WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Brandon Johnson's 12 points helped East Carolina defeat Wichita State 54-52 on Wednesday night.

Bobby Pettiford Jr.'s dunk stretched the Pirates' lead to 54-47 with about three minutes to play. Dalen Ridgnal missed a potential game-tying 3 for Wichita State with two seconds left.

Johnson also had seven rebounds and three steals for the Pirates (10-10, 3-4 American Athletic Conference). RJ Felton added 10 points while finishing 5 of 15 from the floor. Ezra Ausar shot 4 of 9 from the field and 1 for 3 from the line to finish with 10 points.

Harlond Beverly led the Shockers (8-11, 0-6) in scoring, finishing with 18 points and six rebounds. Ridgnal added eight points and six rebounds. Colby Rogers had seven points. The loss was the Shockers' eighth straight.

East Carolina went into the half ahead of Wichita State 26-22. Jaden Walker put up six points in the half. East Carolina took the lead for good with 7:13 remaining in the second half on a dunk from Johnson to make it a 45-43 game.

Ausar 4-9 1-3 10, Johnson 4-8 1-2 12, Malonga 1-4 1-1 3, Felton 5-15 0-0 10, Walker 3-10 0-0 6, Hayes 1-8 0-0 3, Pettiford 4-9 0-0 8, Pinedo 0-2 0-0 0, Richard 1-1 0-2 2, Bayela 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-68 3-8 54.

Ridgnal 3-8 0-0 8, Ballard 2-2 1-2 5, Beverly 7-10 4-4 18, Cortes 0-2 0-0 0, Rogers 1-9 4-4 7, Bell 2-7 0-2 4, DeGray 1-2 2-2 4, Pohto 2-3 0-0 4, Abidde 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 18-44 13-16 52.

Halftime_East Carolina 26-22. 3-Point Goals_East Carolina 5-14 (Johnson 3-5, Ausar 1-1, Hayes 1-3, Bayela 0-1, Felton 0-2, Walker 0-2), Wichita St. 3-18 (Ridgnal 2-7, Rogers 1-5, Abidde 0-1, Beverly 0-1, Bell 0-2, Cortes 0-2). Rebounds_East Carolina 34 (Johnson 7), Wichita St. 34 (Ballard 9). Assists_East Carolina 7 (Hayes 2), Wichita St. 8 (Beverly 3). Total Fouls_East Carolina 15, Wichita St. 13. A_5,252 (10,506).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706187757814.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Brandon Johnson's 12 points helped East Carolina defeat Wichita State 54-52 on Wednesday night.Bobby Pettiford Jr.'s dunk stretched the Pirates' lead to 54-47 with about three minutes to play. Dalen Ridgnal missed a potential game-tying 3 for Wichita State with two seconds left.Johnson also had seven rebounds and three steals for the Pirates (10-10, 3-4 American Athletic Conference). RJ Felton added 10 points while finishing 5 of 15 from the floor. Ezra Ausar shot 4 of 9 from the field and 1 for 3 from the line to finish with 10 points.Harlond Beverly led the Shockers (8-11, 0-6) in scoring, finishing with 18 points and six rebounds. Ridgnal added eight points and six rebounds. Colby Rogers had seven points. The loss was the Shockers' eighth straight.East Carolina went into the half ahead of Wichita State 26-22. Jaden Walker put up six points in the half. East Carolina took the lead for good with 7:13 remaining in the second half on a dunk from Johnson to make it a 45-43 game.EAST CAROLINA (10-10)Ausar 4-9 1-3 10, Johnson 4-8 1-2 12, Malonga 1-4 1-1 3, Felton 5-15 0-0 10, Walker 3-10 0-0 6, Hayes 1-8 0-0 3, Pettiford 4-9 0-0 8, Pinedo 0-2 0-0 0, Richard 1-1 0-2 2, Bayela 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 23-68 3-8 54.WICHITA ST. (8-11)Ridgnal 3-8 0-0 8, Ballard 2-2 1-2 5, Beverly 7-10 4-4 18, Cortes 0-2 0-0 0, Rogers 1-9 4-4 7, Bell 2-7 0-2 4, DeGray 1-2 2-2 4, Pohto 2-3 0-0 4, Abidde 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 18-44 13-16 52.Halftime_East Carolina 26-22. 3-Point Goals_East Carolina 5-14 (Johnson 3-5, Ausar 1-1, Hayes 1-3, Bayela 0-1, Felton 0-2, Walker 0-2), Wichita St. 3-18 (Ridgnal 2-7, Rogers 1-5, Abidde 0-1, Beverly 0-1, Bell 0-2, Cortes 0-2). Rebounds_East Carolina 34 (Johnson 7), Wichita St. 34 (Ballard 9). Assists_East Carolina 7 (Hayes 2), Wichita St. 8 (Beverly 3). Total Fouls_East Carolina 15, Wichita St. 13. A_5,252 (10,506).

🏀 Shockers' losing streak hits 8 in home loss to ECU

By ANDREW LOGUE Associated Press

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 19 points as No. 23 Iowa State survived a heated game against Kansas State 78-67 on Wednesday night.

Keshon Gilbert added 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Cyclones (15-4, 4-2 Big 12), who improved to 12-0 at home this season. Curtis Jones scored 18 points.

Arthur Kaluma led Kansas State (14-5, 4-2) with 16 points, as the Wildcats slipped from the top of the conference standings.

“Every game is going to be intense,” Jones said. “We've been preparing for that since June.”

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang appeared to have a heated exchange during the second half and a prolonged discussion during the postgame handshake line.

“Nothing happened,” Tang said. “We talked about a situation that took place during the game. He (Otzelberger) said he would check into it. I told him thank you and went on.”

Kansas State erased a 14-point, second-half lead by the Cyclones, tying the score on five different occasions. But the Wildcats never went ahead.

“It's so important that you don't relinquish that lead,” Otzelberger said. “Your confidence (grows) as you're out in front or they don't get over that hump.”

Deadlocked at 61, Hason Ward put Iowa State back on top for good with a dunk at the 4:09 mark. A 3-pointer from Jones made it 66-61 with 2:47 remaining.

“That basket gave us a lot of confidence,” Otzelberger said. “The crowd exploded, and we had some margin at that point. So, it was really big.”

Tang was given a technical foul with two minutes remaining, after protesting a foul call.

Momcilovic converted three free throws following the technical and followed with a 3-pointer that pushed Iowa State's lead to 72-62.

“I wasn't trying to get a tech,” Tang said. “I didn't say anything. I just thought it was a bad call and waved my arm. With the intensity of that game and that moment, I would think that we would all be given a little grace.”

Kansas State was sluggish, committing turnovers on each of its first three possessions and missing four of its first five shots. The Wildcats shot just one of eight from 3-point range in the first half.

Play was choppy as the teams were called for a combined 47 fouls and missed a combined 20 free throws.

“It was tough, because of a lot of free throws, a lot of fouls, a lot of stoppage, fans yelling or whatever,” Momcilovic said. “It was tough to really get into a groove.”

Momcilovic hit three of six shots from behind the 3-point arc and made 6 of 8 free throws.

Iowa State, which had won nine of its previous 11 games, benefited from the return of leading scorer Tamin Lipsey, who missed a game with a shoulder injury. Lipsey was averaging 14.5 points per game. He finished with eight points on 2-for-10 shooting Wednesday.

Kansas State was not among the seven Big 12 teams ranked this week, despite being tied atop the conference standings.

Kansas State visits No. 4 Houston on Saturday.

Iowa State hosts No. 7 Kansas on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706181105130.jpeg" alt="Kansas State's Arthur Kaluma attempts a shot over Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 in Ames, Iowa (Kansas State athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State's Arthur Kaluma attempts a shot over Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 in Ames, Iowa (Kansas State athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ANDREW LOGUE Associated PressAMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 19 points as No. 23 Iowa State survived a heated game against Kansas State 78-67 on Wednesday night.Keshon Gilbert added 15 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Cyclones (15-4, 4-2 Big 12), who improved to 12-0 at home this season. Curtis Jones scored 18 points.Arthur Kaluma led Kansas State (14-5, 4-2) with 16 points, as the Wildcats slipped from the top of the conference standings.“Every game is going to be intense,” Jones said. “We've been preparing for that since June.”Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger and Kansas State coach Jerome Tang appeared to have a heated exchange during the second half and a prolonged discussion during the postgame handshake line.“Nothing happened,” Tang said. “We talked about a situation that took place during the game. He (Otzelberger) said he would check into it. I told him thank you and went on.”Otzelberger also declined to elaborate.Kansas State erased a 14-point, second-half lead by the Cyclones, tying the score on five different occasions. But the Wildcats never went ahead.“It's so important that you don't relinquish that lead,” Otzelberger said. “Your confidence (grows) as you're out in front or they don't get over that hump.”Deadlocked at 61, Hason Ward put Iowa State back on top for good with a dunk at the 4:09 mark. A 3-pointer from Jones made it 66-61 with 2:47 remaining.“That basket gave us a lot of confidence,” Otzelberger said. “The crowd exploded, and we had some margin at that point. So, it was really big.”Tang was given a technical foul with two minutes remaining, after protesting a foul call.Momcilovic converted three free throws following the technical and followed with a 3-pointer that pushed Iowa State's lead to 72-62.“I wasn't trying to get a tech,” Tang said. “I didn't say anything. I just thought it was a bad call and waved my arm. With the intensity of that game and that moment, I would think that we would all be given a little grace.”Kansas State was sluggish, committing turnovers on each of its first three possessions and missing four of its first five shots. The Wildcats shot just one of eight from 3-point range in the first half.Play was choppy as the teams were called for a combined 47 fouls and missed a combined 20 free throws.“It was tough, because of a lot of free throws, a lot of fouls, a lot of stoppage, fans yelling or whatever,” Momcilovic said. “It was tough to really get into a groove.”Momcilovic hit three of six shots from behind the 3-point arc and made 6 of 8 free throws.BIG PICTUREIowa State, which had won nine of its previous 11 games, benefited from the return of leading scorer Tamin Lipsey, who missed a game with a shoulder injury. Lipsey was averaging 14.5 points per game. He finished with eight points on 2-for-10 shooting Wednesday.Kansas State was not among the seven Big 12 teams ranked this week, despite being tied atop the conference standings.UP NEXTKansas State visits No. 4 Houston on Saturday.Iowa State hosts No. 7 Kansas on Saturday.

