break layup with 13:03 left, and after Toppin’s jumper, Wisne made a tying jumper that capped a 19-5 run by the Bears.

NO. 22 ST. JOHN'S 79, DEPAUL 66

NEW YORK (AP) — Dylan Darling scored a season-high 17 points off the bench and gave St. John’s a lift with his 3-point shooting as the Red Storm opened Big East play with a victory over DePaul.

Playing their only conference game inside Carnesecca Arena this season, the Red Storm (7-3) led virtually the entire way and avoided another slow start after missing 12 of their first 13 shots in Saturday’s 91-64 win over Iona at Madison Square Garden.

Darling shot 5 of 9 from the field and hit a trio of 3s to help the Johnnies finish with 10 in his second game since being supplanted by Ian Jackson as the team’s starting point guard. The 6-foot-1 junior entered 1 of 15 from outside the arc in his first eight games at St. John’s after transferring from Idaho State.

_____

The stage is set for the John Carroll football team.

One more victory, and the Blue Streaks can make history.

It won’t be easy.

JCU has never played for a national championship in more than 100 years of playing college football.

With one more victory on Dec. 20, the Blue Streaks will do just that — in a venue less than an hour from the JCU campus. The Stagg Bowl — aka the Division III national championship game — is set for Jan. 4 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

Getting there will likely take a Herculean effort. Standing in Coach Jeff Behrman’s team’s way is defending D-III national champion North Central. The Cardinals — the only undefeated team remaining in D-III — advanced to the semifinal round Dec. 13 after a 35-21 win over Bethel in their quarterfinal game.

The Blue Streaks enter 12-1 after their 21-13 win at Berry on Dec. 13, a game in which the defense forced seven turnovers and helped JCU build a 21-0 lead in the fourth quarter.

.@JCUFootball coach @Jeff_Behrman after the Mount Union win on how far his team can advance in D3 playoffs. Blue Streaks will play in semifinal round Dec. 20 at defending national champ North Central. @jcusports @NHPreps #d3fb @d3football pic.twitter.com/hVTW3kCW9a

— Mark Podolski (@mpodo) December 14, 2025

JCU will definitely be the underdogs at North Central, but a team that already knocked off one of D-III’s blue bloods (Mount Union) on the road, anything seems possible with this team. Behrman was asked after the Dec. 6 win over the Purple Raiders how far his team can advance this postseason.

“They’ll determine that,” said Behrman about his players. “They’re capable. They believed they could win this game. It’s a lesson we all learn in life. When you believe in something you work really, really hard for and prepare for, and then when you see it and get it done, I think it makes you that much more hungry in continuing to move forward.”

Times for the Dec. 20 NCAA semifinals were announced Dec. 14. The first semifinal Dec. 20 pits Johns Hopkins — the only team to defeat JCU this season — at Wisconsin-River Falls at 1 p.m. JCU at North Central starts at 4:30 p.m.

Game times: Johns Hopkins at River Falls, 12 CT/1 ET; John Carroll at North Central, 3:30 CT/4:30 p.m. ET. https://t.co/svsZkl7azF #d3fb

— D3football.com (@d3football) December 14, 2025

It’s already been an eventful playoffs for the Blue Streaks in 2025. In Round 3 of the postseason, JCU upset the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed Mount Union in Alliance in two overtimes, 10-7. The win at Berry Dec. 13 put the program in its third NCAA semifinal game, a spot it has never advanced past.

To do so this time would be historic because of the opponent in front of JCU.

North Central is the standard all D-III football programs are chasing this decade.

The Cardinals won their first national championship in 2019, and since then, it’s been a dominant run only seen by the likes of D-III powers Mount Union and Wisconsin-Whitewater.

North Central is 84-3 since the 2019 season, with two more national championships won in 2022 and 2024. There were also national runner-up finishes in 2021 and 2023.

The Cardinals are averaging 50 points per game, and are led by quarterback Garret Wilson, who has thrown for 2,562 yards and 39 touchdowns, running back Donovan McNeal (1,302 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) and wide receiver Thomas Skokna (75 receptions, 1,156 yards, 23 touchdowns).

North Central earned the right to host JCU because of its No. 4 ranking in the NCAA Power Index, which is used to determine the playoff field. They are the highest NPI-ranked team remaining in the playoffs. JCU is No. 10.

John Carroll at North Central

What: NCAA Division III semifinal

When: 4:30 p.m., Dec. 20

Where: Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium, Naperville, Ill.

TV: ESPN+; Radio: WJCU-FM 88.7

Records: JCU 12-1; North Central 13-0

What’s next: Winner plays either Johns Hopkins or Wisconsin-River Falls in the D-III national championship game Jan. 4 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.

One of Berks County’s longtime establishments is changing hands.

The International Hot Rod Association has bought Maple Grove Raceway, which has been a county racing institution since the early 1960s.

Maple Grove Raceway has earned national recognition as one of the fastest and most respected drag racing venues in the United States.

Under the leadership of the Koretsky family, Maple Grove has undergone a period of revitalization – pairing modern operational enhancements with the family-focused culture that has defined the racetrack for decades.

The commitment of the Koretsy family has preserved the track’s heritage while positioning it for long-term growth.

According to a press release by the IHRA, the Koretsky family will continue to play an active role in the transition and in guiding Maple Grove’s future direction.

“This is a track with deep roots and an even stronger future,” said Darryl Cuttell, owner of IHRA. “Maple Grove represents what racing should be – competitive, welcoming, and centered around racers and families. Bringing it under the IHRA umbrella is not just a business decision; it’s a commitment to strengthening the sport and investing in its long-term success.”

The Koretsky family emphasized the personal significance of this transition.

“Maple Grove has always been more than a racetrack to our family – it is home, not just for us, but for generations of racers,” the Koretskys said in a statement. “Our mission has always been to preserve this facility and ensure it remains a premier racing destination. Seeing Maple Grove join the IHRA family feels like a natural and meaningful next step for the sport.”

With IHRA ownership, Maple Grove Raceway is expected to see continued investment in racer-focused services, fan amenities, youth and grassroots development, safety programs, and infrastructure improvements. This acquisition reinforces IHRA’s vision to elevate drag racing at every level.

The International Hot Rod Association is a global motorsports sanctioning body dedicated to racer-first competition, fan engagement, and the advancement of motorsports across multiple disciplines – including drag racing, stock car racing, offshore powerboating, drag boat racing, snowmobile competition, and more.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Check out highlights from two tight boys’ basketball games and scores from plenty more as the early season rolls on.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Warrensburg-Latham 71, Unity Christian 63

Salt Fork 58, Villa Grove 30

Monticello 59, Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond 41

Lincoln 46, Belleville West 43

Paxton-Buckley-Loda 46, Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley 34

Tuscola 72, Heritage 36

Bloomington 77, Springfield 73

Cerro Gordo-Bement 37, Arcola 19

St. Thomas More 62, Herscher 46

Maroa-Forsyth 69, Rantoul 56

Clinton 59, Riverton 36

MacArthur 87, Southeast 44

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Maroa-Forsyth 58, LeRoy 50

Glenwood 54, Lincoln 45

Rochester 51, Eisenhower 21

Springfield 58, Normal University 33

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.

Dec. 16—JAMESTOWN — Edison Walters had a great game on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, it didn't translate into a team win.

Walters and the Jamestown High School boys basketball team fell 111-49 to Bismarck Century in the team's conference opener. The loss puts Jamestown at 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the WDA. The Blue Jays will be back in action on Thursday at Mandan. Tipoff between the Jays and Braves is set for 7:45 p.m.

"We played a great experienced team that lost one game last year is filled with outstanding athletes and (is) well-coached," JHS head coach Tim Ranum said in a postgame interview on Tuesday. "We just don't match up well at all and are still in the learning stage. We had a lot of kids compete and get better, and the great thing about our league is that we have another good team to play on Thursday."

Walters led the Blue Jays in total scoring with 20 points while first-year starter, Abel Dolokelen notched eight points. Gradin Thorlakson, Jamison Kleinjan and Kale Verke combined for 19 points. Hudson Rode rounded out the Jays' scoring with two points.

Gibson Kinnebrew led all game-scorers with 32 points while Camden Kraemer posted a respectable 22 points. Garrett Nissley, was the final member of the Patriot roster, to record a double-digit point total. Nissley scored 14 points.

"(We need to have a) short memory," Ranum said. "There is a chance to get better tomorrow at practice, and then we are going to try and get our first WDA win on Thursday."

Bismarck Century 111, Jamestown 49

BC 57 54 — 111

JHS 28 21 — 49

BC — Gibson Kinnebrew 32, Camden Kraemer 22, Garrett Nissley 14, Braylon Aldinger 9, Joey Kralyic 8, Landon Perry 6, Zavion Harildstad 5, Zakai Harildstad 4, Noah Herr 3, Ahmi Spearks 3, Kaden Welstad 3, Carter Kost 2. Totals: 46 FG, 8-16 FT, 14 fouls. 3-pointers: Kinnebrew 4, Perry 2, Kraemer 2, Herr 1, Aldinger 1, Welstad 1.

JHS — Edison Walters 20, Abel Dolokelen 8, Gradin Thorlakson 7, Kale Verke 6, Jamison Kleinjan 6, Hudson Rode 2. Totals: 19 FG, 9-11 FT, 12 fouls. 3-pointers: Thorlakson 1, Walters 1.

Dec. 16—JAMESTOWN — Claire Marker never stops.

With three fouls early in the Jamestown High School girls basketball contest against Bismarck Century, JHS head coach Andy Skunberg forced the junior to sit — but when she re-entered the game in the second half, she kept things moving.

"She came in and she played hard," Skunberg said of Marker. "We've been seeing that for two or three games now. Her motor never quits."

Unfortunately, one motor wasn't enough to power the Blue Jays on Tuesday night.

Jamestown fell 90-28 to Century in the Jays' conference opener. The loss puts Jamestown's record at 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the WDA standings. Head coach Andy Skunberg and company will be back in action on Thursday at Mandan. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:45 p.m.

From the opening tip, Century was buzzing.

The visitors established an early 11-1 lead over the Jays.

With 13:14 left in the first half, Macey Neumiller notched a 3-pointer that cut the Patriots' lead to just seven but in the next two minutes the Patriots went on a 7-2 run to make it a 12-point game with 10:59 left to play.

Kaylie Welstad — a freshman for the Patriots — scored nine points in the opening half. Addison Weigel also put nine on the books, all by way of 3-point shots.

Haley Attleson's seven points were the most scored by any Blue Jay in the first 20 minutes of play. Attleson added six more points to the books in the second half for a team leading 13 points. Junior Lucy Falk was responsible for four points while Neumiller was credited with three. Marker's three points were scored in the second half.

"They are a really good team," Skunberg said of the Patriots. "They are very athletic and very quick and we couldn't keep up with them. They got on us early and we kind of moped around a little bit and didn't try to fight back."

Jamestown entered the halftime break down by 34 points.

Welstad and Kinely Thorton each notched 13 points to lead Century's scoring efforts. Weigel and Olivia Klimpel also cracked into double-digits scoring 12 and 11 points respectively. All but two of Century's players recorded at least two points scored.

"They shot very well," Skunberg said. "It seemed like every shot that went up went in for them. Tip your hat. They are a good team. They made it to the state championship last year and brought a lot of kids back."

Century's trap defense forced four turnovers by the Blue Jays. In the first half, the Jays committed 15 turnovers.

"We just have to make better decisions and make crisper passes — some of our passing were kind of weak," Skunberg said. "They are quick and they are going to jump on that. ... I told the girls, this is a marathon not a sprint. This is game one of WDAs. It's a long season to go. It's baby steps. This is an opportunity to see some stuff on film and get ready to go play Mandan."

Century 90, Jamestown 28

BC 49 41 — 90

JHS 15 13 — 28

BC — Kaylie Welstad 13, Kinley Thorton 13, Addison Weigel 12, Olivia Klimpel 11, Abby Fosland 9, Lakyn Johnson 8, Alison Volk 7, Teagan Schmidt 7, Layken Wolf 3, Christina Myerchim 3, Becca Cowans 2, Bella Martell 2. Totals: 34 FG, 9-13 FT, 13 fouls. 3-pointers: Weigel 4, Thorton 3, Volk 2, Myerchim 1, Welstad 1, Schmidt 1, Wolff 1.

JHS — Haley Attleson 13, Lucy Falk 4, Claire Marker 3, Macey Neumiller 3, Hannah Attleson 2, Adisyn Yunck 2, Milan Martin 1. Totals: 9 FG, 6-11 FT, 14 fouls. 3-pointers: Attleson 3, Neumiller 1.

After months of fact-finding and vetting from J.P. Morgan and the Raine investment group, Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday night that NBA is on the verge of “serious conversations” in January with prospective NBA Europe franchises that some sources believe will be tantamount to open bidding. Other sources said that the NBA Europe’s financial blueprint is crystalizing by the day. A salary cap still needs to be formalized, but a source familiar with the template said the NBA’s 30 current owners will won 50% of the league and the European franchises will own the other 50% —similar to how the WNBA is structured.

Sports Business Journal

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA Europe plan: 50/50 ownership split between current NBA owners and European franchises

Source have said that the NBA is seeking between $500M and $1B for NBA Europe franchise fees, and Silver reiterated Tuesday night that the possibilities include “soccer clubs, some who have basketball teams, some who don’t have basketball teams, existing basketball organizations who potentially would be interested in joining our league. We’re talking to other organizations or individuals who don’t own any team who would be interested if we expanded to Europe, looking at opportunities.”

Sports Business Journal

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Source have said that the NBA is seeking between $500M …

Considering Rockets F Kevin Durant is an investor in PSG, another prospective NBA Europe franchise, Siver said the NBA would have to “figure out a framework for those issues and work with the Players Association on that.” Under the current CBA, NBA players can only invest in WNBA franchise — not NBA teams.

Sports Business Journal

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Considering Rockets F Kevin Durant is an investor in …

NBA VP/Global Partner Management David Brody gave a glimpse into the efforts of launching NBA Europe, according to a Q&A with Sam Bradley of DIGIDAY. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity. Q: Is the demand for more European players becoming global superstars in the NBA enough to support a European extension of the league? Brody: “The NBA is a global culture phenomenon. You can’t underscore just how important the culture aspect is to the commercial area of the business. You don’t have to look far into music, film, fashion, arts, technology to see an NBA player front and center. When I’m sitting down with brands…they want to talk about three things. One is where we sit in culture. Two, this unmatched, unparalleled global audience. And three, [that it’s] a young, multicultural, diverse, tech savvy audience. I think there’s tremendous opportunity.” Q: Would this mean importing the NBA’s American business model to Europe? Brody: “We have 17 offices around the world. I think we’re unique in the sports landscape in terms of that kind of commitment to having boots on the ground in local markets. In our London office, we have over 100 employees who wake up every single day thinking about the fact that the basketball experience there is different from where it is in the United States.”

Sports Business Journal

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: NBA VP/Global Partner Management David Brody gave a …

James L. Edwards: Jalen Brunson starts his speech with shouting out OG, Kolek, Robinson and Clarkson. "Without them, we don't win this."

bsky.app

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: James L. Edwards: Jalen Brunson starts his speech with …

Tim Bontemps: Dylan Harper on the ceiling for this San Antonio Spurs team now that they’re finally whole and healthy: “The sky is the limit.”

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tim Bontemps: Dylan Harper on the ceiling for this San …

Tom Haberstroh: 32 Second-Chance Points for the Knicks. Most by a Knicks team in regulation in ... 2025-26 2024-25 2023-24 2022-23 2021-22 2020-21 Hadn't been done since 2020.

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Tom Haberstroh: 32 Second-Chance Points for the …

LAS VEGAS (AP) — For San Antonio, the NBA Cup final was an education. A painful education.

The Spurs let an 11-point third quarter lead slip away and then some on Tuesday night, falling to the New York Knicks 124-113 in the Cup championship game.

San Antonio led 92-81 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter, when Victor Wembanyama — who played off the bench once again as he works his way back from a strained left calf — connected on a deep 3-pointer.

The score the rest of the way: Knicks 43, Spurs 21. San Antonio shot 6 for 23 over those final 14 minutes. It got outrebounded 25-8 — a staggering differential. The Knicks outscored the Spurs 18-4 in the paint over that stretch, too.

All one-sided numbers, and that's how the game got away.

“It’s do-or-die, I think, out there,” said Spurs rookie Dylan Harper, who led San Antonio with 21 points off the bench. "You’ve seen the level of intensity rise up for us, and them. Obviously, they came out with the win. But for us, it's not taking anything for granted; I think that's the biggest thing. When we all go out there, we all know that we've got to play 110% in order to win things like this.”

The Knicks wound up splitting about $5 million in additional bonus money, pushing their total to $530,933 per player for winning the Cup. The Spurs had to settle — such as it is — for $212,373 each.

"I'm assuming that we're feeling pretty frustrated because we lost the game," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "I’m also feeling after 25 games in, I believe, that we’ve shown some signs that we can be a pretty good team. And we’ve also shown that we have a lot of areas of improvement. And I think that’s where we’re living today and hopefully tomorrow. We can continue to get a little bit better and minimize some of the things that we need to improve on.”

The Spurs are 18-7; Tuesday's loss doesn't factor into the record for this season. They've had four of their key players — Wembanyama, Harper, De'Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle — together for exactly two games, those being the Cup semifinal win over Oklahoma City on Saturday and the Cup final loss to the Knicks. The only teams in the Western Conference with better records than the Spurs right now are the Thunder and Denver.

There's a lot to like, even on a night that didn't go San Antonio's way.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The PV Boy’s Basketball team beat Clinton 73-31 on December 16.

PV Head Coach Steve Hillman with his team after the first quarter.

Spartans helping Spartans at the Boy’s Basketball game on December 16.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.

OG Anunoby scored 28 points as the New York Knicks ended their 52-year trophy drought with a 124-113 NBA Cup final victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday.

Forward Anunoby rattled in five three-pointers and point guard Jalen Brunson finished with 25 points as New York clinched their first silverware since the 1973 NBA Finals at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

San Antonio went into the final brimming with confidence after upsetting top seeds and reigning NBA champions Oklahoma City in Saturday's semi-finals following a superb display from French prodigy Victor Wembanyama.

But a dogged all round performance from New York thwarted San Antonio's hopes of crowning their cup campaign with victory.

The Knicks limited Wembanyama to 18 points while delivering a balanced offensive performance to pull clear in the fourth quarter after trailing by 11 points late in the third.

Seven Knicks players finished in double figures, with Anunoby and Brunson backed by Karl-Anthony Towns (16 points), Jordan Clarkson (15), Tyler Kolek (14) and 11 points apiece from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Mitchell Robertson provided a valuable defensive cameo from the bench, hauling in 15 rebounds with two blocks.

"OG Anunoby, Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Mitchell Robertson -- they played their asses off tonight," said Brunson after being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

"Without them we don't win this," Brunson said. "We got down 10 or whatever it was and we found a way to win -- that's going to be our motto going forward: we're going to find a way."

San Antonio had looked to be motoring towards victory when Wembanyama knocked down a 27-foot three-pointer with just over two minutes left in the third period to put the Spurs up 92-81.

But Clarkson and Kolek drained three-pointers to trim the Spurs lead to five points and the Knicks then cut loose in the fourth quarter, outscoring their opponents 35-19 to seal the win.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown said winning the title augured well for the team's hopes of mounting a championship run at the NBA Finals in his first season in charge.

"Any time you can participate in an event where you're the last one standing and you're able to hang up a banner, especially at iconic MSG (Madison Square Garden), you take that seriously," Brown said during his on-court interview. "And all of our guys took it seriously." 

San Antonio's scoring was led by Dylan Harper with 21 off the bench, while De'Aaron Fox was the pick of the starters with 16 points.

rcw/pst

Xzayvier Brown scored 21 points to lead Oklahoma to a 89-67 win over Kansas City on Tuesday in Norman.

The Sooners (8-3) have won back-to-back games and six of their last seven while the Roos (2-10) have dropped 10 of their last 11.

Oklahoma got out to a quick start with a 15-0 run after Kansas City hit a 3-pointer in the opening seconds and the Sooners’ lead never dropped below eight.

The Sooners hit their first six shots and seven of their first eight to take control.

Karmello Branch led the Roos with 23 points.

The Roos didn’t make a shot inside the arc for nearly 11 minutes to begin the game, missing their first six such shots and starting just 3 for 15 overall.

About eight minutes into the game, Oklahoma reserve guard Dayton Forsythe, who had played through an ankle injury in a win over Oklahoma State on Saturday, went down after injuring his other ankle.

Forsythe did not return.

More: OU basketball 'responded every time' to deny Oklahoma State in Bedlam

The Sooners missed seven consecutive shots later in the first half but their lead only shrunk by five points as the Roos had three turnovers during the stretch, managing just four shots.

After struggling for three consecutive games after suffering an injury Nov. 23 against Alcorn State, Brown has rounded back into form over the last two games.

He scored 21 on 6-of-9 shooting in Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State and then got going quickly against Kansas City, hitting two of Oklahoma’s first three shots.

Brown finished 8 of 15 from the field including 6 of 9 from inside the arc.

Nijel Pack and Derrion Reid added 15 points each for Oklahoma, with Reid making all five of his shots from inside the arc.

Brown scored 14 points in the first half while Pack scored 13.

The Sooners outscored the Roos 48-16 in the paint and outrebounded the Roos 42-34.

But though Kansas City never made a serious run at the lead after that initial outburst by Oklahoma, the Sooners also didn’t exactly run away and hide in the second half.

The Sooners led by as many as 31 early in the second half but the Roos got as close as 17 late before going without a field goal in the final 3:56.

–Field Level Media

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Xzayvier Brown leads OU basketball rout of Kansas City

Xzayvier Brown scored 21 points to lead Oklahoma to a 89-67 win over Kansas City on Tuesday in Norman.

The Sooners (8-3) have won back-to-back games and six of their last seven while the Roos (2-10) have dropped 10 of their last 11.

Oklahoma got out to a quick start with a 15-0 run after Kansas City hit a 3-pointer in the opening seconds and the Sooners’ lead never dropped below eight.

The Sooners hit their first six shots and seven of their first eight to take control.

Karmello Branch led the Roos with 23 points.

The Roos didn’t make a shot inside the arc for nearly 11 minutes to begin the game, missing their first six such shots and starting just 3 for 15 overall.

About eight minutes into the game, Oklahoma reserve guard Dayton Forsythe, who had played through an ankle injury in a win over Oklahoma State on Saturday, went down after injuring his other ankle.

Forsythe did not return.

More: OU basketball 'responded every time' to deny Oklahoma State in Bedlam

The Sooners missed seven consecutive shots later in the first half but their lead only shrunk by five points as the Roos had three turnovers during the stretch, managing just four shots.

After struggling for three consecutive games after suffering an injury Nov. 23 against Alcorn State, Brown has rounded back into form over the last two games.

He scored 21 on 6-of-9 shooting in Saturday’s win over Oklahoma State and then got going quickly against Kansas City, hitting two of Oklahoma’s first three shots.

Brown finished 8 of 15 from the field including 6 of 9 from inside the arc.

Nijel Pack and Derrion Reid added 15 points each for Oklahoma, with Reid making all five of his shots from inside the arc.

Brown scored 14 points in the first half while Pack scored 13.

The Sooners outscored the Roos 48-16 in the paint and outrebounded the Roos 42-34.

But though Kansas City never made a serious run at the lead after that initial outburst by Oklahoma, the Sooners also didn’t exactly run away and hide in the second half.

The Sooners led by as many as 31 early in the second half but the Roos got as close as 17 late before going without a field goal in the final 3:56.

–Field Level Media

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Xzayvier Brown leads OU basketball rout of Kansas City

The Bettendorf Boy’s Basketball team defeated North 72-55 on December 16.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Trevon Brazile scored a career-high 26 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field to lead No. 14 Arkansas to a 108-80 victory over Queens on Tuesday night.

Arkansas (9-2) was never in trouble, taking a 24-point lead into halftime behind 60% shooting from the floor. Brazile had 18 points in the opening 20 minutes. Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 23 points and 10 assists, scored 16 in the first half.

Brazile went 5 for 7 from 3-point range and Arkansas was 14 of 28 compared to 6 for 25 for the Royals (5-7). The Razorbacks also outscored Queens 32-14 on fast-break points.

Atlantic Sun preseason player of the year Chris Ashby entered averaging 13 points per game but was limited to just two on 1-of-9 shooting, including 0 for 7 from 3-point distance. The Royals were led by Nasir Mann, who had 16 points.

Four other Arkansas players joined Brazile and Acuff in double figures. Billy Richmond III scored 15 points off the bench, Nick Pringle added 14, Karter Knox had 11 and D.J. Wagner provided 10.

The win was Arkansas’ fourth in a row since losing to then-No. 4 Duke on Thanksgiving.

Up next

Queens faces another Southeastern Conference opponent Monday when it visits Auburn.

Arkansas plays No. 8 Houston on Saturday in New Jersey.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

This is what it could all feel like one day.

