KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that they have signed right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Jordan Lyles&nbsp;to a two-year deal. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a corresponding move, infielder&nbsp;Ryan O’Hearn&nbsp;was designated for assignment.

Lyles, 32, is a 12-year Major League veteran who has pitched for seven different teams, including Houston (2011-13), Colorado (2014-17), San Diego (2017-18), Milwaukee (2018-19), Pittsburgh (2019), Texas (2020-21) and Baltimore (2022).

Last season with the Orioles, Lyles set career highs in wins (12, tied) and starts (32), and he recorded 179.0 innings, which fell just shy of his career high (180.0) set in 2021. Lyles’ 32 starts in 2022 tied for the 3rd&nbsp;most in the American League, and his 359.0 innings pitched over the last two seasons are the 5th&nbsp;most in the American League, trailing only&nbsp;Robbie Ray&nbsp;(382.1),&nbsp;Gerrit Cole&nbsp;(382.0),&nbsp;José Berríos&nbsp;(364.0) and&nbsp;Cole Irvin&nbsp;(359.1).

After going 4-7 in 15 starts through the first three months of last season, Lyles went 8-4 with a 3.95 ERA (41 ER in 93.1 IP) in 17 starts from July 1 through season’s end. His 8 wins over the final three months matched&nbsp;Dylan Cease,&nbsp;Shohei Ohtani&nbsp;and 2022 American League Cy Young Award winner&nbsp;Justin Verlander&nbsp;for the 5th&nbsp;most in the AL during that time, trailing only&nbsp;Cal Quantrill&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Shane Bieber&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;Luis Garcia&nbsp;(9) and&nbsp;Framber Valdez&nbsp;(9). Lyles induced a career-high-tying 18 groundball double plays in 2022, which matched&nbsp;Lucas Giolito&nbsp;for 5th&nbsp;most in the American League.

Lyles was a 1st-round pick by Houston in the 2008 Draft out of Hartsville High School in South Carolina and made his Major League debut less than three years later at the age of 20. Through the first eight seasons of his career, only 115 of his 217 appearances (53.0%) were starts. But since the 2019 season, 99 of his 104 appearances (95.2%) have been in a starting role.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.— The Kansas City Royals announced this morning that they have signed right-handed pitcher&nbsp;Jordan Lyles&nbsp;to a two-year deal. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. In a corresponding move, infielder&nbsp;Ryan O’Hearn&nbsp;was designated for assignment.Lyles, 32, is a 12-year Major League veteran who has pitched for seven different teams, including Houston (2011-13), Colorado (2014-17), San Diego (2017-18), Milwaukee (2018-19), Pittsburgh (2019), Texas (2020-21) and Baltimore (2022).Last season with the Orioles, Lyles set career highs in wins (12, tied) and starts (32), and he recorded 179.0 innings, which fell just shy of his career high (180.0) set in 2021. Lyles’ 32 starts in 2022 tied for the 3rd&nbsp;most in the American League, and his 359.0 innings pitched over the last two seasons are the 5th&nbsp;most in the American League, trailing only&nbsp;Robbie Ray&nbsp;(382.1),&nbsp;Gerrit Cole&nbsp;(382.0),&nbsp;José Berríos&nbsp;(364.0) and&nbsp;Cole Irvin&nbsp;(359.1).After going 4-7 in 15 starts through the first three months of last season, Lyles went 8-4 with a 3.95 ERA (41 ER in 93.1 IP) in 17 starts from July 1 through season’s end. His 8 wins over the final three months matched&nbsp;Dylan Cease,&nbsp;Shohei Ohtani&nbsp;and 2022 American League Cy Young Award winner&nbsp;Justin Verlander&nbsp;for the 5th&nbsp;most in the AL during that time, trailing only&nbsp;Cal Quantrill&nbsp;(11),&nbsp;Shane Bieber&nbsp;(10),&nbsp;Luis Garcia&nbsp;(9) and&nbsp;Framber Valdez&nbsp;(9). Lyles induced a career-high-tying 18 groundball double plays in 2022, which matched&nbsp;Lucas Giolito&nbsp;for 5th&nbsp;most in the American League.Lyles was a 1st-round pick by Houston in the 2008 Draft out of Hartsville High School in South Carolina and made his Major League debut less than three years later at the age of 20. Through the first eight seasons of his career, only 115 of his 217 appearances (53.0%) were starts. But since the 2019 season, 99 of his 104 appearances (95.2%) have been in a starting role.

⚾ Royals sign RHP Lyles to 2-year deal, hope for many innings

HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The WSU Women recorded in a 105-38 win over South Carolina State in the final non-conference matchup of the season Tuesday night at the Roundhouse. Now 10 and 3 Wichita State's 67 point win marked the largest margin of victory in school history, beating a 1981 record versus Phillips. The Shockers fell two point shy in school record for most points in a game. 28 assists on 38 made field goals, 60% shooting from the field. You're going to win pretty much every game coming out if you shoot like that. And shooting lights out were the shocker women last night. 

Give me the Liberty Bowl and give me the Jayhawks. KU playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl today for the first time since the 2008 season. KU playing Arkansas 4:30 pm central is kick off time on ESPN. Both teams battling for a winning season in the rights to the Bell Trophy. 

The meeting between Kansas and Arkansas will be the third in their series history back to 1905. KU won both meetings in 1905 and 1906. This is the 13th bowl game in KU history. They are 6 and 6in bowl games. 

Of course, longtime HutchCC fans will know Arkansas coach Sam Pittman coached the Blue Dragons back in the nineties. 

The Wichita State Men begin conference play tonight as their AAC slate begins with a game against central Florida in Florida. It's a 6 pm central 7 pm eastern at tip.&nbsp; UCF, departing of course, for the Big 12, after this season the shocker men are 7 and 5 coming into tonight and posted a winning non-conference record for the 25th consecutive year but had a whole lot of close game problems. They were one in 3 in games decided by five points in either direction.  

That's BW Radio Sports for Wednesday Morning. 

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for Wednesday, December 28th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=avk5d-134a742-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The WSU Women recorded in a 105-38 win over South Carolina State in the final non-conference matchup of the season Tuesday night at the Roundhouse. Now 10 and 3 Wichita State's 67 point win marked the largest margin of victory in school history, beating a 1981 record versus Phillips. The Shockers fell two point shy in school record for most points in a game. 28 assists on 38 made field goals, 60% shooting from the field. You're going to win pretty much every game coming out if you shoot like that. And shooting lights out were the shocker women last night. Give me the Liberty Bowl and give me the Jayhawks. KU playing in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl today for the first time since the 2008 season. KU playing Arkansas 4:30 pm central is kick off time on ESPN. Both teams battling for a winning season in the rights to the Bell Trophy. The meeting between Kansas and Arkansas will be the third in their series history back to 1905. KU won both meetings in 1905 and 1906. This is the 13th bowl game in KU history. They are 6 and 6in bowl games. Of course, longtime HutchCC fans will know Arkansas coach Sam Pittman coached the Blue Dragons back in the nineties. The Wichita State Men begin conference play tonight as their AAC slate begins with a game against central Florida in Florida. It's a 6 pm central 7 pm eastern at tip.&nbsp; UCF, departing of course, for the Big 12, after this season the shocker men are 7 and 5 coming into tonight and posted a winning non-conference record for the 25th consecutive year but had a whole lot of close game problems. They were one in 3 in games decided by five points in either direction. That's BW Radio Sports for Wednesday Morning. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 📰 Eagle Media Sports for Wednesday Morning

PHOENIX (AP) — Braelon Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin withstood Oklahoma State’s second-half push in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for a 24-17 victory Tuesday night. The Badgers (7-6) dominated the first half with stifling defense, building a 17-point lead as new coach Luke Fickell stalked the sideline and interim coach Jim Leonhard called the shots. Wisconsin got stuck in the slippery turf at Chase Field in the second half, unable to generate much of anything on offense while the Cowboys (7-6) found a rhythm when they had the ball. Cedrick Dort ended Oklahoma State’s momentum by intercepting Garret Rangel’s pass with three minutes left, preserving the Badgers’ eighth win in their past nine bowl games.

UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas Jayhawks see a bright future thanks to a quick turnaround under coach Lance Leipold. And the Arkansas Razorbacks go into Wednesday’s Liberty Bowl hoping quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders can provide enough offense to make up for a roster thinned by opt-outs and transfer portal departures. Kansas and Arkansas come in with identical 6-6 records in the first meeting between these neighbors since 1906. A winning season is on the line. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis is having water pressure issues, and local officials working to ensure the game is played, including bringing in portable toilets.

HOUSTON (AP) — Ole Miss is looking to return to its winning ways in the Texas Bowl. The team opened the season with seven straight wins and climbed to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll before dropping four of its last five games. The Rebels face Texas Tech. Their season unfolded quite differently under first-year coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders were in danger of not qualifying for a bowl after winning just four of their first nine games. But they finished the season strong, winning three in a row. Both teams have a rushing attack led by duos with impressive stats.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — No. 2 Michigan brings its smash-mouth ways into the College Football Playoff semifinal to face No. 3 TCU on Saturday. It’s tempting to boil down the Fiesta Bowl matchup to Big Ten power vs. Big 12 speed on each side of the ball, especially when the Wolverines’ offense is on the field. Both sides think that's an oversimplification. While Michigan's heavy personnel packages and towering offensive line isn't what TCU is used to facing, the same can be said for the Wolverines going up against a Horned Frogs' defense that regularly lines up with five defensive backs.

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s plan for a deep running back corps was based on more than making it through a 12-game regular season. Smart wanted his backs to be fresh for the College Football Playoff. The No. 1 Bulldogs will take a group of four running backs, led by Kenny McIntosh, into Saturday’s Peach Bowl semifinal against No. 4 Ohio State. McIntosh leads the Bulldogs with 709 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Daijun Edwards, Kendall Milton and Branson Robinson have made significant contributions. The depth gives the defending national champion Bulldogs a strong running complement to quarterback Stetson Bennett’s passing game.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Josh Newton and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson are two examples of TCU’s success in the transfer portal during the offseason. While Newton was a great addition, Hodges-Tomlinson was a great holdover, sticking with the program through its transition to first-year coach Sonny Dykes. Now the Horned Frogs are having a dream season. They'll play Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Top-seeded Georgia plays Ohio State in the other CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl, which also is Saturday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — New Broncos CEO and co-owner Greg Penner put his stamp on the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, several months after his family spent $4.65 billion for the NFL franchise. Penner made it clear that he is leading the search for Nathaniel Hackett's replacement and the new head coach will report directly to him and not to GM George Paton. Penner said he's confident in Paton despite a series of moves that have backfired. The Broncos aren't limiting their head coaching search to experienced head coaches even though their past three hires were first-time head coaches who didn't pan out.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Even though he’s still playing great football, it looks as if J.J. Watt is ready to call it a career. The three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, posting pictures of his wife and family on social media while writing: “Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game. My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.” Watt and his wife, Kealia, became parents in October. Koa is the name of their son. The 33-year-old Watt was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Marcus Carr tied a Texas record with 10 3-pointers and matched his career high with 41 points as the sixth-ranked Longhorns beat Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 97-72. Carr, a senior, previously scored 41 while playing for Minnesota against Nebraska on Feb. 27, 2021. He scored 33 points in the first half alone Tuesday, matching a Texas record for a half set by Jim Krivacs in 1978. Carr converted 13 of 19 shots in 30 minutes, including 10 of 15 3-pointers. He has totaled 103 points in his last four games. Freshman Dillon Mitchell added 16 points for Texas. C.J. Roberts scored 20 points to lead A&amp;M-Commerce.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kevin Obanor made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points and Texas Tech extended its home winning streak to 29 with a 110-71 rout of South Carolina State. Texas Tech (10-2) also won its sixth consecutive game, including three straight with 100-plus points. Daniel Batcho added 17 points for the Aggies, which shot 64% and made 14 of 28 from long range. Pop Isaacs and De’Vion Harmon had 14 points apiece and Jaylon Tyson added 13. Isaacs and Tyson combined for seven 3s. Raquan Brown scored 17 points for South Carolina State (2-13).

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract, locking up another key player with a long-term deal. The contract includes a $15 million club option for 2029 with no buyout that could raise the total value of the agreement to $88 million. Murphy will make $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024 and $15 million each season from 2025 through 2028. The deal follows a familiar pattern of the Braves agreeing to new contracts with players who are still under club control for an extended period.

Final (6)Texas 97 Texas A&amp;M Commerce 72

Buffalo at Columbus 7:30 p.m. (Postponed)