🏀 Late run lifts No. 23 Iowa State pats K-State

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240124_n841.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 19-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team had no problems whatsoever with Dodge City, cruising past the Conquistadors 107-72 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.

The win marked the regular season sweep of Dodge City (7-12, 5-8 KJCCC) after the Blue Dragons won in southwest Kansas in mid-November.

Hutchinson (16-3, 11-2) finished the first half strong, going on a 32-7 run over the final 9:29 to claim a 55-29 lead after 20 minutes.&nbsp;

The Blue Dragons kept the pedal to the medal in the second half, scoring 52 second half points compared to the Conquistadors' 43.

Hutchinson shot 57 percent from the floor (38-of-66) including nine made three-pointers. The Blue Dragons also shot the ball well from the free-throw line, knocking down 22-of-27 attempts.

Valentino Simon led the Blue Dragons with a 22 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. J.P. Ricks finished with 18 points, 16 of which came in the first half.

Dodge City turned the ball over 25 times in the game, as the Blue Dragons scored 31 points from those.

The 107 points scored is the fifth time this season that the Blue Dragons have hit the century mark in scoring.

Hutchinson is off on Saturday with a bye before traveling to Colby next Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against the Trojans.

Dodge City - 29 43 -- 72 Hutchinson - 55 52 -- 107

Dodge City: Emery 23, Canery 13, Williams 12, Bhullar 9, Boatwright 6, Swartz 5.

Hutchinson: Simon 22, Ricks 18, Weathers 17, Bundy 12, Smith 11, Daniel 10, Thomas 9, Wagler 5, Whitney 3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706152036578.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240124_n841.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 19-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's basketball team had no problems whatsoever with Dodge City, cruising past the Conquistadors 107-72 on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.The win marked the regular season sweep of Dodge City (7-12, 5-8 KJCCC) after the Blue Dragons won in southwest Kansas in mid-November.Hutchinson (16-3, 11-2) finished the first half strong, going on a 32-7 run over the final 9:29 to claim a 55-29 lead after 20 minutes.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons kept the pedal to the medal in the second half, scoring 52 second half points compared to the Conquistadors' 43.Hutchinson shot 57 percent from the floor (38-of-66) including nine made three-pointers. The Blue Dragons also shot the ball well from the free-throw line, knocking down 22-of-27 attempts.Valentino Simon led the Blue Dragons with a 22 points and 13 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. J.P. Ricks finished with 18 points, 16 of which came in the first half.Dodge City turned the ball over 25 times in the game, as the Blue Dragons scored 31 points from those.The 107 points scored is the fifth time this season that the Blue Dragons have hit the century mark in scoring.Hutchinson is off on Saturday with a bye before traveling to Colby next Wednesday for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff against the Trojans.Dodge City - 29 43 -- 72 Hutchinson - 55 52 -- 107Dodge City: Emery 23, Canery 13, Williams 12, Bhullar 9, Boatwright 6, Swartz 5.Hutchinson: Simon 22, Ricks 18, Weathers 17, Bundy 12, Smith 11, Daniel 10, Thomas 9, Wagler 5, Whitney 3.

🏀 MBB: No. 19 Blue Dragons hit century mark in rout of Dodge City

<a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240124_hb07.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 4-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team kept its unbeaten season alive following an 82-77 win over No. 12 Dodge City on Wednesday in the Sports Arena.

The game lived up to the hype of two nationally ranked teams, and two teams in the top-half of the Jayhawk Conference standings. Hutchinson (19-0, 13-0 KJCCC) now has a three-game lead on Dodge City (16-3, 10-3) who sits in second place.

Kiki Smith scored a career-high 29 points in the win to go along with six three rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Smith led four players in double-figure scoring for the Blue Dragons. Monae Duffy finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Journey Armstead had 14 points, five assists and five steals. Armstead also went over the 500-point plateau in her Blue Dragon career with a layup in the third quarter. Hailey Jackson scored a dozen points to go along with two rebounds.

Dodge City led by four points entering the second quarter, a quarter in which 51 combined points were scored, 28 by the Blue Dragons and 23 by the Conquistadors to give Hutchinson a 46-45 lead at halftime.&nbsp;

Hutchinson built an eight-point lead early in the third quarter to grab its largest lead of the game. Dodge City held its largest lead of eight points as well, which came in the second quarter.

The Blue Dragons took care of the basketball, turning it over 10 times, compared to the 17 committed by the Conqs. Hutchinson scored 17 points from Dodge City turnovers, while the Conqs scored seven from the Blue Dragon miscues.&nbsp;

Dodge City was led by Paris Santacaterina with a 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Parris Atkins finished with a double-double, 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Hutchinson held the nations leading three-point shooting team to nine made shots from behind-the-arc. The Conqs average 11 made threes per contest.

The Blue Dragons will have a bye on Saturday before returning to the hardwood next Wednesday at Colby (6-12, 2-11) for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

Dodge City - 22 23 17 15 -- 77 Hutchinson - 18 28 20 16 -- 82

Dodge City: Santacaterina 26, Atkins 15, Jones 13, Cameron 9, Preston 7, Jordan 3, Morgan 2, Briskey 2.

Hutchinson: Smith 29, Duffy 16, Armstead 14, Jackson 12, Muggeridge 6, Mosley 3, Horyna 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706151037392.jpeg" alt="Kiki Smith scored a career-high 29 points to lead No. 4 Hutchinson past No. 12 Dodge City on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.&nbsp;(MacKenzie Franklin/Blue Dragon Sports Information)" />
 <figcaption>Kiki Smith scored a career-high 29 points to lead No. 4 Hutchinson past No. 12 Dodge City on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.&nbsp;(MacKenzie Franklin/Blue Dragon Sports Information)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/wbkb/2023-24/boxscores/20240124_hb07.xml?view=boxscore">BOX SCORE</a>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The No. 4-ranked Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team kept its unbeaten season alive following an 82-77 win over No. 12 Dodge City on Wednesday in the Sports Arena.The game lived up to the hype of two nationally ranked teams, and two teams in the top-half of the Jayhawk Conference standings. Hutchinson (19-0, 13-0 KJCCC) now has a three-game lead on Dodge City (16-3, 10-3) who sits in second place.Kiki Smith scored a career-high 29 points in the win to go along with six three rebounds, four assists and three steals.Smith led four players in double-figure scoring for the Blue Dragons. Monae Duffy finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Journey Armstead had 14 points, five assists and five steals. Armstead also went over the 500-point plateau in her Blue Dragon career with a layup in the third quarter. Hailey Jackson scored a dozen points to go along with two rebounds.Dodge City led by four points entering the second quarter, a quarter in which 51 combined points were scored, 28 by the Blue Dragons and 23 by the Conquistadors to give Hutchinson a 46-45 lead at halftime.&nbsp;Hutchinson built an eight-point lead early in the third quarter to grab its largest lead of the game. Dodge City held its largest lead of eight points as well, which came in the second quarter.The Blue Dragons took care of the basketball, turning it over 10 times, compared to the 17 committed by the Conqs. Hutchinson scored 17 points from Dodge City turnovers, while the Conqs scored seven from the Blue Dragon miscues.&nbsp;Dodge City was led by Paris Santacaterina with a 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Parris Atkins finished with a double-double, 15 points and 10 rebounds.Hutchinson held the nations leading three-point shooting team to nine made shots from behind-the-arc. The Conqs average 11 made threes per contest.The Blue Dragons will have a bye on Saturday before returning to the hardwood next Wednesday at Colby (6-12, 2-11) for a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.Dodge City - 22 23 17 15 -- 77 Hutchinson - 18 28 20 16 -- 82Dodge City: Santacaterina 26, Atkins 15, Jones 13, Cameron 9, Preston 7, Jordan 3, Morgan 2, Briskey 2.Hutchinson: Smith 29, Duffy 16, Armstead 14, Jackson 12, Muggeridge 6, Mosley 3, Horyna 2.

🏀 WBB: No. 4 HutchCC edges No. 12 Dodge City in all-time classic

🎧 LISTEN: HutchCC 🏀 hosts Dodge City tonight; audio from K-State's Tang & Chiefs' Mahomes

Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;

WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;USA Softball unveiled its Top 50 Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List Wednesday morning, and for the second straight season&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7558">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;makes the cut.

Barnard is the only student-athlete on the watch list from a Non-Power 5 school.

A three-time First Team All-Conference selection and a 2022 All-American, Barnard enters her senior campaign fully healthy after battling injuries for almost the entire 2023 season. Despite a significant injury sustained early in the season, the Beatrice, Neb. native still played in 52 games and hit .369 with nine doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 36 RBI and stole 22 bases. Entering the 2024 season, Barnard ranks second on the NCAA DI active career home run list with 69.

The 2024 Top 50 Watch List highlights athletes from 28 universities and six athletic conferences with Oklahoma leading the universities in recognition as six Sooners join the list followed by UCLA with four athletes and Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and LSU tabbing three athletes apiece. Additionally, eight universities are highlighted by two athletes on the list while 14 collegiate programs tally one. Among the 50 athletes and returning to the spotlight of the prestigious award is 2023 Player of the Year, Valerie Cagle (Clemson) along with 2023 Top 3 Finalists, Skylar Wallace (Florida) and Maya Brady (UCLA) — while four additional 2023 Top 10 Finalists also return to the list including Jordy Bahl (Nebraska), Jayda Coleman (Oklahoma), Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma) and Kiki Milloy (Tennessee).&nbsp;The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the athletic conferences with 21 athletes included followed by the Pac-12 Conference and Big 12 Conference with 11 and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with seven. Also represented is the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and&nbsp;Big Ten Conference with one each.