On one side, complete euphoria, adulation, celebration and relief. The feeling of a job, at long last, well done. On the other, disappointment, anguish, embarrassment and resentment. The feeling that a lot more was left on the table than was taken home at the end of the day.

The Knicks just got their first taste of what it’s like to be at the mountaintop. They had better get used to this feeling, and fast. Because they were tested in more ways than one in the NBA Cup Final.

And the Knicks won. The New York Knicks are NBA Champions.

NBA Cup champions, that is, but NBA champions nonetheless. The Knicks are the last team standing after defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 124-113, Tuesday night.

The game came with its consequences: A Knicks team already down Miles McBride (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) nearly lost Karl-Anthony Towns to a calf injury, only for Towns to hobble onto the court in the waning possessions of the fourth quarter.

On Tuesday, the Knicks became immortalized in NBA Cup history. Their victory over the Spurs won’t count in the win-loss column at the end of the season, but it means the world for the confidence of this team angling to compete for the real NBA championship come mid-June.

And it’s the very addition the front office made during the offseason that paid dividends in the biggest game of the season: NBA Cup MVP Jalen Brunson scored 25 points in 40 minutes, and OG Anunoby added a game-high 28 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field — but Jordan Clarkson scored 15 points off the bench, and Tyler Kolek added 14 points, five rebounds and five assists to just one turnover.

The Knicks held Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama to just 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field, as the former Rookie of the Year played on a minutes restriction recovering from a hamstring strain.

“You’re not gonna be able to guard a guy like that one on one. So you try to put length, size, physicality at the point of attack when out comes to him, but it’s gotta be five guys guarding the basketball at all times,” head coach Mike Brown said after practice on Monday. “We do that no matter who we’re playing but especially with a guy like Wemby and his skill set, nine times out of 10 he’s gonna miss because he misses. But we have some pretty good defenders with length and hopefully they can at the point of attack make it as difficult as possible with him knowing that they have help behind him.”

The Knicks won, and it was an ugly win — until it became beautiful when New York pulled away in the fourth quarter. They had their issues with San Antonio’s physicality, specifically former Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle, who was glued to Brunson’s hip on defense and came up with 15 points, 12 assists and seven rebounds on the night. The Spurs led by as many as 11 points in the third quarter and led the NBA Cup Final for 59% of the game.

The Knicks went on to outscore the Spurs, 35-19, in the fourth quarter.

And then comes the harsh reality: The Knicks can celebrate in Vegas for a night, but there is no offseason layoff. They have one day off to prepare for the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. The Pacers game is the first leg of a back-to-back before the Knicks host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

The Knicks will get their opportunity to celebrate, to hang the banner, to relish in the victory that is winning the third-ever NBA Cup. They have bigger fish, however, to fry. After all, the NBA Cup isn’t the championship the Knicks set out to win this season — but they’ll take every win along the way.

____

ATLANTA (WRBL) – The Carver Tigers defeated Hapeville Charter 24-7 to win the 2025 GHSA Class 2A State Championship Tuesday night at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It’s the 3rd state championship in program history, and the Tigers become the first school in Columbus history to win back-to-back state football championships.

You can watch the highlights and full coverage in the video player above.

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL.

The Virginia Tech Hokies and new head coach James Franklin want to get off to a fast start in 2026. Franklin has a lot to prove after he was shockingly fired by Penn State, only nine months after almost leading them to an appearance in the national championship game.

In an effort to make every game more important and align with the other power conferences, the ACC revealed a revised nine-game conference schedule for each member beginning next season. Virginia Tech’s new schedule looks difficult on paper.

Here are the Hokies’ four ACC home games in 2026:

• Georgia Tech
• Pittsburgh
• Stanford
• Virginia

Outside of Stanford, the other three teams were much better in 2025, with UVA playing in the ACC Championship. Georgia Tech had its best season in years, while Pitt always remains a tough out. Stanford has been terrible in recent years, but former star quarterback and current GM, Andrew Luck, believe things are turning around.

Now, here’s the road ACC schedule:

• Clemson
• Miami
• SMU
• California
• Boston College

That looks brutal on paper. While Clemson had a down year in 2025, don’t count on the Tigers being down again in 2026. Boston College is always tough, especially in Chestnut Hill. Miami remains the most talented team in the conference and will undoubtedly land the best quarterback available in the transfer portal. SMU has been outstanding since entering the ACC in 2024. Cal and the Hokies played a terrific game in October, with the Hokies winning late. The Golden Bears hope to have quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele back in 2026. He has the makings of a future top-5 pick in the NFL draft.

Additionally, it’s never easy for one team to travel across the country.

The Hokies just wrapped a top-25 recruiting class and have plenty of money to spend in the transfer portal. They’ll need to be busy to turn over the roster of a three-win team. Franklin is motivated, but it won’t be easy.

Virginia Tech currently has four non-conference games on the schedule: JMU (currently in the College Football Playoff), VMI and Old Dominion. The Hokies also have a trip to Maryland. It’s a safe bet that the VMI or ODU game will probably get canceled.

What do you think about Virginia Tech’s revised schedule? Let us know.

North Girl’s hosting Bettendorf

Bettendorf Girl’s team talking it over after a fast start in the first quarter.

North concession stand on game night

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – It was another busy Tuesday night of high school hoops, as the DeWitt girls defeated Holt in a key CAAC Blue matchup, the Pewamo-Westphalia girls topped Portland St. Patrick to stay unbeaten, and the Portland boys outlasted Olivet 45-38 in overtime.

You can find highlights of those games at the top of this article and all the scores from around the area below.

Boys hoops:

Alma 70, Ithaca 30

Carson City-Crystal 58, Merrill 37

Charlotte 68, Lake Odessa Lakewood 35

Imlay City 53, Corunna 34

Holt 63, DeWitt 52

Durand 45, Ovid-Elsie 41

Ionia 49, Eaton Rapids 39

Howell 48, Flushing 24

Vestaburg 56, Fulton 34

East Lansing 64, Grand Ledge 44

Detroit Loyola 56, Jackson Lumen Christi 45

Jackson Northwest 85, Mason 78 (OT)

Lansing Waverly 95, Lansing Everett 64

Coldwater 59, Parma Western 36

Portland 45, Olivet 38 (OT)

St. Johns 74, Lowell 64

Williamston 51, Okemos 47

Girls hoops:

Michigan Center 53, Brooklyn Columbia Central 39

Parma Western 60, Coldwater 46

DeWitt 51, Holt 40

East Lansing 53, Grand Ledge 35

Hanover-Horton 47, Leslie 26

Grass Lake 78, Homer 36

Eaton Rapids 39, Ionia 38

Alma 41, Ithaca 30

Jackson 44, Lansing Everett 7

Laingsburg 39, Fowler 26

Waverly 47, Lansing Eastern 36

Haslett 68, Lowell 26

Mason 36, Jackson Northwest 31

Milford 43, Fowlerville 33

Portland 50, Olivet 30

Dansville 41, Perry 30

Pewamo-Westphalia 45, Portland St. Patrick 21

Bath 70, Potterville 45

Saginaw Swan Valley 47, Corunna 42

Saranac 55, Lansing Christian 46

Okemos 36, Williamston 21

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.

NBA Cup MVP and All-Tournament Team 2025: Final voting results, list of most outstanding players for tournament originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2025 NBA Cup has come to a close as the New York Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 124-113. 

The in-season NBA tournament is growing in popularity, and it is thanks in part to how good of a game the final was. The Knicks trailed for most of the game, but used a dominant fourth quarter to pull off the comeback win. 

While it is a team win, one player was recognized as the overall MVP for the tournament, and others were acknowledged and added to the all-tournament team. 

Which players were recognized for their efforts during the Cup? Check out the full breakdown of the MVP and All-Tournament honors below.

SN's NBA HQ: Live NBA scores | Updated NBA standings | Full NBA schedule

NBA Cup MVP 2025

Jalen Brunson was named MVP of the 2025 NBA Cup.

The @emirates NBA Cup MVP - Jalen Brunson! pic.twitter.com/uamNyEAWDI

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 17, 2025

In the championship game, Brunson finished with 25 points on 11-27 shooting. He also added four rebounds, eight assists and two blocks to his stat line. 

This is the first NBA trophy and individual award going into Brunson's trophy case. So far in his pro career, he has been named an All-Star twice and to the All-NBA Second Team twice. 

Brunson joins LeBron James (2023) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (2024) as NBA Cup MVPs. 

NBA Cup All-Tournament Team 2025

With Brunson winning NBA Cup MVP, he will headline the All-Tournament team this year. This section will be updated when the rest of the team is revealed. 

Player	Position	Team
Jalen Brunson	G	Knicks
TBA	TBA	TBA

MORE: Most wins in an NBA season

How NBA Cup MVP and All-Tournament Team are selected

A combination of fans and a media panel selects the NBA Cup MVP and All-Tournament Team at the conclusion of the NBA Cup. Voting is based on performance during Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

Here is how voting for NBA Cup MVP shook out:

Jalen Brunson was named the @emirates NBA Cup MVP based on his performance in both Group Play and the Knockout Rounds.

Twenty media members were part of the voting panel. In addition, NBA fans counted for five votes by voting via the NBA App and https://t.co/RZc8nGJPtX with… pic.twitter.com/oDgZpFvp2N

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 17, 2025

The NBA Cup MVP will receive a trophy, as does each player who made the All-Tournament team.

Additionally, each member of the teams that made it to the Knockout Rounds earned prize money, with the championship team winning $500,000 per player and runners-up receiving $200,000 per player.

The Indianapolis Colts signed offensive guards LaDarius Henderson and Bill Murray, as well as offensive tackle Zach Thomas to their practice squad.

Regarding Henderson, the 6’4”, 309 pound offensive guard was selected by the Houston Texans in the 7th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The former CFP National Champion and All-Big Ten offensive guard for Michigan has yet to appear in an NFL game. He was a member of the Cleveland Browns practice squad earlier this season.

Meanwhile, Murray at 6,3”, 321 pounds, is a former undrafted free agent who played from the New England Patriots from 2020-23 and spent time with the Chicago Bears and later, returned to New England on their practice squad. The former FCS All-American and 2x All-CAA member has appeared in 4 career games.

Lastly, Thomas is a 6,5”, 305 pound offensive tackle who was originally a 2022 6th round pick of the Chicago Bears. He later spent time with the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, and Houston Texans organizations. The All-MW conference member has appeared in 17 career games.

Of course, the Colts have some injuries along their offensive line. Specifically, starting veteran right tackle Braden Smith (concussion/neck) was placed on injured reserve and will miss the remainder of the 2025 season. Adding further injury, starting left tackle Bernhard Raimann suffered an elbow injury last Sunday and didn’t return.

The Edmonton Oilers have a long-standing habit of making their goaltenders look far less capable than they actually are. In many ways, that reality may help explain why Stuart Skinner is no longer the team’s starter — a fact underscored Tuesday night when he found himself at the opposite end of the ice against Edmonton as the Oilers faced the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And just two games into his tenure as Edmonton’s new No. 1, the same issue surfaced again. The Oilers once more failed to deliver a full 60-minute effort in front of Tristan Jarry, putting their latest goaltender in an all-too-familiar position.

Trending Stories:

The Behind-the-Scenes Gamble That Had Tristan Jarry in Oilers Gear Instantly

"Ripping The Band-Aid Off": Stuart Skinner And Kulak Speak Ahead Of Penguins Debuts vs Oilers

When it came to Jarry's night and the goalie situation, there are habits the Oilers have to shake from their game, and mailing it in when the outcome seems secure is one of them. McDavid said, "I thought both goalies handled themselves well. Unique situation, probably a strange night for both guys, and I thought they handled themselves just fine." He added, "Jarry's obviously stood in there and made some big saves for us. I wish we shut it down for him better than that; we shouldn't have given up four."

"I think that last one, we probably want back for him, just for the stat line," said Leon Draisaitl. 

At the end of the day, Jarry won't cause a stink. And, overall, the result went the way the Oilers wanted and needed it to. They got the two points and picked up another road win. "I'm happy we came in and won a game for Jars", said McDavid.

Draisaitl Reaches 1000 Points

There were several key storylines of note heading into the game. In all cases, Edmonton came out on top. The Oilers stopped Sidney Crosby from reaching Mario Lemieux's milestone. Leon Draisaitl got points 1000, 1001, 1002, and 1003. McDavid took the scoring lead in the NHL. Jarry got the win.

Complaining about the way the Oilers defended in front of Jarry is akin to an old man yelling at the clouds. 

Where it mattered, the Oilers succeeded. 

EINTAUSEND‼️🇩🇪 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/vUGkvpQQMI

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

When it came to Draisaitl's 1000th point, McDavid noted, "Just a special player, can't say enough good things. I mean, he does it each and every year, both sides of the rink. Really really special, and a special accomplishment..  I can't say enough good things." He noted that Draisaitl has so much of his prime ahead of him, which makes the milestone all the more impressive. 

McDavid and Draisaitl got four points each. McDavid has 20 points in his last seven games and is now tops in the league, one point ahead of Nathan MacKinnon. 

A Rough Night For Stuart Skinner

Skinner, who didn't look sharp, let in five goals on 22 shots. It was another rough night, with the Oilers scoring in bunches. Sadly, he had to be on the receiving end of Draisaitl's 1000th point and the bench-clearing celebration that happened right beside him.

The Penguins' defense didn't help Skinner's outing. There were too many Grade-A chances against, and three of the Oilers' six goals were on the power play.  McDavid said after the game that "Both of those guys were key parts of this group for a number of years... it was difficult to see them on the other side."

McDavid gave Skinner a stick tap during the game, knowing it likely wasn't a fun experience for his former teammate. "It's emotional..." as he talked about how Skinner and Kulak both have young families and he's moving around the holidays. He said the same thing of Jarry, who is also going through big changes as he moves teams. 

Jarry Did What He Needed To For the Oilers

On the other end of the ice, Tristan Jarry got his second win for the Oilers in as many starts. He played a solid game, but the Oilers hung him out to dry at the end of the third period, effectively ruining his stat line.

He made 26 saves, but allows four. His night ended with a .867 save percentage. 

This wasn't a tight defensive effort on either side, but the Oilers managed to win the special teams battle and outscore their coverage gaffes. Edmonton allowed too many goals that just didn't need to happen. 

Edmonton will continue their road trip aganist the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Jarry will likely get another start and the Oilers will want to show up and show him they've got his back. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

Warriors expected to land center upgrade via Jonathan Kuminga swap, help Steph Curry originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Trade season in the NBA is officially underway, and 2-time league MVP Stephen Curry will need some assistance from the Golden State Warriors' front office sooner rather than later.

The franchise's desperate need for frontcourt reinforcements remains a key storyline for the Western Conference's No. 8 seed (13-14) and the league's No. 21 ranked rebounding squad (43.1 team rebounds) amid Al Horford's continued injury misfortune.

In an effort to remedy these issues and keep the aging group in contention for a title, ESPN's Bobby Marks recently suggested that the dynastic organization should be ready to cut ties with their 23-year-old wing Jonathan Kuminga as soon as he's eligible to be moved via trade.

"The Warriors are in a holding pattern until Jonathan Kuminga is eligible to be traded Jan. 15, when the goal should be to parlay his $22.5 million salary into a starting-caliber center or additional frontcourt help," Marks wrote Monday morning.

"Golden State could also wait until the summer if a deadline deal doesn't materialize, exercising Kuminga's team option before moving him."

"Kuminga has been DNP in three straight games and has seen his minutes decrease since opening the season in the starting lineup."

Trade rumors surrounding the uber-athletic young forward have been swirling since this past offseason, but they'll surely be reaching a new fever pitch come Jan. 15, giving the Warriors a solid chance to acquire a reliable starting center.

With Golden State's head coach Steve Kerr refusing to give their former No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft any burn over the past three contests, a trade appears imminent.

In 17 appearances for the team in 2025-26, the fifth-year forward has contributed 12.4 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists on a subpar 48.3% effective field goal percentage.

A floor-spacing, rebounding frontcourt force heading to the Warriors would likely be the desired outcome for the organization in a hypothetical Kuminga deal, but it remains to be seen whether their front office will take a liking to a specific target in the coming months.

More NBA: Knicks vs. Spurs final score, results: Jalen Brunson powers Knicks to NBA Cup title with comeback win over Spurs

UConn men’s basketball took down Butler, 79-60, to begin Big East play 1-0 and improve to 11-1 on the season.

The game got off to a rough start, with Butler jumping out to a 9-2 lead as early turnovers and sloppiness plagued the Huskies. Eric Reibe found a cutting Solo Ball to cut the visitors’ lead to 11-9 before another Ball lay-up tied the game at 11 with 13:27 left in the first half.

Tarris Reed Jr., who scored UConn’s first two buckets but wasn’t as locked in defensively, hit two more to keep the Huskies in it as their sloppy play continued. After two free throws put Butler up 14-13, the Huskies mounted a 17-3 run to wrest control of the game.

Solo Ball hit a three to put the home team up 25-17, then the junior guard caught fire from midrange, finishing with 17 first-half points.

Braylon Mullins helped build the early lead with two first-half threes and was sharp defensively as well. Alex Karaban was the fourth and only other Husky to score in the first 20 minutes, but they still took a 39-25 lead into the break thanks to their stifling defense. UConn held Butler to 28 percent shooting in the first half and 29.5 percent on the night.

Mullins hit the first basket of the second half and then Ball hit a three as the onslaught continued. Jayden Ross came to life with a couple of threes and some thunderous alley-oops and other dunks, including a putback that tore the roof of the PeoplesBank Arena. Then Reibe and Reed got active as the Huskies closed it out comfortably.

Butler cut the lead that was once up to 23 down to 11 in the middle of the second half, but UConn responded with a Jayden Ross alley-oop, a Reed dunk after a Mullins block, and a Ball lay-up after a Butler pass was intercepted by Silas Demary Jr. The Georgia transfer finished with a +24 plus-minus with 11 assists and six rebounds, though his shot was again not falling.

Dan Hurley was not pleased with the way UConn started the game or the way the Huskies allowed Butler back into the game after building up a big lead. He continued his commentary on his team’s lack of killer instinct and pointed to rebounding and defense as matters of effort that he’s hoping to see them do better at going forward.

Next up, the Huskies are in Chicago to take on DePaul. The game will tip off on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m. from Wintrust Arena, and it will be televised on FS1.

Rams-Seahawks are set to make history on 'Thursday Night Football' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

After the first game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams, it was a telling sign that their next matchup would likely decide the NFC West champion.

Now, come Week 16, the two teams are set for a 'Thursday Night Football' matchup with both teams this time in Seattle.

The Rams won the first meeting after being greatly aided by four interceptions by Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold, which led to a two-point victory.

Now, a month later, both teams have to put what happened behind them, as they are not only fighting for control of the division and the conference but also making history when they take Lumen Field.

Thursday will be the first time both teams have played on TNF with 11 or more wins on the season.

The Rams have an MVP candidate in Matthew Stafford, who has arguably had his best season ever. He is already a future Hall of Famer and a top-tier receiver in the league, in Puka Nacua, who continues to put up great performances. Still, he will likely be without veteran Davante Adams, who went down late in the fourth quarter during their win over the Detroit Lions with a hamstring injury.

Much like their opponent, the Seahawks also have a competent pass thrower in Sam Darnold, an elite defense that has given many teams fits all season, ranking top ten in total defense while allowing only 18 points per game, and also have an elite receiver of their own in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, leading the league in receiving yards and has been the best receiver in the league to many.

With both teams evenly matched, there is almost no doubt this game will be entertaining, as it carries huge playoff implications that could determine who wins it all and makes history on 'TNF.'

PROVO, Utah (AP) — AJ Dybantsa had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Richie Saunders led No 10 BYU with 24 points, and the Cougars beat Pacific 93-57 on Tuesday night.

Robert Wright III added 22 points for BYU (10-1). Saunders and Wright each had five steals.

Kajus Kublickas scored 14 points for Pacific (8-4). Elias Ralph added 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Wright, Dybantsa and Kennard Davis Jr. each scored in the paint to make it 6-0 and the Cougars led throughout. The Tigers missed their first eight field-goal attempts, went 0 for 11 from 3-point range in the first half and trailed 41-20at the intermission.

Kublickas went 3-4 on 3-pointers and helped Pacific open the second half with a 20-8 spurt that trimmed its deficit to 49-40 with 14 minutes left in the game, but Dybantsa answered with a 3-pointer that sparked an 18-0 run.

Wright scored 16 second-half points.

BYU shot 47% from the field, hit 11 3-pointers and made 24 of 27 from the free-throw line. Pacific missed each of its three free-throw attempts.

Up next

Pacific plays at home against Nicholls State on Sunday.

BYU continues its homestand against Abilene Christian on Friday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Usman Khawaja hit a defiant 82 Wednesday after being thrown a lifeline at the third Ashes Test in Adelaide as England fought hard in searing heat to stay in the contest at tea on day one.

Batting after captain Pat Cummins won the toss as temperatures topped 36 Celsius, the hosts were 194-5 after the shock news of Steve Smith being ruled out with illness.

At the break, Alex Carey was not out 48 and Josh Inglis on five.

Smith, who has more than 10,000 runs, had been feeling unwell in the lead-up but was on Tuesday named in the side.

He was on the field during the morning warm-up but left 20 minutes before the toss shaking his head.

His absence gave an unexpected chance for Khawaja, who turns 39 on Thursday and was overlooked as opener in favour of Travis Head and Jake Weatherald with many fearing it spelt the end of his career.

Khawaja, who missed the second Test in Brisbane after suffering back spasms in Perth, grabbed his chance in a stoic knock after being handed a reprieve when dropped on five.

He was eventually out just before tea, slog-sweeping to Josh Tongue in the deep off the spin of Will Jacks.

A blistering first over after lunch from Jofra Archer had left Australia reeling.

He removed Marnus Labuschagne for 19 with his first ball after the interval.

- Silence for Bondi victims -

Two deliveries later Cameron Green was gone, with Brydon Carse collecting catches at midwicket to dismiss both.

Weatherald earlier fell for 18 and Head for 10.

Players from both teams were wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to the victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting.  

A moment of silence was held before the game with security tightened at a packed Adelaide Oval where flags were flying at half-mast.

After eight-wicket defeats at Perth and Brisbane, England must win to keep the series alive, with a draw enough for holders Australia to retain the Ashes.

Weatherald was in fine early touch, clobbering a series of boundaries from Carse who was too short and wide.

But the opener's gung-ho approach cost him against the pace of Archer who fired down a bouncer and induced a top edge to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.

Head followed next over, with Zak Crawley taking a sensational instinctive catch low to his left at short cover off a fuller ball from Carse.

That brought Khawaja to the crease and he was fortunate to survive when Harry Brook dropped a sitter at second slip. 

Labuschagne lobbed an easy catch to Carse on their return, then incredibly Green repeated the feat in the softest of dismissals.

It was not a good look for the all-rounder, who a day earlier became the most expensive overseas buy in Indian Premier League history after a bidding war.

Khawaja brought up his 28th Test 50 to big cheers from the crowd but his bid for a first century since his 232 against Sri Lanka, nearly two years ago, were dashed.

mp/dh

MONROE –Evan Mullins picked the right time to get hot.

The sophomore drilled six 3 points on the way to a career-high 20 points to lead Airport past St. Mary Catholic Central 511-48 on Dec. 16.

Three of the triples came in the fourth quarter when he scored 11 points.

Jack Baker hit three triples of his own and scored 11 points for the 4-0 Jets.

More: Airport, SMCC and New Boston Huron win on first night of Huron League

“Great team win for our kids tonight,” Airport coach Ryan Marino said. “I SMCC was an extremely tough out and very well coached. We had a big lift from Evan Mullins off the bench and Aidyn Stahr did a great job limiting their scorer tonight.”

SMCC (1-3) was led by Brock Cousino with 15 points and Jack Starner with 13.

BOYS

New Boston Huron 49, Flat Rock 41

NEW BOSTON – Cole Forster (16), Jackson Surma (11) and Zeenon Grant (10) all scored in double figures as Huron moved to 3-2.

“I was proud of how our players competed relentlessly on the defensive end all night,” Huron coach Ted Tackett said. “That intensity drove us to a nice win tonight.”

Breydan Sutherby scored a career-high 11 points and Jordan Godfrey added 10 for 0-5 Flat Rock.

Jefferson 61, Grosse Ile 51

GROSSE ILE –Blaize Jones netted a career-high 13 points and pulled down 7 rebounds as Jefferson ran its record to 4-1.

“Nice balanced attack by the Bears tonight,” said Jefferson coach Corey Wiley.

Trey Oldenburg led the offense with 18 points.

Whiteford 68, Plymouth Christian 65, OT

OTTAWA LAKE – Caden Schroyer swished a 3-pointer at the buzzer in overtime to give Whiteford (3-0) a win in its home opener.

Schroyer finished with 11 points while Cole Griffith led with 20 points and Luke Henegar scored 12.

“Offense was hard to come by for us tonight,” Whiteford coach Jordan Bollin said. “We missed A lot of layups due to their size and couldn’t make a free throw to save our life but we made just enough plays to win.”