PHOENIX (AP) — Braelon Allen ran for 116 yards and a touchdown and Wisconsin withstood Oklahoma State’s second-half push in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for a 24-17 victory Tuesday night. The Badgers (7-6) dominated the first half with stifling defense, building a 17-point lead as new coach Luke Fickell stalked the sideline and interim coach Jim Leonhard called the shots. Wisconsin got stuck in the slippery turf at Chase Field in the second half, unable to generate much of anything on offense while the Cowboys (7-6) found a rhythm when they had the ball. Cedrick Dort ended Oklahoma State’s momentum by intercepting Garret Rangel’s pass with three minutes left, preserving the Badgers’ eighth win in their past nine bowl games.UNDATED (AP) — The Kansas Jayhawks see a bright future thanks to a quick turnaround under coach Lance Leipold. And the Arkansas Razorbacks go into Wednesday’s Liberty Bowl hoping quarterback KJ Jefferson and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders can provide enough offense to make up for a roster thinned by opt-outs and transfer portal departures. Kansas and Arkansas come in with identical 6-6 records in the first meeting between these neighbors since 1906. A winning season is on the line. Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis is having water pressure issues, and local officials working to ensure the game is played, including bringing in portable toilets.HOUSTON (AP) — Ole Miss is looking to return to its winning ways in the Texas Bowl. The team opened the season with seven straight wins and climbed to No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll before dropping four of its last five games. The Rebels face Texas Tech. Their season unfolded quite differently under first-year coach Joey McGuire. The Red Raiders were in danger of not qualifying for a bowl after winning just four of their first nine games. But they finished the season strong, winning three in a row. Both teams have a rushing attack led by duos with impressive stats.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — No. 2 Michigan brings its smash-mouth ways into the College Football Playoff semifinal to face No. 3 TCU on Saturday. It’s tempting to boil down the Fiesta Bowl matchup to Big Ten power vs. Big 12 speed on each side of the ball, especially when the Wolverines’ offense is on the field. Both sides think that's an oversimplification. While Michigan's heavy personnel packages and towering offensive line isn't what TCU is used to facing, the same can be said for the Wolverines going up against a Horned Frogs' defense that regularly lines up with five defensive backs.ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s plan for a deep running back corps was based on more than making it through a 12-game regular season. Smart wanted his backs to be fresh for the College Football Playoff. The No. 1 Bulldogs will take a group of four running backs, led by Kenny McIntosh, into Saturday’s Peach Bowl semifinal against No. 4 Ohio State. McIntosh leads the Bulldogs with 709 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Daijun Edwards, Kendall Milton and Branson Robinson have made significant contributions. The depth gives the defending national champion Bulldogs a strong running complement to quarterback Stetson Bennett’s passing game.SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Josh Newton and Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson are two examples of TCU’s success in the transfer portal during the offseason. While Newton was a great addition, Hodges-Tomlinson was a great holdover, sticking with the program through its transition to first-year coach Sonny Dykes. Now the Horned Frogs are having a dream season. They'll play Michigan in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Top-seeded Georgia plays Ohio State in the other CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl, which also is Saturday.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — New Broncos CEO and co-owner Greg Penner put his stamp on the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, several months after his family spent $4.65 billion for the NFL franchise. Penner made it clear that he is leading the search for Nathaniel Hackett's replacement and the new head coach will report directly to him and not to GM George Paton. Penner said he's confident in Paton despite a series of moves that have backfired. The Broncos aren't limiting their head coaching search to experienced head coaches even though their past three hires were first-time head coaches who didn't pan out.TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Even though he’s still playing great football, it looks as if J.J. Watt is ready to call it a career. The three-time AP Defensive Player of the Year indicated Tuesday that he will retire at the end of the season, posting pictures of his wife and family on social media while writing: “Koa’s first ever NFL game. My last ever NFL home game. My heart is filled with nothing but love and gratitude. It’s been an absolute honor and a pleasure.” Watt and his wife, Kealia, became parents in October. Koa is the name of their son. The 33-year-old Watt was among the premier defensive players in the NFL during the early 2010s with the Houston Texans.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Marcus Carr tied a Texas record with 10 3-pointers and matched his career high with 41 points as the sixth-ranked Longhorns beat Texas A&amp;M-Commerce 97-72. Carr, a senior, previously scored 41 while playing for Minnesota against Nebraska on Feb. 27, 2021. He scored 33 points in the first half alone Tuesday, matching a Texas record for a half set by Jim Krivacs in 1978. Carr converted 13 of 19 shots in 30 minutes, including 10 of 15 3-pointers. He has totaled 103 points in his last four games. Freshman Dillon Mitchell added 16 points for Texas. C.J. Roberts scored 20 points to lead A&amp;M-Commerce.LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kevin Obanor made five 3-pointers and scored 24 points and Texas Tech extended its home winning streak to 29 with a 110-71 rout of South Carolina State. Texas Tech (10-2) also won its sixth consecutive game, including three straight with 100-plus points. Daniel Batcho added 17 points for the Aggies, which shot 64% and made 14 of 28 from long range. Pop Isaacs and De’Vion Harmon had 14 points apiece and Jaylon Tyson added 13. Isaacs and Tyson combined for seven 3s. Raquan Brown scored 17 points for South Carolina State (2-13).ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract, locking up another key player with a long-term deal. The contract includes a $15 million club option for 2029 with no buyout that could raise the total value of the agreement to $88 million. Murphy will make $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024 and $15 million each season from 2025 through 2028. The deal follows a familiar pattern of the Braves agreeing to new contracts with players who are still under club control for an extended period.TUESDAY SCORESTOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal (6)Texas 97 Texas A&amp;M Commerce 72NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal L.A. Lakers 129 Orlando 110Final Washington 116 Philadelphia 111Final Boston 126 Houston 102Final L.A. Clippers 124 Toronto 113Final Indiana 129 Atlanta 114Final Oklahoma City 130 San Antonio 114Final Phoenix 125 Memphis 108Final OT Dallas 126 New York 121Final Denver 113 Sacramento 106Final Golden State 110 Charlotte 105NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEBuffalo at Columbus 7:30 p.m. (Postponed)Final Carolina 3 Chicago 0Final Washington 4 N-Y Rangers 0Final SO Ottawa 3 Boston 2Final N-Y Islanders 5 Pittsburgh 1Final Dallas 3 Nashville 2Final Minnesota 4 Winnipeg 1Final OT Toronto 5 St. Louis 4Final Arizona 6 Colorado 3Final Edmonton 2 Calgary 1Final Vancouver 6 San Jose 2Final Los Angeles 4 Vegas 2

Sports Headlines for Wednesday

<a href="https://goshockers.com/news/2022/12/27/mens-basketball-mbb-preview-at-ucf-dec-28.aspx">Via GoShockers.com</a>

Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play on the road Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. Central against the UCF Knights at Addition Financial Arena. This will be the Shockers' final AAC era trip to UCF, which departs this summer for the Big 12.

WSU lost its last visit (Feb. 8, 2022) but still leads the all-time series 8-1 (3-1 in Orlando). UCF was picked sixth and WSU eighth in the AAC preseason poll, but they finished out the non-conference portion of their schedules with the league's third and fourth-highest NET rankings (UCF, 66; WSU, 109).

The Shockers (7-5) posted a winning non-con record for the 25th consecutive year but were 1-3 in games decided by five points in either direction with close setbacks against NET No. 33 K-State (away), No. 40 Missouri (home) and No. 88 San Francisco (Neutral).

Senior point guard Craig Porter Jr. is one of just two returners from last year's active roster, along with sophomore forward Kenny Pohto. Porter is one of the nation's most-versatile players, averaging 12.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists (AAC #5, 1.8 blocks (AAC #2, NCAA #46) and 1.7 steals (AAC #7).

Junior guard Jaykwon Walton has been an impact addition, averaging 12.5 points and a team-best 6.6 rebounds. He has three double-doubles and a pair of 20-point performances.

11 newcomers (nine of them transfers) have seen action this year for WSU which is still building chemistry on the offensive end but has been excellent defensively (37th nationally in effiency, per KenPom), holding opponents to 60.3 points (21st) on 36.4% shooting (9th).

WSU has held all five of its December opponents to less than 40% from the field and 10 of 12 overall.

UCF has followed a similar path after losing all but three lettermen from last season. Nine newcomers (six transfers) have logged time for the Knights, who are No. 35 on KenPom's defensive efficiency chart and have limited foes to 60.8 points (t-26th) and 39.0% (34th).

The Shockers are averaging a conference-best 25.25 bench points. Reserves combined for 42 of the 65 tallies in WSU's Dec. 22 win over Texas Southern, led by Jaron Pierre Jr. (18) and James Rojas (14).

<a href="https://goshockers.com/news/2022/12/27/mens-basketball-mbb-preview-at-ucf-dec-28.aspx">Via GoShockers.com</a>Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play on the road Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. Central against the UCF Knights at Addition Financial Arena. This will be the Shockers' final AAC era trip to UCF, which departs this summer for the Big 12.WSU lost its last visit (Feb. 8, 2022) but still leads the all-time series 8-1 (3-1 in Orlando). UCF was picked sixth and WSU eighth in the AAC preseason poll, but they finished out the non-conference portion of their schedules with the league's third and fourth-highest NET rankings (UCF, 66; WSU, 109).The Shockers (7-5) posted a winning non-con record for the 25th consecutive year but were 1-3 in games decided by five points in either direction with close setbacks against NET No. 33 K-State (away), No. 40 Missouri (home) and No. 88 San Francisco (Neutral).Senior point guard Craig Porter Jr. is one of just two returners from last year's active roster, along with sophomore forward Kenny Pohto. Porter is one of the nation's most-versatile players, averaging 12.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists (AAC #5, 1.8 blocks (AAC #2, NCAA #46) and 1.7 steals (AAC #7).Junior guard Jaykwon Walton has been an impact addition, averaging 12.5 points and a team-best 6.6 rebounds. He has three double-doubles and a pair of 20-point performances.11 newcomers (nine of them transfers) have seen action this year for WSU which is still building chemistry on the offensive end but has been excellent defensively (37th nationally in effiency, per KenPom), holding opponents to 60.3 points (21st) on 36.4% shooting (9th).WSU has held all five of its December opponents to less than 40% from the field and 10 of 12 overall.UCF has followed a similar path after losing all but three lettermen from last season. Nine newcomers (six transfers) have logged time for the Knights, who are No. 35 on KenPom's defensive efficiency chart and have limited foes to 60.8 points (t-26th) and 39.0% (34th).The Shockers are averaging a conference-best 25.25 bench points. Reserves combined for 42 of the 65 tallies in WSU's Dec. 22 win over Texas Southern, led by Jaron Pierre Jr. (18) and James Rojas (14).