USA Softball will trim the list to 25 on May 1, before naming 10 finalists on May 15&nbsp;and the final three on May 20.

About USA Softball ​​​USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations,&nbsp;USAS sanctions competition through a network&nbsp;of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.&nbsp; USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.&nbsp; USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.&nbsp; The USAS umpire program is among the nation's largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.&nbsp;

As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusasoftball.us17.list-manage.com%2Ftrack%2Fclick%3Fu%3D3cb6efc2039accb2bb3032261%26id%3D033cafcae9%26e%3Dbdac19cde5&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cwpletcher%40goshockers.com%7Cd098fdb80cac45dafe6c08dc1cfbb595%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C0%7C0%7C638417114658663540%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Rg2hB3JQeHikwk4ZHMXG7Qt1BShc9LMNEBShxkMiatU%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.USASoftball.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706126970942.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Wichita State Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Wichita State Athletics&nbsp;WICHITA, Kan. -&nbsp;USA Softball unveiled its Top 50 Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List Wednesday morning, and for the second straight season&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/softball/roster/addison-barnard/7558">Addison Barnard</a>&nbsp;makes the cut.Barnard is the only student-athlete on the watch list from a Non-Power 5 school.A three-time First Team All-Conference selection and a 2022 All-American, Barnard enters her senior campaign fully healthy after battling injuries for almost the entire 2023 season. Despite a significant injury sustained early in the season, the Beatrice, Neb. native still played in 52 games and hit .369 with nine doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 36 RBI and stole 22 bases. Entering the 2024 season, Barnard ranks second on the NCAA DI active career home run list with 69.The 2024 Top 50 Watch List highlights athletes from 28 universities and six athletic conferences with Oklahoma leading the universities in recognition as six Sooners join the list followed by UCLA with four athletes and Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and LSU tabbing three athletes apiece. Additionally, eight universities are highlighted by two athletes on the list while 14 collegiate programs tally one. Among the 50 athletes and returning to the spotlight of the prestigious award is 2023 Player of the Year, Valerie Cagle (Clemson) along with 2023 Top 3 Finalists, Skylar Wallace (Florida) and Maya Brady (UCLA) — while four additional 2023 Top 10 Finalists also return to the list including Jordy Bahl (Nebraska), Jayda Coleman (Oklahoma), Tiare Jennings (Oklahoma) and Kiki Milloy (Tennessee).&nbsp;The Southeastern Conference (SEC) leads the athletic conferences with 21 athletes included followed by the Pac-12 Conference and Big 12 Conference with 11 and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with seven. Also represented is the American Athletic Conference (AAC) and&nbsp;Big Ten Conference with one each.USA Softball will trim the list to 25 on May 1, before naming 10 finalists on May 15&nbsp;and the final three on May 20.About USA Softball ​​​USA Softball (USAS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for profit organization headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., and is designated as the National Governing Body (NGB) of Softball in the United States and a member of the United States Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee. One of the nation's largest sports organizations,&nbsp;USAS sanctions competition through a network&nbsp;of Local Associations, which includes all 50 states and select metro associations.&nbsp; USAS is dedicated to providing people of all ages the opportunity to play the game they love at a variety of levels by offering recreational, league, tournament and competitive play for fast pitch, slow pitch and modified pitch.&nbsp; USAS annually conducts thousands of tournaments throughout the country including over 100 National Championships.&nbsp; The USAS umpire program is among the nation's largest and are widely known as the best trained umpires in the game.&nbsp;As the NGB for the sport of softball, USAS is responsible for training, equipping and promoting the six USA Softball National Teams that compete in events such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, World Championships and other international and domestic events. For more information on USAS, including its founding and history as the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA), please visit,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fusasoftball.us17.list-manage.com%2Ftrack%2Fclick%3Fu%3D3cb6efc2039accb2bb3032261%26id%3D033cafcae9%26e%3Dbdac19cde5&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cwpletcher%40goshockers.com%7Cd098fdb80cac45dafe6c08dc1cfbb595%7Ce05b6b3f19804b248637580771f44dee%7C0%7C0%7C638417114658663540%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Rg2hB3JQeHikwk4ZHMXG7Qt1BShc9LMNEBShxkMiatU%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.USASoftball.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🥎 WSU's Barnard named to USA Softball Top 50 Watch List

Following a 2-2 week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will take to the road, where they will spend the next three games away from Mabee Arena.

The first of these matchups will take place tonight at Bethel College, with the women's game set to begin at 6:00.

Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (9-9, 7-5), Bethel (6-12, 6-6)

Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (13-5, 10-2), Bethel (8-9, 6-6)

Both games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM.

Following a 2-2 week, the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will take to the road, where they will spend the next three games away from Mabee Arena.The first of these matchups will take place tonight at Bethel College, with the women's game set to begin at 6:00.Women's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (9-9, 7-5), Bethel (6-12, 6-6)<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes have won three straight and 12 of 14 against Bethel. They won 84-63 in Mabee Arena and 70-62 in North Newton last season. KWU has a whopping 31-5 advantage since December, 2005.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The Threshers lost both of their games last week - 66-51 to Evangel Wednesday in Springfield, Mo. and 77-67 to Friends on Saturday in Wichita. Bethel has rebounded after losing its first five games of the season.</li><li>Freshman Kendall Locke is the leading scorer (14.2) and has surpassed 20 points in four of her last five games including 22 against Evangel and 21 against Friends. She also averages a team-high 5.1 rebounds. Junior Natalie Richards averages 11.7 points and freshman Madyson McKinzie 11.5.</li><li>Bethel averages 69 points and allows 76.6. Rebounding and turnovers have been issues: opponents average nearly eight rebounds a game more (7.7) than the Threshers and they are averaging 17.3 turnovers.</li>
 </ul>Men's Game: Kansas Wesleyan (13-5, 10-2), Bethel (8-9, 6-6)<ul>
 <li>The Coyotes have won the last two games against Bethel but are 5-5 with the Threshers in the last 10. KWU won 77-58 in Mabee Arena in November, 2022 and 79-62 last January. The Coyotes have a 22-13 edge since December, 2005.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>The Threshers defeated Friends 62-43 Saturday in Wichita, edning a two-game skid that came against Oklahoma Wesleyan and Evangel. They're 4-3 second semester and are 5-2 inside Thresher Gym this season.</li><li>Bethel features a balanced scoring attack led by senior guards Keyaun Hoskin (13.3) and Nick Bonner (13.1) and sophomore guard Carmelo Yakubu (12.5). Bonner has a team-best 35 made 3-pointers and Hoskin averages a team-high 5.9 rebounds.</li><li>Bethel averages 73 points and allows 73.6. The Threshers are shooting 43 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range. Opponents are shooting 43 percent overall and 33 percent from long range.</li>
 </ul>Live CoverageBoth games can be heard on KINA (910 AM or 107.5 FM locally or online at 910kina.com). Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson will have the call with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30 PM.

Coyotes Open Three-Game Road Stretch at Bethel College

Hutchinson Community College freshman runner David Thid was named the Jayhawk Conference and NJCAA National Track Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Making his Blue Dragon debut on Saturday at the Washburn Rust Buster Classic in Topeka, Thid won the 600-yard run and qualified for the 2024 NJCAA Indoor Championships in March.&nbsp;

The freshman from Ronninge, Sweden won the event with a time of 1:12.43. When his time was converted to meters, Thid posted an NJCAA qualifying time of 1:21.13, which is the third-fastest indoor 600 time in Blue Dragon men’s track and field history.&nbsp;

Thid’s converted 600-meter time currently ranks No. 11 in the NJCAA this season.&nbsp;

This is the first Blue Dragon men’s runner to capture national weekly honors since Andrew Kibet on May 8, 2019.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706120291016.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy HutchCC Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of HutchCC AthleticsHutchinson Community College freshman runner David Thid was named the Jayhawk Conference and NJCAA National Track Athlete of the Week on Wednesday.&nbsp;Making his Blue Dragon debut on Saturday at the Washburn Rust Buster Classic in Topeka, Thid won the 600-yard run and qualified for the 2024 NJCAA Indoor Championships in March.&nbsp;The freshman from Ronninge, Sweden won the event with a time of 1:12.43. When his time was converted to meters, Thid posted an NJCAA qualifying time of 1:21.13, which is the third-fastest indoor 600 time in Blue Dragon men’s track and field history.&nbsp;Thid’s converted 600-meter time currently ranks No. 11 in the NJCAA this season.&nbsp;This is the first Blue Dragon men’s runner to capture national weekly honors since Andrew Kibet on May 8, 2019.&nbsp;

🏃‍♂️ HutchCC's Thid earns KJCCC, NJCAA weekly honors

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Buhler Crusaders boys swim team won it's home invitational on Tuesday at the Hutchinson YMCA with a total of 456 points.

The Crusaders trailed Maize South going into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, 432-431, but the first place team of DeWeese, Neighbor, Frees and Gardner put up a season-best time of 3:39.83 to win the event and secure the team title.

Hudson DeWeese finished first in the 200 free with a new school record time of 1:55.87. DeWeese also won the 500 free with a time of 5:30.81.

Jonah Gardner finished first in the 100 free with a time of 53.71.