Summerfield 85, Taylor Trillium 73

PETERSBURG – Brody St. John (26) and Easton LaPoint combined for 50 points as Summerfield pushed its record to 3-2.

“We gave up 51 at half that seems like a never-ending barrage of threes,” Summerfield coach Phil Schiffler said. “I challenged the kids in turnover and rebound margins at half, and we actually achieved those, but you can’t win a half when you give 51.”

Reece Kalb added 17 points and Aaron Hoffman 10.

Ida 49, Adrian Madison 40, OT

ADRIAN – Ida did not allow a point in overtime.

“This was an ubuntu win,” said Ida coach Jared Karner, who has adopted that African word which roughly translates into “I am because we are” as the team slogan.

Jacob Towne led the 3-2 Blue Streaks with 20 points and Gavin Albring notched 14. Cam Riggs provided valuable minutes after moving into the starting lineup because of illness.

Gibraltar Carlson 54, Wyandotte Roosevelt 47

GIBRALTAR – Gibraltar Carlson has won three of its last four games after starting the season 0-2.

Trent Ison scored 17 points to lead a balanced offense.

Hudson 52, Dundee 44

DUNDEE – Dundee led 24-21 at the half, but could not hold off Hudson.

“We played a pretty good first half, but the second half was a different story,” Dundee coach Larry Middleton said. “Their best player got going from 3 and we had some bad turnovers down the stretch.”

Luke Bishop led the 3-3 Vikings with 13 points.

Ann Arbor Pioneer 60, Bedford 40

ANN ARBOR – Bedford had no answer for Jordan Harrison as the Ann Arbor Pioneer star Jordan Harrison poured in 27 points.

Bedford (2-4) was led by Nick Coberley with 10 points.

Riverview 46, Milan 32

MILAN – Milan dipped to 1-4 despite 14 points by Landon Talladay and 10 from Zach Farmer.

Ann Arbor Huron 82, Monroe 39

ANN ARBOR – Ann Arbor Huron scored 42 points in the first half and 77 in the first three quarters.

Cooper Robinson scored 12 points for the 1-4 Trojans.

State Line Christian 74, Faith Clinton 54

TEMPERANCE – Preston Roque got State Line Christian off to a flying start with 11 points in the opening quarter.

He finished with 19 points while Jackson Baumker fired in 24 and Austin Nowak 18 for the 7-2 Patriots.

“Our defense still needs to improve but I’m pleased with the results so far this season,” State Line coach Nathan Nash said.

GIRLS

Monroe 47, Ann Arbor Huron 39

MONROE – Kara Wilson’s first win as Monroe’s coach came against her alma mater.

“Great win tonight,” Wilson said. “Saw great strides in the team and everyone contributed in their own way.”

Jennah Cadle scored 9 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter.

Bella Reed and Makenna Kansier added 8 points each for the 1-2 Trojans.

Summerfield 41, Erie Mason 31

ERIE – Summerfield gutted out a win as Jaeli jones scored 14 points and Makenzie Wolfe 11 points.

“Erie Mason’s coaching staff and players did a great job of executing their game plan and flat out outworked us tonight, Summerfield coach Mickey Moody said of his 4-0 team. “We were lucky to get the win.

Gibraltar Carlson 55, Wyandotte 41

WYANDOTTE – Gibraltar Carlson’s Hayden England scored a career-high 18 points – all of them coming on 3-pointers.

Jillian Farago tossed in 13 point and Addison Wallace contributed 8 points and 9 rebounds for the 4-0 Marauders.

Bedford 41, Ann Arbor Pioneer 41

TEMPERANCE – Anna Gray piled up a career-high 25 points and snared 12 rebounds for Bedford.

The Mules improved to 2-1.

Dundee 48, Hudson 45

HUDSON – Dundee which won just six games last season won on the road to push its record to 4-0.

“Winning on the road is challenging, but we found a way to get the job done,” Dundee coach Jay Briggs said. “Aisley Cousino had some key plays and Lacey Evans got some offense going for us tonight. This was a big win for our program.”

Cousino and Evans each finished with 14 points.

Adrian Madison 47, Ida 45

IDA – Ella Curry hit a shot with 3 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime, but Ida could pull out the win.

Karlee Walentowski led Ida with 12 points, including 4 in overtime.

“Ida had balance scoring with 7 different people scoring,” Ida coach Tim Leonard said.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Sophomore's career-best game lifts Airport boys to win over SMCC

The Cincinnati Reds made the postseason in 2025 for the first time in a full season since 2013, finishing with an 83-79 record before falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Wild Card Series.

Now they are looking to improve their bullpen depth, and they have found their man in veteran reliever Caleb Ferguson.

Ferguson Heads to Cincinnati

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first to report the news on Tuesday afternoon.

"Free-agent left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson in agreement with Reds, pending physical," Rosenthal reported.

The deal is a one-year contract, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Ferguson spent the 2025 season split between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Seattle Mariners, and he put together a solid campaign while appearing in a career-high 70 games.

Caleb Ferguson is a really quality pickup for the #Reds bullpen.

-Quality innings. 3.58 ERA - 3.26 FIP last season.
-Durable. 60+ appearances last 3 seasons
-Tough on lefties. .184 AVG against vs LHP.

I do worry a touch about decrease in whiffs, but this is a massive upgrade… pic.twitter.com/rPs80zovJB

— Bryce Spalding (@bryce_spalding) December 16, 2025

The 29-year-old posted a 3.58 ERA with 51 strikeouts across 65.1 innings, recording 14 holds along the way.

For his career, Ferguson owns a 3.66 ERA with 365 strikeouts in 327 innings pitched over seven MLB seasons.

He has played for the Dodgers, Yankees, Astros, Pirates, and Mariners, so the Reds will be his sixth organization.

Why This Signing Makes Sense

Cincinnati desperately needed a left-handed option in the bullpen after buying out Brent Suter at the start of the offseason.

That move left Sam Moll as the only lefty reliever on the roster, and he struggled to a 16 runs allowed across just 18.1 MLB innings in 2025 while bouncing between Triple-A and the big leagues.

The Reds could not go into the season relying on Moll as their primary left-handed arm out of the pen.

Caleb Ferguson is a veteran left-handed reliever originally from the Columbus, OH area (rev up those ticket sales!)

Despite throwing in the low mid-90's, Ferguson is a contact-mitigator. He doesn't truly have a Whiff pitch, but his arsenal is equipped to attack both RHBs & LHBs. https://t.co/NLCZvgwt2Fpic.twitter.com/YPrc4lMZCN

— Reds in Four (@RedsInFour) December 16, 2025

Ferguson gives Terry Francona a proven middle-relief option who can get outs against both left-handed and right-handed hitters.

He was especially tough on lefties in 2025, holding them to a .184/.261/.204 line with zero home runs allowed in 115 plate appearances.

His average fastball velocity remained steady at 94 MPH, and he showed improved command by mixing in a sinker more often against same-side hitters.

What Could Come Next for Cincinnati

The Ferguson signing addresses one need, but the Reds still have plenty of work to do this offseason.

They missed out on their top target when Ohio native Kyle Schwarber re-signed with the Philadelphia Phillies on a five-year, $150 million deal.

Cincinnati reportedly offered around $125 million for Schwarber, but it was not enough to bring the slugger home.

Caleb Ferguson is a fantastic add for the Reds bullpen. While not a big strikeout thrower, he limits barrels and hard-hit contact among the best in the sport. In 2025:

99th% AvgEV (88.4 MPH)
99th% Barrel% (3.1%)
100th% Hard-Hit% (27.7%)
82nd% GB% (49.7%) pic.twitter.com/Y04Mhdt1MI

— Tobey Schulman (@tschulmanreport) December 16, 2025

The Reds have been linked to Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte and Tampa Bay Rays infielder Brandon Lowe as potential trade targets to boost their lineup.

They ranked just 14th in MLB with 4.42 runs per game in 2025, which is not great for a team that plays half its games at one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball.

Cincinnati also re-signed closer Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million deal earlier this month, so the back end of the bullpen is set.

Adding Ferguson gives them another quality arm in the middle innings, and the Reds could still look to bring in more help before Opening Day as they try to make another playoff push in 2026.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had 18 points and 10 rebounds to spur No. 17 Kansas to a 73-49 victory over Towson on Tuesday night.

Tre White had 16 points and a career-high six assists for the Jayhawks (9-3). Melvin Council, coming off a career-best 36-point performance in Saturday's overtime win over N.C. State, added 15 points.

Kansas improved to 273-9 at home against unranked opponents under coach Bill Self.

Sophomore guard Jamari McDowell started for preseason All-American Darryn Peterson, who missed an eighth game due to injury. Self said Peterson had quadriceps cramps.

Bidunga, who entered the night as the Big 12’s leading shot blocker, had two blocks in the first seven minutes and finished with three. He also scored KU’s first six points en route to his seventh career double-double.

A 6-foot-10 sophomore forward from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bidunga was 7 of 8 from the field and 4 of 7 from the line.

Dylan Williamson scored 19 points for Towson (6-5), which never led. The Tigers drew within nine early in the second half before KU went on a 10-2 run. Kansas led by 25 in the second half and held an opponent below 50 points for the second time this year.

Bryson Tiller added 11 points for the Jayhawks.

The Tigers managed just four assists, although they did finish with a 22-12 advantage in offensive rebounds.

Still, Towson shot only 27.5% from the field and finished 3 of 12 from 3-point range against the stingy Jayhawks.

KU didn’t commit a foul until 9:11 remained in the first half. The Jayhawks hit 10 of their first 13 field-goal attempts.

Up next

Towson hosts Notre Dame (Md.) on Friday.

Kansas hosts Davidson on Monday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Bayern Munich and Germany legend (plus punditry bane of Uli Hoeneß‘s existence) Lothar Matthäus thinks that Borussia Dortmund center-back and German national team star Nico Schlotterbeck should abort any plans to join Bayern Munich if Dayot Upamecano signs a new contract at the club.

“He is one of the best central defenders we have in Germany,” Matthäus said (as captured by Goal). “I think it depends a lot on (Dayot) Upamecano. If Upamecano stays, then it will be very difficult for Nico Schlotterbeck to become a regular player at Bayern. But we are not there yet. I don’t know what Nico is planning.

“In Dortmund he has his position. I don’t know what he is waiting for: probably still for offers from England.”

Matthäus has an interesting perspective on this and might not be wrong. Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany appears to settle into a center-back pairing and does not seem all that open to rotating that much — though he has been more willing to use his bench this season with Upamecano and Jonathan Tah still chewing up the majority of minutes and absorbing the most wear-and-tear.

Upamecano’s future is sill up in the air as both Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly willing to meet his financial and contractual demands, while Bayern Munich is still reportedly balking. Right now, Schlotterbeck appears to have finally grown into the kind of player that many had been waiting for. With Upamencano, Tah, and Kim Min-jae still on Bayern Munich’s roster, though, it would be complicated is all three defenders stay for next season and the club adds Schlotterbeck.

One other factor could be a deterrent — BVB itself. Borussia Dortmund has no incentive to sell Schlotterbeck to Bayern Munich and could pull the same tactics that VfB Stuttgart used with Nick Woltemade last summer. With a deal that ends in 2027, Schlotterbeck could be in no man’s land if he wants a move to Bayern Munich next summer.

---

If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…

The Old Dominion Monarchs (9-3) travel to Camping World Stadium for their StaffDNA Cure Bowl against the South Florida Bulls (9-3)

With both star quarterbacks opting out, my Old Dominion vs. South Florida predictions anticipate a low-scoring affair. 

Read on for my college football picks for Wednesday, December 17.

Old Dominion vs South Florida predictions for the Cure Bowl

Who will win the Cure Bowl?

I’m leaning toward Old Dominion to pull off the upset. The Monarchs are only missing their quarterback, but their coaching staff and defense remain intact. 

South Florida enters with far more disruption, including a new interim head coach and a reshuffled offense, making Old Dominion the more stable and reliable side.

Old Dominion vs South Florida best bet: Under 53.5 (-110)

Wednesday’s Cure Bowl matchup between the Old Dominion Monarchs and South Florida Bulls sets up as a lower-scoring, grind-it-out game.

Both teams enter with major question marks at quarterback, and inexperience at the position often leads to conservative play-calling, fewer explosive plays, and an emphasis on protecting the football. 

Old Dominion will turn to freshman Quinn Henicle, while South Florida starts journeyman Gaston Moore, an inexperienced combination that points toward the Under.

Defensively, both units have proven capable of limiting points; Old Dominion allowed just 19.5 points per game during the regular season, while South Florida surrendered 23. 

Those are solid defensive numbers that reflect good red-zone defense and an ability to turn long, time-consuming drives into field goals.

Neither defense was prone to getting gashed for quick scores during the regular season, and I don’t expect that to change with backup quarterbacks under center.

The continuity of Old Dominion’s stop unit, combined with a stout USF defense and likely ground-first approach from both offenses, should lead to a low-scoring Cure Bowl.

Old Dominion vs South Florida same-game parlay

Neither offense should score more than 24 points, especially with Old Dominion turning to Henicle after Colton Joseph opted out.

South Florida has allowed fewer than 24 points in three of its last four games, reinforcing the case for the Under on Old Dominion’s team total. 

I also trust the largely intact Monarchs' defense to keep this contest within one score, allowing ODU to stay competitive and its offense to cover the number.

Old Dominion vs South Florida SGP

• Under 53.5
• Old Dominion team total Under 24.5
• Old Dominion +3.5

Old Dominion vs South Florida odds

• Spread: Old Dominion +3.5 (-110) | South Florida -3.5 (-110)
• Moneyline: Old Dominion +138 | South Florida -164
• Over/Under: Over 53.5 (-110) | Under 53.5 (-110)

Old Dominion vs South Florida trend to know

Old Dominion has hit the Game Total Under in their last five games (+5.00 Units / 91% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Old Dominion vs South Florida.

How to watch Old Dominion vs South Florida

Old Dominion vs South Florida latest injuries

Old Dominion vs South Florida weather

Monitor gametime conditions with our College football weather info.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Bowl season rolls right along as we get into the thick of the matchups when the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens take on the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns.

It’s one of the few bowl games that at least appears to be void of many significant opt-outs for either side.  

I break down the matchup in my Louisiana vs. Delaware predictions and college football picks for the 68 Ventures Bowl below.

Louisiana vs Delaware predictions for the 68 Ventures Bowl

Who will win the 68 Ventures Bowl?

I think the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens win. They have the more reliable passing efficiency, and Louisiana’s tendency to allow opponents to stay on schedule through the air is a problem. It should allow them to make enough plays to come up with the W.

Louisiana vs Delaware best bet: Delaware +2.5 (+102)

From a bowl game perspective, this is one of the easier handicaps you’ll have. Both teams have some injuries, but there are virtually no opt-outs, along with normal prep and rest to get ready for this matchup. I’m riding with Delaware to cover at +2.5 as my best bet. I think this is basically a coin flip.

Quarterback Nick Minicucci has been the driving force for Delaware. This is a very efficient passing game, and he’s completed over 60% of his passes for more than 1,400 yards. He’ll attack a Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns secondary that's been rather leaky, ranking 119th nationally in defensive success rate and 99th in pass success rate allowed.

Louisiana has been the opposite. They’ve gotten modest production from the passing game all season and have leaned into a running committee led by Bill Davis to get the job done. That feels like it will be a problem against a solid Delaware defensive front that has kept the explosives on the ground at bay.

I’d rather have the quarterback and passing game that can stay on schedule and has a clearer path to victory in this matchup.

Louisiana vs Delaware same-game parlay

It’s an all-Blue Hens SGP that holds true to the thought process of our best bet. The biggest advantage in this matchup for either team is the Delaware aerial attack against the Louisiana secondary, so why overthink it?

We're taking Nick Minicucci to have a big day through the air, hooking up regularly with one of his top targets in Sean Wilson. 

Louisiana vs Delaware SGP

• Delaware +2.5
• Nick Minicucci Over 262.5 passing yards
• Sean Wilson Over 56.5 receiving yards

Our deep-ball SGP: Singing the Blues!

Louisiana is going to at least try to run the ball, which is going to bleed the clock. On the other side, I do think that the Delaware passing game will succeed, but it will likely involve a more methodical approach through intermediate passes.

We'll finish with Minicucci to throw 2+ passing touchdowns. Naturally, if he's having success through the air, there's a good chance he'll accomplish this. This position is strengthened by Delaware having issues at points this season running the ball in short-yardage situations. 

Louisiana vs Delaware SGP

• Delaware +2.5
• Under 61.5
• Nick Minicucci Over 262.5 passing yards
• Nick Minicucci Over 1.5 passing touchdowns
• Sean Wilson Over 56.5 receiving yards

Louisiana vs Delaware odds

• Spread: Louisiana -2.5 | Delaware +2.5
• Moneyline: Louisiana -150 | Delaware +125
• Over/Under: Over 62.5 | Under 62.5

Louisiana vs Delaware trend to know

Louisiana has cashed its team total Over in nine of its last 10 games for +7.85 units and a 67% ROI. Find more college football betting trends for Louisiana vs Delaware.

How to watch Louisiana vs Delaware

Louisiana vs Delaware latest injuries

Louisiana vs Delaware weather

Monitor gametime conditions with our College football weather info.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

Dec. 16—FRENCHTOWN — Whitefish's girls matched the boys by going 2-0 at the Western A Tip-Off girls basketball tournament Friday and Saturday.

On Friday Whitefish subdued Corvallis 51-31, and on Saturday the Bulldogs beat Stevensville 53-32. Avery Orme had 20 points against Corvallis and 19 against Stevi.

Polson, Browning and Columbia Falls went 1-1 at the tournament.

Saturday's action saw Mason Quinn hit seven 3-pointers and scored 37 points in Frenchtown's 73-46 win over Ronan.

Here's a rundown of Friday's games, along with Saturday's boxes.

Whitefish 51, Corvallis 31

Reese Hudson added eight points against Corvallis and nine on Saturday against Stevi.

In Saturday's win Allie Shors chipped in 11 points for the Bulldogs.

Whitefish 13 14 7 17 — 51

Corvallis 4 3 4 20 — 31

WHITEFISH — Emy Hanson 3, Reese Hudson 8, Grace Inabnit 2, Sammie Shors 5, Clair Easterley 1, Blake Ruta 3, Avery Orme 20, Vivian Trieweiler 2, Allie Shors 4, Stella Frisbee 2.

CORVALLIS — Ava Lovan 5, Ellie Knapp 3, Ella Varner 5, Kate Allen 4, Briella Epeimy 8, Lauryn Holmberg 6.

Polson 55, Stevensville 19

Rylee Taylor-Jefferson poured in 22 points for the Lady Pirates, hitting four 3-pointers.

Stevensville 3 12 4 0 — 19

Polson 10 9 19 17 — 55

STEVENSVILLE — Addi 8, Emma 4, Amy 3, Kayden 4.

POLSON — Rylee Taylor-Jefferson 22, Aleysia Black 4, Braylin Black 3, Hinkley Moss 7, Olivia Ramirez 6, Koko Scott 3, Olivia Coltet 4, Eternity Running Rabbit 6.

Hamilton 61, Ronan 33

Taylor McCarthy 10 of 13 from line and scored 20 points for the Broncs.

Ronan 10 11 3 9 — 33

Hamilton 7 18 18 18 — 61

RONAN — Maddy Illig 7, Natalie Adams 8, Bailee Woll 3, Kai-Cee Sorrell 2, Nefretin Stewart 8, Aizjah Sherwood 2, Neveah Perez 3.

HAMILTON — Gum 3, Taylor McCarthy 20, Bakken 15, Ferguson 4, Doluc 6, Hockheart 10, Wesson 3.

Lewistown 57, Libby 11

Riley Delmas had eight of Libby's points..

Libby 1 0 6 4 — 11

Lewistown 14 20 15 8 — 57

LIBBY — Rylee Delmas 8, Hadleigh Wood 3.

LEWISTOWN — Avila Burleigh 12, Kalin Gaham 4, Kealey Ackauet 16, Rylee Roche 13, Peyton French 10.

Dillon 64, C-Falls 23

Landri Hartman hit four 3-pointers for the Beavers, two coming while her team built a 21-5 lead.

C-Falls 5 2 10 6 — 23

Dillon 21 17 12 14 — 64

COLUMBIA FALLS — Onnika Lawrence 5, Peyton Ross 6, Alanis Peterson 6, Maddy Locker 1, Rylee Sweeney 6.

DILLON — Tess Tash 22, Landri Hartman 16, Cassie Keller 8, Kena Sampson 4, Kaitlyn Konen 14.

Frenchtown 47, Bigfork 38

Mason Quinn hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored 17 points over the first three quarters. Paeten Gunlock scored a game-high 23 for the Vals.

Bigfork 1 5 14 18 — 38

Frenchtown 11 17 13 6 — 47

BIGFORK — Paeten Gunlock 23, Ione Plummer 4, Gwenna Lustig 2, Emma Pargman 1, Josie Vick 2, Payton Despain 4, Chloe Norred 2.

FRENCHTOWN — Mason Quinn 19, Jezzy Palmer 12, Laney Holleran 2, Ryan Lucier 4, Blake Hardy 4, Iris Arlint 3, Henley Harris 3.

Saturday's Boxscores

Whitefish 53, Stevi 32

Stevensville 5 9 9 9 — 32

Whitefish 18 17 8 11 — 53

STEVENSVILLE — Addie Drye 13, Hadlie Leonard 1, Emma Tam 7, Kayden Talley 4, Amy Donaldson 5, Harley Gillard 2.

WHITEFISH — Emy Hansen 2, Reese Hudson 9, Grace Inabnit 2, Sammie Shors 5, Blake Ruta 6, Avery Orme 19, Allie Shors 10, Stella Frisbee 1.

Columbia Falls 51, Butte Central 23

Butte C 9 5 7 2 — 23

C-Falls 12 13 15 11 — 51

BUTTE CENTRAL — Sayonna Otherbull 5, Rylee Forbes 2, Jordan Samson 9, Arika Stajcr 1, Natalie Osterman 3, Kenzie McQueary 3.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Alexa Friske 8, Riley Bird 3, Onnika Lawrence 8, Peyton Ross 4, Alanis Peterson 3, Maddy Barker 5, Rylee Sweeney 9, Ava Scholz 4, Kyler Geitzen 2, Lana Byers 2.

Lewistown 57, Polson 37

Lewistown 14 11 17 15 — 57

Polson 10 13 6 8 — 37

LEWISTOWN — A. Burleigh 2, K Simde 10, K Graham 2, K Ackeret 12, B Sparks 2, R Roche 8, K Ackaret 2, P French 19.

POLSON — Aleysia Blacke 6, Rylee Tyalor-Jefferson 6, Hinkley Moss 3, Olivia Ramirez 10, Koko Scott 11.

Hamilton 40, Browning 37

Hamilton 10 10 10 10 — 40

Browning 12 8 14 3 — 37

HAMILTON — Meryn Leonardi 9, Nellie Dickemore 2, Elise Carrol 2, Kassidee McKern 7, Ashlynn McKern 8, Taryn Hochhalter 9, Ann Coy 2.

BROWNING — Tess Trombley 4, Josephine Michael 11, Nyahrae Tatsey 2, Dally Michael 5, Zoey Valandra 6, Kendee Ollinger 7, Brooklyn Bird 2.

Corvallis 46, Libby 40

Corvallis 10 3 19 14 — 46

Libby 10 12 8 10 — 40

CORVALLIS — Ava Loran 7, Ellie Varner 2, Ella Varner 8, Liv Lawyer 2, Kate Allen 12, Brella Epling 5, K Benson 8, Lauryn Holmberg 2.

LIBBY — Ryrlee Delmas 18, Hadleigh Wood 9, Leah Rusdal 4, Dakota Allen 5, Jayva Boehmier 2, Rosalin Baney 2.

Frenchtown 73, Ronan 46

Frenchtown 21 18 20 14 — 73

Ronan 11 9 13 13 — 46

FRENCHTOWN — Mason Quinn 37, Jezzy Palmer 12, Laney Holleran 5, Iris Arlint 2, Blake Hardy 4, Sophia Lebsock 3, Addy Haynes 5, Henley Harris 5.

RONAN — Maddy Illig 12, Bailey Woll 1, Alexa Youngren 2,Natlie Adams 9, Nefertiti Stewart 16, Lanaeya Eppinette 2, Neveah Perez 4.

Dillon 56, Bigfork 54

Dillon 19 11 14 12 — 56

Bigfork 8 20 20 14 — 54

DILLON — Cassie Keller 8, Shannon Martin 1, Landri Hartman 14, Tess Tash 18, Kaitlyn Konen 15.

BIGFORK — Chloe Norred 9, Payton DeSpain 6, Eva Heil 3, Josie Vick 2, Paeten Gunlock 22, Desirae Dell 9, Keegan Campbell 3.

Dec. 16—FRENCHTOWN — Among seven Northwest A programs, Whitefish was the lone boys team to go unscathed at this past weekend's Frenchtown Tip-Off basketball tournament.