🏀 Wichita State men on road at UCF Wednesday

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-set-to-take-on-arkansas-in-the-autozone-liberty-bowl-on-dec-28/">Via KUAthletics.com</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;For the first time since the 2008 season, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football when they travel to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Wednesday.

Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN with Dave O’Brien (Play-by-Play), Dan Mullen (Analyst) and Taylor McGregor (Sideline) on the call.

Both teams are battling for a winning season and the rights to the Bell Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The meeting between Kansas and Arkansas will be the third in their series history, which dates back to 1905. Kansas has won both meetings between the two teams, with the first coming in 1905 (6-0) and last meeting in 1906 (37-5).

Kansas enters its 13th bowl game in program history, where the Jayhawks hold a 6-6 record all-time. Kansas last played in a bowl game in 2008, when they defeated Minnesota in the Insight Bowl, 42-21. The Jayhawks are 5-1 in their last six bowl games, including three straight bowl wins. This will be Kansas’ second appearance in the Liberty Bowl, with its first coming on Dec. 17, 1973, in a 31-18 loss to North Carolina State.

The 2022 season has been nothing short of a breakout season for the Jayhawks, who have earned six wins for the first time since 2008. Kansas ranks 28th in the country in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game, which are the most since the 2007 season. Over the last 10 seasons, Kansas’ highest scoring average was 23.5 in 2019.

Kansas’ success earned nine Jayhawks a spot on the All-Big 12 teams, led by sophomore cornerback Cobee Bryant being named All-Big 12 First Team. The Jayhawks also placed three individuals on the Second Team, including quarterback Jalon Daniels, tight end Mason Fairchild and center Mike Novitsky.

Arkansas finished 3-5 in the SEC, dropping its final game of the season at Missouri, 29-27. Head coach Sam Pittman’s team is led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed 185-of-271 passes this season for 2,361 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.

Sophomore running back Raheim Sanders was also a standout on offense, rushing for 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Overall, the Arkansas offense is ranked No. 26 in the country in total offense and the defense is ranked No. 123.

Arkansas was well-represented on the All-SEC teams with six individuals named, including center Ricky Stromberg, linebacker Drew Sanders, kickoff specialist Jake Bates, running back Raheim Sanders, linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive back Dwight McGlothern.

For more information on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, including fan information, tickets, bowl apparel and more, visit the&nbsp;<a href="applewebdata://CA500820-9E36-4ADD-BBC2-40D4CE367C93/finished%203-5%20in%20the%20SEC,%20dropping%20its%20final%20game%20of%20the%20season%20at%20Missouri,%2029-27.%20Coach%20Sam%20Pittman%E2%80%99s%20team%20is%20led%20by%20quarterback%20KJ%20Jefferson,%20who%20completed%20185%20of%20271%20passes%20this%20season%20for%202,361%20yards,%2022%20touchdowns%20and%20just%20four%20interceptions.%20Sophomore%20running%20back%20Raheim%20Sanders%20was%20also%20a%20standout%20on%20offense,%20rushing%20for%201,426%20rushing%20yards%20and%2010%20touchdowns.%20He%20averaged%206.5%20yards%20per%20carry.%20Overall,%20the%20Arkansas%20offense%20is%20ranked%20No.%2026%20in%20the%20country%20in%20total%20offense%20and%20the%20defense%20is%20ranked%20No.%20123.">Kansas Jayhawks Bowl Hub here</a>.

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic is the seventh oldest college bowl game and is one of the most tradition-rich and patriotic bowl games in America.&nbsp;The AutoZone Liberty Bowl was founded in Philadelphia in 1959 and the inaugural game featured a match-up between Penn State and Alabama. That game began a tradition of great stars, exciting football, and was the first of 63 thrilling chapters in the history of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl has enjoyed many highlights through the years. The Bowl has hosted all-time great coaches such as Paul “Bear” Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne, Steve Spurrier and Bill Snyder. The Bowl’s history also includes four Heisman Trophy winners (Ernie Davis, Terry Baker, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson) and other stars such as Archie Manning and Donovan McNabb.

<a href="https://kuathletics.com/kansas-set-to-take-on-arkansas-in-the-autozone-liberty-bowl-on-dec-28/">Via KUAthletics.com</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;For the first time since the 2008 season, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football when they travel to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Wednesday.Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN with Dave O’Brien (Play-by-Play), Dan Mullen (Analyst) and Taylor McGregor (Sideline) on the call.Both teams are battling for a winning season and the rights to the Bell Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The meeting between Kansas and Arkansas will be the third in their series history, which dates back to 1905. Kansas has won both meetings between the two teams, with the first coming in 1905 (6-0) and last meeting in 1906 (37-5).Kansas enters its 13th bowl game in program history, where the Jayhawks hold a 6-6 record all-time. Kansas last played in a bowl game in 2008, when they defeated Minnesota in the Insight Bowl, 42-21. The Jayhawks are 5-1 in their last six bowl games, including three straight bowl wins. This will be Kansas’ second appearance in the Liberty Bowl, with its first coming on Dec. 17, 1973, in a 31-18 loss to North Carolina State.The 2022 season has been nothing short of a breakout season for the Jayhawks, who have earned six wins for the first time since 2008. Kansas ranks 28th in the country in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game, which are the most since the 2007 season. Over the last 10 seasons, Kansas’ highest scoring average was 23.5 in 2019.Kansas’ success earned nine Jayhawks a spot on the All-Big 12 teams, led by sophomore cornerback Cobee Bryant being named All-Big 12 First Team. The Jayhawks also placed three individuals on the Second Team, including quarterback Jalon Daniels, tight end Mason Fairchild and center Mike Novitsky.Arkansas finished 3-5 in the SEC, dropping its final game of the season at Missouri, 29-27. Head coach Sam Pittman’s team is led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed 185-of-271 passes this season for 2,361 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.Sophomore running back Raheim Sanders was also a standout on offense, rushing for 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Overall, the Arkansas offense is ranked No. 26 in the country in total offense and the defense is ranked No. 123.Arkansas was well-represented on the All-SEC teams with six individuals named, including center Ricky Stromberg, linebacker Drew Sanders, kickoff specialist Jake Bates, running back Raheim Sanders, linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive back Dwight McGlothern.For more information on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, including fan information, tickets, bowl apparel and more, visit the&nbsp;<a href="applewebdata://CA500820-9E36-4ADD-BBC2-40D4CE367C93/finished%203-5%20in%20the%20SEC,%20dropping%20its%20final%20game%20of%20the%20season%20at%20Missouri,%2029-27.%20Coach%20Sam%20Pittman%E2%80%99s%20team%20is%20led%20by%20quarterback%20KJ%20Jefferson,%20who%20completed%20185%20of%20271%20passes%20this%20season%20for%202,361%20yards,%2022%20touchdowns%20and%20just%20four%20interceptions.%20Sophomore%20running%20back%20Raheim%20Sanders%20was%20also%20a%20standout%20on%20offense,%20rushing%20for%201,426%20rushing%20yards%20and%2010%20touchdowns.%20He%20averaged%206.5%20yards%20per%20carry.%20Overall,%20the%20Arkansas%20offense%20is%20ranked%20No.%2026%20in%20the%20country%20in%20total%20offense%20and%20the%20defense%20is%20ranked%20No.%20123.">Kansas Jayhawks Bowl Hub here</a>.About the AutoZone Liberty BowlThe AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic is the seventh oldest college bowl game and is one of the most tradition-rich and patriotic bowl games in America.&nbsp;The AutoZone Liberty Bowl was founded in Philadelphia in 1959 and the inaugural game featured a match-up between Penn State and Alabama. That game began a tradition of great stars, exciting football, and was the first of 63 thrilling chapters in the history of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl has enjoyed many highlights through the years. The Bowl has hosted all-time great coaches such as Paul “Bear” Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne, Steve Spurrier and Bill Snyder. The Bowl’s history also includes four Heisman Trophy winners (Ernie Davis, Terry Baker, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson) and other stars such as Archie Manning and Donovan McNabb.