The Crusaders had 16 top 5 finishers and had 30 season-best times in events throughout the evening.&nbsp;

Hutchinson had eight top 5 finishers in the meet, led by a second place finish for Logan Most in the 500 free. The relay team of Hayes, McClelland, Most and Franz finished second in the 200 and 400 free relay races.&nbsp;

TEAM SCORES 1. Buhler, 456 2. Maize South, 440 3. Maize, 411 4. Hutchinson, 306 5. McPherson, 257 6. Great Bend, 74 7. Rose Hill, 61 8. El Dorado, 57 9. Southeast of Saline, 37

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706120114964.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Hutchinson YMCA" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Hutchinson YMCA</figcaption>
 </figure>Results courtesy Shane DeWeeseHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Buhler Crusaders boys swim team won it's home invitational on Tuesday at the Hutchinson YMCA with a total of 456 points.The Crusaders trailed Maize South going into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, 432-431, but the first place team of DeWeese, Neighbor, Frees and Gardner put up a season-best time of 3:39.83 to win the event and secure the team title.Hudson DeWeese finished first in the 200 free with a new school record time of 1:55.87. DeWeese also won the 500 free with a time of 5:30.81.Jonah Gardner finished first in the 100 free with a time of 53.71.The Crusaders had 16 top 5 finishers and had 30 season-best times in events throughout the evening.&nbsp;Hutchinson had eight top 5 finishers in the meet, led by a second place finish for Logan Most in the 500 free. The relay team of Hayes, McClelland, Most and Franz finished second in the 200 and 400 free relay races.&nbsp;TEAM SCORES 1. Buhler, 456 2. Maize South, 440 3. Maize, 411 4. Hutchinson, 306 5. McPherson, 257 6. Great Bend, 74 7. Rose Hill, 61 8. El Dorado, 57 9. Southeast of Saline, 37

🏊‍♂️ Buhler wins home invite, Hutch finishes 4th

Courtesy of the Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;— The Kansas City Royals announced today their 2024 minor league coaching staffs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695315090950.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of the Kansas City RoyalsKANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;— The Kansas City Royals announced today their 2024 minor league coaching staffs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706113366607.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas City Royals.</figcaption>
 </figure>

⚾ Royals announce Minor League coaching staffs

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Buhler High School girls and boys bowling teams swept Wichita Collegiate at The Alley on Tuesday. The Crusader girls won 1881-1469, while the Crusader boys were victorious, 2371-2085.

GIRLS STANDINGS TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL 1. Teigan Nielsen, Buhler, 628 2. Kenzie Welch, Buhler, 512 3. Aubrey Ewing, Buhler, 408 4. Caroline Kuglich, Wichita Collegiate, 406 5. Mona Bagai, Wichita Collegiate, 376 TEAM 1. Buhler, 1881 2. Wichita Collegiate, 1469

BOYS STANDINGS TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL 1. Mason Herl, Buhler, 643 2. Sam Cline, Wichita Collegiate, 632 3. Malachi Willis, Buhler, 604 4. Kohen Herrington, Buhler, 554 5. Rylan Klug, Buhler, 537 TEAM 1. Buhler, 2371 2. Wichita Collegiate, 2085

Full results can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://eagleradioks-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/sean_boston_eagleradio_net/Efiax-P8oo9ClOxkjk4unxIBKLLt1WsCETU4r159IZ_uUQ?e=WeIl6z&amp;nav=MTVfezAwMDAwMDAwLTAwMDEtMDAwMC0wODAwLTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMH0">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706109659780.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Buhler High School girls and boys bowling teams swept Wichita Collegiate at The Alley on Tuesday. The Crusader girls won 1881-1469, while the Crusader boys were victorious, 2371-2085.GIRLS STANDINGS TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL 1. Teigan Nielsen, Buhler, 628 2. Kenzie Welch, Buhler, 512 3. Aubrey Ewing, Buhler, 408 4. Caroline Kuglich, Wichita Collegiate, 406 5. Mona Bagai, Wichita Collegiate, 376 TEAM 1. Buhler, 1881 2. Wichita Collegiate, 1469BOYS STANDINGS TOP 5 INDIVIDUAL 1. Mason Herl, Buhler, 643 2. Sam Cline, Wichita Collegiate, 632 3. Malachi Willis, Buhler, 604 4. Kohen Herrington, Buhler, 554 5. Rylan Klug, Buhler, 537 TEAM 1. Buhler, 2371 2. Wichita Collegiate, 2085 Full results can be found&nbsp;<a href="https://eagleradioks-my.sharepoint.com/:x:/g/personal/sean_boston_eagleradio_net/Efiax-P8oo9ClOxkjk4unxIBKLLt1WsCETU4r159IZ_uUQ?e=WeIl6z&amp;nav=MTVfezAwMDAwMDAwLTAwMDEtMDAwMC0wODAwLTAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMH0">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🎳 Buhler sweeps Wichita Collegiate in dual

LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas men’s basketball signee Flory Bidunga (floor-ee &nbsp;bee-DUNE-guh) has been named a 2024 McDonald’s All-American and will participate in the McDonald’s All-American game on April 2 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Only 24 players among the more than 700 nominated were selected as 2024 McDonald’s All-Americans. Bidunga gives Kansas 51 total signees who have earned the honor, starting with Darnell Valentine in 1977. Current Jayhawk Elmarko Jackson was named a McDonald’s All-American last season.

A 6-foot-9 center from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bidunga is nationally ranked No. 6 by ESPN.com and Rivals.com and No. 8 by 247Sports.com. Bidunga plays for Kokomo High School in Indiana where he averages 17.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots per game for the 14-3 Kats who are first in the North Central Conference with a 6-0 league record. On Jan. 20, Bidunga recorded his 63rd career double-double, 13th this season, with 24 points and 16 rebounds in a win against Tipton. It was his fifth consecutive double-double.

Bidunga was the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana where he averaged 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots as a junior. He has recorded more than 1,100 points, 800 rebounds and 300 blocked shots in his high school career at Kokomo.

On Jan. 18, Bidunga was named to the Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Midseason Team (1 of 50).

Kansas McDonald’s All-Americans Darnell Valentine (1977) Greg Dreiling (1981) Danny Manning (1984) Rick Calloway (1985) Tony Guy (1985) Mark Randall (1986) Mike Maddox (1987) Darrin Hancock (1990) Ben Davis (1991) Calvin Rayford (1991) Jacque Vaughn (1993) Raef LaFrentz (1994) Paul Pierce (1995) Ryan Robertson (1995) Lester Earl (1996) Eric Chenowith (1997) Kenny Gregory (1997) Jeff Boschee (1998) Nick Collison (1999) Aaron Miles (2001) Wayne Simien (2001) J.R. Giddens (2003) David Padgett (2003) Mario Chalmers (2005) Micah Downs (2005) Julian Wright (2005) Darrell Arthur (2006) Sherron Collins (2006) Cole Aldrich (2007) Xavier Henry (2009) Josh Selby (2010) Perry Ellis (2012) Wayne Selden, Jr. (2013) Andrew Wiggins (2013) Cliff Alexander (2014) Kelly Oubre Jr. (2014) Carlton Bragg Jr. (2015) Cheick Diallo (2015) Malik Newman (2015) Udoka Azubuike (2016) Josh Jackson (2016) Billy Preston (2017) Devon Dotson (2018) Quentin Grimes (2018) David McCormack (2018) Bryce Thompson (2020) Gradey Dick (2022) Ernest Udeh Jr. (2022) M.J. Rice (2022) Elmarko Jackson (2023) Flory Bidunga (2024)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706107513479.png" alt="Photo Courtesy McDonald's All American Games" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy McDonald's All American Games</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas men’s basketball signee Flory Bidunga (floor-ee &nbsp;bee-DUNE-guh) has been named a 2024 McDonald’s All-American and will participate in the McDonald’s All-American game on April 2 at the Toyota Center in Houston.Only 24 players among the more than 700 nominated were selected as 2024 McDonald’s All-Americans. Bidunga gives Kansas 51 total signees who have earned the honor, starting with Darnell Valentine in 1977. Current Jayhawk Elmarko Jackson was named a McDonald’s All-American last season.A 6-foot-9 center from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bidunga is nationally ranked No. 6 by ESPN.com and Rivals.com and No. 8 by 247Sports.com. Bidunga plays for Kokomo High School in Indiana where he averages 17.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.3 blocked shots per game for the 14-3 Kats who are first in the North Central Conference with a 6-0 league record. On Jan. 20, Bidunga recorded his 63rd career double-double, 13th this season, with 24 points and 16 rebounds in a win against Tipton. It was his fifth consecutive double-double.Bidunga was the 2022-23 Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana where he averaged 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots as a junior. He has recorded more than 1,100 points, 800 rebounds and 300 blocked shots in his high school career at Kokomo.On Jan. 18, Bidunga was named to the Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Midseason Team (1 of 50).Kansas McDonald’s All-Americans Darnell Valentine (1977) Greg Dreiling (1981) Danny Manning (1984) Rick Calloway (1985) Tony Guy (1985) Mark Randall (1986) Mike Maddox (1987) Darrin Hancock (1990) Ben Davis (1991) Calvin Rayford (1991) Jacque Vaughn (1993) Raef LaFrentz (1994) Paul Pierce (1995) Ryan Robertson (1995) Lester Earl (1996) Eric Chenowith (1997) Kenny Gregory (1997) Jeff Boschee (1998) Nick Collison (1999) Aaron Miles (2001) Wayne Simien (2001) J.R. Giddens (2003) David Padgett (2003) Mario Chalmers (2005) Micah Downs (2005) Julian Wright (2005) Darrell Arthur (2006) Sherron Collins (2006) Cole Aldrich (2007) Xavier Henry (2009) Josh Selby (2010) Perry Ellis (2012) Wayne Selden, Jr. (2013) Andrew Wiggins (2013) Cliff Alexander (2014) Kelly Oubre Jr. (2014) Carlton Bragg Jr. (2015) Cheick Diallo (2015) Malik Newman (2015) Udoka Azubuike (2016) Josh Jackson (2016) Billy Preston (2017) Devon Dotson (2018) Quentin Grimes (2018) David McCormack (2018) Bryce Thompson (2020) Gradey Dick (2022) Ernest Udeh Jr. (2022) M.J. Rice (2022) Elmarko Jackson (2023) Flory Bidunga (2024)

🏀 MBB: KU signee Flory Bidunga named McDonald's All-American

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The College Baseball Hall of Fame has never had a permanent home, until now. 