With Will Sisson hitting four 3-pointers and scoring 21 points, the Bulldogs beat Stevensville Saturday 76-48 to go 2-0 at Frenchtown High School.

Cooper Dudley and Leo Bungener added 11 points each for Whitefish Saturday; Dudley hit three 3-pointers.

On Friday, Sisson scored 24 points (with three 3-pointers) as Whitefish beat Corvalis 68-53. Dudley hit four 3-pointers and added 16 points.

A roundup of the weekend's action follows, starting with Saturday's action.

Stevi 11 12 16 9 — 48

Whitefish 26 17 14 19 — 76

STEVENSVILLE — Kaden Wyant 21, McCoy Endres 4, Jake Tshida 2, Josh Pfister 8, Gage Bierer 8, Luis Eberhardt 4, Tae Luster 3.

WHITEFISH — Will Sisson 21, Aiden Rickels 4, Jake Shors 6, Jayke Thew 4, Cooper Dudley 11, Reyd Hobart 8, Finn Ryan 10, Gavin McGrady 1, Leo Bungener 11.

Ronan 65, Frenchtown 56

Jhett McDonald and Kolby Finley had 21 points for the Chiefs, with McDonald fueling a 16-3 second-quarter surge with eight points.

McDonald had five 3-pointers and Finley hit four.

Frenchtown 19 3 14 20 — 56

Ronan 14 16 16 19 — 65

FRENCHTOWN — Hank Smith 31, Henry Griffin 5, Brayden Ricci 3, Cole Pfahler 5, Konner Klimpel 2, Cooper Michaud 6, Jaxon Haynes 4.

RONAN — Jhett McDonald 21, Kolby Finley 21, Matiya Nenemay 15, Siouxprixm Qualtier 3, Ben Running Rabbit 2, Tryance Matt 2, Chasen Collicott 1.

Browning 56, Hamilton 50

Joshua Skunkcap led three Browning players in double figures with 15 points.

Jhett Cobell and Reis Reevis hit two 3-pointers each for the Runnin' Indians; Reevis and Shayde St. Goddard had 13 points each..

Hamilton 15 6 13 15 — 49

Browning 10 14 18 14 — 56

HAMILTON — Kaeden Gum 10, Jake McCarthy 11, Easton Hollis 2, Cartier Ferguson 18, Taylor Doleac 4, Cash Lockhart 5.

BROWNING — Jhett Cobell 6, Layton Wing 2, Joshua Skunkcap 15, Ray Madplume 4, Shayde St. Goddard 13, Reis Reevis 13, Royce Madplume 2, Eli Edwards 2.

Butte Central 60, Columbia Falls 52

Josh Sutton hit four 3-pointers and scored 20 points for the Maroons. He had 16 points by halftime, helping his team to a 37-23 lead.

Jory Hill led three Wildcats in double figures with 14 points. He, Bjorn Pederen and Caleb Mee all hit two 3-pointers.

Butte C 15 22 11 12 — 60

C-Falls 9 14 13 16 — 52

BUTTE CENTRAL — Noah Sutton 3, Ryan Peoples 8, Cade Kelly 11, Josh Sutton 20, GG Fantini 16, Jaxon Hiatt 2.

COLUMBIA FALLS — Easton Brooks 13, Jett Pitts 3, Jory Hill 14, Bjorn Pedersen 12, Caleb Mee 6, Rhett Lindskoog 2.

Corvallis 55, Libby 24

Kale Hall had 10 points to lead the Loggers.

Corvallis 20 13 11 11 — 55

Libby 8 4 1 11 — 24

CORVALLIS — not available.

LIBBY — Kale Hall 10, Blaise Erickson 4, James Woode 3, Jonathan Cano 3, Daylton Hardy 2, Isaac Lamere 1, Tristan Andersen 1.

Dillon 53, Bigfork 44

Austin Savik had 14 points including two 3-pointers for Bigfork. Treker Hickey had three 3-pointers for the Vikings.

Dillon 12 17 13 11 '- 53

Bigfork 4 11 14 15 — 44

DILLON — Canin Christiansen 3, Noah Feenstra 14, Cohen Hartman 15, Will Hanson 10, Paxton Puyear 1, Aasen Munday10.

BIGFORK — Tayden West 6, Tamret Savik 6, Grady Campbell 5, Treker Hickey 13, Austin Savik 14.

Lewistown 73, Polson 49

Kyson Michel and Maddox Bird combined for 27 Pirate points.

Lewistown 21 15 22 15 — 73

Polson 8 14 10 17 — 49

LEWISTOWN — McKay Shobe14, Madden Norslien 10, Tripp Wirtzberger 8, Conner Miller 8, Kason Brown 23, Chaz Walsh 5, Rhett Comes 3, Grayson Troutt 2.

POLSON — Kyson Michel 14, Carson Emerson 2, Holden Emerson 4, Brayson DuMont 1, Roman Sawyer 4, Maddox Bird 13, Malakai Curley 5, Paxon DuMont 2.

Friday's Boxscores

Whitefish 68, Corvallis 53

Whitefish 23 15 12 18 — 68

Corvallis 18 15 7 13 — 53

WHITEFISH — Will Sisson 24, Aiden Rickels 6, Jayke Thew 9, Cooper Dudley 16, Reyd Hobart 6, Finn Ryan 7.

CORVALLIS — Not available.

Polson 65, Stevensville 35

Polson 15 14 16 18 — 65

Stevensville 10 8 10 7 — 35

POLSON — Kyson Michel 9, Justus Rushing 2, Luke Horner 3, Holden Emerson 4, Brayson DuMont 2, Roman Sayer 4, Mddox Bird 6, Malakai Curley 23, Darrin Hewankorn 2, Ama Old Shoes 8.

STEVENSVILLE — Kaden Wyant 6, Clay Mcay 4, Jake Tschida 7, Josh Pfister 3, Luca Schmidt 4, Gage Bierer 5, Luis Eberhardt 1, Taeshawn Luster 3.

Columbia Falls 55, Dillon 41

C-Falls 19 12 12 7 — 55

Dillon 9 5 13 14 — 41

COLUMBIA FALLS — Easton Brooks 9, Joe West 2, Jett Pitts 3, Jory Hill 15, Bjorn Petersen 12, Caleb Mee 9, Rheet Lindstrong 5.

DILLON — Noah Feenstra 6, Cohen Hartman 13, Will Hansen 8, Paxton Puyear 4, Aasen Munday 7, Gage Curnow 3.

Hamilton 61, Ronan 53

Ronan 17 16 9 11 — 53

Hamilton 7 18 18 18 — 61

RONAN — Kolby Finley 20, Jhett McConald 12, Matiya Nenemay 11, Siouxprixm Qualtier 8, Tryance Matt 2.

HAMILTON — Kaeden Gum 3, Jake McCarthy 20, Trevyn Bakken 15, Cartier Ferguson 4, Taylor Doleac 6, Cash Lockhart 10, Cooper Weston 5.

Butte Central 67, Browning 55

Browning 2 "16 17 20 — 55

Butte C 13 12 18 24 — 67

BROWNING — Jhett Cobell 7, Layton Wing 6, Royce Madplume 3, Roy Madplume 7, Shayde St. Goddard 12, Josh Skunkcap 9, Reis Reevis 11.

BUTTE CENTRAL — Joshua Sutton 25, GG Fantini 13, Jaxon Hiatt 18, Burkley Lakkala 3, Noah Sutton 5, Ryan Peoples 1, Cade Kelly 2.

Frenchtown 69, Bigfork 40

Bigfork 12 10 15 3 — 40

Frenchtown 19 19 12 19 — 69

BIGFORK — Tayden West 3, Tamret Savik 10, Grady Campbelol 2, Treker Hickey 2, Austin Savik 14, Justin Gates 9.

FRENCHTOWN — Cooper Michaud 17, Brooks Day 1, Konner Klimpel 2, Cole Pfahler 3, Brayden Ricci 10, Hank Smith 25, Henry Griffin 11.

Lewistown 72, Libby 35

Libby 9 8 11 7 — 35

Lewistown 29 19 13 11 — 72

LIBBY — James Woody 13, Tristan Andersen 13, Jonathon Cano 2, Isaac Lamere 3, Blaise Erickson 4.

LEWISTOWN — McKay Shobe 2, Madden Norslien 18, Emmett Netburn 2, Tripp Wirtzberger 8, Tanner Vanek 14, Conner Miller 7, Kason Brown 11, Chaz Walsh 7, Rhett Comes 3.

The Big Ten only had two games on Tuesday night, but both had significance for March. Northwestern was hoping to add a win and the Spartans were hoping to take care of a feisty Toledo squad.

Let’s take a look at what happened.

Game of the Night:

–Northwestern Wildcats 86, Valparaiso Beacons 70

While the Wildcats entered this one as solid favorites, things ended up pretty tight in the first half. Northwestern’s offense was relatively slow for segments, but it picked up steam in the second half. Nick Martinelli led the way with 29 points and six rebounds. Arrinten Page also had a nice showing with 18 points and seven rebounds. Northwestern eventually finished with 1.26 points per possession.

Northwestern improved to 7-4 overall with the win. It was the group’s second straight win after taking care of Jackson State at home on Saturday. Both wins came by double-digits. Wildcat fans are hoping the positivity carries over into this weekend’s matchup against Butler in Indianapolis. It figures to be one of Northwestern’s tougher games of the season to date. KenPom favors the Bulldogs. It’s Northwestern’s last meaningful game of the calendar year.

The Rest:

–No. 9 Michigan State Spartans 92, Toledo Rockets 69

The Spartans returned to action after last weekend’s nail biter against Penn State and took care of a decent Toledo squad at home. Sonny Wilson has a great game for the Rockets, but Michigan State’s defense was otherwise smothering, holding Toledo to just 0.96 points per possession. Jaxon Kohler led the scoring for the Spartans, finishing with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jeremy Fears also had 15 points and eight assists.

Michigan State improved to 10-1 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play with the win. The team will now prepare to face off against Oakland in Detroit on Saturday. It should be a festive atmosphere.

Pregame

Lotsa change for the Penguins, Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak make dual debuts against their former club, Danton Heinen slots in for Ville Koivunen up front. There’s also a Jack St. Ivany sighting for his NHL season debut after an early injury and first game in the big league in over a year.

Welcome to the lineup, Brett Kulak and Stuart Skinner! #LetsGoPenspic.twitter.com/vnaSUOV9Dy

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 17, 2025

The visiting Oilers get in the act of starting a goalie against his former team, welcome back to Pittsburgh Tristan Jarry! Hardly seems like he’s left at all.

Quinn Hutson makes his #Oilers season debut while Tristan Jarry starts against his former squad in Pittsburgh.@PlayAlbertaCA | #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/6xZKNaKhkk

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 16, 2025

First period

It’s not a bad start for the Penguins, Rickard Rakell makes a strong move towards the net and draws the first power play of the game. Pittsburgh scores late into it when Ben Kindel hits Justin Brazeau with a nice pass and Brazeau beats Jarry cleanly. But wait, Edmonton immediately moves to challenge. Tommy Novak made a hesitation move near the blueline courtesy of a defender’s pressure, that usually spells bad news for the timing on things like this. Doesn’t take long for the review to see the Pens were way off-side, happening right in front of the linesman (way to go, stripes!). No goal after all.

Shortly after, penalty trouble brings on a nightmare for the home team. Heinen heads off for interference and then Bryan Rust joins his teammate in the penalty box after a fairly ticky-tack hooking call. The Oilers are looking at a 5v3 and then they’re REALLY looking at a 5v3 when the new addition Kulak accidentally skymails a puck in his own zone and gets called for delay of game.

Leon Draisaitl hits the post squarely while looking for his 1,000th point, it’s not difficult to see that Edmonton’s elite skill players are building up for an explosion. Quick passes from Evan Bouchard to Draisaitl to McDavid to Zach Hyman in a few shakes of a lamb’s tail ends up exploiting the shorthanded Pens. Easy one for Hyman to knock in, the bench clears in celebration of Draisaitl’s 1,000th point.

Draisaitl hits 1,000 @NHL points on Hyman's opening PPG 🙌 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/2Jto5GsASM

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Draisaitl gets started on his next 1,000 points just fourteen seconds later, courtesy of a great play by McDavid. McDavid winds up in the neutral zone and you can’t let that guy get that kind of speed hitting the blueline. Parker Wotherspoon gets put on a poster trying to knock McDavid off stride, it barely phases him. McDavid dekes backhand and dribbles in a shot on his former goalie to add in another power play goal to make the game 2-0 just like that.

Connor McDavid 🤯 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/rxCPOSwqdy

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

The Pens get a goal back in the last minute of the period. After not getting many bounces or close calls all night, something goes the home team’s way when an Edmonton defender accidentally hits an official with a clearing attempt. The puck settles for Anthony Mantha, he shoots and Jarry kicks a big rebound out for Novak to tap in. 2-1 game.

WE'VE GOT A TOMMY TALLY 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JWSbm92K0h

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 17, 2025

That’s it for the first, the Pens were OK when they weren’t in penalty trouble but taking three minors within about 1:20 is significant trouble when messing around with the likes of McDavid and Draisaitl. 2-1 deficit, with that one near missed of a disallowed goal serving as the difference-maker after 20 minutes.

Second period

It’s all Edmonton early with their speed and skill controlling the puck for large stretches of the first five minutes, out-shooting the Pens 5-1. The Oilers score, Matthew Savoie gets a cross-ice pass and beats his former teammate Skinner with a low shot. 3-1 game.

Savvy squeaker 🤭 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/rXIZk6K3Xx

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Draisaitl goes to the penalty box for a roughing call, big power play for the Pens and they come through. Sidney Crosby goes low-to-high and finds Erik Karlsson in the middle of the ice. Karlsson lets ‘er rip and it gets through Jarry. 3-2 game.

Another PPG for PGH!

The Penguins entered tonight’s game ranked first in the NHL in power-play percentage 💪 pic.twitter.com/RPbVLKdrVO

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 17, 2025

Another Edmonton power play, another bad result for the Penguins. Evan Bouchard sneaks way down from his defense position and rips a top shelf shot. 4-2.

Bouch snipe 🎯 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/kYtpcGdf6l

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Edmonton nearly scores but a long review shows not enough evidence to see if the puck went all the way under Skinner’s pad and over the line.

One more Pittsburgh power play at the the end of the game, not much going.

The Oilers just a little bit sharper, a little more dangerous in this game.

Third period

Soon after the first TV timeout the Oilers get to their first three-goal lead of the night. An odd man rush goes awry when Draisaitl tries to feed a puck right but it deflects back to a rushing Vasily Podkolzin. No Penguin defender is on him so he’s able to touch it in. 5-2 game.

Podzilla attack 🦖 #LetsGoOilerspic.twitter.com/uCiH7hqNQS

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 17, 2025

Ty Emberson gets a stick right into the mouth of Ben Kindel, Pittsburgh awarded a four-minute power play as a result. Any hopes of a comeback are snuffed out quickly when they don’t score or get too many good looks at it until the final 30 seconds when Crosby nearly catches Jarry with a high shot.

The Pens pull Skinner with over three minutes to go, and it pays off with a 6v5 goal. Bryan Rust steers a backhand goal in from an Anthony Mantha shot and it’s a 5-3 game with still 3:09 to play.

The Penguins' third goal of the game comes from Bryan Rust.

📹: Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/1UiUUSHcha

— Oilersnation.com, Oily Since ‘07 (@OilersNation) December 17, 2025

That will be as close as Pittsburgh gets, Rust gets another chance but can’t handle the tough pass, fast forward a little bit and McDavid hits the empty net to score his 20th of the season and salt this one away at 6-3.

That’s not the final goal, however, Edmonton stops playing and Danton Heinen is able to sling in a goal with 13 seconds to go to at least open his own account this year with his first NHL goal of the season. 6-4 is the final.

Some thoughts

• Player usage and over-reliance on vets can make you want to scream sometimes. Noel Acciari took a 45 second shift, Heinen took a penalty. Then Acciari was on the ice immediately after killing the first penalty for the first 30 seconds, got to the bench for less than a minute until Rust took the second penalty and then Acciari was put right back out there to kill another 3v5 situation for another 1:18 that included the first goal of the game. If that pays off Muse looks like a genius and there are only so many viable options for players in that situation, but do we really need Noel Acciari on the ice for going on three minutes? Is there no one else that could do the job? Specialty teams units in the NHL are often inflexible, the usage wasn’t unusual but maybe it should be.
• Similarly on Bouchard’s power play goal in the second period, Acciari was at the end of a 1:30 shift. There were opportunities to change, what is going on here? Acciari was also matched up more than once against Draisaitl in a clear strategy.
• Per Bob Grove, Draisaitl joins fine company for the players that have recorded career point against Pittsburgh: Alex Ovechkin, Patrick Marleau and Joe Nieuwendyk.
• Not the best of first impressions for Kulak with that unfortunate penalty, he also was charged with two giveaways and all three of his shots got blocked in 15:22 of work. Considering he only had the morning skate with a brand new team it will take some acclimation there. (Although, with snark, Kulak fit right in as a Penguin to clear the puck over the glass while the team was short-handed as one right of initiation).
• You would think on the scouting report on Jarry the Pens would know better than anyone to send shots through traffic as an area where he was some difficulties fighting through and picking up the puck. That’s about exactly what happened for Karlsson to score from distance on the power play. Then again, maybe they didn’t spend enough time on that point since they kept trying the cutesty back door play, as if inspired by the Oilers’ puck movement. That didn’t work as well.
• One thing is for sure in the Skinner for Jarry swap: Jarry is much better, smoother, more effective etc at playing the puck outside of the net. It’s rare to see a goalie these days as clunky and unsure as Skinner is.
• Pittsburgh power play on the night: 1 for 6. Edmonton power play: 3 for 4. Roll credits, that’s about all you need to know. Situationally with all the 5v3 time it was a lot easier for the Oilers to feast, which counts for context but at the end of the day those results are telling and meaningful. This version of the Pens aren’t going to win too many games when they’re -2 on the night in the special teams scoring difference.
• Crosby got one point, his next one will tie Mario Lemieux at 1,723 for most all-time among Penguins. Shame he couldn’t get there on this homestand.
• Another unfortunate thing that didn’t happen on the homestand was the Penguins winning a game (0-2-3). The future remains uncertain as to just how meaningful this point in time will be, this moment could be looked back on as a turning point of the season going south if it comes to that. Pittsburgh had a .630 points percentage just eight days ago on December 8th, good for 3rd in the whole Eastern Conference. At the end of these five home games, they’re at .578%, dropping to 8th in a hurry. Still not the worst place to be after 32 games, all things considered, but the margins built up early in the year got eroded in a major way in the past week or so.

Hey, at this point maybe heading out on the road won’t be a bad thing at this point. It’s off to Canada for the next two games starting in Ottawa on Thursday.

NASSAU, Bahamas – Ja Rule nearly took me out at the Derek Jeter Invitational celebrity shootout at Baha Mar Resort.

Who knew that the rapper, singer and actor was a golfer too?

I found out on Monday night at a kickoff party for the charity fundraiser for the Turn 2 Foundation, Jeter's non-profit to empower young people and keep them away from negative influences, where Ja Rule is scheduled to perform along with D-Nice on Tuesday night. 

I was hanging out at Jon Batiste’s Jazz Club at the popular resort where the event was being held when someone bellied up to the bar next to me. DiMarco told me wasn’t playing in the tournament the next morning but rather would be riding around with Ja Rule, who he works with as his personal DJ. Before long, he invited me to come over to meet the rapper, who he said had become hooked on the game. How did that happen? “Covid,” Ja Rule said. “There was nothing else to do. I bought me a set.”

Just in the last few months, he’s played and performed at tournaments hosted by DJ Khaled, baseball great David Ortiz and now Jeter. Early next year, he’s scheduled to play at the Crow’s Nest at the PGA Tour’s WM Phoenix Open. Before we parted ways, he told me, “Tell them I’m the best hip-hop golfer.”

Ja Rule says he’s a 15 handicap and a member of his pro-am team told me he played the first four holes more like a 5 handicap. Then the bottom fell out. More like a 40 handicap from there. But it was during the celebrity shootout that Ja Rule took a couple practice swings and shanked his tee shot at the 12^th hole in a closest-to-the-pin contest. It hit a photographer working for Jeter’s foundation standing just in front of me in his elbow, who told me later that he’s been shooting golf for 40 years and he’d never been hit before. Alex Mackie, better known as the Captain America actor, also hit a spectator with a line drive foul ball. 

Ja Rule almost took me and a bunch of photographers out with his tee shot in the celebrity shootout at the Derek Jeter Invitational ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/c5ygG8Xp7v

— Adam Schupak (@AdamSchupak) December 16, 2025

It wasn’t there best moment but both he and Ja Rule are golfers and proved with their mishits that they are one of us.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Ja Rule picked up golf during Covid and loves the game, shanks and all

Terence Crawford, who claimed the title of best pound-for-pound boxer with a convincing victory over Canelo Alvarez in September, announced his retirement on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old Crawford is the only male boxer to capture three unified division titles, which he accomplished with that unanimous decision over Alvarez before 70,482 fans at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

That gave Crawford the super middleweight championship and a 42-0 record with 31 knockouts. His final 20 bouts came with a belt on the line.

“Every fighter knows this moment would come,” Crawford said in a 5 1/2-minute video detailing his decision. “You just never know when.”

Crawford turned pro in 2008 and won titles in four weight classes — lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight and super welterweight — before moving up two more weight divisions for the bout against Alvarez.

Crawford took pride in representing Omaha, Nebraska, the city where he grew up and continued to live.

He probably could have continued to sign up for other fights, and the win over Alvarez showed Crawford still had plenty left in him.

But rather than accept another massive payday, Crawford decided to move on.

“This sport gave me everything," Crawford said. "I fought for my family. I fought for the city. I fought for the kid I used to be, the one who had nothing but a dream and a pair of gloves, and I did it all my way.

“I've made peace with what's next. It's time.”

___

AP boxing: https://apnews.com/hub/boxing

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Nick Martinelli scored 29 points and Arringten Page added 18 for Northwestern in an 86-70 win over Valparaiso on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats (7-4) opened the game with a 7-0 run. Valparaiso (6-5) closed the gap, down by nine, 39-30 heading into halftime. Northwestern had an 11-0 run, with eight points in that period from Martinelli. The senior has scored in double-digits in all but one game this season.

Another 10-0 run, capped off by a dunk from Page put the Wildcats up 61-37 — the largest lead of the game for Northwestern — with 12:23 left.

Northwestern shot 33 of 61 (54%) from the field and capitalized on turnovers, converting 15 Valpo errors into 24 points. Jaden Reid added 13 points for the Wildcats and Tre Singleton scored 10.

JT Pettigrew led the Beacons in scoring with 13 points. Brody Whittaker added 12 and Justus McNair put up 10.

Up next

The Wildcats will travel to Indianapolis to play Butler on Saturday.

Valparaiso will host Murray State on Sunday to open Missouri Valley Conference play.

___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Through the 2024-25 season, the Los Angeles Lakers have had a total of 506 players suit up for them, going back to their days in Minneapolis. Some were forgettable, some were serviceable, some were good and a select few were flat-out legendary.

During the Lakers' 80th season of existence (they were founded back in 1946 as the Detroit Gems in the National Basketball League), LeBron Wire is taking a look at each player who has worn their jersey, whether it has been a purple and gold one or the ones they donned back in the Midwest during their early years.

Kurt Rambis was named the West Coast Conference (WCC) Player of the Year as a senior at Santa Clara University, but he was seemingly a long shot to make it in the NBA. The New York Knicks took him in the third round of the 1980 draft but waived him shortly afterward, and he instead spent that season playing in Greece, where he won the Greek Cup as a member of AEK Athens.

The Lakers invited him to training camp in the fall of 1981, and while he made the final roster, he got little playing time until late December, when new head coach Pat Riley went to him following injuries to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and big man Mitch Kupchak. The 6-foot-8 forward showed a great knack for grabbing rebounds, inbounding the ball quickly, playing hard with physicality and doing the dirty work that is needed to win games.

From that point on, Rambis became a fixture in the Lakers' rotation, and he was often in their starting lineup. Despite a noticeable lack of athleticism and grace, he was considered an integral part of their success during the Showtime era. He became a fan favorite, and his horn-rimmed glasses and long blond hair made him very recognizable.

Rambis left the Lakers in 1988 to join the Charlotte Hornets in the expansion draft after collecting four NBA championships with them. He wrapped up his playing career by playing two final seasons with L.A., and he retired in 1995 with career averages of 5.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 18.5 minutes a game.

He instantly joined the Lakers' coaching staff as an assistant, which kicked off a long coaching career for him. Rambis became their interim head coach for the final 37 games of the 1999 season, and he later spent two seasons as the Minnesota Timberwolves' head coach. Today, he holds the title of senior basketball advisor for the Purple and Gold.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers jersey history No. 18/No. 31 — Kurt Rambis

After two games against Detroit where the Isles piled on the goals, the Red Wings got their revenge in a tight matchup. Some ill-timed penalties helped the Red Wings get back in the game after an early Islanders goal in the first period.