🏈 Kansas Set to Take on Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Wednesday

<a href="https://goshockers.com/news/2022/12/27/womens-basketball-shockers-blast-school-record-in-rout-of-sc-state.aspx">Via GoShockers.com</a>

WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Wichita State broke a 41-year old school record in a 105-38 win over South Carolina State in the final non-conference matchup of the season Tuesday night. &nbsp; Wichita State's (10-3) 67-point win marked the largest margin of victory in school history, besting the record of 64 set back in 1981 vs. Phillips. The Shockers fell two points shy of the school record for most points in a game. Wichita State recorded 28 assists on 38 made field goals and finished the game shooting 60 percent from the field. The 28 assists are the most in the&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>&nbsp;era. Five Shockers finished in double figures led by&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ambah-kowcun/7201">Ambah Kowcun</a>&nbsp;with a season-high 14 points off the bench behind a trio of three-pointers.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jeniah-thompson/7223">Jeniah Thompson</a>&nbsp;also set a new season high with 14 points and five assists.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;both finished with 12 points apiece and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;added 10. Wichita State overpowered the Bulldogs in every facet. Offensively, the Shockers shot 41 percent from deep and went 22-for-27 from the free throw line. They outscored the under-sized Bulldogs 36-3 off turnovers, 52-16 in the paint and won the rebound battle by 20. Defensively, Wichita State set a season best in field goal percentage defense (21 percent) and forced them in to 2-of-16 from beyond the arc to go with 22 turnovers. Wichita State raced out to a 10-0 lead before South Carolina State found the scoreboard with 6:04 left in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs briefly cut it to single digits, but the lead would remain in double digits for much of the opening quarter. After 10 minutes Wichita State led 24-9 behind 13 combined points from Dean and Asinde. The Shockers would then score the first 11 points to open the second quarter, upping the lead to 35-9. South Carolina State finally got into the scoring column on a pair of free throws at the 4:52 mark. At the half Wichita State was in complete control, leading 44-15. The defense held SC State to 5-for-39 from the floor and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc, while forcing 10 turnovers. McCarty led all scorers with 10 first half points, as Wichita State shot 52 percent and got to the free throw line early and often (15-for-19). Wichita State added to its margin behind a 26-11 third quarter. With play moving to the final frame, the Shockers led 70-26. The highest scoring quarter came in the fourth with reserves playing the entire 10 minutes. Wichita State outscored SC State, 35-12, and led by as many as 68 in the final few minutes. Up Next Wichita State welcomes Cincinnati to Charles Koch Arena on Friday for the American Athletic Conference opener.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://goshockers.com/news/2022/12/27/womens-basketball-shockers-blast-school-record-in-rout-of-sc-state.aspx">Via GoShockers.com</a>WICHITA, Kan. –&nbsp;Wichita State broke a 41-year old school record in a 105-38 win over South Carolina State in the final non-conference matchup of the season Tuesday night. &nbsp; Wichita State's (10-3) 67-point win marked the largest margin of victory in school history, besting the record of 64 set back in 1981 vs. Phillips. The Shockers fell two points shy of the school record for most points in a game. Wichita State recorded 28 assists on 38 made field goals and finished the game shooting 60 percent from the field. The 28 assists are the most in the&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>&nbsp;era. Five Shockers finished in double figures led by&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/ambah-kowcun/7201">Ambah Kowcun</a>&nbsp;with a season-high 14 points off the bench behind a trio of three-pointers.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jeniah-thompson/7223">Jeniah Thompson</a>&nbsp;also set a new season high with 14 points and five assists.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;both finished with 12 points apiece and&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;added 10. Wichita State overpowered the Bulldogs in every facet. Offensively, the Shockers shot 41 percent from deep and went 22-for-27 from the free throw line. They outscored the under-sized Bulldogs 36-3 off turnovers, 52-16 in the paint and won the rebound battle by 20. Defensively, Wichita State set a season best in field goal percentage defense (21 percent) and forced them in to 2-of-16 from beyond the arc to go with 22 turnovers. Wichita State raced out to a 10-0 lead before South Carolina State found the scoreboard with 6:04 left in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs briefly cut it to single digits, but the lead would remain in double digits for much of the opening quarter. After 10 minutes Wichita State led 24-9 behind 13 combined points from Dean and Asinde. The Shockers would then score the first 11 points to open the second quarter, upping the lead to 35-9. South Carolina State finally got into the scoring column on a pair of free throws at the 4:52 mark. At the half Wichita State was in complete control, leading 44-15. The defense held SC State to 5-for-39 from the floor and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc, while forcing 10 turnovers. McCarty led all scorers with 10 first half points, as Wichita State shot 52 percent and got to the free throw line early and often (15-for-19). Wichita State added to its margin behind a 26-11 third quarter. With play moving to the final frame, the Shockers led 70-26. The highest scoring quarter came in the fourth with reserves playing the entire 10 minutes. Wichita State outscored SC State, 35-12, and led by as many as 68 in the final few minutes. Up Next Wichita State welcomes Cincinnati to Charles Koch Arena on Friday for the American Athletic Conference opener.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Shocker women blast school record in rout of SC State