The College Baseball Foundation announced on Tuesday that the College Baseball Hall of Fame will have its first-ever physical location in the Museum at Prairiefire, located in Overland Park. The museum is set to open in 2025.

The foundation started in Lubbock, Texas to preserve, elevate and advance the game.

“We are honored to serve as the storytellers and caretakers of college baseball history,” said Craig Ramsey, Chair of the College Baseball Foundation Board chair Craig Ramsey in a release. “The sport is our national pastime, and we can’t wait to bring the stories of the college game to life in Overland Park. The stories of thousands who have had the privilege to be part of the game and the impact they have had on their teams, their schools, their families, and their communities will be a tremendous draw. Prairiefire is the perfect home for visitors and fans to experience the game’s greatest legacies.”

Visit Overland Park's Warren Wilkinson said that he expects to see around 150,000 visitors in the first year when the museum opens.&nbsp;

The College Baseball Hall of Fame was established in 2004.

Prairiefire and Visit Overland Park will host the College Baseball Foundation’s Night of Champions, the annual recognition of college baseball’s top athletes, on Feb. 15, at The Marriott Overland Park.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706106524353.jpeg" alt="Photo Courtesy College Baseball Hall of Fame." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy College Baseball Hall of Fame.</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — The College Baseball Hall of Fame has never had a permanent home, until now. The College Baseball Foundation announced on Tuesday that the College Baseball Hall of Fame will have its first-ever physical location in the Museum at Prairiefire, located in Overland Park. The museum is set to open in 2025.The foundation started in Lubbock, Texas to preserve, elevate and advance the game.“We are honored to serve as the storytellers and caretakers of college baseball history,” said Craig Ramsey, Chair of the College Baseball Foundation Board chair Craig Ramsey in a release. “The sport is our national pastime, and we can’t wait to bring the stories of the college game to life in Overland Park. The stories of thousands who have had the privilege to be part of the game and the impact they have had on their teams, their schools, their families, and their communities will be a tremendous draw. Prairiefire is the perfect home for visitors and fans to experience the game’s greatest legacies.”Visit Overland Park's Warren Wilkinson said that he expects to see around 150,000 visitors in the first year when the museum opens.&nbsp;The College Baseball Hall of Fame was established in 2004.Prairiefire and Visit Overland Park will host the College Baseball Foundation’s Night of Champions, the annual recognition of college baseball’s top athletes, on Feb. 15, at The Marriott Overland Park.

⚾ College Baseball HOF coming to Kansas

NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Helton thought back to when he was a kid being coached by his father, Jerry, a minor league catcher in the 1960s.

“When I would go 1 for 3 — and it’s a bad day when you’re young — he’d say 1 for 3 gets you into the Hall of Fame,” Helton said.

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/beltre-mauer-and-helton-make-hof?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Helton, Adrián Beltré and Joe Mauer were voted into Cooperstown on Tuesday</a>, feeling elation and relief when they were rewarded with baseball’s highest honor.

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/adrian-beltre-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Beltré was a no-doubt, first-ballot choice</a>&nbsp;after batting .286 with 477 homers, 1,707 RBIs and 3,166 hits for four teams over 21 seasons. The third baseman appeared on 366 of 385 ballots (95.1%) cast by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/todd-helton-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Helton made it on the sixth try</a>, voters taking time to warm to statistics inflated by the thin mile-high air of Denver’s Coors Field over 17 seasons, all with the Colorado Rockies. The first baseman got 307 votes for 79.7% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-houston-astros-scott-rolen-2bb284d040008395eb8222d2049ff98f#:~:text=Yes%2C%20we%20won.-,'%E2%80%9D,with%20five%20votes%20to%20spare." target="_blank">falling 11 short last year when Scott Rolen was elected</a>. Helton started at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1faa5294d4594b11ade72e0b5c7b6beb" target="_blank">16.5% support in 2019</a>.

“I was the most superstitious guy in the world,” Helton said. “I hadn’t been superstitious in 10 years until today.”

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/joe-mauer-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Mauer (293, 76.1%)</a>&nbsp;joined Johnny Bench and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6084941b7e7a4781b3c11636d92a73e0" target="_blank">Iván Rodríguez</a>&nbsp;as the only first-ballot picks who primarily were catchers and at 40 became the youngest living Hall of Famer. He got 293 votes (76.1%), four more than the 75% needed, after batting .306 with 143 homers and 906 RBIs in 15 years, all with his hometown Minnesota Twins.

Beltré, Mauer and Helton will be inducted on July 21 along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-leyland-hall-of-fame-6fbba1daf50370931874cb3c5ef3c0e2" target="_blank">Jim Leyland, elected last month by the contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires</a>. There are 273 players among 346 people in the Hall, and just 60 of those players were elected on the first try.

Beltré becomes the fifth Dominican-born Hall of Famer after Juan Marichal, Pedro Martínez, Vladimir Guerrero and David Ortiz.

“I’m proud of the fact that I was able to play for a long time and be able to compete at the highest level,” Beltré said. “I’m honored to be in the Hall of Fame. It’s something that I never even dreamed of.”

Reliever Billy Wagner was five votes short at 284 (73.8%) but up from 68.1% last year. He will appear on the ballot for the 10th and final time in 2025, when Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are newly eligible.

Gary Sheffield got 246 votes for 63.9% in his final appearance on the BBWAA ballot, up from 55% last year and 11.7% in 2015. He is eligible for consideration by the contemporary baseball player committee, which next meets in December 2025.

Beltré, a four-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004), Seattle (2005-09), Boston (2010) and Texas (2011-18). His 2,759 games at third base are second to Brooks Robinson’s 2,870 and his 636 doubles are 11th.

Helton, a five-time All-Star first baseman and the 2000 major league batting champion, hit .345 with 200 homers and 791 RBIs at home and .287 with 142 homers and 547 RBIs on the road.

“Pitchers get hurt — they say you can’t throw in thin air. And then hitters get dinked because they play Colorado,” Helton said. “I’m not embarrassed or anything about my home and road numbers. Going on the road after hitting in Colorado is hard. The ball breaks more and it’s a huge adjustment going through the season.”

Mauer was a six-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2009 AL MVP. An All-Star in six of his first 10 big league seasons and the only catcher to win three batting titles, Mauer moved to first base for his last five years following a concussion on a foul tip off the bat of the New York Mets’ Ike Davis on Aug. 19, 2013, an injury that ended Mauer’s season. Concussion symptoms returned on May 11, 2018, when he had whiplash while diving for a foul ball at Anaheim. He tried to play through it for a week but missed 25 games and retired after the season.

“I feel effects of some of those things like that,” he said.

Voters included an average of seven names per ballot, up from 5.86 last year, and 24.4% of the voters checked the maximum 10 candidates, an increase from 13.9%. Just 10 eligible voters failed to return ballots.

Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramírez again lagged, hurt by suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez received 34.8% and Ramírez 32.5%.

Among other first-time candidates, Chase Utley (28.8%) and David Wright (6.2%) will remain on next year’s ballot.