The Isles struggled overall tonight, and if not for Ilya Sorokin continuing his streak of great play, this could’ve had a much more lopsided scoreline. But ultimately, they’d come up short in taking even just a point on the road.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

After some concern earlier today, Mat Barzal did play in tonight’s game, and assisted on the opening goal, Emil Heineman’s 11th of the season.

The Islanders struggled in the neutral zone, and Ilya Sorokin made some incredible saves to keep the Islanders in it.

Cal Ritchie’s line struggled a lot, matched up with Detroit’s top line, and that group along with Travis Mitchell and Scott Mayfield were hemmed in at multiple points in the period and the game.

In the second period, Sorokin had to come up big again as Detroit took advantage of the Isles in the neutral zone.

Simon Holmstrom put a shot off the post after the Islanders got away with having too many men on the ice, and Mat Barzal drew a penalty near the end of the period, sending Simon Edvinsson to the box for hooking.

The Islanders couldn’t convert on that, and the Red Wings killed off the remaining 10 seconds of the penalty in the beginning of the third period.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka tied the game, taking advantage of the Ritchie line that had struggled all game.

Then, Matthew Schaefer was called for holding, and Alex DeBrincat made it 2-1 on the power play.

The Red Wings continued to get chances to extend their lead, and Sorokin kept the Isles in it.

Scott Mayfield tied the game, cutting into the slot and scoring his first of the season.

Unfortunately, Mayfield was also called for a tripping penalty with 3:10 left, which DeBrincat scored on again, giving the Red Wings a late lead.

The Isles pulled Sorokin for an extra skater but couldn’t find the tying goal, and ultimately fell to the Red Wings in regulation, 3-2.

Up Next

Next, the Islanders head back home to UBS Arena to take on the struggling Vancouver Canucks, coming off a 3-0 win against the Rangers.

TORONTO (AP) — Dakota Joshua batted in a rebound with 3:01 left, just 8 seconds after Auston Matthews tied it, and the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied past the Chicago Blackhawks for a 3-2 win on Tuesday night.

Third-period goals by Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Matthews and Joshua erased Toronto's two-goal deficit and complete a wild comeback.

Joseph Woll made 23 saves and the Maple Leafs earned just their second victory this season after trailing after two periods.

Wyatt Kaiser and Jason Dickinson, short-handed, staked Chicago to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

Spencer Knight stopped 24 shots in the loss.

The Blackhawks were without third-year center Connor Bedard, who was placed on injured reserve Monday for at least two weeks because of an upper-body injury. Bedard has a team-high 19 goals and 25 assists in 31 games.

Without Bedard, Chicago focused on the basics of the game, breaking up Toronto’s passes, getting bodies in front of Woll, and shooting through traffic. Teuvo Teravainen had a goal disallowed with 8:33 left in the first after a video replay ruled there was goaltender interference.

Up next

Blackhawks: Visit Montreal on Thursday.

Maple Leafs: Start a three-game road trip at Washington on Thursday.

___

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Tennessee delivered just what the doctor ordered to end their losing streak, dismantling the #11 Louisville Cardinals 83-62 inside the Food City Center.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie led all scorers with 23 points, 5 assists, and 3 rebounds, going a perfect 10-10 from the free throw line. Nate Ament had 13 points and 7 rebounds, and Jaylen Carey had a double-double off the bench with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Tennessee came into the game on a three-game slide, with losses to Kansas, Syracuse, and Illinois, all away from home. The Kansas and Illinois losses were to ranked opponents, but the loss to the Cuse was an ugly one. Tennessee’s defense in their most recent loss failed them in the second half against Illinois, with the Illini scoring 43 in the second half to win going away.

That wasn’t a problem on Tuesday night against the Cards. Tennessee dominated the game physically, winning 50-50 balls and setting the tone on both ends of the floor throughout the contest. The Vols finished with a 35-30 edge on the glass, 19-8 edge in assists, and 5-1 advantage on blocks.

Tennessee jumped to a 17-9 lead, thanks to baskets in the paint by Carey and Bishop Boswell. The Vols held a comfortable margin for most of the first half, with their biggest lead stretching out to 10 points. The Cardinals kept it just inside single digits for most of the half and cut it to five when Ryan Conwell splashed home a three pointer. An Ethan Burg layup gave the Vols a 34-27 lead at the break.

Tennessee kept the second half margin around the same distance for the first five minutes of the second half, but the big shots from outside the arc finally put the dagger in the Cardinals at that point. Gillespie knocked down a long three to match the Vols’ biggest lead at 11 points, and thirty seconds later, Ament dropped another triple to give the Vols a 50-38 lead. On the Vols’ next trip down, Burg splashed home another triple and celebrated emphatically as the Cardinals called a timeout amid a raucous Tennessee crowd. That series pretty well squelched the Cardinals’ hopes for the evening. Tennessee eventually built up their biggest lead at 75-51 on a Felix Okpara midrange jumper with around four minutes left.

Up next for Tennessee is Gardner-Webb on Sunday at 3:00 pm ET at home.

UNC improved to 10-1 on the season with a 77-58 win over East Tennessee State in the Dean Dome on Tuesday night. The Tar Heels and Buccaneers played a fairly evenly matched first half that saw Carolina go to the locker room with just an eight-point lead before turning on the jets and putting plenty of distance between them and ETSU in the second half.

Carolina was led by a career night from Henri Veesar. The Heels’ started three guys taller than the tallest ETSU player and Veesaar definitely took advantage of it down low. He finished with 26 points and eight rebounds before the starters were pulled after the game was well in hand. Veesaar’s 26 points beat his previous career-high of 24 points that he scored against St. Bonaventure. Caleb Wilson also put on a show, scoring 20 points and pulling down eight boards. No other Tar Heels finished in double figures. Derek Dixon finished with seven points in 14 minutes of action. Kyan Evans scored six points to go with his six assists and no turnovers. Jarin Stevenson had six points and four assists as well.

The second half was so lopsided that at one point Carolina had out-scored the Buccaneers 22-9. Hubert Davis decided to give the bench some extended minutes, which gave ETSU an opportunity to to make the score more respectable. Still, the Heels shot 46% from the field in the second half. Free throw shooting continues to leave something to be desired, if you’re looking for nits to pick, but it wasn’t a factor in this one.

After last year’s deficiencies with size down low, it is so nice to see a Carolina team be able to bully a smaller opponent with guys like Veesaar and Wilson. They present a big challenge for other teams, especially when they are both firing on all cylinders the way they were tonight.

Two non-conference games remain for the Tar Heels before they start ACC play against Florida State on New Year’s Eve Eve. Next up is Ohio State in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday which may feature the return of Seth Trimble.

After Je'Von Evans fell short in his latest pursuit of the NXT Championship, a new number contender has come forth.

The names chasing the next title shot were Myles Borne, Dion Lennox, Joe Hendry, and TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater, all of whom finished the Men's Iron Survivor Challenge with one fall each. Following this, they competed in a fatal-four-way match on Tuesday's edition of "WWE NXT," with the winner moving on to challenge Oba Femi, the reigning NXT Champion, at "NXT" New Year's Evil.

Slater appeared on the verge of victory when his three opponents descended off the top turnbuckle from an avalanche slam-suplex combination. Lennox, Hendry, and Borne, however, all kicked out when Slater covered them.

Keeping his momentum up, Slater delivered a series of kicks to all three men until Borne reached his feet and dropped him with a side suplex. Lennox followed with a spinebuster to Borne before taking a German suplex from Hendry. Slater then returned fire with a slam to Hendry and a far-reaching Swanton to Lennox. Before he could capitalize with another high-risk move, though, Slater went flying to the outside from Borne's dropkick. Nevertheless, he emerged triumphant as a brawl up the ramp between Hendry and Lennox left an opening for Slater to hit another Swanton on Borne for the win.

Femi regained the NXT Championship by defeating Ricky Saints at "NXT" Deadline on December 6. Three days later, Femi retained the title in a match against Evans after Saints yanked the referee out of the ring to prevent Evans from securing a successful pinfall.

Read more: Meet The Real-Life Partners Of The NXT Roster

Don't miss any of the major wrestling headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter for the biggest stories, sent straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.

Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

Erie Otters general manager Dave Brown has made three trades since the week of Thanksgiving.

None was more notable – or bittersweet – than the one which occurred Dec. 16.

Brown dealt overager Dylan Edwards, Erie’s leading scorer, to the rival Kitchener Rangers in return for fellow forward Evan Headrick and Kitchener’s fourth round pick during the Ontario Hockey League’s 2029 priority selection draft.

Edwards, 20, topped the 2025-26 Otters in goals (16) and points (39) after last weekend’s home game against North Bay. The Toronto native, whom they chose during the eighth round of the league’s 2021 draft, also was the team’s alternate captain based in part on his three full seasons in an Erie sweater.

"These are never easy decisions,” Brown said in the Otters’ news release, “and especially when you’re moving a player who represents everything you want in your organization. Dylan’s story is incredibly special, from overcoming the odds to becoming one of the OHL’s elite forwards through relentless work ethic, passion, and heart.

“While this is an emotional moment for everyone involved, it’s a move that opens an exciting new chapter for Dylan and allows us to continue building toward our long-term vision. We have no doubt he’ll continue to excel and make us all proud."

The trade also meant Kayden Edwards' brother will be an opponent going forward. The Otters drafted Dylan's younger sibling in 2024.

Kayden Edwards has skated in 24 OHL games since then.

Dylan Edwards totaled 60 goals and 76 assists over 187 regular season games or the Otters. He recorded the last of each in Erie’s 3-1 victory vs. the Battalion at Erie Insurance Arena.

Edwards’ 16 goals meant he’ll be second to the Rangers’ Jack Pridham (17) in that category when they play at Sarnia on Dec. 17. Kitchener, at 19-10-3-0, will arrive there as the OHL’s Midwest Division leaders.

Erie, at 12-18-1-1, is last in that same division.

More: Erie Otters win on one-year anniversary of owner Jim Waters' death

Headrick’s hockey lineage

Headrick, who turns 18 on Jan. 8, 2026, arrives in Erie after portions of two seasons with Kitchener. Injuries limited the Rangers’ first round pick in the league’s 2024 draft to three goals and four assists over 51 OHL games.

There’s a valid reason Headrick’s surname sounds familiar to veteran Otters’ fans.

Owen Headrick, his brother, was a member of Erie’s 2016-17 team that won the league’s Robertson Cup playoffs for the second time since the franchise moved here in 1996.

“We believed in Evan throughout his OHL draft year,” Brown said in the teams’ news release. “His skill, creativity and ability to entertain stood out every time he was on the ice.

“He brings a dynamic offensive element and a very high ceiling (to Erie).”

Headrick was expected to arrive in time for the Otters’ last two games before the Christmas break. They’ll host Sarnia and Flint on Dec. 19 and 20.

Each have 7 p.m. start times.

Erie, in a one-for-one trade with Sarnia last month, sent Tyler Challenger to the Sting in exchange or Johnstown native Kase Kamzik.

More: Erie Times-News' 25 for '25 series starts with male athletes

Contact Mike Copper at mcopper@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNcopper.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie Otters trade leading scorer Dylan Edwards to Kitchener Rangers

Oh No He Didn't: Adam Silver says "some storied college locations" are under consideration for future NBA cup championship games

x.com

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Adam Silver: Storied college locations will be in consideration for NBA Cup championship games

New York Basketball: Dirk on OG: "He wanted to know more about shooting so last year he reached out to me…He wanted to know every little detail about feet, positioning of hands, breathing, where eyes go––he asked me all sorts of questions. One main thing I told him about: finger position on ball"

x.com

Dirk on OG: "He wanted to know more about shooting so last year he reached out to me…He wanted to know every little detail about feet, positioning of hands, breathing, where eyes go––he asked me all sorts of questions. One main thing I told him about: finger position on ball" pic.twitter.com/pU58BX82s8

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) December 17, 2025

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: New York Basketball: Dirk on OG: "He wanted to know …

Silver touched on a variety of potential issues -- including players specializing in a single sport at a far earlier age than in the past, the faster pace of play today than in the past and the year-round training of athletes -- as all potentially playing a part, before saying the league is committed to studying the issue in every way possible. "So the answer is it's frustrating," Silver said. "It's frustrating for our teams. It's frustrating for our fans. But I do think we have to be true to what the evidence is as opposed to saying there's a narrative out there that injuries are up or injuries are up because of scheduling. They're not."

ESPN

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Silver touched on a variety of potential issues -- …

Attendance at the semifinals and final at T-Mobile Arena was rough, with empty seats littered around the arena. A plethora of fans got free tickets as “seat fillers” through a popular ticketing website called 1iota.com for the semis and final, The Post has learned. And those seats weren’t way up in the nosebleeds — they were courtside.

New York Post

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Attendance at the semifinals and final at T-Mobile …

The staff shake-up continues amid CFP preparation, as Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko is reportedly adding another to his staff.

Soon after the news that the Aggies were expecting to hire former Arkansas defensive coordinator Travis Williams, Matt Zenitz of 247Sports reported that former Rutgers co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Zach Sparber would be added to the staff in some capacity. Sparber is very familiar with new Texas A&M DC Lyle Hemphill, having worked with him at JMU and Duke.

It is an interesting hire, as similar to Travis Williams, Sparber is also coming off a defensive staff that was let go after bottom-of-the-conference defensive performances. However, before joining the staff at Rutgers, he helped James Madison’s team rank 21st nationally in scoring defense as the linebackers coach. While his official role has not yet been announced, his experience with Hemphill should help with continuity heading into next season.

No. 7-seed Texas A&M hosts the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (10-2) in a CFP first-round game at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Kyle Field. The game can be viewed on ABC/ESPN.

Texas A&M is expected to hire former Rutgers co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Zach Sparber, sources tell @CBSSports.

Before Rutgers, was linebackers coach at James Madison and helped the team rank 21st nationally in scoring defense. pic.twitter.com/54uzgL35Te

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 16, 2025

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M is expected to hire Zach Sparber to the 2026 coaching staff

Ohio State will be adding another member to its highly ranked 2026 recruiting class, bringing the total to 28 members.

By now, you likely know the drama surrounding the recruitment and commitment of four-star athlete Legend Bey, who was originally committed to Tennessee before flipping his verbal commitment to Ohio State, and then eventually signing with the Vols on signing day. Rumors have been confirmed that Bey was still desiring to sign with the Buckeyes, but some family pressure dynamics were at play. Several reports surfaced that Bey's mother pressured him to sign with Tennessee and -- as the guardian of a 17-year old -- refused to sign off on the national letter of intent for Ohio State, instead opting to side with the program in Knoxville.

On Tuesday, Bey announced that he has been granted a scholarship release from Tennessee and will now indeed sign with Ohio State, and it could be a big one. The early signing period is over, but Bey is expected to enroll at OSU in January, and he'll be able to make his own decision when he turns 18 on Christmas Eve.

Merry Christmas, Buckeye fans.

Bey has a tremendous upside. He's ranked as the No. 175 prospect and No. 9 athlete in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and it is expected that he'll be utilized as a running back on the banks of the Olentangy.

BREAKING: Four-Star ATH Legend Bey is signing with Ohio State, he tells me for @rivals⁰⁰He was officially granted his release from Tennessee earlier this evening

Bey is ranked as the No. 4 ATH in the 2026 Rivals300⁰⁰https://t.co/Jb01N9Pzzepic.twitter.com/cS6m7lAUib

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 16, 2025

We'll have more on this as things progress, but sometimes the crazy rumors have some truth to them. In this case, the desire to play for Ohio State appeared to be spot on, and it looks like Bey -- and the Buckeyes -- will get their wish soon enough.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Ohio State recruiting: 4-star athlete Legend Bey nears OSU signing

A very surprising name emerged today as a suggested way for Arizona to address their third-base situation. Would you believe, three-time All-Star, Alex Bregman? According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, “The Arizona Diamondbacks have become a surprise entrant in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes and are ‘kicking the tires’ on the possibility.” Nick Piecoro subsequently confirmed the interest: “A source indicated that the way such an agreement could come together would be if Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick, the club’s managing general partner, opted to increase the team’s spending power.”

That would seem to go against what ownership have publicly been saying this offseason. Both owner Ken Kendrick and team president Derrick Hall have said the team will look to rein in payroll, on the back of consecutive seasons with record salary, but coming up short of the playoffs. The team has already spent what was expected to be most of the available resources, on adding free-agent pitchers Michael Soroka and Merrill Kelly. Another alternative would be to trade away salary. The obvious name there is Ketel Marte, around whom rumors have already been swirling. He is due to earn $15 million next year. But that would only defray the expected price for Bregman. MLB Trade Rumors projects the free-agent to get a contract of six years, and $160 million, an AAV of almost $27 million.

The scenario might start off with trading Marte – maybe to the Red Sox, who are one of the main suitors for Bergman, since he has played for them last year – for pitching. Move Jordan Lawlar to play second-base, and sign Bregman as a long-term solution at the hot corner. However, one of the things which weighs against this, is simply the fact we are hearing about it. GM Mike Hazen has habitually kept a very tight ship in regard to his moves. Did we hear anything about the signing of Corbin Burnes, for example? In fact, I’m hard pushed to think of a major move in his era, which was solidly rumored in advance of becoming a fact [and I’m not counting the re-signing of Merrill Kelly]. The finances are also a problem. So, for now, I’m still skeptical. But, hey, it certainly makes for more interesting times than waiting for Hazen to do something!

Fernando Mendoza returns home with the Heisman and unfinished business originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Fernando Mendoza brought the Heisman Trophy back to Bloomington but made it clear the season’s most important work still lies ahead.

Fernando Mendoza arrived at the podium with the Heisman Trophy at his side. Its presence was heavy and unmistakable, a reflection of where Indiana football now stands.

Indiana is 13–0. A Big Ten champion. Home to a Heisman winner. And yet nothing about Mendoza’s message sounded like a victory lap. This was not a moment to linger in. It was one to acknowledge, honor, and then move past.

“This page is folded,” Mendoza said. “Our focus right now is winning the College Football Playoff.”

That balance defined the afternoon. Mendoza spoke about responsibility and humility, about the fraternity of Heisman winners and how the weight of the trophy only grows with time. He also spoke with emotion about family, heritage, and why it mattered to him to address his grandparents in Spanish on college football’s biggest stage.

“All four of my grandparents were born and raised in Cuba,” Mendoza said. “They emigrated to the United States and sacrificed so much to support my parents and then my parents to support myself.”

For Mendoza, the moment extended beyond his own family. He referenced fellow Heisman finalist Diego Pavia, the Vanderbilt quarterback, and the sight of an entire family showing up together, something that resonated deeply.

“You see like Diego Pavia’s family, he had like 100 people there too,” Mendoza said. “That’s just how the Hispanic culture is. The Hispanic family is so prideful and supportive of one another.”

MORE: Jeff Monken struggles to put words to Army’s heartbreaking loss to Navy

That connection made the moment bigger than an individual award.

“I thought saying something in Spanish would mean a lot to them,” Mendoza said. “And also for the Hispanic community out there, because I know there’s a lot of Hispanic football fans.”

He acknowledged the responsibility that comes with visibility, especially for young players who may not see themselves reflected in college football’s most celebrated moments.

“It’s something that I’m looking forward to represent,” Mendoza said.

Fernando described himself as a different player than the one who arrived in spring, a transformation he said even his teammates did not foresee. Once a two star recruit committed to Yale, he now stands as the face of the most accomplished season in Indiana football history. He did not frame it as destiny. He framed it as preparation, accountability, and trust in the people around him.

MORE: College Football Playoff expansion proposals that could have changed everything for Notre Dame and BYU

The Heisman Trophy mattered. The symbolism mattered. Indiana football changed in that room. But Mendoza made one thing clear. The season’s meaning will not be defined by what sits on a podium.

Indiana will face the winner of Alabama and Oklahoma on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl with a path to the national championship now fully in view. 

More college football news:

• Brian Hartline sends a message to Chris Henry Jr. after choosing Ohio State
• Deion Sanders expected to lose key staff member to Group of Five school
• Tavita Pritchard comes home to Stanford with a message of ‘belief and brotherhood’

Facing two games in four days, the Wildcats took care of business at home before another big test ahead on the road.

On Tuesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena, Northwestern (7-4, 0-2 B1G) beat Valparaiso (6-5, 0-0 MVC) 86-70, collecting two successive wins after a previous three-game skid. Despite encountering a series of rallies from the Beacons, the Wildcats avoided having their advantage fade, sealing a solid victory later in the second half.

On the Northwestern side, Nick Martinelli led the night with 29 points with six boards. Arrinten Page exploded with 18 points, dominating the glass with seven rebounds. Jayden Reid (13) and Tre Singleton (10) also posted double digits, respectively.

On the Valparaiso side, JT Pettigrew led the team’s board with 13 points and six rebounds. Brody Whitaker and Justus McNair followed with 12 and 10 points.

After Northwestern won the tip, Jordan Clayton, who was starting his third consecutive game, scored the Wildcats’ first field goal at the top of the key. Page then linked up to Martinelli outside the perimeter with an arching feed, and the latter banked the ball in with ease. After forcing a Valparaiso clock violation, the ‘Cats set up a 7-0 run with three minutes gone by. 

After Valparaiso broke the drought with Brody Whitaker’s jumper, Martinelli scored a second-chance basket to keep Northwestern’s advantage. Dease beat the clock for the visitors with a drive from the weakside. Justin Mullins and Jayden Reid weaved through the traffic, combining for four points in response. Reid kept playing the role of orchestrator, throwing two straight dimes that led to Martinelli’s floater and Mullins’ hammer in a fastbreak, forcing the Beacons to call a timeout at 17-5.

Valparaiso then shortened the gap to nine points, which forced Northwestern to take a quick timeout with 12 minutes to the intermission. Justus McNair scored four straight points within a minute. Page rose for an alley-oop dunk to regain the double-digit lead for the Wildcats. After dishing to Page, Tre Singleton showcased his quick pump-fake that juked out his defender, finishing the possession with a floater. The first-year again scored another driving layup after Valparaiso returned a hookshot jumper by Shon Tupuola. 

After Valparaiso’s two free throws that cut the lead back to nine, the Beacons began to pressure Northwestern via a full-court defense. As the ‘Cats missed two shots, Valparaiso reduced the difference to only five after a four-point run. The ‘Cats bled until Clayton leapt and corralled the ball for a steal, leading to a fastbreak and-one layup by Martinelli through the transition.

Though Martinelli missed the following free throw from the line, Page stepped up with a stunning block to recover on the other end. Reid drew a foul through a drive and notched two from the free-throw line. Valparaiso remained dangerous and edged to 21-27 with Mark Brown’s three. Page again came in with a powerful drive from the post that drew a foul, finishing an and-one with a free throw.

Leading the opponent by seven with four minutes before the break, Reid drew more contact and added two more free throws, followed by Martinelli’s swift floater in the paint. Max Green splashed a corner three to break Northwestern’s three-point drought that had lasted since Clayton’s game opener, rebuilding an 11-point lead. The Beacons didn’t waver, rallying to a seven-point game in the last minute. Northwestern sealed off the first half through Reid’s pull-up jumper, leading 39-30 at the break. 

Martinelli led the first half with 12 points and Reid posted eight. Valparaiso featured McNair and JT Pettigew with five points each. Both teams equaled on the glass with 14 rebounds, offensively (5) and defensively (9), while the ‘Cats outscored the Beacons 22-12 in the paint.

Martinelli opened the second half for Northwestern with a foul drawn driving in the post, and nailing one of two chances on the charity stripe. Clayton remained a hot hand and knocked down his second triple, reclaiming a double-digit lead for the Wildcats. Building on that momentum, Martinelli poured in eight straight points, establishing a 19-point cushion at the 16:20 mark.

Back from a timeout, Owen Dease powered in with his arms high and completed an and-one play. McNair then drew Martinelli’s third foul and added two from the line. With the Beacons eating the ‘Cats’ advantage, Page fought back with six points, including a wide-open three-pointer on top of the key that extended a fresh 20-point dominance. 

Page continued his scoring show. After scoring a stepback jumper on the right post, he again actively wanted the ball outside the perimeter and faced the rim, overwhelming his defender through the body, and took off above a sparing restricted area for a jam.

In the last ten minutes of the game, the Beacons put effort into trimming the deficit. Carter Hopoi conducted two straight and-one plays, followed by a McNair’s three through a second chance off an offensive rebound. Valparaiso cut the deficit to 13 after Pettigew tipped the ball in on another second-chance. 

With its lead getting broken down, Northwestern solidified its advantage at 68-52 with roughly eight minutes left to the closure. Singleton, a battler on the boards, grabbed a rebound from Mullins’ second miss from the line and made the putback. While the Beacons were stuck in turnover turmoil, Page and Martinelli combined for four points through drives, regaining a 20-point lead for Northwestern.

The opponent attempted a final valiant push. After Pettigrew’s second chance, Brody Whitaker took over the ball on every Valparaiso possession and dropped seven straight points. The Beacons trimmed the gap to just a 13-point disparity, forcing Northwestern to call a timeout with four minutes left. 