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2022/12/27/jason-mansfield-named-head-volleyball-coach.aspx">Via KState Sports</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Jason Mansfield, who has been a part of seven NCAA Final Fours and one national championship during stints at Stanford and Washington, has been named the ninth head volleyball coach at Kansas State, Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced today. Mansfield, who has spent the past five seasons at Washington, will be formally introduced at a press conference next week. More details will be announced soon. "We are very excited to welcome Jason and his family to Manhattan and the Wildcat Volleyball family," Taylor said. "The search for our new head coach drew significant interest from all over the country, and we feel Jason is the perfect fit to lead us. His championship pedigree, emphasis on team culture and building relationships – both inside a program and on the recruiting circuit – are what set him apart from other candidates. I know he is excited to get started, and I cannot wait for our student-athletes and all of Wildcat Nation to meet him." One of the most experienced and accomplished assistant coaches in the country, Mansfield has mentored a total of 25 individual players that have earned 65 All-America honors during his 20 years of coaching and has coached five athletes that have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games for Team USA. "I first would like to thank (Athletics Director) Gene Taylor and (Deputy AD/SWA)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/staff/jill-shields/109">Jill Shields</a>&nbsp;for their trust and belief in me," Mansfield said. "They both are a huge reason why I am so excited to be a part of Kansas State Athletics. I next would like to thank my family - my mom and dad who have always supported me, my wife, Kim, for being the best partner and teammate, my brother, Aaron, who continues to inspire me every day to be better, and finally, my daughter, Rylee, and son, Dylan - they are my biggest inspiration. Lastly, I would like to thank my incredible mentors - Keegan Cook, Chris Tamas, Kevin Hambly and, especially, John Dunning. I've learned so much from them, and I know I am well prepared to be a head coach in large part because of who they are as coaches and as people. "I'm so excited to get started. I can't wait to meet the team and to start forming those relationships. Growth is the most important thing to me. It's something we will talk about every day and continue to find ways to grow in all aspects of our lives. We will compete at the highest level that we can every day, and we will do it with passion and unity. I came to Kansas State to build a great program, a program with high character, strong connections and a passion for learning." In his five seasons at Washington, Mansfield helped the Huskies advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament four times, the Elite Eight in 2019, and then to the Final Four in the spring of 2021. His work with the outside hitters netted seven All-America honors for three Huskies: Kara Bajema, Samantha Drechsel, and Claire Hoffman, with Bajema and Drechsel each garnering first-team status.&nbsp;Bajema broke the UW single season kills record in 2019 and ranked fourth in the NCAA with 597 and has since gone on to a stellar pro career overseas and a spot on the U.S. Senior National Team. Hoffman landed on the second team in 2020 and 2022 and was a third-team selection in 2021. With her third All-America honor, Hoffman joined an elite group of Husky outside hitters with three or more All-America honors. As an assistant coach at Stanford working with AVCA&nbsp;Hall of Fame Head Coach John Dunning, Mansfield coached 17 different All-Americans, four National Players of the Year, and four future Olympians (Logan Tom, Ogonna Nnamani, Foluke Akinradewo, Alix Klineman). The 2004 squad won the national championship, while the Cardinal advanced to the Final Four six times in 14 total NCAA Tournament appearances with Mansfield on staff. At Illinois (2016-2018), he coached three more All-Americans in two seasons and another future U.S. Olympian in Jordyn Poulter. The 20 All-America players he coached at Stanford and Illinois combined for 46 total AVCA honors. In his second and final season at Illinois, the Fighting Illini advanced to the NCAA Round of 16, upsetting Washington in the second round. Mansfield also compiled a stellar run as a club coach with the Vision Volleyball Club from 2000 to 2016 with his teams earning seven Junior Olympic medals, 26 Junior Olympic All-Tournament selections, and the club producing 19 Volleyball Magazine "Fab 50" recruits. His first volleyball coaching experience came at Foothill Community College from 1997-99. Mansfield and his wife, Kim, have an eight-year-old daughter, Rylee, and a six-year-old son, Dylan. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in 2016 from Ashworth College. Other Quotes on Jason Mansfield: "Jason Mansfield represents the best of college volleyball coaching.&nbsp; His ability to develop student-athletes is matched only by his integrity as a leader.&nbsp; Kansas State has made a tremendous decision for the future of their program."&nbsp;Keegan Cook, University of Minnesota Head Coach "I am very excited for Jay! He has worked so hard for a chance to run a very good program at this level. Jay is a great hire; he is a really solid, family-oriented person, who has been preparing for this moment for a long time. I am sure he will have a very positive impact on the Kansas State program."&nbsp;John Dunning, Former Stanford and Hall of Fame Head Coach&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/news/2022/12/27/jason-mansfield-named-head-volleyball-coach.aspx">Via KState Sports</a>MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;Jason Mansfield, who has been a part of seven NCAA Final Fours and one national championship during stints at Stanford and Washington, has been named the ninth head volleyball coach at Kansas State, Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced today. Mansfield, who has spent the past five seasons at Washington, will be formally introduced at a press conference next week. More details will be announced soon. "We are very excited to welcome Jason and his family to Manhattan and the Wildcat Volleyball family," Taylor said. "The search for our new head coach drew significant interest from all over the country, and we feel Jason is the perfect fit to lead us. His championship pedigree, emphasis on team culture and building relationships – both inside a program and on the recruiting circuit – are what set him apart from other candidates. I know he is excited to get started, and I cannot wait for our student-athletes and all of Wildcat Nation to meet him." One of the most experienced and accomplished assistant coaches in the country, Mansfield has mentored a total of 25 individual players that have earned 65 All-America honors during his 20 years of coaching and has coached five athletes that have gone on to compete in the Olympic Games for Team USA. "I first would like to thank (Athletics Director) Gene Taylor and (Deputy AD/SWA)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/staff/jill-shields/109">Jill Shields</a>&nbsp;for their trust and belief in me," Mansfield said. "They both are a huge reason why I am so excited to be a part of Kansas State Athletics. I next would like to thank my family - my mom and dad who have always supported me, my wife, Kim, for being the best partner and teammate, my brother, Aaron, who continues to inspire me every day to be better, and finally, my daughter, Rylee, and son, Dylan - they are my biggest inspiration. Lastly, I would like to thank my incredible mentors - Keegan Cook, Chris Tamas, Kevin Hambly and, especially, John Dunning. I've learned so much from them, and I know I am well prepared to be a head coach in large part because of who they are as coaches and as people. "I'm so excited to get started. I can't wait to meet the team and to start forming those relationships. Growth is the most important thing to me. It's something we will talk about every day and continue to find ways to grow in all aspects of our lives. We will compete at the highest level that we can every day, and we will do it with passion and unity. I came to Kansas State to build a great program, a program with high character, strong connections and a passion for learning." In his five seasons at Washington, Mansfield helped the Huskies advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament four times, the Elite Eight in 2019, and then to the Final Four in the spring of 2021. His work with the outside hitters netted seven All-America honors for three Huskies: Kara Bajema, Samantha Drechsel, and Claire Hoffman, with Bajema and Drechsel each garnering first-team status.&nbsp;Bajema broke the UW single season kills record in 2019 and ranked fourth in the NCAA with 597 and has since gone on to a stellar pro career overseas and a spot on the U.S. Senior National Team. Hoffman landed on the second team in 2020 and 2022 and was a third-team selection in 2021. With her third All-America honor, Hoffman joined an elite group of Husky outside hitters with three or more All-America honors. As an assistant coach at Stanford working with AVCA&nbsp;Hall of Fame Head Coach John Dunning, Mansfield coached 17 different All-Americans, four National Players of the Year, and four future Olympians (Logan Tom, Ogonna Nnamani, Foluke Akinradewo, Alix Klineman). The 2004 squad won the national championship, while the Cardinal advanced to the Final Four six times in 14 total NCAA Tournament appearances with Mansfield on staff. At Illinois (2016-2018), he coached three more All-Americans in two seasons and another future U.S. Olympian in Jordyn Poulter. The 20 All-America players he coached at Stanford and Illinois combined for 46 total AVCA honors. In his second and final season at Illinois, the Fighting Illini advanced to the NCAA Round of 16, upsetting Washington in the second round. Mansfield also compiled a stellar run as a club coach with the Vision Volleyball Club from 2000 to 2016 with his teams earning seven Junior Olympic medals, 26 Junior Olympic All-Tournament selections, and the club producing 19 Volleyball Magazine "Fab 50" recruits. His first volleyball coaching experience came at Foothill Community College from 1997-99. Mansfield and his wife, Kim, have an eight-year-old daughter, Rylee, and a six-year-old son, Dylan. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in 2016 from Ashworth College. Other Quotes on Jason Mansfield: "Jason Mansfield represents the best of college volleyball coaching.&nbsp; His ability to develop student-athletes is matched only by his integrity as a leader.&nbsp; Kansas State has made a tremendous decision for the future of their program."&nbsp;Keegan Cook, University of Minnesota Head Coach "I am very excited for Jay! He has worked so hard for a chance to run a very good program at this level. Jay is a great hire; he is a really solid, family-oriented person, who has been preparing for this moment for a long time. I am sure he will have a very positive impact on the Kansas State program."&nbsp;John Dunning, Former Stanford and Hall of Fame Head Coach&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏐 Jason Mansfield named K-State volleyball coach

WICHITA, Kan.—Wichita State Women's basketball will close out the non-conference part of their schedule Tuesday night with a home game at Koch Arena versus South Carolina State.