José Bautista, Bartolo Colon, Adrián González, Matt Holliday, Victor Martinez, Brandon Phillips, José Reyes and James Shields all were under 5% and will be dropped.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706105851695.png" alt="By National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - https://worldvectorlogo.com/logo/national-baseball-hall-of-fame-and-museumhttp://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/MuseumBrochure1.pdf, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57976705" />
 <figcaption>By National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum - https://worldvectorlogo.com/logo/national-baseball-hall-of-fame-and-museumhttp://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.org/MuseumBrochure1.pdf, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57976705</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Todd Helton thought back to when he was a kid being coached by his father, Jerry, a minor league catcher in the 1960s.“When I would go 1 for 3 — and it’s a bad day when you’re young — he’d say 1 for 3 gets you into the Hall of Fame,” Helton said.<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/beltre-mauer-and-helton-make-hof?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Helton, Adrián Beltré and Joe Mauer were voted into Cooperstown on Tuesday</a>, feeling elation and relief when they were rewarded with baseball’s highest honor.<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/adrian-beltre-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Beltré was a no-doubt, first-ballot choice</a>&nbsp;after batting .286 with 477 homers, 1,707 RBIs and 3,166 hits for four teams over 21 seasons. The third baseman appeared on 366 of 385 ballots (95.1%) cast by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/todd-helton-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Helton made it on the sixth try</a>, voters taking time to warm to statistics inflated by the thin mile-high air of Denver’s Coors Field over 17 seasons, all with the Colorado Rockies. The first baseman got 307 votes for 79.7% after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-sports-baseball-houston-astros-scott-rolen-2bb284d040008395eb8222d2049ff98f#:~:text=Yes%2C%20we%20won.-,'%E2%80%9D,with%20five%20votes%20to%20spare." target="_blank">falling 11 short last year when Scott Rolen was elected</a>. Helton started at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/1faa5294d4594b11ade72e0b5c7b6beb" target="_blank">16.5% support in 2019</a>.“I was the most superstitious guy in the world,” Helton said. “I hadn’t been superstitious in 10 years until today.”<a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/joe-mauer-gets-hof-call?partnerId=web_video-playback-page_video-share" target="_blank">Mauer (293, 76.1%)</a>&nbsp;joined Johnny Bench and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6084941b7e7a4781b3c11636d92a73e0" target="_blank">Iván Rodríguez</a>&nbsp;as the only first-ballot picks who primarily were catchers and at 40 became the youngest living Hall of Famer. He got 293 votes (76.1%), four more than the 75% needed, after batting .306 with 143 homers and 906 RBIs in 15 years, all with his hometown Minnesota Twins.“Goes by way too fast,” Mauer said.Beltré, Mauer and Helton will be inducted on July 21 along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-leyland-hall-of-fame-6fbba1daf50370931874cb3c5ef3c0e2" target="_blank">Jim Leyland, elected last month by the contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires</a>. There are 273 players among 346 people in the Hall, and just 60 of those players were elected on the first try.Beltré becomes the fifth Dominican-born Hall of Famer after Juan Marichal, Pedro Martínez, Vladimir Guerrero and David Ortiz.“I’m proud of the fact that I was able to play for a long time and be able to compete at the highest level,” Beltré said. “I’m honored to be in the Hall of Fame. It’s something that I never even dreamed of.”Reliever Billy Wagner was five votes short at 284 (73.8%) but up from 68.1% last year. He will appear on the ballot for the 10th and final time in 2025, when Ichiro Suzuki and CC Sabathia are newly eligible.Gary Sheffield got 246 votes for 63.9% in his final appearance on the BBWAA ballot, up from 55% last year and 11.7% in 2015. He is eligible for consideration by the contemporary baseball player committee, which next meets in December 2025.Beltré, a four-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove winner, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004), Seattle (2005-09), Boston (2010) and Texas (2011-18). His 2,759 games at third base are second to Brooks Robinson’s 2,870 and his 636 doubles are 11th.Helton, a five-time All-Star first baseman and the 2000 major league batting champion, hit .345 with 200 homers and 791 RBIs at home and .287 with 142 homers and 547 RBIs on the road.“Pitchers get hurt — they say you can’t throw in thin air. And then hitters get dinked because they play Colorado,” Helton said. “I’m not embarrassed or anything about my home and road numbers. Going on the road after hitting in Colorado is hard. The ball breaks more and it’s a huge adjustment going through the season.”Mauer was a six-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner and the 2009 AL MVP. An All-Star in six of his first 10 big league seasons and the only catcher to win three batting titles, Mauer moved to first base for his last five years following a concussion on a foul tip off the bat of the New York Mets’ Ike Davis on Aug. 19, 2013, an injury that ended Mauer’s season. Concussion symptoms returned on May 11, 2018, when he had whiplash while diving for a foul ball at Anaheim. He tried to play through it for a week but missed 25 games and retired after the season.He also had three knee operations.“I feel effects of some of those things like that,” he said.Voters included an average of seven names per ballot, up from 5.86 last year, and 24.4% of the voters checked the maximum 10 candidates, an increase from 13.9%. Just 10 eligible voters failed to return ballots.Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramírez again lagged, hurt by suspensions for performance-enhancing drugs. Rodriguez received 34.8% and Ramírez 32.5%.Among other first-time candidates, Chase Utley (28.8%) and David Wright (6.2%) will remain on next year’s ballot.José Bautista, Bartolo Colon, Adrián González, Matt Holliday, Victor Martinez, Brandon Phillips, José Reyes and James Shields all were under 5% and will be dropped.

⚾ Beltré, Helton and Mauer elected to Hall of Fame

AP Sports Summary for January 24th, 2024.

Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer elected to baseball's Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer have been elected to baseball's Hall of Fame while Billy Wagner and Gary Sheffield fell short. Beltré was picked on 366 of 385 ballots in his first appearance for 95.1%. Helton, making his sixth ballot appearance, got 307 votes for 79.7%, 18 more than the needed 289 for 75% after falling 11 votes short last year. Mauer also was elected on his first try, receiving 293 votes for 76.1%. The three players will be inducted at Cooperstown on July 21 along with manager Jim Leyland, elected last month.

Raiders hire former Chargers general manager Tom Telesco for GM job

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders announced Tuesday they hired Tom Telesco as their next general manager and passed over interim Champ Kelly for the position. Kelly could remain as the assistant general manager. That's the position he held under Dave Ziegler, who was fired Oct. 31. Kelly then was given the interim title and was believed to be a strong candidate to get the job full time. Telesco comes from the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers, where he was the general manager since 2013.

Bucks fire coach Adrian Griffin after 43 games despite having one of NBA's top records

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games despite having one of the league's top records midway through his first season. Milwaukee is 30-13 to tie the Minnesota Timberwolves for the league's second-best record. The Bucks are 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. But the dip in Milwaukee's defensive performance had raised concerns about the Bucks' viability as a championship contender. Milwaukee had given Griffin his first head coaching job this summer after firing Mike Budenholzer. Joe Prunty, who had been an assistant coach on Griffin's staff, will serve as the Bucks' interim head coach.

James, Embiid, Curry and Durant are in the US player pool for the Paris Olympics

There are few surprises in USA Basketball's men's player pool for the Paris Olympics that was announced Tuesday, with most of the big names like LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on the list. The surprise may have been who was missing. Draymond Green wasn't among the 41 names released by USA Basketball as candidates for the team that will compete in Paris this summer in search of a fifth consecutive gold medal. Green helped the U.S. win gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and then another title at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

NBA says Hornets-Wolves refs missed 10 calls in last 2 minutes

NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA announced there were 10 incorrectly officiated calls in the last 2 minutes of Charlotte's comeback win at Minnesota. The Timberwolves lost 128-125 to the Hornets despite a franchise-record 62 points by Karl-Anthony Towns. The Last Two Minute Report is issued by the league for games at or within three-point margins in the final 2 minutes of fourth quarters and overtimes. This report revealed that six mistakes benefited the Hornets and three of them went for the Wolves. One was simply a foul called on the wrong Charlotte player.

Heat trade 6-time All-Star Kyle Lowry and a draft pick to the Hornets for Terry Rozier

MIAMI (AP) — Kyle Lowry has been traded by the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier in a swap of guards. The Heat also are sending a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Hornets to complete the deal. Rozier figures to be an immediate upgrade for the Heat. He is averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists — both career bests — in 30 games this season, and is shooting a career-high 46% as well. Lowry is a six-time All-Star and won an NBA title with Toronto in 2019.

Oilers beat Blue Jackets 4-1 for 14th straight victory, close within 3 wins of the NHL record

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Warren Foegele and Evander Kane each had a goal and an assist and the Edmonton Oilers extended their winning streak to 14 games with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor McDavid and Dylan Holloway also scored for the Oilers (27-15-1), who became the seventh team in NHL history to win 14 in a row. Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner made 27 saves and won his 11th straight game, passing Grant Fuhr for the longest single-season winning streak in Oilers history. Dmitri Voronkov scored for the Blue Jackets (14-23-9), who have lost five of their last six games. Elvis Merzlikins finished with 20 saves.

The Chiefs' winning formula is to surround their immense star power with draft steals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have become known for big-name stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. They are some of the best players in the NFL and have helped the Chiefs reach their sixth straight AFC title game. But the Chiefs wouldn't be heading to Baltimore on Sunday for a shot at their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years if not for all of their draft steals over the years. That includes players like Chamarri Conner, who played a crucial role in beating Buffalo in last weekend's divisional round, and leading rusher Isiah Pacheco, a former seventh-round pick.

Rhys Hoskins and Brewers agree to a $34 million, 2-year contract, AP source says

Rhys Hoskins and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a $34 million, two-year contract, filling the team's opening at first base. A person familiar with the move confirmed it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical. Milwaukee won the NL Central last year with a 92-70 record before getting eliminated by Arizona in their Wild Card Series. The addition of Hoskins gives the Brewers another power bat for the middle of their lineup. They had Rowdy Tellez and Carlos Santana at first base in 2023, but they let go of Tellez after the season and he signed with Pittsburgh in December. Santana remains a free agent.