Martinelli came up big to stabilize the morale, claiming an offensive board and finishing the second chance. Mullins forced a turnover outside the perimeter, converting his steal to a fastbreak dunk. At the 2:03 mark, Reid dove in and spun backward, scoring a fadeaway two. Subsequently, Page added one from two free throws, eliminating all hope for the other side.

Northwestern will travel to Indianapolis, Ind., for the Indy Classic on Saturday, battling Butler at 3 p.m. CST at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Dec. 16—No. 7 Gonzaga reaches the end of the non-conference portion of its schedule with Campbell's visit Wednesday, followed by a short plane trip to face Oregon in Portland on Sunday.

GU's 82-72 victory over UCLA at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle again demonstrated the 1-2 punch of the Spokane Skyline — Graham Ike, who had missed the previous game to rest a sore ankle, and Braden Huff.

Their performance required former GU center Richard Fox, analyst on Gonzaga telecasts on KHQ and SWX, and yours truly to discuss why they were so dominant in the latest Zags Insiders Podcast. Fox backed up his thoughts on Huff with informative stats. We also took an in-depth look at the Gonzaga-Oregon matchup.

Here are some highlights (edited for space considerations). Find the entire podcast at spokesman.com/podcasts/zags-basketball-insiders or youtu.be/QRrDlr2jTDk.

Bigs-time

Meehan: In the second half, (Ike's ankle) seemed to slow him just a touch or he felt it little more but he played through it and continued to play his tail off. They were running offense through him. He was kind of the de facto point-center. He had five assists. Beyond all that, there was a lot of leadership shown on the court. He got them through some tough times. That game went back and forth a lot.

I loved that play where he had it on the wing, the shot clock was working down and Tyon Grant-Foster was in the neighborhood and he's just hollering, motioning at him, 'Get gone, I'm going to take care of this.' I don't remember how the play went but I just thought you need somebody to do that kind of thing. He is No. 1 on the (team's) leadership panel.

Braden's pretty patient, he doesn't force things, he doesn't take a million shots to get his points. He's efficient. But I'll say it again: If Graham is drawing the (opponent's) best defender and Braden is drawing the second best — which obviously most teams don't have the luxury of having what Gonzaga has — that's advantage Gonzaga. He can deliver, but when the matchup is really favorable he is going to deliver.

Fox: Graham is quite frankly the emotional type I can relate to and what I grew up with as far as demonstrably up and bringing guys along. And sprinkle in Mario (Saint-Supery), he has a lot of that energy, Huff is more excitable this year than last year ... that's just fun and I think that's an important part of the game.

UCLA went smaller with (Tyler) Bilodeau at times and their other bigs just aren't at the level (of Gonzaga's). And (Ike and Huff) also make some tough shots. They don't need things to be perfect to score. They can score over a body, especially if they can get over their right shoulder.

I wanted to look at how (Huff) has done this year vs. last year against Power 5 teams or ranked teams, including the NCAA Tournament. This year he's averaging 25 minutes, 16 points, 5 rebounds and shooting 60% from the field. Last year he played 22 minutes, averaged 12 points, 4 rebounds and shot under 55%.

Certainly playing next to Graham is part of it, but he's also gotten better. He's a tougher kid, physically he's using his body and competing. I've said this before: One of the differentiators between a talented big and a productive big is the productive big searches out contact so he's the one delivering the first blow more often than the defender. Last year Braden was reactive. He didn't want to mix it up and get physical if he could avoid it. This year he's way more physical.

Ducks "empty calories"

Fox: Three of their top 4 scorers have all played there before. (Jackson) Sheldstad is in his third year, (Nate) Bittle is in his fifth year with one year he played a handful of games because of injury. (Kwame) Evans, who I've really liked as a player, it's his third year.

They have some transfers (Takai Simpkins from Elon, Sean Stewart from Ohio State, Devon Pryor from Texas). You'd think there'd be some cohesion for this group.

I said Oregon felt like empty calories last week or the week before. When I was playing we had a different mentality because we weren't as good. We'd play these power 5s and joke, 'They may look all-world in the airport, let's see how they look on the floor.' Oregon kind of feels like that to me. Just a lot of resumes that look good, good high school players, Bittle's a 7-footer, he's skilled but it's never all come together. Evans is 6-10, skilled, but you're always wanting more. Very talented group, the talent is there.

Meehan: It's been a little disappointing how the non-conference has gone for Oregon. They lost five in a row for the first time since the 2013-14 season. Their losses, like Kentucky, were to all the good teams on their schedule — USC, UCLA, Auburn, San Diego State, Creighton. Three of those were at the Players Era Festival while the Zags were (in Las Vegas). They've beaten the teams they're supposed to beat on paper, or at least in oddsmakers' eyes. Their resume looks like the Wildcats.' And a couple of those (wins) were pretty tight when they were heavily favored. I just haven't seen the cohesion there.

I'm also curious how the crowd breakdown will look at the Moda Center. The Zags have a ton that come to the Portland (Pilots) game and when they play over there in the NCAA Tournament. Will it be split, pro-Oregon, pro-GU?

Dec. 16—SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — A furious fourth-quarter rally ran out of steam in the final minute, and the nonconference struggles continued for Washington State's women's basketball team.

The Cougs erased most of a 25-point deficit, but the comeback bid fell short and they slipped to a 74-65 loss Tuesday to Seton Hall at Walsh Gymnasium.

WSU (1-11) trailed 14-0 after the first four minutes of the game and went down 30-10 at the end of the first period. The Pirates (7-3) extended their lead to 56-31 about three minutes into the third period.

But the Cougars surged back, starting late in the third. They opened the fourth quarter on an 11-2 run to make the deficit manageable. Keandra Koorits and Charlotte Abraham hit 3s to cut the Seton Hall lead to 68-65 with 1:17 remaining. But WSU stumbled from there, missing a 3 and committing a turnover on the ensuing possessions, allowing Seton Hall to put it away.

The Cougars, off to their worst start since their two-win 2002-03 season, have suffered five straight losses.

Guard Eleonora Villa had 17 points to lead WSU. Koorits added 14 and forward Lauren Glazier had 12 as the Cougs shot 41.5% from the field and 7 of 22 (31.8%) on 3s.

Guard Zahara Bishop logged 19 points to pace the Pirates, who shot 38.8% from he field and 7 of 25 (28%) from deep, but went 15 of 17 from the foul line.

LSU football interim head coach Frank Wilson won't be a part of new head coach Lane Kiffin's coaching staff in Baton Rouge. In fact, Wilson will join one of LSU's most heated Rivals. Per On3's Pete Nakos, Wilson will be Ole Miss's next running backs coach.

The report ends weeks of speculation about whether or not Wilson had a future role at LSU. Wilson and Kiffin have a history as Wilson was on Kiffin's 2009 staff at Tennessee. That led some to think Wilson would be retained at LSU, but after days passed with no word, it became obvious Kiffin was looking at other candidates.

Wilson is viewed as one of the top recruiters in the country. He rose through the ranks as a high school coach in New Orleans and when he was hired by Brian Kelly in 2021, it marked the start of his second stint at LSU.

This will be Wilson's second stint at Ole Miss, the place where he got his start in college coaching. New Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding was an assistant under Wilson when Wilson was UTSA's head coach.

NEW: Ole Miss is hiring LSU interim head coach Frank Wilson to its staff, @PeteNakos reports.https://t.co/hLyLqmxxk0pic.twitter.com/tFb4BBg5At

— On3 (@On3sports) December 17, 2025

Wilson's move only adds to the drama between LSU and Ole Miss after Kiffin's Oxford exit.

With Wilson heading to Ole Miss, there will be talk of current Ole Miss running backs coach Kevin Smith joining Kiffin at LSU.

This article originally appeared on LSU Wire: LSU football interim head coach Frank Wilson set to join Ole Miss

Dec. 16—MOSCOW, Idaho — Ian Shoemaker, a veteran coach who boasts head-coaching experience in the Northwest and a history of success in the Big Sky Conference, has been named the new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach for Idaho's football team.

Shoemaker, whose hiring was announced by the school Tuesday, will be introduced at a news conference following the completion of Idaho's staff. Details will be released at a later date.

Following a national search, Vandals coach Thomas Ford Jr. zeroed in on Shoemaker due to his "wealth of knowledge" and "Northwest roots."

"(Shoemaker) has been a consistent winner at every stop he's made," Ford said in a statement. "I've had the pleasure of knowing him on a professional level for over a decade and have always held him in the highest regard for his offensive innovation and quarterback development. I know that his expertise and experience in the Big Sky are going to bring a tremendous amount of excitement and points to the P1FCU Kibbie Dome."

Shoemaker oversaw one of the Big Sky's most explosive offenses during his three-year stay as OC at Eastern Washington (2019-21). The Eagles averaged over 500 yards and 40 points per game under Shoemaker, who helped develop quarterback Eric Barriere into the winner of the 2021 Walter Payton Award, given to the FCS player of the year. During Shoemaker's first season at EWU, the Eagles led the FCS in total offense.

"Our goal offensively will be to be multiple in our approach, attacking defenses in a variety of ways to keep them off balance," Shoemaker said via statement. "We will work relentlessly to put our student-athletes in the best position to succeed, focusing on both running the ball effectively and creating explosive plays in the passing game. The pass of the Vandal fan base and the community support for the program is well known. I look forward to embracing that environment and working alongside the talented staff and players that Coach Ford has assembled."

Shoemaker served as OC/quarterbacks coach over the past two years at Division II Grand Valley State, helping the team to an 18-5 record. The Lakers consistently had a top-25 offense in D-II under Shoemaker.

From 2022-23, after his stint in Cheney, Shoemaker was the co-OC/QBs coach at Hawaii. He was the head coach at D-II Central Washington from 2014-18, posting a 38-16 overall record and claiming two conference championships during his tenure in Ellensburg. He was named the D-II Regional Coach of the Year and the GNAC's coach of the year in 2017 after guiding the Wildcats to an 11-1 record and a national playoff appearance.

Shoemaker coordinated the offense at D-II St. Cloud State from 2008-13 after gigs as an offensive assistant at Baldwin Wallace College (2006-07), Kenyon College (2003-05), Minot State (2000-02), St. Mary's (1999) and Western Washington (1998).

The Vandals, who recently completed their first campaign under Ford with a 4-8 record, parted ways with offensive coordinator Matt Linehan after the season. Linehan, a former standout Idaho quarterback, served as OC for just one season after spending three years as the Vandals' wide receivers coach.

Idaho's offense underwhelmed in 2025, finishing the season ranked eighth in the Big Sky in both total offense (377.2 yards per game) and scoring offense (25.2 points per game). Shoemaker will look to boost those numbers with a versatile offensive system and further develop junior quarterback Joshua Wood, who showed some encouraging flashes last season in his first year with the program.

Dec. 16—When the men's basketball teams of Eastern Washington and Washington State take to the Spokane Arena court at 7 p.m. Wednesday, both will be looking to prove they're better than their overall records .

The Eagles, at 2-8 overall, can point to their lack of home games (just two, both victories) and a difficult slate of road contests. The Cougars, at 3-8 overall and 2-3 at home, can't make quite the same argument. But they can point to difficulties scoring points and minimizing turnovers.

For both, a victory over a regional rival would be a boost, even if the Big Sky Conference's Eagles have more to gain than the West Coast Conference's Cougars do.

"We're perceived as their little brother, and they don't have to play this game, because they don't have as much to gain from it," EWU second-year head coach Dan Monson said. "But it's exciting for us to play somebody who is in our area who is recognized as the better program, and we have a chance to take a swing and see if it lands."

This will be the seventh matchup between the two programs since the start of the 2020-21 season. Five of those games were played in Pullman, with the Eagles winning there twice.

The Cougars claimed decisive victories in the two games previously played at Spokane Arena, 96-81 last year and 82-56 in 2022. In that later matchup, David Riley, now WSU's coach, was the head coach at EWU. A handful of players who made the move from Cheney to Pullman when Riley did so actually played those two Arena games in different jerseys.

None of those players remain s now at WSU, though four members of Riley's current Cougars coaching staff were with him at Eastern — plus former EWU player Rylan Bergersen, who now serves as WSU's director of player personnel.

In the present, the Eagles are looking to earn their second victory over a Division I opponent (Kansas City is the only DI team they've beaten) after a string of losses, many of them close, to teams from more prestigious conferences.

Eastern is also trying to become the second Big Sky team to defeat the Cougars this season: Idaho beat WSU 83-81 on Nov. 3.

Washington State is trying to stop its current losing streak at five games. The Cougars have the worst overall record among WCC teams and are averaging 75.3 points per game, eighth most in the 12-team league and nearly four points less than WSU averaged last season.

WSU is also last in the WCC in average turnover margin (-2.73) and in assist-to-turnover ratio (.90).

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye is still leading in the Pro Bowl fan voting, despite a disappointing loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. 

Before voting closed, the second-year quarterback had 104,417 votes. To put this into perspective, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was in second place with 92,573 votes. That put Maye ahead of everyone else by a significant number of fan votes.

The second-year signal-caller is having a stellar season. He has recorded 3,567 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Despite a disappointing showing on Sunday, Maye has been one of the most consistent quarterbacks in the NFL throughout the season.

That effort has obviously made an impression on NFL fans.

Patriots QB Drake Maye remains the leading vote-getter in Pro Bowl Games voting on https://t.co/uI2glnoSyq and club sites.

Fan voting began on Thursday, Nov. 27 and closes tonight, Monday, Dec. 15. https://t.co/LBWodfhtC5pic.twitter.com/wGf8Yq9xam

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 15, 2025

Maye clearly has bigger things in mind than a second Pro Bowl bid. The Patriots are currently sitting at 11-3 with a real shot at winning the AFC East division, making the playoffs and potentially competing for a Super Bowl.

Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Where Drake Maye stands in Pro Bowl voting after Week 15 loss

When you come to McCamish Pavilion the week after finals to see Georgia Tech play a non-power opponent in the swell of holiday party season, it never hurts to trot out your ACC Player of the Year quarterback (Haynes King, in this case) to do some autographs and help boost attendance.

It also helps that the men’s basketball team played their most well rounded game of the season after what has been a very uninspiring 6-4 start to the season. Plus, they did it without regulars Baye Ndongo or Jaeden Mustaf.

That’s what this Tuesday night brought us as Tech Men’s Basketball recorded one of their better wins of the season thus far, beating Marist 87-76. It’s the most points Marist had allowed all season after coming in as the 44th best defense per Bart Torvik’s ratings.

Tech’s Kowacie Reeves, Jr. led all players with 21 points on 50% shooting plus 10 rebounds to get the double-double. Mouhamed Sylla shot 7-10 with 14 points.

Tech had a remarkable three point shooting night going 8-11. With under a minute to go, Tech was 8-10 before Reeves missed Tech’s final field goal attempt of the game. Had he not shot it at all, Tech would’ve finished at 80% and set the school record for 3PT shooting percentage in a single game. Nonetheless, it was the highest 3PT% the team had shot since 1991.

The Game

The Jackets came into tonight at 6-4, a win over Marist giving them a potential decent win given the quality of schedule played thus far.

There was minimal separation for most of the first half with Marist leading for 7:35 of the half. Down 35-34, Chas Kelley III hit a three to put Tech in the lead, kickstarting an 8-0 run to give Tech a 44-36 lead going into halftime. Mouhamed Sylla was Tech’s leading scorer at that point with 12 points and five rebounds to boot.

Tech’s second half was a continuation of the end of the first. A 12-0 run to go up 61-43 put Marist at more than an arm’s length for the rest of the game. Tech’s biggest lead reached 23 points midway through the second up 78-55. From there, it was pure cruise control exactly in the way you’d want to see.

Haynes King

King spent over an hour before and bleeding into the beginning part of the game signing autographs for fans. He was scheduled to only sign for 30 minutes but made sure every fan in line got a signature. King was presented his ACC Player of the Year trophy in a short halftime ceremony which included remarks from

In a media scrum after the ceremony, King noted that he was surprised and very delighted when he got the call from Coach Key that he won the award. Kowacie Reeves noted after the game that the energy King helped bring to the crowd was helpful factor in creating a great environment for the evening.

Dec. 16—PULLMAN — On the day he was introduced at Washington State, where he's now the program's 36th head football coach, Kirby Moore wore a tan suit and a warm smile. He said he's thrilled to be returning to his home state. And he had been woken up far earlier than he would like, he joked, which tends to happen when you have a 9-month-old.

Moore may not be a long talker, but he's thoughtful, and he understands the responsibility he's accepting with the Cougars' program. A native of nearby Prosser, he grew up going to WSU games, including the 2012 Apple Cup. As a kid, he met the Cougars coaches who helped this program blossom, from Bill Doba to Mike Price and others.

That means Moore, who worked the previous three seasons as Missouri's offensive coordinator, understands that the WSU football program has not been graced with much loyalty in recent years.

He's replacing Jimmy Rogers, who espoused loyalty, only to bolt for the next rung on the ladder less than a calendar year later. His predecessor was Jake Dickert, who did the same after three full seasons at the helm.

So, Moore made no promises at his introductory news conference Tuesday. Instead, he said, it's not about words he uses.

"It's really people," said Moore, a first-time head coach. "We've got grandparents in Palouse. We've got aunts in Pullman, aunts in Spokane. My parents just built a house in the Tri-Cities. So there's some incredible memories for my kids, and I look forward to that happening for a number of years."

Will Moore stay at WSU until the sands of time shift and college football swings on its axis again? There's no telling, not with the way things are changing in this ecosystem. But on Tuesday, Moore sang a different tune than the coaches who had come before him, offering a taste of exciting offense and a sturdy defense and a special teams unit complete with the team's best players.

"I look forward to helping our players build a positive culture while chasing their personal best," Moore said. "Everyone's personal best is gonna look a little bit different. I want to help our guys chase two dreams: a life with football and a life without football. While we're doing that, we have to develop an elite edge while competing for championships. Right now, I look forward to building a staff that resembles and connects and embraces the Pac-12 footprint. We need everyone pushing in the same direction in Cougar nation. We will have an attacking brand of football, an exciting brand of football."

Moore is taking over at a critical juncture for WSU. The Cougars just completed their second and final regular season competing adrift of a traditional conference structure. Next season, WSU will play in the new-world Pac-12, which includes new members Colorado State, Texas State, Fresno State, Utah State, San Diego State and Boise State — where Moore played his college ball, where he played with brother Kellen, now the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

Perhaps more importantly, Moore will be the face of a program trying to catch up on the fundraising front. The Cougs need to raise an additional $5 million in NIL funds, university President Elizabeth Cantwell said in a message on social media earlier this week. To stay ahead of the new conference, the team needs to distribute about $7 million in NIL funds, according to interim Athletic Director Jon Haarlow, who led the search that landed on Moore.

Can Moore help the program meet those goals? Right now, maybe the more pressing question is if he can retain a few of the WSU players who have announced they plan to enter the transfer portal when it opens on Jan. 2.

In that department, the good news for Moore and the Cougars was that about 20 players attended Tuesday's news conference. That included two players who are portal-bound, wide receiver Tony Freeman and linebacker Anthony Palano, as well as a few younger players with remaining eligibility: defensive end Isaac Terrell, defensive tackle Bryson Lamb, tight end Trey Leckner, running back Maxwell Woods and tight end Beau Baker.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 12 players had announced they're planning to enter the portal. Moore has already chatted with a few of them, he said, and he was planning to sit down with a few more on Tuesday evening. Moore described those conversations as "very receptive."

" 'This is where we're at. Hey, this is my situation. This is where we're at moving forward,' " Moore said. "I want to make sure I'm helping them as well, whatever they're looking for and whatever's in their best self interest."

Whoever is a part of next year's WSU team, Moore said, will shape his offense. At Missouri, he played a key role in establishing a rushing offense that ranked eighth nationally this year. But in 2022, when he was Fresno State's offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs had a prolific quarterback — which prompted him to center things around the pass.

That's what makes it tricky to wrangle what kind of football Moore's first Cougar team will play, at least on offense. Some of that will be dictated by his coaching staff, which Moore said will "get closer" to coming together by the end of this week. But at the very least, this seems clear: With Moore at the top of the program, the offense that made the Cougars famous may be returning to the Palouse, where their new coach grew up visiting.

"It's a mix," Moore said, "and it's got to fit, 'hey, here's our top five skill guys,' and if you've got three receivers in the top four, well, we should be pretty spread out. Or vice versa, if we've got two tight ends in the top three players, we should be in a little bit bigger sets. So we gotta make sure it correlates with our personnel."

Dec. 16—First impression from Kirby Moore's introduction as the new Washington State Cougars head football coach: He reminded me a great deal of Mike Macdonald when he was hired as the new coach for the Seattle Seahawks.

If he coaches with the same passion and purpose and youthful savvy as Macdonald, Moore will be an exceptional hire.

Moore's likeness to Macdonald seems more than just having consulted the same Young Coaches Phrase Book. "Chasing edges," etc.

Some of it could be the same fresh face and energy of youth (Moore is 35), but there also appears to be a similar sense of direction and function. Low nonsense, high expectations, with an attacking mindset toward everything, including press conferences.

At his Tuesday presser, Moore was quick, well-prepared, and hit the requisite bullet-points without adding the kind of promises that could create critical blowback if he checks out after a short stay.

Moore made a great point, which was a subtle way to get veteran Cougar followers to look ahead rather than backward. He spoke of the opportunity that the new Pac-12 Conference realignment presents: It will feel different, but it should be easier to become the league powerhouse.

The temptation is strong among analysts and many fans to rehash the here-we-go-again laments. Moore is the third head coach hired in four years, the last two bailing for more lucrative positions.

The live stream of Moore's press conference provided a real-time commentary of fans in the online chat. Surely, they represented the range of emotions of the moment for Cougar fans.

"I swear, I better not hear anything about loyalty," one wrote before Moore appeared.

In regular intervals, someone urged other chatters to make donations to the Coug Collective.

"Why support somebody that'll be gone in a year or two?" one asked.

Another fan explained his practical limitations: "We're still donating to our 'student loan' collective."

This comment drew several replies: "WSU is now a stepping stone. It'll never be more than that for both players and coaches."

One level-headed supporter had a more global perspective. "Every school at every level is a stepping stone now. Enjoy each year as its own."

If change represents opportunity, as some suggest, Washington State is currently a fertile field.

There's now a new football coach with a new staff, under a new president and new "interim" athletic director. All of this while adjusting to a new conference alignment, with new rivalries to create.

Moore will bring fresh ideas that may or may not work. He will recruit to an area that had been his home (growing up in Prosser). He has no track record as a head coach, but he's played under a series of successful coaches, and he brings no apparent dubious baggage, either.

He is a blank sheet.

Being the head coach is a huge challenge requiring diverse skills, and it's impossible to know with certainty how well and quickly a successful coordinator will adapt.

At the start, though, players appear open to the hire.

In a recent meeting with the press, Cougar quarterback Zevi Eckhaus said: "I think everybody's pretty fired up about him."

I would take Zevi's word for it. His career at WSU will end Monday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise. He's become a leader and spokesman.

When the last coach left before last year's Holiday Bowl, and about a third of the team entered the transfer portal, Eckhaus stepped in and led the undermanned Cougars to a somewhat inspiring loss against heavily favored Syracuse.

In a time when players are opting out of bowl games, Eckhaus and those Cougars that remained put forth an effort that seemed practically courageous.

I don't know what Eckhaus' career plans are, but Moore could do worse than get him to stick around as a grad assistant, or at least do an exit interview in which Eckhaus could tutor him on the Cougar ethos.

Eckhaus told the media this week that the Cougs had been surprised by the recent departure of their head coach. "There's been certain things thrown at us you really couldn't have predicted," he said. "But every single time, I feel this community, this organization, the people around it have found a way to stick together. I think that's what makes Cougar Nation so special and so different from everybody."

Eckhaus described a "special bond you really can't put into words, but if you're a part of it, you know it."

That's a chasing of an emotional edge that Moore could appreciate. Getting more of that kind of person into the program will be a key for him.

By the end of the press conference, some of the doubters among the chatters had warmed to Moore.

One wrote: "Geez, we need to dial it back a bit and see what the new guy can do. IMHO."

Yeah, IMHO, too.

The Cleveland Browns organization finally got some good news on Tuesday. 

LB Devin Bush was found not guilty of assault and harassment charges stemming from an incident with his girlfriend in May.

Bush was arrested and charged in the offseason after police responded to a report of an alleged assault at a home in a Pittsburgh suburb. The woman, who identified herself as Bush's girlfriend, stated Bush assaulted her and took her car keys.

Police discovered cuts on the inside of Bush's girlfriend's wrist and outside her right foot, as well as smashed pieces of a cellphone. Bush admitted to smashing the cellphone, but he denied getting physical with his girlfriend.

Bush and his girlfriend got into an argument that resulted in Bush allegedly becoming very confrontational. As the girlfriend began to record the argument on her cellphone, Bush chased her around the house in an attempt to get the cellphone.

The girlfriend said she was pinned against a massage table in an office and Bush put his full body weight on top of her before taking the cellphone and smashing it. The girlfriend left with her daughter for a neighbor's home.

Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Common Pleas Judge Bruce Beemer said prosecutors failed to prove Bush had the intent to harm or injure his girlfriend.

Bush has appeared in all 14 games for the Browns this season. He has 2.0 sacks, 93 combined tackles, 47 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, four QB hits and two interceptions. 

The Browns are 3-12. They have one of the worst records in the NFL. 

Dec. 16—It's Spirit Week in the Greater Spokane League. That means raucous crowds, musical numbers, cheerleaders, noisemakers — and plenty of boys and girls basketball.

The festive week is one of the highlights of the season bringing together student bodies, faculty and sports teams in the spirit of camaraderie and friendly competition. Add in the bright lights of a college or downtown arena and it makes for an annual tradition that will produce a lifetime of memories for all involved.

This year's festivities start Tuesday in Cheney, where the Blackhawks host Rogers on Reese Court at Eastern Washington University in the fifth "Railroad Rumble," the youngest of the spirit week games. The girls game starts at 5:30 p.m.; the boys are at 7:30.

Last year at the Arena, the Rogers boys won 44-39 while the Cheney girls came out on top 42-24. Rogers won the spirit competition using a "Minions" theme.

This season, the Pirates boys are off to a fast start at 3-1, while Cheney is at 2-2. Both girls teams are struggling out of the gate with a combined record of 2-7.

On Thursday, the scene shifts to the Numerica Veterans Arena downtown, where Ferris is the designated host against Lewis and Clark in the granddaddy of all of the spirit games, in the 43rd battle for Chuck the "Rubber Chicken."

The schools have been waging an intense but friendly rivalry since 1983, when a student competition was adopted to increase student spirit. The symbol of the rivalry, an ugly rubber chicken, was chosen to symbolize a reward "deeply sought but without actual value."

"I played in the 'Stinky Sneaker' back in 2012, so I love this environment," LC girls coach Sydney Floriani said last year. "It's super fun. There's nothing like playing in the Arena, and Rubber Chicken is just one of the best-attended events in Spokane."

Last year, LC swept the basketball games as the Tigers girls pulled out a close one over Ferris 52-47 and the boys won 58-49, while Chuck went to LC for the third time in four years.

The LC boys are off to a 3-3 start this season while Ferris is 2-3. Both girls teams are 3-2 thus far.

Friday night, North Central and Shadle Park go head-to-head in the "Groovy Shoes" rivalry games. Shadle swept the basketball games last season, 57-37 in the boys game and 52-42 in the girls. In the spirit competition, North Central retained the shoes for the ninth consecutive season.

This season, the NC boys are 2-2 while Shadle is 1-4. The Highlanders girls are 2-3 and NC is 0-4.

The "Stinky Sneaker" games between Central Valley and University is Feb. 3 at Eastern Washington.

All Times EST

Wednesday, Dec. 17

NBA

Cleveland at Chicago, 8 p.m.

Memphis at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

NHL

Los Angeles at Florida, 7 p.m.

Utah at Detroit, 7:30 p.m.

Carolina at Nashville, 8 p.m.

Winnipeg at St. Louis, 8 p.m.

New Jersey at Vegas, 10 p.m.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

StaffDNA Cure Bowl

Old Dominion vs. South Florida at Orlando, Fla., 5 p.m.

68 Ventures Bowl

Louisiana-Lafayette vs. Delaware at Mobile, Ala., 8:30 p.m.

T25 MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 7 Gonzaga vs. Campbell, 9 p.m.

No. 13 Vanderbilt at Memphis, 7 p.m.

No. 16 Alabama vs. South Florida, 8 p.m.

No. 23 Florida vs. Saint Francis (Pa.), 6:30 p.m.

T25 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

No. 1 UConn vs. Marquette, 7 p.m.

No. 2 Texas vs. Northwestern St., 9 p.m.

No. 14 Mississippi vs. MVSU, 5 p.m.

No. 16 Louisville vs. E. Kentucky, 6 p.m.

No. 18 North Carolina vs. UNC-Wilmington, 8 p.m.

PWHL

Montreal at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Boston at New York, 7 p.m.

Ottawa at Seattle, 10 p.m.

_____

The final UFC and second-to-last PFL events of the year caused key movements in this week's rankings update.

UFC on ESPN 73 saw the emergence of a new potential No. 1 contender in the flyweight division. Manel Kape made quick work of former title challenger Brandon Royval, finishing the fight by TKO in the first round. Entering the week at No. 6, Kape's performance chops that number in half, landing at No. 3, as he knocks on the door of a title shot.

PFL returned to France for its penultimate event of 2025. In the main event, Vadim Nemkov won the vacant heavyweight title by tapping Renan Ferreira in the opening round. Nemkov was unranked in the heavyweight division and now lands at the No. 11 spot after a dominant championship win.

Check out all of the moves in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: MMA Junkie rankings update, Dec. 16: Manel Kape enters top 5

The Winnipeg Jets suffered a 3-2 loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators Monday that saw the team's depth scoring issues continue to persist as the team saw none of their forwards find the back of the net with defensemen Logan Stanley and Neal Pionk scoring the Jets two goals. 

It's been a concern for the Jets for a large portion of this season with the team seeing a massive boost with star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck coming back as the Jets rallied around the moment and secured a shocking 5-1 win Saturday but Monday's loss again saw the problems return. Winnipeg will need to find solutions sooner than later before the season starts to slip away and with the team's tight cap situation, it creates a tricky spot for Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. 

That is exactly why we've done the work for him and have up with three potential trade offers the Jets could make that should work with their current cap situation at $6.4 million as well as strengthen the team's offense. 

Big Swing: Penguins Winger Rickard Rakell For Prospect Brad Lambert

Rakell is an impact player coming off a career-best 70-point season with the Penguins and has either recorded or been on pace for 55 or more points in three of the past four seasons. The 32-year-old Swedish winger has three years remaining on his contract with a $5 million cap hit, a figure that fits within the Penguins’ current cap structure. He has been frequently mentioned in recent trade rumors, though a combination of Pittsburgh’s recent success and his eight-team no-trade list has complicated any potential move.

From the Jets’ perspective, the first concern would be ensuring they are not included on Rakell’s no-trade list. The next question is whether Pittsburgh would be willing to move the veteran winger while locked in a tight playoff race. If a deal were possible, it would benefit Winnipeg by adding a long-term piece capable of replacing much of the scoring lost with Nikolaj Ehlers’ departure. Rakell’s cap hit would also become more manageable over time as the league’s salary cap continues to rise.

The trade could also provide Lambert with the fresh start he has been seeking, allowing him to step into an immediate impact role with a Penguins team that is transitioning toward a rebuild. Ultimately, the feasibility of this deal depends on how Pittsburgh’s season unfolds, specifically whether they remain in the playoff hunt or decide to pivot and offload assets ahead of the trade deadline. If the latter occurs, the Jets should strongly pursue this deal or a similar move centered around acquiring a player like Rakell.

Realistic Move: Flames Veteran Winger Blake Coleman For Future Middle Round Pick

The Calgary Flames are looking to offload some of their assets in troubling season with their veterans being listed as the first to go. One of the names involved in several trade rumors is two-time Stanley Cup champion Blake Coleman, who has a ton of playoff experience with 65 games played and has produced some clutch moments with 31 points. Coleman has two years left on his current deal with a similar cap hit to Rakell at $4.9 million per season and could work in as a middle-six winger. 

The 34-year-old Texas native is a bit older and has a significant cap hit that would weigh down the asking price for him but he's still producing fairly decent numbers as he's still on pace for 35 points this season on a Calgary team that is one of the worst in the league. In a good spot of the Jets lineup, Coleman could tap into that 50-point upside we saw just two seasons ago when he recorded 54 points during the 2023-24 season. 

Big Swing: Leafs Winger Nick Robertson For Logan Stanley, 2028 Second-Round Pick

The Toronto Maple Leafs are experiencing one of their worst seasons in recent memory and are likely looking to reset their roster through several structural lineup changes. One player who has surfaced repeatedly in trade discussions is Robertson. The 24-year-old California native is having a solid season with 12 points in 29 games, putting him on pace for a career-high 34 points.

Toronto has struggled with injuries throughout the season and has reportedly been searching for defensive help. The Jets could provide that in Stanley, who is enjoying a career-best year and is on pace for 30 points, more than double his previous career high of 14 set last season. Still just 27 years old, Stanley has shown steady improvement year over year. His six-foot-seven frame also fits the physical style favored by Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, who prefers a hard-nosed brand of hockey similar to the one that led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019.

This potential deal would address key needs for both teams. The Maple Leafs have indicated they are willing to move depth forwards like Robertson to create room for others to receive consistent ice time. In return, they would acquire an impactful defenseman in Stanley along with future draft capital. Meanwhile, the Jets would add a young winger they could pair with Cole Perfetti, allowing the two to develop together for years to come.

Realistic Move: Canucks Winger Kiefer Sherwood For 2027 Third-Round Pick

The Canucks may not be finished making moves after trading captain Quinn Hughes to the Minnesota Wild in a blockbuster deal. Vancouver is reportedly still active on the market and could look to move high-impact winger Kiefer Sherwood. The 30-year-old is coming off a 40-point season in which he led the league with 462 hits. 

He is currently on pace for 43 points this year while playing a depth role with the Canucks and could provide similar production for the Jets. Sherwood brings underrated physicality, high energy, and valuable secondary scoring, all areas where Winnipeg could use reinforcement. His skill set makes him a natural fit in a middle-six role.

If Vancouver commits to a youth movement, Winnipeg could take advantage by acquiring Sherwood and his very affordable $1.5 million cap hit in exchange for a future draft pick. Since this is the final year of his current contract, the Jets would also have the option to bring Sherwood back on a long-term deal if the fit proves successful.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

Luis Enrique was in a press conference this Tuesday on the eve of the Intercontinental Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Flamengo.

The Spanish coach stressed the importance of this match against an opponent he respects highly and also gave an update on his captain, Marquinhos. Here are his comments transcribed and translated in full.

You can become the first French club to win this trophy and the third club in history to achieve a sextuple. Are you aware that you can mark the history of your sport tomorrow night?

"I did not know. I think there are a few opportunities where you can play in this final, and we are aware of the importance of this match. It is beautiful to play the intercontinental final, it means a lot to us, and we are happy to be here."

A year ago, we still didn't know if you were going to get out of the Champions League group stage. A year later, you are in the Intercontinental Cup final. What is your view on the trajectory, and at what point in the season do you feel you are today?

"A year ago, we were on the path, on the journey, to get to this moment. And there are memories from this last season that are very positive. I think it was important to overcome what we had during the past year. And at this moment, I think more about continuity. This season is a continuation of what we have seen in recent years. And here it is, it's the time to play this final. As we said, it is important for us as a team, as a club, and for our supporters. We are happy to have this opportunity because, I repeat, it is always difficult to play this intercontinental final."

This is your fourth international final in 2025. Do you still feel the same adrenaline? Is it a particular feeling in the hours before these events? And does having done several before give you more ability to approach the event?

"I think it is a very clear motivation. To mark history in Paris was an objective last season. And to continue marking history is the objective of this season. Every final is different. They are special matches because you have to be ready and attentive throughout the match. All actions can be important and decisive in a final, and having that control, having the right motivation for the match, is important, and we are ready. I think at the start of the league, we had problems. The team showed the mentality it had shown last year. Tomorrow, it will be difficult because Flamengo is a very good team, and it will be a close final."

Can you give us a quick update on the troops, especially Marquinhos, who is coming back from injury? From what he has shown you in recent days, is he fit in your opinion to start tomorrow's match?

"He is missing today's training session, but he is ready. After training, we will see what his condition is. Tomorrow, we will decide if he will be there from the start of the match or not."

We are at the end of 2025. Do you feel that your team has finally come out of this intense period of intense fatigue it has known since the start of the season, with many injuries? It seems you are recovering almost everyone except Hakimi. Is the difficult period over now?

"It is impossible to know that! What we have shown in these last four months is our ability to overcome different situations. And after this schedule (at the end of 2025), I cannot guarantee anything, but we are happy to see Christmas and the holidays coming, and to have this moment to enjoy with family. For the start of the year 2026, to have the whole team together and to enjoy it because, in all competitions, the important moment is coming."

In his press conference earlier, Filipe Luis talked about Flamengo being at the end of its season, since this will be their last match tomorrow. You are at the halfway point of your season. Does that change anything in your match preparation, to face a team that is really at the end of its season, full of confidence, while you are soon heading into the Christmas break?

"Yes, it is different. Of course, they arrive after having won many trophies; they are in a very good moment. I like the way they play football with the ball and without the ball. It is a very well-prepared team, and you can see it. I remember last summer, when they played the Club World Cup, and we saw very interesting matches. They have a very interesting and very difficult (to play) team. We knew the difficulty before the match, and we will try to be ready tomorrow."

In Brazil and South America, this trophy has a lot of value, even though Europeans have always won it since 2013. For PSG, which has never won it, is it a very important trophy? Where do you place it?

"It is very difficult to value the place of this trophy. What is certain is that when you are in a big club and you lose, people will always say it was important. When you win, it depends... So it is important because it is the first time in history that we can play this final. Normally, European clubs have always been used to winning it because there was a (level) difference in these matches. But today, this match is very important for Flamengo, very important for us. So where to place this trophy... We, we have been trying for a long time to continue on the same path and write the history of our club. It would be historic to win the first (Intercontinental Cup). It is already a great motivation for us, for the club, and in that sense, I don't think they will be more motivated than us."

You had the chance to face three teams from the American continent last summer. Usually, European teams are the favorites. In your opinion, has the gap narrowed between European teams and teams from the American continent? Another question, Dembele could win the Best trophy tonight. Is it a topic of discussion within the team, and do you think he deserves it?

"Yes, without a doubt. But since I am not the one who gives out the trophies, it doesn't really matter. Since last summer, you have been very concerned about this story of the level between Europeans and others, but in my opinion, it doesn't really matter much either, not to say at all. But I repeat, usually, it is the European teams that win. I was able to play in one ten years ago (Barcelona beat River Plate 3-0). Will the winner of the final necessarily be a better team than its opponent? No. In a single match, anything can happen. When I see Flamengo, I see a very high-level team, a top-level team. They demonstrated that last summer. They played and beat Chelsea. They played against Bayern Munich and were in a position to win the whole match. Tomorrow, their experienced players will show all the experience they have gained in Europe. We all know that whenever there is a promising player from South America, Central America, or North America, he comes to Europe. And from there, I don't think it is very important. No one doubts the level of South American players. No one doubts their historical quality. And playing a final against a Brazilian team is not good news. And we will have to show our best version. One team finishes its season, the other is halfway through, but in the end, it's the small details that count in a final. I repeat, our objective is to give 100% and to have the desire and hope to win this final."

A long question is asked in Arabic about Achraf Hakimi, and the journalist is apparently unaware of the Moroccan's absence.

"Hakimi is injured, he cannot play. He is recovering at the moment. Tomorrow, he will not play."

I wanted to know if the defeat against Flamengo in the United States last summer influenced your approach to tomorrow's final against Flamengo? I imagine you have studied Flamengo in recent days. What is the big difference between Flamengo and Botafogo in terms of play, in your opinion?

"We played against Botafogo, who played locked in their own half and only defended. And that is typically the kind of match we are used to playing, against teams that defend deep and attack little. But Flamengo does not play like that. Flamengo is a team that, with the ball, plays football very well and knows how to play out from the back. Without the ball, they press very well. It is a very interesting team, physically very strong. They have very experienced players, who know what it is to play important matches. They have players with many qualities. Tomorrow, it will be very difficult to take the ball from them. So I think it will be an exciting final because both teams have a very similar style. I think we will see a great final."

You have a very good eye for young players. I don't know if that's also the case with young coaches. What future do you see for Filipe Luis?

"I don't know. I don't think about the career or future of other coaches. What I can say about Filipe Luis is that I already knew him as a player. He started his coaching career a year and a half ago at Flamengo. He is doing it brilliantly. I really like, not only the way his team plays, attacks, and defends, but also his non-verbal language on the bench. He seems very interesting to me, and it will be a pleasure to see Filipe Luis again on a football pitch, this time as a coach. I don't know what the future holds for him, but I wish him a lot of success, except when he faces my teams."

The press conference ends with a question in Arabic about Luis Enrique's recent statements about Pyramids FC. The PSG coach had said before the Flamengo vs. Pyramids FC match that he would prefer to face the Egyptian club in the final rather than the Brazilian club, which he already knew and feared.

"The truth is, a Brazilian television interviewed me and I said I did not want to face Flamengo. I did not have the opportunity to analyze (Pyramids) beyond the match we watched. So I cannot give an opinion on the Pyramids. But I was not very good because whenever you give your opinion, there will always be a party to whom it does not please. What was clear to me, however, was that I did not want to see Flamengo, a team I know, in the final. That is what I answered, and I can confirm it."

---

Join The Conversation

Roundtablesports is Free to join! You can post your own thoughts, comment on articles, and start conversations with our Roundtable Writers. Scroll up to the top of the page and click 'Join.'

Download the FREE Roundtable APP, and get even easier access to your favorite teams and news!

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year, we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bears fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

Coming off the dismantling of the Cleveland Browns, I’d wager that our confidence in the Chicago Bears is still pretty high, so vote in the survey below on how you feel about the direction of the franchise.

Next up is the Green Bay Packers, with a battle for first place in the division on the line. The last time this scenario presented itself — just a couple of weeks ago — the Bears came up short after a valiant second-half comeback, but this time the game is in Chicago. Soldier Field was rocking last Sunday for the Browns in sub-zero conditions, so I expect the crowd will be leveled up on Saturday night for the Packers.

Also, vote for the player listed that you feel really needs to come through for the Bears to pull out the win. Keep in mind the first injury report of the week just came out, and wideout Luther Burden III was held out due to the ankle injury he sustained on Sunday.

Regula Meier, president of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation in Switzerland, couldn’t say enough about the “absolutely great” Salt Lake City Skimo World Cup held in December at Solitude Mountain Resort.

“It was such an amazing experience, really. Don’t worry, we’ll come back,” Meier told the Deseret News. The two-day event was the final opportunity for ski mountaineering athletes to qualify for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, where the sport will make its Olympic debut.

So far, the historically European sport known as “skimo” that sends skiers up steep slopes under their own power has only been approved by the International Olympic Committee as the sole new sport for Italy’s Games that begin next February.

But Meier said she “absolutely” wants to see ski mountaineering, which requires skiers to make their way uphill with and then without their skis before racing down, become a permanent part of all future Winter Games, including when Utah hosts another Olympics in 2034.

“It’s very, very important to continue to grow the sport in America,” she said.

Although ski mountaineering began with military training in the Swiss, French and Italian Alps and continues recreationally there among skiers of all ages, Meier said it’s spreading around the world.

“We cannot say it’s a European-dominated sport any more. We’re well past that,” she said, citing the success of North American and Asian competitors. Team USA’s Anna Gibson and Cameron Smithwon the final mixed relay qualification event at Solitude and will compete in Italy.

View this post on Instagram

The World Cup wasn’t the first international ski mountaineering competition held in Utah, she said, noting some federation officials competed in the state more than 20 years ago. Now, Meier wants to return much faster, as soon as November 2026.

“For me, that would be a perfect start to the season,” the federation president said, praising what she said is a sizable ski mountaineering community in Utah as well as the sport’s U.S. leadership that’s based in Park City.

The appeal of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains is the high altitude, she said. Because ski mountaineers typically can’t train at ski resorts while lifts are running, training for the World Cup moved above Big Cottonwood Canyon to Guardsman Pass, which reaches above 9,700 feet.

“Everyone was climbing up this pass and the small hill at the top of this pass. This was really great,” she said, pointing out that unlike many winter sports, ski mountaineering requires little infrastructure.

‘Skimo’ not the only new sport proposed for Utah’s 2034 Games

In Italy, ski mountaineering events are being held in Bormio, a resort also hosting men’s alpine skiing. With Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons off limits for Olympic competitions due to environmental concerns, ski mountaineering would likely have to share a ski venue in 2034.

Any decisions about adding the sport, however, are years away according to Fraser Bullock, president and executive chair of the Organizing Committee for the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

“It was great to have a skimo World Cup here in Utah, to see Team USA win the mixed relay and qualify for the Olympics in Milano Cortina,” he said. “We will be having first discussions on the sport program in 2027, which will be a fun exercise. Any discussion before then is premature.”

Other sports are already vying to be included at future Winter Games, including cross-country running and cyclocross, a mix of road cycling, mountain biking and steeplechase, that don’t utilize snow or ice.

That proposal has been opposed by the Winter Olympic Federations.

The group’s president, Ivo Ferriani, has said putting ski mountaineering on the program for the next year’s Winter Games is “a successful example” of a better strategy, focusing on “evolving existing winter sports to attract broader participation and audiences.”

Meier isn’t taking sides in the debate.

“I won’t say I’m in favor or I’m against because I’m so happy we are in the Games as a guest. I’m thankful for that. I don’t want to judge about other sports,” she said. “For me, it’s really most important that we are there.”

The issue was raised as part of new IOC President Kirsty Coventry’s sweeping review, undertaken after she took office in June. While the working groups she’s assembled on the Olympic program and other topics don’t have a deadline, findings are anticipated early next year.

Meier’s focus, though, is on showcasing her sport at the next Olympics.

“I think they will see that we are still a winter sport. Our sport is practiced on snow, it is in winter, not in the summer. In the summer you have trail running or biking,” she said. “But I think this is a basic decision the IOC has to take, if they want to add summer sports or not.”

What’s different about ski mountaineering

So what will success for ski mountaineering at the Italian Olympics look like? Meier isn’t sure but is hopeful exposing ski mountaineering to an Olympic audience next year “opens the door to more and more possibilities.”

Already, she said, tickets are sold out for the three Olympic events in Italy, both men’s and women’s sprint races plus a mixed relay, like the one won by Team USA at Solitude. Milan-Cortina organizers are calling the sport “exciting, intense and adrenaline-filled.”

But they also pointed out that ski mountaineering offers an opportunity “to connect with nature and pristine landscapes,” utilizing steep, off-piste areas that don’t have to be equipped with lifts or gondolas.

Ski mountaineers test their ability to climb on shorter, lighter skis with special gripping called skins, a nod to the sealskin originally used in the Arctic, and also with those skis strapped to a backpack before speeding downhill.

Alpine skiers, Meier said, expect “great, groomed slopes with huts and restaurants everywhere but more and more, for young people it’s getting in fashion to say, ‘No. I want to be myself out in the nature, without any noise, without anything, just climbing the summit by myself.’”

That was especially true during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were looking for a way to spend time outdoors, she said. Money is also a factor, since “ski resorts are getting more and more expensive,” Meier said, driving people to look for alternatives like ski mountaineering.

“A lot of people are practicing this sport,” Meier said, noting that in her Swiss mountain community, that ranges from young children to those who are more than 80 years old. “The community is so big and we really have disciplines for everyone.”

Count Utah as part of that community, said Sarah Cookler, USA Skimo head of sport.

“Utah has a very strong group of youth skimo athletes,” Cookler said, “who are breaking through on the international stage now and who will be in great contention for top performances in 2034.”

The Arizona GymCats had their annual showcase last Saturday. Three days later, the WCGA released its annual preseason poll.

The Showcase always takes place in early December before the athletes take finals and head home for the holidays. This year showed where the depth is in the program.

Other interesting developments for the program and the sport were discussed with head coach John Court the day before, including changes to the NQS that were adopted fairly late.

On preseason rankings

The preseason WCGA rankings are the only major poll that is voted on. Once the season starts, there are no weekly polls. Instead, every team’s NQS is tracked on Road to Nationals. Those standings eventually determine which 36 teams advance to regionals.

The 2026 WCGA preseason poll was released on Tuesday afternoon. Arizona comes in ranked 18th. That is two spots lower than the GymCats finished last season when they were one of the last 16 teams standing in the postseason.

The reasons for the slight drop are fairly obvious. Arizona lost 10 routines with the graduations of Elena Deets, Alysen Fears, and Emily Mueller. Both Fears and Mueller were all-arounders. Deets competed on two events and was last year’s Big 12 co-Event Specialist of the Year.

The GymCat Showcase gave a glimpse into what Arizona will be working with this year as Court and his two assistants try to keep the momentum moving forward. Last season, Arizona finished second both in the regular season and at the Big 12 Gymnastics Championships. In addition to Deets’ honor, Court was the Big 12 Coach of the Year and his staff was named the WCGA Regional Assistant Coaches of the Year for the South Central Region.

On event depth

The Showcase was held in a traditional Red-Blue format with the team divided into two groups that competed against each other throughout the meet, although not every gymnast competed every event for her team. A total of 19 gymnasts competed at least once.

It was telling how many total gymnasts competed on each event. Balance beam was the only event that had two full lineups of six gymnasts on each team.