49ers look to get over the NFC title game hurdle after losing the past 2 years

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The most taxing part of getting to the precipice of the Super Bowl only to fall short might be the long journey just to return to that stage for another shot. Offseason workouts, followed by training camp, a 17-game season and then the early rounds of the playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers once again got through all that and earned another chance at winning the NFC championship game after losing in frustrating fashion the previous two seasons. The 49ers get another opportunity on Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions for a spot in the Super Bowl.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, January 24th, 2024." />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Wednesday, January 24th, 2024.</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for January 24th, 2024.Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer elected to baseball's Hall of FameNEW YORK (AP) — Adrián Beltré, Todd Helton and Joe Mauer have been elected to baseball's Hall of Fame while Billy Wagner and Gary Sheffield fell short. Beltré was picked on 366 of 385 ballots in his first appearance for 95.1%. Helton, making his sixth ballot appearance, got 307 votes for 79.7%, 18 more than the needed 289 for 75% after falling 11 votes short last year. Mauer also was elected on his first try, receiving 293 votes for 76.1%. The three players will be inducted at Cooperstown on July 21 along with manager Jim Leyland, elected last month.Raiders hire former Chargers general manager Tom Telesco for GM jobHENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders announced Tuesday they hired Tom Telesco as their next general manager and passed over interim Champ Kelly for the position. Kelly could remain as the assistant general manager. That's the position he held under Dave Ziegler, who was fired Oct. 31. Kelly then was given the interim title and was believed to be a strong candidate to get the job full time. Telesco comes from the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers, where he was the general manager since 2013.Bucks fire coach Adrian Griffin after 43 games despite having one of NBA's top recordsMILWAUKEE (AP) — The Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games despite having one of the league's top records midway through his first season. Milwaukee is 30-13 to tie the Minnesota Timberwolves for the league's second-best record. The Bucks are 3 1/2 games behind the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. But the dip in Milwaukee's defensive performance had raised concerns about the Bucks' viability as a championship contender. Milwaukee had given Griffin his first head coaching job this summer after firing Mike Budenholzer. Joe Prunty, who had been an assistant coach on Griffin's staff, will serve as the Bucks' interim head coach.James, Embiid, Curry and Durant are in the US player pool for the Paris OlympicsThere are few surprises in USA Basketball's men's player pool for the Paris Olympics that was announced Tuesday, with most of the big names like LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant on the list. The surprise may have been who was missing. Draymond Green wasn't among the 41 names released by USA Basketball as candidates for the team that will compete in Paris this summer in search of a fifth consecutive gold medal. Green helped the U.S. win gold at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and then another title at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics in 2021.NBA says Hornets-Wolves refs missed 10 calls in last 2 minutesNEW YORK (AP) — The NBA announced there were 10 incorrectly officiated calls in the last 2 minutes of Charlotte's comeback win at Minnesota. The Timberwolves lost 128-125 to the Hornets despite a franchise-record 62 points by Karl-Anthony Towns. The Last Two Minute Report is issued by the league for games at or within three-point margins in the final 2 minutes of fourth quarters and overtimes. This report revealed that six mistakes benefited the Hornets and three of them went for the Wolves. One was simply a foul called on the wrong Charlotte player.Heat trade 6-time All-Star Kyle Lowry and a draft pick to the Hornets for Terry RozierMIAMI (AP) — Kyle Lowry has been traded by the Miami Heat to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier in a swap of guards. The Heat also are sending a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Hornets to complete the deal. Rozier figures to be an immediate upgrade for the Heat. He is averaging 23.2 points and 6.6 assists — both career bests — in 30 games this season, and is shooting a career-high 46% as well. Lowry is a six-time All-Star and won an NBA title with Toronto in 2019.Oilers beat Blue Jackets 4-1 for 14th straight victory, close within 3 wins of the NHL recordEDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Warren Foegele and Evander Kane each had a goal and an assist and the Edmonton Oilers extended their winning streak to 14 games with a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Connor McDavid and Dylan Holloway also scored for the Oilers (27-15-1), who became the seventh team in NHL history to win 14 in a row. Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner made 27 saves and won his 11th straight game, passing Grant Fuhr for the longest single-season winning streak in Oilers history. Dmitri Voronkov scored for the Blue Jackets (14-23-9), who have lost five of their last six games. Elvis Merzlikins finished with 20 saves.The Chiefs' winning formula is to surround their immense star power with draft stealsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have become known for big-name stars such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. They are some of the best players in the NFL and have helped the Chiefs reach their sixth straight AFC title game. But the Chiefs wouldn't be heading to Baltimore on Sunday for a shot at their fourth Super Bowl appearance in five years if not for all of their draft steals over the years. That includes players like Chamarri Conner, who played a crucial role in beating Buffalo in last weekend's divisional round, and leading rusher Isiah Pacheco, a former seventh-round pick.Rhys Hoskins and Brewers agree to a $34 million, 2-year contract, AP source saysRhys Hoskins and the Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to a $34 million, two-year contract, filling the team's opening at first base. A person familiar with the move confirmed it to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical. Milwaukee won the NL Central last year with a 92-70 record before getting eliminated by Arizona in their Wild Card Series. The addition of Hoskins gives the Brewers another power bat for the middle of their lineup. They had Rowdy Tellez and Carlos Santana at first base in 2023, but they let go of Tellez after the season and he signed with Pittsburgh in December. Santana remains a free agent.49ers look to get over the NFC title game hurdle after losing the past 2 yearsSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The most taxing part of getting to the precipice of the Super Bowl only to fall short might be the long journey just to return to that stage for another shot. Offseason workouts, followed by training camp, a 17-game season and then the early rounds of the playoffs. The San Francisco 49ers once again got through all that and earned another chance at winning the NFC championship game after losing in frustrating fashion the previous two seasons. The 49ers get another opportunity on Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions for a spot in the Super Bowl.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Final	Denver	114	Indiana	109	Final	New York	108	Brooklyn	103	Final	New Orleans	153	Utah	124	Final	Oklahoma City	111	Portland	109	Final	L.A. Clippers	127	L.A. Lakers	116	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Ottawa	4	Montreal	1	Final	Dallas	5	Detroit	4	Final	Tampa Bay	6	Philadelphia	3	Final	Vegas	3	N-Y Islanders	2	Final	Minnesota	5	Washington	3	Final	Edmonton	4	Columbus	1	Final	St. Louis	4	Calgary	3	Final	Anaheim	4	Buffalo	2	Final OT	San Jose	3	N-Y Rangers	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(2)Purdue	99	Michigan	67	Final	(4)Houston	75	(21)BYU	68	Final	South Carolina	79	(6)Kentucky	62	Final	Texas	75	(11)Oklahoma	60	Final	(12)Duke	83	Louisville	69	Final	(13)Wisconsin	61	Minnesota	59	Final	(16)Dayton	66	La Salle	54	Final	(17)Creighton	85	Xavier	78	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Charlotte	at	Detroit	7 p.m.	Minnesota	at	Washington	7 p.m.	Memphis	at	Miami	7:30 p.m.	Cleveland	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.	Portland	at	Houston	8 p.m.	Phoenix	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.	Oklahoma City	at	San Antonio	9:30 p.m.	Atlanta	at	Golden State	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Arizona	at	Florida	7 p.m.	Winnipeg	at	Toronto	7 p.m.	Carolina	at	Boston	7:30 p.m.	Washington	at	Colorado	9:30 p.m.	Chicago	at	Seattle	10 p.m.	St. Louis	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.	Buffalo	at	Los Angeles	10:30 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (8)Auburn	at	Alabama	7:30 p.m.	(10)Illinois	at	Northwestern	9 p.m.	(14)Marquette	at	DePaul	9 p.m.	(22)FAU	at	Rice	8 p.m.	Kansas St.	at	(23)Iowa St.	9 p.m.	(24)Colorado St.	at	Nevada	10:30 p.m.	(25)New Mexico	at	San Jose St.	11 p.m.	___

📢📰 Sports Headlines for Wednesday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutch High senior guard Tai Clark turned in a career night with 20 points, including 13 in the second half, as the Salthawks overcame a five-point deficit in the first quarter to beat Derby 64-51 at the Salthawk Activity Center on Tuesday night.

A smothering defensive effort by Hutchinson was the key to the win. Great execution on offense led to the Salthawks holding Derby to just five points in the second quarter.

Besides Clark's 20 points, Hutch High senior guard Terrell King scored 11, Jay Lewis 9, Daylee VanSyckle 7, Devon Spiller added 6, Jax Heneha 5, Julian Smith 4 and Taishaun Govain 2.

Derby was led by senior guard Mason Anderson with 27 to lead all scorers, including four three-pointers from long range. Kaden Franklin had 8, Jack Ulwelling 8, Avant Riley 5, Kohen Kotas 2 and Brayden Smith 1.

Hutchinson (9-2) will host Maize (6-5) on Friday night at the SAC at 7:15 p.m. for a postponed game from last week's snow storm.

Derby (6-5) will host Maize next Tuesday night in Derby.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706091889081.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutch High senior guard Tai Clark turned in a career night with 20 points, including 13 in the second half, as the Salthawks overcame a five-point deficit in the first quarter to beat Derby 64-51 at the Salthawk Activity Center on Tuesday night.A smothering defensive effort by Hutchinson was the key to the win. Great execution on offense led to the Salthawks holding Derby to just five points in the second quarter.Besides Clark's 20 points, Hutch High senior guard Terrell King scored 11, Jay Lewis 9, Daylee VanSyckle 7, Devon Spiller added 6, Jax Heneha 5, Julian Smith 4 and Taishaun Govain 2.Derby was led by senior guard Mason Anderson with 27 to lead all scorers, including four three-pointers from long range. Kaden Franklin had 8, Jack Ulwelling 8, Avant Riley 5, Kohen Kotas 2 and Brayden Smith 1.Hutchinson (9-2) will host Maize (6-5) on Friday night at the SAC at 7:15 p.m. for a postponed game from last week's snow storm.Derby (6-5) will host Maize next Tuesday night in Derby.

🏀 Salthawk boys rally to beat Derby

Bishop Seabury 69, Topeka Cair Paravel 62

Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 53, Greeley County 22

Frontenac 65, Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 55

Emporia vs. Manhattan, ppd. to Jan 27th.

Goddard-Eisenhower vs. Salina Central, ppd.

Blue Ridge Christian, Mo. 39, Shawnee Mission Christian 13

Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 52, Frontenac 28

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701785757574.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Andover Central 50, Maize 44Augusta 73, El Dorado 30BV Northwest 71, Belton, Mo. 51BV West 73, KC Washington 46Beloit 88, Salina Sacred Heart 77, 2OTBennington 65, St John's Beloit 45Bishop Seabury 69, Topeka Cair Paravel 62Bonner Springs 75, KC Turner 46Cheyenne Wells, Colo. 53, Greeley County 22Cheylin 50, Western Plains-Healy 21Circle 65, Rose Hill 54Deerfield 45, Rolla 36Ellinwood 44, Ness City 29Ellsworth 61, Plainville 31Frontenac 65, Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 55Goodland 58, Garden City 47Hesston 46, Pratt 35Highland Park 64, Eudora 46Hill City 51, Smith Center 45Hoisington 67, Phillipsburg 50Hugoton 50, Scott City 37Hutchinson 64, Derby 51KC Piper 61, Leavenworth 26Kapaun Mount Carmel 67, Wichita North 27Kingman 53, Nickerson 49La Crosse 51, St John 31Lincoln 53, Lakeside 50Little River 55, Wakefield 14Logan 51, Rawlins County 50Lyndon 64, Heritage Christian 46Maize South 67, Goddard 47McPherson 70, Andale 36Mill Valley 75, BV Southwest 64Natoma 46, Chase 29Northern Valley 91, Stockton 23Oakley 54, Wheatland-Grinnell 38Olathe East 55, Washburn Rural 54Ottawa 67, Osage City 44Quinter 96, Golden Plains 42Remington 54, Howard West Elk 44SMA 56, Wichita 36Satanta 77, Prairie Heights, Ind. 47Silver Lake 70, Santa Fe Trail 59Southeast 60, Altoona-Midway 54Stafford 54, Fairfield 40Tonganoxie 54, Pleasant Ridge 23Topeka West 51, Basehor-Linwood 46Victoria 59, Ellis 28Wichita Classical 69, Centre 41Wichita Heights 77, Wichita Northwest 49SPIAA League=Consolation=Ingalls 67, Ashland 40Pawnee Heights 67, Ashland 40Second Round=Meade 61, Bucklin 50South Central 52, Kiowa County 40South Gray 78, Minneola 43Spearville 67, Hodgeman County 58POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Emporia vs. Manhattan, ppd. to Jan 27th.Goddard-Eisenhower vs. Salina Central, ppd.Salina South vs. Newton, ppd.Valley Heights vs. Rock Creek, ccd.Wamego vs. Louisburg, ppd.Tuesday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Augusta 49, El Dorado 34Beloit 42, Salina Sacred Heart 31Blue Ridge Christian, Mo. 39, Shawnee Mission Christian 13Bonner Springs 66, KC Turner 16Ellis 56, Victoria 41Ellsworth 57, Plainville 23Eudora 55, Highland Park 47Fort Scott 58, Girard 46Goddard-Eisenhower 51, Salina Central 40Goessel 39, Reno County 29Goodland 45, Garden City 30Great Bend 50, Hays-TMP-Marian 26Heritage Christian 50, Lyndon 31Hesston 57, Pratt 36Hoisington 41, Phillipsburg 25Hoxie 76, Russell 39Leavenworth 51, KC Piper 44Lincoln 30, Lakeside 29Marmaton Valley 47, Pleasanton 17Ness City 48, Ellinwood 33Nickerson 53, Kingman 42Northern Valley 48, Stockton 35Oakley 59, Wheatland-Grinnell 49Osage City 49, Ottawa 37Paola 42, Chanute 35Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 52, Frontenac 28Pleasant Ridge 50, Tonganoxie 42Quinter 61, Golden Plains 29Rawlins County 60, Logan 36Rock Hills 49, Tescott 20Scott City 50, Hugoton 30Silver Lake 67, Santa Fe Trail 32Smith Center 63, Hill City 11St John 56, La Crosse 16St John's Beloit 61, Bennington 49Sylvan-Lucas 71, Southern Cloud 9Wallace County 69, Triplains-Brewster 21Wichita Bishop Carroll 66, Wichita Southeast 27Wichita Classical 49, Centre 15Wichita Heights 68, Wichita Northwest 22Berean Academy Eli J. Walter Invitational=Berean Academy 47, Pretty Prairie 23Hutchinson Central Christian 50, Ell-Saline 47Jefferson County North Invitational=First Round=Jefferson North 51, Atchison 48Lyon County Tournament=First Round=Madison 38, Hartford 34Mulvane Classic=First Round=Arkansas City 50, Wichita Campus 21Mulvane 56, Wichita North 50Rose Hill 35, Winfield 23Wichita Collegiate 35, Conway Springs 31Wellsville Tournament=First Round=Baldwin 41, Lansing 34Spring Hill 60, Jefferson West 41POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Concordia vs. St Marys, ppd. to Jan 24th.Jackson Heights vs. Topeka Hayden, ppd. to Jan 24th.Salina South vs. Newton, ppd.Thunder Ridge vs. Pike Valley, ppd.Valley Heights vs. Rock Creek, ccd.Wamego vs. Louisburg, ppd.Wellsville vs. Nemaha Central, ppd. to Jan 24th.

🏀 EAGLE Media Scoreboard from Tuesday games

BLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL&nbsp; No. 19 Hutchinson (15-3, 10-2) vs. Dodge City (7-11, 5-7)&nbsp; When: Wednesday, January 24, 2024&nbsp; Where: Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson, KS&nbsp; Tipoff: 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 7:15 p.m. (Glen Grunwald-PBP; Dan Naccarato-Color) Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 7:15 p.m.&nbsp; X: @bluedragonsport&nbsp; <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/files/Men-s_Notes_19_-_Dodge_City.pdf">BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>

The Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team closes a three-game homestand and opens the second trip to through the Jayhawk Conference on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.&nbsp;

The No. 19-ranked Blue Dragons (15-3, 10-2 Jayhawk) entertains the Dodge City Conquistadors (7-11, 5-7 Jayhawk) at 7:30 p.m. in the second meeting of the season.&nbsp;

The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) with Glen Grunwald (PBP) and Dan Naccarato (color) calling the action. The game will be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network beginning at 7:15 p.m.&nbsp;

Hutchinson’s first trip through the Jayhawk saw it win 10 of 12 games. The Blue Dragons sit in third place in the KJCCC, just one game behind No. 3 Barton and No. 12 Cowley, the only two teams to defeat the Dragons in conference play this season.&nbsp;

The Blue Dragons averaged 85.8 points offensively in the first half of league play and allowed a solid 74.0 points per game. &nbsp;

The Dragons had a tremendous response to last Wednesday’s 22-point loss to now-No. 3 Barton with a resounding 85-64 victory over Garden City on Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons shot 47.7 percent and hit nine 3-pointers, building a 47-30 lead at halftime. Kamryn Thomas popped four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points. Dallas Whitney, Kernan Bundy and Kobe Smith combined for 39 of Hutchinson’s 45 points off the bench. The Dragons limited a hot-shooting Garden City team to 35.6 percent overall, only 6 of 26 from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Dodge City has had a full week off since last playing. The Conquistadors dropped their third straight game after a 109-72 loss to Garden City last Wednesday.&nbsp;

Avnoor Bhullar had 15 points to lead five Conquistadors in double figures against Garden City. The Busters stung Dodge City hitting 16 of 27 from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Thomas nailed a career-high five 3-pointers in the Blue Dragons’ 89-73 victory over Dodge City on November 18 at the DC3 Student Event Center. Thomas has 23 points to lead four Blue Dragons in double figures. Valentino Simon had 18 points, J.P. Ricks had 16 points and Zoe Holman had 12 points. Chevalier Emery had 20 points to pace the Conquistadors.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706041856068.jpeg" alt="Kernan Bundy and the No. 19-ranked Blue Dragon men's basketball team face off against Dodge City at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. (MacKenzie Franklin/Blue Dragon Sports Information)" />
 <figcaption>Kernan Bundy and the No. 19-ranked Blue Dragon men's basketball team face off against Dodge City at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Sports Arena. (MacKenzie Franklin/Blue Dragon Sports Information)</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of HutchCC AthleticsBLUE DRAGON MEN'S BASKETBALL&nbsp; No. 19 Hutchinson (15-3, 10-2) vs. Dodge City (7-11, 5-7)&nbsp; When: Wednesday, January 24, 2024&nbsp; Where: Hutchinson Sports Arena, Hutchinson, KS&nbsp; Tipoff: 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; Radio: KHUT-FM (102.9); KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5), 7:15 p.m. (Glen Grunwald-PBP; Dan Naccarato-Color) Video: Blue Dragon Sports Network, 7:15 p.m.&nbsp; X: @bluedragonsport&nbsp; <a href="https://bluedragonsports.com/sports/mbkb/2023-24/files/Men-s_Notes_19_-_Dodge_City.pdf">BLUE DRAGON GAME NOTES (PDF Format)</a>The Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team closes a three-game homestand and opens the second trip to through the Jayhawk Conference on Wednesday at the Sports Arena.&nbsp;The No. 19-ranked Blue Dragons (15-3, 10-2 Jayhawk) entertains the Dodge City Conquistadors (7-11, 5-7 Jayhawk) at 7:30 p.m. in the second meeting of the season.&nbsp;The game will be broadcast live on Blue Dragon flagship station KHUT-FM (102.9) and sister stations KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) with Glen Grunwald (PBP) and Dan Naccarato (color) calling the action. The game will be streamed live on the Blue Dragon Sports Network beginning at 7:15 p.m.&nbsp;Hutchinson’s first trip through the Jayhawk saw it win 10 of 12 games. The Blue Dragons sit in third place in the KJCCC, just one game behind No. 3 Barton and No. 12 Cowley, the only two teams to defeat the Dragons in conference play this season.&nbsp;The Blue Dragons averaged 85.8 points offensively in the first half of league play and allowed a solid 74.0 points per game. &nbsp;The Dragons had a tremendous response to last Wednesday’s 22-point loss to now-No. 3 Barton with a resounding 85-64 victory over Garden City on Saturday at the Sports Arena. The Blue Dragons shot 47.7 percent and hit nine 3-pointers, building a 47-30 lead at halftime. Kamryn Thomas popped four 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 22 points. Dallas Whitney, Kernan Bundy and Kobe Smith combined for 39 of Hutchinson’s 45 points off the bench. The Dragons limited a hot-shooting Garden City team to 35.6 percent overall, only 6 of 26 from 3-point range.&nbsp;Dodge City has had a full week off since last playing. The Conquistadors dropped their third straight game after a 109-72 loss to Garden City last Wednesday.&nbsp;Avnoor Bhullar had 15 points to lead five Conquistadors in double figures against Garden City. The Busters stung Dodge City hitting 16 of 27 from 3-point range.&nbsp;Thomas nailed a career-high five 3-pointers in the Blue Dragons’ 89-73 victory over Dodge City on November 18 at the DC3 Student Event Center. Thomas has 23 points to lead four Blue Dragons in double figures. Valentino Simon had 18 points, J.P. Ricks had 16 points and Zoe Holman had 12 points. Chevalier Emery had 20 points to pace the Conquistadors.&nbsp;Wednesday’s meeting will be the 193rd between Hutchinson and Dodge City in a series that has been continuous since 1935. The Blue Dragons own a 125-68 all-time series record over the Conquistadors, going 59-28 against Dodge City all-time in Hutchinson and 50-23 at the Sports Arena.&nbsp;Hutchinson will have its second bye week of the KJCCC season on Saturday.&nbsp;