“Very thankful, because we have a lot of people that train beam, and not just train beam, but have a full beam routine start to finish,” assistant coach Shelby Martinez said. “So that’s really encouraging. It’s also really good because we lost a lot of experience last year, and beam is one of the hardest events to compete. So knowing that we can put a lot of different routines into exhibition positions, into pressure situations to see how they do, and then have a good amount of people to choose from, is really encouraging going into the season, where we will definitely have to build that beam line up and build that confidence, since we lost like three main people that were in beam their whole entire career at Arizona.”

Martinez has taken over the training responsibilities for beam this year after former associate head coach Taylor Spears left in August. Spears had built a formidable beam lineup at Arizona over her seven years with the program, but she opted to leave college sports altogether just before classes started this year. Martinez and head coach John Court are optimistic about carrying on with that.

“I’ve always loved beam,” Martinez said. “When I was an athlete, beam and vault were my two that I competed all four years and so, I mean, I’ve always loved coaching beam even before in clubs.”

The other events had far fewer competing. A total of nine gymnasts competed on vault with four going for Red and five on Blue. That’s an event that Court is training this year. Martinez took over that event last year when she returned to Arizona, but Court had been the vault coach for years prior to that.

Bars also had a total of nine gymnasts with four for Blue and five for Red. Five of the nine are new to the team and one more is a junior who has not competed in her first two years as a GymCat. The group of newbies included Sadie Smith, who transferred from Arkansas but did not compete for the Razorbacks last year as a freshman. The event is trained by associate head coach Kylie Kratchwell.

Floor exercise was even more limited. Only seven gymnasts competed on floor with four competing for Blue and three competing for Red. Two of the seven were freshmen. One of the returners has never competed floor at Arizona.

Overall, the team has depth. It’s just not experienced depth.

There are a total of 21 athletes on the roster, which is one more than allowed under the House settlement roster limit for gymnastics. Due to the late date that settlement was approved, all sports programs were allowed to grandfather athletes in for one year. It allowed Arizona to return redshirt senior Liz LaRusso and bring in Smith as a transfer without anyone being forced out of the program or any scholarships being pulled from incoming freshmen.

Youth movement

Ten athletes who performed at the GymCat Showcase have never competed in college. That includes sophomores Teagan White, Jillian Silvers, Olivia Childs, and Smith, junior Sophia Maisel, and senior Sophia Stephens. The other four new competitors were four of the GymCats’ five freshmen.

That group of 10 were not the only ones getting their feet under them at the showcase. Junior Ainsley Greever competed as a freshman but sat out with an injury last season. Greever was one of the GymCats who performed vault. Her vault had a very small hop up, but she avoided the large hops backwards that Arizona needs to eliminate to keep its vault scores competitive with a lineup of 9.95 start values.

NQS changes and the postseason

The national qualifying scores (NQS) will change this year to include more regular season meets. Court said that it didn’t have much impact on scheduling this year simply because it was adopted so late, but he will alter how he schedules going forward. Road meets become even more valuable, meaning Arizona will tip the scale towards road meets when possible beginning with the 2027 season.

Beginning with the 2026 season, NQS will include a minimum of nine meets. In the past, it included just six meets. Only five of the meets can be at home. If a team has more than five home meets, the bottom five scores are kept and the top scores are discounted. The nine or more scores being used to calculate NQS will be put in order from highest to lowest. The highest and lowest scores will be dropped, then the remaining scores will be averaged to arrive at the NQS.

“The old one was six scores, three away and the other three could be home or away,” Court said. “Dropped the high, average the remaining five. So basically you would count half your schedule. Now, it’s maximum of five home meets, minimum five away meets. So for us, we have six home meets this year. So one won’t count. So we won’t be having six home meets anymore. Nobody in the country will.”

Court said in the future, he plans to schedule five home meets and seven away meets. While that means fewer home events for fans, it maximizes the options for getting good scores that can be used for NQS purposes.

In addition, to requiring at least five away meets, what qualifies as an away meet has changed. In the past, some big programs held meets at off-campus venues. Despite the venues being within a short distance of campus, they could be used as an away score. Utah often did this at the Maverik Center.

Beginning this year, only one such regular season meet can be counted as an away meet. If the program has more than one meet in that venue, the others must be counted as a home meet. However, there is one exception that will allow Utah to continue counting two of these events. Conference championships don’t count. So, Utah can continue using the Big 12 Gymnastics Championships as an away meet despite it being held in the Maverik Center every year. They can also have one regular season meet in the venue and count it as an away score.

While some of this had been known and discussed months ago, the new rules weren’t put in place until roughly six weeks before the start of the season. That’s long after programs have put their schedules together.

“The rule just passed two weeks ago,” Court said. “The NCAA has kept it on a shelf while they got some things together. So honestly, I didn’t think it was going to pass until next year, just being so late—and I’m on the board.”

DETROIT (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored two power-play goals in the third period as the Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Islanders 3-2 on Tuesday night.

DeBrincat has eight goals and 13 points in his last eight games for the Red Wings, who have won five of six. John Gibson made 16 saves to win his sixth straight start.

Ilya Sorokin stopped 18 shots for the Islanders, who had won three in a row and seven of eight. New York was going for a season sweep, having outscored Detroit 12-2 in the first two meetings.

New York took an early lead on Emil Heineman’s 11th goal at 4:27 of the first, as he put in Mathew Barzal’s pass across the slot. Barzal missed the morning skate and wasn’t penciled into the lineup until pregame warmups, but extended his point streak to five games with the assist.

Detroit dominated offensive-zone time in the first two periods, but struggled to turn it into scoring chances. When the Red Wings did, Sorokin came up with key saves.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka, though, tied the game at 2:03 of the third period, cutting along the goal line and putting a wrist shot over Sorokin’s shoulder.

DeBrincat gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 3:55, ripping a wrist shot over Sorokin’s glove hand. Scott Mayfield made it 2-all at 11:26.

Sorokin stopped Dylan Larkin at point-blank range with 4:35 to play, but DeBrincat put Detroit back in front at 17:43 with his 20th goal of the season.

Red Wings rookie Nate Danielson escaped injury when he was hit in the head by DeBrincat’s shot in the second. He went back to the locker room with athletic trainers, but returned within five minutes. Linesman Shandor Alphonso also needed attention from trainers after being hit by a deflected shot late in the game.

Up next

Islanders: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Red Wings: Host the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Rams did not practice on Monday but they were back on the field for a walkthrough on Tuesday. It’ll be a light week of work with such a quick turnaround before Thursday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks, so participation will be an estimate for the Rams.

Most notably, Davante Adams and Braden Fiske were both non-participants for the second straight day, so if the Rams had practiced, they would’ve been on the sidelines.

Jaylen McCollough seems to be recovered from his illness after being listed as a full participant, and both Jordan Whittington and Alaric Jackson were upgraded to full after being limited.

The only updates for the Seahawks were to Demarcus Lawrence and Cody White, who were both upgraded from limited to full.

Like the Rams, the Seahawks also held a walkthrough on Tuesday so participation is an estimate as if they held a regular practice.

The final injury reports for each team will be released on Wednesday, giving us a better idea of whether Davante Adams and Braden Fiske will play on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams-Seahawks injury report: Updates from Tuesday's walkthrough

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia and the Kansas City Royals finalized a $57.5 million, five-year contract on Tuesday.

Kansas City scheduled a Wednesday news conference to discuss the deal, which includes a team option for 2031. The agreement essentially buys out his arbitration years and potentially his first two years of free agency.

The 25-year-old Garcia is coming off a breakout season both in the field, where he won his first Gold Glove playing alongside All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and at the plate, where he hit .286 with a career-high 16 homers and 74 RBIs.

While the Royals have prioritized landing outfield help in the offseason — they agreed to a $5.25 million deal with Lane Thomas on Thursday — they also wanted to ensure they maintained their franchise cornerstones. That began with re-signing catcher Salvador Perez to a $25 million, two-year contract in November, and it continued by keeping Garcia through at least the 2030 season.

He also is capable of playing shortstop and second base, and Garcia even dabbled with playing in the outfield last season.

By keeping him in the fold, the Royals also solidified what has been one of the better infields in baseball. Witt is coming off a second consecutive All-Star appearance and Gold Glove, Perez is a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino just had the best season of his four-year big league career, hitting .264 with 32 homers and 113 RBIs.

It also follows a trend of the Royals keeping their own. Each of those four players was signed and developed by Kansas City.

The Royals failed to make the playoffs last season, but they did finish 82-80, the first time they have had consecutive winning years since going to back-to-back World Series in 2014 and ’15. And with a talented pitching staff set to return, and young position players on the upswing, there is optimism that Kansas City can get back to the postseason in 2026.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 34 points and Jayden Epps scored 20 points and Mississippi State had to fight to the end to hold off Long Island 87-83 on Tuesday.

Malachi Davis made a 3-pointer with 4:58 left and Greg Gordon's 18 seconds later put the Sharks up 76-71.

The Bulldogs (6-5) used an 11-3 run and took the lead for good on two foul shots by Epps with 2:42 remaining.

Jomo Goings' tip-in with 13 seconds left brought LIU within 85-83 before MSU's Shawn Jones Jr. made a pair of foul shots to seal it.

Hubbard finished four points shy of tying his career-high. Sergej Macura scored 12 and Quincy Ballard grabbed 10 rebounds for Mississippi State.

Jamal Fuller scored 18 points, Davis 17, Goings 16 and Gordon 12 for LIU.

Davis scored 12 points in 12 minutes to lead the Sharks in scoring before intermission.

Mississippi State appeared poised to run away early by taking an 8-0 lead but never extended the margin to double digits. Up 17-8, Davis scored eight points in a 13-2 LIU run to give the Sharks their first lead at 21-20.

The Bulldogs responded with 12-3 run before LIU used the last five minutes to outscore the Bulldogs 15-7. MSU led 39-38 at halftime.

Up Next

Long Island: Travels to face Florida International on Saturday.

Mississippi State: Hosts Memphis on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Is Travis Kelce going to retire after this year?

It's one of the biggest questions surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs after they were eliminated from playoff contention in their Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

Kelce's brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, shared his perspective on Travis' decision on Dec. 15 during a pregame segment for ESPN's "Monday Night Football" broadcast.

"In my opinion, to nail that decision, you gotta step away from the game for a little bit," he said. "Play these last three games, enjoy them with your teammates, enjoy them with your coaches. The team's going to be different no matter whether you come back or not next year. So enjoy these last three games."

"And then let it sink in. It will come to you with time. There's so many emotions with this game, right after a season. Especially with the way this one's been – it's been so up-and-down ... Right now, it's just too fresh. You gotta step away from it, you gotta think about it, and then it'll come to you."

View this post on Instagram

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love has officially declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Heisman finalist and potential first-round pick made the announcement Tuesday night as Notre Dame’s season is officially over. The Fighting Irish opted out of playing a bowl game after they were dropped from the College Football Playoff field in the final set of rankings.

“Heading off to college, there are many uncertainties, but I knew Notre Dame was the perfect home for me,” Love wrote. “When I think about all of the people who have impacted me at Notre Dame, it is endless. I am especially grateful to my coaches for pushing me outside of my comfort zone, while also allowing me to be me. They knew exactly what I needed to do to elevate ad made sure to push me to greater heights.”

Love finished third in the Heisman voting on Saturday night behind Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza and Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia. Love rushed 199 times for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2025 while also adding 27 catches for 280 yards and three scores.

Love topped 100 yards in six of Notre Dame’s 12 games this season and shined in a 24-carry, 228-yard performance in the Irish’s win over USC on Oct. 18. He rushed for at least one touchdown in all but one of Notre Dame’s games. The game he didn’t score in? Notre Dame’s Week 1 defeat to Miami.

That game ultimately cost the Irish a playoff berth. Despite being ahead of Miami in each of the College Football Playoff’s rankings entering the final set, the Irish got jumped by the Hurricanes as the committee said it used Miami’s win as a tiebreaker between the two teams. Both Notre Dame and Miami finished with identical 10-2 records.

In 2024, Love rushed 163 times for 1,125 yards and 17 scores. Over his Notre Dame career, Love averaged 6.7 yards per carry and scored 42 total touchdowns across three seasons. He’s widely expected to be the top running back taken in the draft and could even be a top-15 pick.

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Jaxon Kohler had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 9 Michigan State never trailed while rolling to a 92-69 victory over Toledo on Tuesday night.

Kohler's double-double was his sixth of the season. Jeremy Fears Jr., who came in averaging a Division I-best 9.5 assists per game, had 15 points and eight assists.

Coen Carr and Kur Teng added 14 points apiece for Michigan State (10-1). Carson Cooper added eight points and nine rebounds as the Spartans recorded season highs in scoring and rebounding.

Sonny Wilson had 29 points, five assists and four steals to lead Toledo (5-6), which has lost three straight. Leroy Blyden Jr. had 10 points and Sean Craig scored eight.

The Spartans out-rebounded the Rockets 54-24. Michigan State's 18 offensive rebounds led to 17 points. The Spartans also scored 36 points on the fast break, compared to Toledo's 16.

Sloppy play by the Spartans, particularly in the second half, was the only thing that prevented an even more lopsided margin. Michigan State committed 15 turnovers, while Toledo had just four.

Kohler had 14 points and 10 rebounds by halftime as the Spartans led 58-28 at the break to set a season high in first-half points.

The Spartans are 7-3 all-time against the Rockets.

Up next

Toledo: Hosts Lourdes on Saturday.

Michigan State: Plays Oakland in Detroit on Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

With Kansas State in the middle of a bizarro Christmas where they got to unwrap their big gift on December 1, can’t play with it until after the New Year, there has been surprisingly little to talk about when it comes to the football program. Coach Klein has made a few obvious additions to his Wildcat staff, while his attention is mainly focused on preparation for Texas A&M’s game against Miami on Saturday, but it’s all been low-hanging fruit. That’s a good thing. Sometimes the best choices are also the most obvious choices.

Even though there hasn’t been much in terms of official news, I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen thus far. I have some thoughts on what makes a good coaching staff that I’ll share after Coach Klein completes his, but I had a front-row seat to the Jeff Brohm-to-Ryan Walters transition, and it has to rank among the worst in modern college football. Purdue went from playing in the Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan to a two-season conference losing streak over the last three seasons.

To be fair to Ryan Walters, and I do not want to be fair to Ryan Walters, he inherited a crumbling foundation from Jeff Brohm. Yes, Purdue was coming off an appearance in the Big 10 Championship game, but that was mainly due to an incredibly favorable schedule. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it almost seems like Coach Brohm set his team up to cash in so he could cash out and land the Louisville job with little regard to building anything sustainable in West Lafayette. I tried to warn everyone, but my pleas were drowned out by the sheer ecstasy involved with a nine-win Purdue season.

Walters stepped into a tough job as a first-time coach and immediately made things exponentially worse. I started to sweat as soon as his staff began to take shape. It was clear he was hiring guys because they were available, and not because they were the right fit for the program. That happens sometimes when a young coordinator is thrust into a head coaching role before he’s built up the requisite coaching contacts. I’m pretty sure everyone on the staff had to wear “Hi, My Name Is…” nametags during the first week of Spring practice. Ryan Walters needed his staff to be on the same page from day one, but they didn’t even know which book they were supposed to be reading.

What resulted was a convoluted mess that culminated in Walters panicking and making a bad situation into one of the dumbest things I’ve seen a college football coach attempt. In his first season as head coach, he stripped his defensive coordinator of play-calling duties midway through the season and took over the job himself. At least that made sense. He got the Purdue job for his ability to call a defense. I didn’t love it, and it didn’t help Purdue win six games, but it was understandable.

In the second and final season as head coach, he stripped his offensive coordinator of play-calling duties, relinquished defensive playcalling to the guy he demoted the previous season, and took over as offensive coordinator, despite never having called an offensive play in his coaching career. To no one’s surprise, Walters’s tenure as a head coach was brief, and he was back to calling defensive plays for the Washington Huskies this season. It sounds like he may be headed to Knoxville to call the Vols’ defense next season. He might be one of those guys who is a good coordinator and should remain one. Let’s consider him the Josh McDaniels of college football.

Ryan Walters was destined to fail at Purdue the moment he hired a coaching staff he didn’t trust. When the going got tough, he felt like the only solution was to do the job himself. Essentially, that’s a confession of head coaching incompetence. Purdue didn’t hire him to be the all-time coordinator to let him live out his EA Sports College Football Dynasty fantasies. They brought him in as the head coach, and one of the head coach’s critical responsibilities is hiring a trustworthy staff. He didn’t get the job done, and now Barry Odom is tasked with cleaning up his mess.

Trust seems to be a requisite bullet point on any resume that passes through Coach Klein’s hands early in the staff building process. His first move was to bring in Trey Scott as his general manager. I don’t exactly know how to evaluate the hiring of a college football general manager, but I like this quote from Trey:

“I have had a long career in football, but this is different – this is Family, and this is home,” Scott said. “I am excited to work with quality people and be aggressive in this era of opportunity. Thank you to Coach Klein for trusting me to help advance our program. I can’t wait for my wife and kids to become a part of this special community.”

I assume he’ll be joined by Mr. EMAW himself, Taylor Braet. I don’t have a source for this, but it’s rumored that Taylor has handcuffed himself to the Bill Snyder statue and is refusing to leave until they find him a job on the incoming staff (the rumors are coming from inside my head). It sounds like Coach Klein has a couple of guys he can rely on to help him navigate the ever-changing landscape of college football rosters.

I know a little more about Special Teams Coordinator Stanton Weber because I know what a Special Teams Coordinator does for a football team. Weber, like Trey Scott, is a former Wildcat returning to the Flint Hills after holding the same role at Toledo the last three seasons. According to the Kansas State press release, he “was named a finalist for the Special Teams Coordinator of the year by Football Scoop in addition to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 Under 35 Leadership Institute.”

This seems like another step in the right direction after shaky special teams plagued the squad over the last two seasons. Special teams have historically been a staple of the Wildcat football program. Bringing back Weber, who was a part of that legacy in Manhattan, is a welcome addition to the coaching staff.

Earlier today, it was announced that Coach Buddy Wyatt would be retained as the defensive line coach. It’s another move that makes sense. Coach Wyatt has produced some high-level defensive linemen during his time in Manhattan and brings a wealth of coaching experience. He’s the type of old head a young coach needs in the locker room. When Coach Wyatt talks, everyone shuts up and listens. His statement in the press release announcing his retention was short, sweet, and to the point:

“I appreciate Collin placing his trust in me,” Wyatt said. “Kansas State has a strong tradition and culture, and I am excited to be a part of this staff. I look forward to helping our players and this program succeed.”

There’s the word again, trust.

I’m sure y’all are aware of the rumors regarding other potential staff moves. I don’t leak information from behind paywalls, but everyone I’ve seen tied to the Klein staff either has deep ties to Kansas State, Coach Klein, or both. That’s how you build in Manhattan, Kansas. The whole of this team has to be greater than the sum of its assembled parts, and putting together a coaching staff that is not only passionate about college football but also passionate about Kansas State Wildcat football.

I’m not sure if it works out, but it’s a great place to start. One thing I can guarantee is that at no point in the next two seasons will Collin Klein declare himself the defensive coordinator. In terms of coaching floors, he’s already ahead of Ryan Walters.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer scored 26 points and had 13 rebounds to help No. 3 Duke overcome a 10-point deficit and earn Jon Scheyer his 100th coaching victory with a 97-73 win over Lipscomb on Tuesday night.

Isaiah Evans scored 16 points, reserves Maliq Brown and Darren Harris each provided 11 points and Patrick Ngongba II added 10 points and 11 rebounds for Duke (11-0), which has matched its best start since the 2017-18 season.

The Blue Devils, who had been off since winning Dec. 6 at then-No. 7 Michigan State, prevailed despite committing 22 turnovers.

Scheyer, a former Duke player in his fourth season following retired Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski, is 100-22. He has reached 100 victories faster than any Atlantic Coast Conference coach in history.

Grant Asman had 18 points, Mateo Esmeraldo and Titas Sargiunas each scored 14 points and Charlie Williams added 11 points for Lipscomb (6-5), which led for much of the first half.

The Bisons, whose five-game winning streak came to an end, shot 3 for 13 on 3-pointers in the second half.

Boozer, who leads the country in scoring with more than 23 points per game shot 10 for 17 from the field. Evans made four of Duke’s eight 3-pointers.

Duke, which had more turnovers (15) in the first 16 minutes than in any entire game this season, led 48-45 at halftime.

Duke led 10-0 before Lipscomb attempted its second shot of the game. The Bisons scored the next 10 points and then led 14-12 and 26-16, which resulted in a Blue Devils timeout with 10:39 left in the half. Lipscomb was 13 for 14 on first-half free throws.

Up Next

Lipscomb: Plays Blue Mountain Christian at home on Saturday.

Duke: Plays No. 19 Texas Tech in New York on Saturday night.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Thea Hail has shocked the naysayers, and stunned the whole world. Tuesday's "NXT" Women's North American Championship match saw the electrifying Hail meet the stalwart, experience Monroe, and in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Hail managed to pin down the champion to become the new "NXT" Women's North American Champion.

Monroe seemed to still be feeling the aftershocks of last week's wild assault, as Hail quickly overwhelmed the champion with an armbar attempt to open the match. Monroe quickly found her footing, but Hail was not to be denied. The match became a battle of experience and energy, with Monroe's refined and sadistic moveset colliding against Hail's zippy grappling and aerial offense.

Despite Hail's early advantage, Monroe seemed to have her opponent squared away by the match's halfway point, with Monroe flattening Hail with a clothesline after entangling the challenger in the ropes. A flash of second life, however, sent Hail gunning for the champion. She laid Monroe supine before bouncing off of the ropes to deliver a Springboard Senton. The referee's hand slapped the mat for the three-count, but he failed to register Monroe's shoulder rising just before the three count. Both Hail and Monroe looked shocked and confused, with Monroe gesturing her kickout to the official as Hail paraded around the ring with her title.

With this victory, Hail has ended Monroe's 53 day reign with the Women's North American title. Monroe first earned the title — her first singles championship in WWE — after defeating champion stand-in Zaria at "NXT" Halloween Havoc. Much like Monroe, the Women's North American Championship is Hail's first singles title with WWE. Hail is also now the youngest woman to hold the Women's North American title, at 22 years old.

As of writing, there have been no announcements regarding the referee's controversial count, nor have any new challengers stepped up to the young champion.

Read more: 30 Best Wrestlers Under 30 In 2025, Ranked By Wrestling Inc.

Don't miss any of the major wrestling headlines. Sign up to our free newsletter for the biggest stories, sent straight to your inbox. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.

Read the original article on Wrestling Inc.

The Chicago Cubs are bringing back one of their most reliable relievers.

The Cubs have a deal in place with veteran left-hander Caleb Thielbar, pending a physical, a source confirmed to the Tribune. Thielbar, who turns 39 in January, is coming off one of his best big-league seasons following an underwhelming performance with Minnesota in 2024.

Thielbar posted a 2.64 ERA and 147 ERA+ in 67 appearances for the Cubs. Manager Craig Counsell now has two lefty options out of the bullpen with Thielbar and Hoby Milner. The Cubs officially announced Milner’s signing Tuesday and added veteran right-handed reliever Phil Maton last month.

The organization entered the offseason knowing they would need to sign multiple relievers, as nearly all their high-leverage arms were becoming free agents aside from right-hander Daniel Palencia.

“It’s the right place to take a volume approach, to use our pitching guys, to believe in guys and guys that can get better, and try to develop those guys as well as possible,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said of the bullpen last week at the annual MLB winter meetings. “And so I’d rather spend our resources on probably areas of less volatility, honestly, but at the same time, bullpens are really important.

Related Articles

• What we heard from Chicago Cubs at winter meetings, including bullpen focus and praise for Moisés Ballesteros
• Chicago Cubs add Hoby Milner to revamped bullpen on a 1-year, $3.75 million deal
• Chicago Cubs could have 8 players in the World Baseball Classic. Here’s a look at where each stands.
• Caleb Williams, Connor Bedard, Derrick Rose and more: The 11 No. 1 draft picks made by Chicago’s pro teams
• Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell is ‘very optimistic’ Shota Imanaga will get back to his old form

“Every team has to make their own decisions on how they allocate resources. … Other teams may choose to put really big blocks (of payroll) in the bullpen, and that’s up to them. I think how I see it is, rather use those big chunks of money to go get starting pitching or position players.”

The Cubs could have heavily pursued more proven closers who were available in free agency, but clearly feel comfortable diversifying their approach to building a bullpen and finding pitching profiles that project to perform well and give different looks to opposing hitters. The National League, though, will feature some tough ninth-inning arms. The Los Angeles Dodgers opted to sign Edwin Díaz after his former team, the New York Mets, inked Devin Williams, while the Atlanta Braves landed two of the top relievers, Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suárez.

The Cubs have become an appealing destination for pitchers looking for bounce-back seasons or to unlock something and take their repertoire to another level.

“There’s a lot of teams that do a really good job with pitching, but I feel like we have really good pitching guys, and I think we’ve done a good job bringing the best out of guys, so that certainly is noticed,” Hoyer said. “We’re not alone in that. But when we do Zooms and we talk to different pitchers, I think they’re aware of that.”