LAST TIME OUT Wichita State suffered its first home loss of the season last Tuesday in a 61-56 setback to Wyoming. Wichita State clawed back from an 11-point halftime deficit only to see the Cowgirls close the game on a 7-0 run to escape with a win. The Shockers were held to a season-low 17 first half points, including only six in the second quarter. Wichita State was perfect at the free throw line, going 16-for-16.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting to go with five rebounds and four assists.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;tied a career high with 16 rebounds to go with 14 points, marking her second double-double of the season.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/curtessia-dean/7199">Curtessia Dean</a>&nbsp;added 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high three steals. SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS Led by first year head coach Tim Eatman, South Carolina State enters Tuesday's matchup at 1-11 this season. The Bulldogs are scoring just 44.0 points per game on 31.2 percent shooting. They allow 70.6 points and are being outrebounded by an average of 16.0 per game. South Carolina State ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in scoring, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, assists and rebounding. Nicole Gwynn is the only Bulldog in double figures at 10.0 per game. Lovely Sonnier leads South Carolina State in rebounding (8.1), blocks (9) and steals (22). THE SERIES VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE Wichita State and South Carolina State will meet for the first time in women's hoops on Tuesday. JANE GOT GAME Wichita State senior&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;has been unstoppable for the Shockers. The Uganda native has double-doubles in five of the 10 games she's played in, including back-to-back 20-point double-doubles at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. Asinde opened the LMU Thanksgiving Classic with a career-high 19 rebounds to go with 20 points against Montana and followed that with a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. Loyola Marymount. She has double digit rebounds in six of the 10 games. GETTING DEFENSIVE Wichita State boasts a top 70 defense through the first 12 games of the season. They have held all but three opponents to less than 38 percent shooting, and only four teams have shot better than 30 percent from three-point range. Wichita State's field goal defense is holding teams to just 36.1 percent, good for 52nd nationally. Opponents are connecting on only 29.3 percent of their attempts from long range. GLASS CLEANERS &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wichita State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country once again this season. Through 12 games Wichita State ranks 29th nationally in rebound margin, 34th in defensive rebounds per game and 47th in total rebounds per game. The Shockers have outrebounded 10 of their 12 opponents. GO AHEAD CALL IT A COMEBACK Wichita State has made a habit out of falling behind recently. The Shockers have trailed by double digits in three straight games and wound up winning them all: 17, North Texas (Nov. 19); 11, Montana (Nov. 25); 13, LMU (Nov. 26). In those three games Wichita State outscored its opponents 125-74 in the second half. COLBERT CASHING IN &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;has improved dramatically the last two years at the free throw line. The Georgia native began her career shooting 42.1 percent as a freshman, 61.1 percent as a sophomore and 50.9 percent as a COVID sophomore. In 2021-22 she shot a career-high 76.0 percent and so far through 12 games in 2022-23, she is 41-for-47 (87.2 percent). Colbert ranks first in the American in free throw percentage. EXTRA TIME NEEDED Wichita State needed overtime in two of its first five games of the season. The Shockers fell in overtime at Omaha on Nov. 12, but collected an overtime win vs. Montana on Nov. 25. Wichita State is 4-4 in overtime games under&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>. Wichita State is 21-24 all-time in overtime games. BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY Wichita State's 8-1 record to open the season marked the best start in program history. The Shockers got there behind a seven-game win streak. The seven-game win streak was the longest since 2015 when Wichita State won 12 in a row. STATISTICALLY SPEAKING Through 12 games Wichita State ranks in the top 70 nationally in the following categories: No. 23 in rebound margin (10.3), No. 32 in defensive rebounds per game (29.5), No. 38 in field goal percentage defense (35.6), No. 41 in rebounds per game (42.55), No. 44 in free throws made per game (14.6), No. 59 in fouls per game and No. 61 in FT attempts.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;ranks 9th nationally in defensive rebounds per game, No. 13 in rebounds per game, 29th in double-doubles and 44th in total rebounds. WANTED FOR THEFT Junior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;and senior forward&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;have been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through 12 games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all but one game, and has multiple in seven of the 12 games. Her 23 steals are the most on the team and she ranks 10th in the American Athletic Conference. Asinde averages a team-high 2.0 steals a game and has multiple steals in five games this season. A SHOCKER WIN WOULD... ... make them 10-3 on the season ... make them 6-1 at home this season ... move them to 1-0 all-time vs. SC State ... bring&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>' record to 72-81 at Wichita State ... make Adams 356-290 at the Division I level ... run Adams' career coaching record to 483-327 ... make them 392-249 all-time in Charles Koch Arena ... make Wichita State 642-729 all-time A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD... ... make them 9-4 this the season ... drop them to 5-2 at home this season ... make them 0-1 all-time vs. SC State ... bring&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>' record to 71-82 at Wichita State ... make Adams 355-291 at the Division I level ... lower Adams' career coaching record to 482-328 ... make them 391-250 all-time in Charles Koch Arena ... make Wichita State 641-730 all-time UP NEXT Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference action on Friday vs. Cincinnati in Charles Koch Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672147864282.jpeg" alt="WSU WBB vs South Carolina State Tuesday night at Koch Arena" />
 <figcaption>WSU WBB vs South Carolina State Tuesday night at Koch Arena</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.—Wichita State Women's basketball will close out the non-conference part of their schedule Tuesday night with a home game at Koch Arena versus South Carolina State.
LAST TIME OUT Wichita State suffered its first home loss of the season last Tuesday in a 61-56 setback to Wyoming. Wichita State clawed back from an 11-point halftime deficit only to see the Cowgirls close the game on a 7-0 run to escape with a win. The Shockers were held to a season-low 17 first half points, including only six in the second quarter. Wichita State was perfect at the free throw line, going 16-for-16.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;scored a game-high 19 points on 8-of-18 shooting to go with five rebounds and four assists.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;tied a career high with 16 rebounds to go with 14 points, marking her second double-double of the season.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/curtessia-dean/7199">Curtessia Dean</a>&nbsp;added 10 points, six rebounds and a season-high three steals. SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS Led by first year head coach Tim Eatman, South Carolina State enters Tuesday's matchup at 1-11 this season. The Bulldogs are scoring just 44.0 points per game on 31.2 percent shooting. They allow 70.6 points and are being outrebounded by an average of 16.0 per game. South Carolina State ranks near the bottom of the NCAA in scoring, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, assists and rebounding. Nicole Gwynn is the only Bulldog in double figures at 10.0 per game. Lovely Sonnier leads South Carolina State in rebounding (8.1), blocks (9) and steals (22). THE SERIES VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE Wichita State and South Carolina State will meet for the first time in women's hoops on Tuesday. JANE GOT GAME Wichita State senior&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;has been unstoppable for the Shockers. The Uganda native has double-doubles in five of the 10 games she's played in, including back-to-back 20-point double-doubles at the LMU Thanksgiving Classic. Asinde opened the LMU Thanksgiving Classic with a career-high 19 rebounds to go with 20 points against Montana and followed that with a career-high 22 points and 15 rebounds vs. Loyola Marymount. She has double digit rebounds in six of the 10 games. GETTING DEFENSIVE Wichita State boasts a top 70 defense through the first 12 games of the season. They have held all but three opponents to less than 38 percent shooting, and only four teams have shot better than 30 percent from three-point range. Wichita State's field goal defense is holding teams to just 36.1 percent, good for 52nd nationally. Opponents are connecting on only 29.3 percent of their attempts from long range. GLASS CLEANERS &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wichita State is one of the top rebounding teams in the country once again this season. Through 12 games Wichita State ranks 29th nationally in rebound margin, 34th in defensive rebounds per game and 47th in total rebounds per game. The Shockers have outrebounded 10 of their 12 opponents. GO AHEAD CALL IT A COMEBACK Wichita State has made a habit out of falling behind recently. The Shockers have trailed by double digits in three straight games and wound up winning them all: 17, North Texas (Nov. 19); 11, Montana (Nov. 25); 13, LMU (Nov. 26). In those three games Wichita State outscored its opponents 125-74 in the second half. COLBERT CASHING IN &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/trajata-colbert/7155">Trajata Colbert</a>&nbsp;has improved dramatically the last two years at the free throw line. The Georgia native began her career shooting 42.1 percent as a freshman, 61.1 percent as a sophomore and 50.9 percent as a COVID sophomore. In 2021-22 she shot a career-high 76.0 percent and so far through 12 games in 2022-23, she is 41-for-47 (87.2 percent). Colbert ranks first in the American in free throw percentage. EXTRA TIME NEEDED Wichita State needed overtime in two of its first five games of the season. The Shockers fell in overtime at Omaha on Nov. 12, but collected an overtime win vs. Montana on Nov. 25. Wichita State is 4-4 in overtime games under&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>. Wichita State is 21-24 all-time in overtime games. BEST START IN SCHOOL HISTORY Wichita State's 8-1 record to open the season marked the best start in program history. The Shockers got there behind a seven-game win streak. The seven-game win streak was the longest since 2015 when Wichita State won 12 in a row. STATISTICALLY SPEAKING Through 12 games Wichita State ranks in the top 70 nationally in the following categories: No. 23 in rebound margin (10.3), No. 32 in defensive rebounds per game (29.5), No. 38 in field goal percentage defense (35.6), No. 41 in rebounds per game (42.55), No. 44 in free throws made per game (14.6), No. 59 in fouls per game and No. 61 in FT attempts.&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;ranks 9th nationally in defensive rebounds per game, No. 13 in rebounds per game, 29th in double-doubles and 44th in total rebounds. WANTED FOR THEFT Junior guard&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/dj-mccarty/7157">DJ McCarty</a>&nbsp;and senior forward&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/jane-asinde/7152">Jane Asinde</a>&nbsp;have been a pest on defense for opposing offenses through 12 games. McCarty has recorded at least one steal in all but one game, and has multiple in seven of the 12 games. Her 23 steals are the most on the team and she ranks 10th in the American Athletic Conference. Asinde averages a team-high 2.0 steals a game and has multiple steals in five games this season. A SHOCKER WIN WOULD... ... make them 10-3 on the season ... make them 6-1 at home this season ... move them to 1-0 all-time vs. SC State ... bring&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>' record to 72-81 at Wichita State ... make Adams 356-290 at the Division I level ... run Adams' career coaching record to 483-327 ... make them 392-249 all-time in Charles Koch Arena ... make Wichita State 642-729 all-time A SHOCKER LOSS WOULD... ... make them 9-4 this the season ... drop them to 5-2 at home this season ... make them 0-1 all-time vs. SC State ... bring&nbsp;<a href="https://goshockers.com/sports/womens-basketball/roster/coaches/keitha-adams/1047">Keitha Adams</a>' record to 71-82 at Wichita State ... make Adams 355-291 at the Division I level ... lower Adams' career coaching record to 482-328 ... make them 391-250 all-time in Charles Koch Arena ... make Wichita State 641-730 all-time UP NEXT Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference action on Friday vs. Cincinnati in Charles Koch Arena.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 WBB: Shockers close out non-conference slate Tuesday night

HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp;

Diego Paiva threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns and New Mexico State held off a late rally by Bowling Green to win the Quick Lane Bowl 24 to 19 on Monday in Detroit. The Aggies were up 24 seven late in the third. The Falcons closed the gap in the fourth to make it 24-19 after a field goal as safety off a blocked punt and Camden North's 19 yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Brody with 6:27 left. But New Mexico State kept control the ball for the rest of the game to get the win. 

New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill, who briefly was, of course, at K-State as an assistant to Bill Snyder and played his college ball at Southwestern here in Kansas, won his first ever bowl game on Monday. 

Four bowl games on tap. Today we start out with Buffalo and Georgia, Southern. That from Montgomery, Alabama. Then Memphis and Utah State from Dallas, coastal Carolina and East Carolina in Birmingham, Alabama. And Oklahoma State. And Wisconsin in Phoenix. 

Purdue still number one, the AP top 25 men's basketball poll for a third straight week. North Carolina back in the pool at #25, the Boilermakers earning 40 and 60 of first place votes. UConn is a # 2. Houston, KU and Arizona rounded out the top five. 

Other Big 12 teams in the top 25. Texas is 6th. Baylor is 12th. TCU is 18th. West Virginia is 24th. Iowa State, Texas Tech and K-State all receiving votes. 

And the Wichita State women close out their non-conference schedule tonight at the Roundhouse as they face South Carolina State with a 6 p.m. tip. 

Wichita State suffered its first home loss of the season last Tuesday in a 61-56 setback to Wyoming. Shocker women come into tonight at 9 and 3 on the year. South Carolina state is 1 and 11.&nbsp; 

And the Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett before their season even ends. Of course, the Broncos play the Chiefs at Arrowhead on New Year's Day.  

That's BW Radio Sports for Tuesday Morning. 

<div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for Tuesday Morning, December 27th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=x2kuw-1349547-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp;Diego Paiva threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns and New Mexico State held off a late rally by Bowling Green to win the Quick Lane Bowl 24 to 19 on Monday in Detroit. The Aggies were up 24 seven late in the third. The Falcons closed the gap in the fourth to make it 24-19 after a field goal as safety off a blocked punt and Camden North's 19 yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Brody with 6:27 left. But New Mexico State kept control the ball for the rest of the game to get the win. New Mexico State coach Jerry Kill, who briefly was, of course, at K-State as an assistant to Bill Snyder and played his college ball at Southwestern here in Kansas, won his first ever bowl game on Monday. Four bowl games on tap. Today we start out with Buffalo and Georgia, Southern. That from Montgomery, Alabama. Then Memphis and Utah State from Dallas, coastal Carolina and East Carolina in Birmingham, Alabama. And Oklahoma State. And Wisconsin in Phoenix. Purdue still number one, the AP top 25 men's basketball poll for a third straight week. North Carolina back in the pool at #25, the Boilermakers earning 40 and 60 of first place votes. UConn is a # 2. Houston, KU and Arizona rounded out the top five. Other Big 12 teams in the top 25. Texas is 6th. Baylor is 12th. TCU is 18th. West Virginia is 24th. Iowa State, Texas Tech and K-State all receiving votes. And the Wichita State women close out their non-conference schedule tonight at the Roundhouse as they face South Carolina State with a 6 p.m. tip. Wichita State suffered its first home loss of the season last Tuesday in a 61-56 setback to Wyoming. Shocker women come into tonight at 9 and 3 on the year. South Carolina state is 1 and 11.&nbsp; And the Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett before their season even ends. Of course, the Broncos play the Chiefs at Arrowhead on New Year's Day. That's BW Radio Sports for Tuesday Morning. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 📰 Eagle Media Sports for Tuesday Morning

MEMPHIS, TN. (AP) --&nbsp;The 2022 Liberty Bowl is still expected to be played on its original schedule, the bowl announced on Monday night. The statement comes as the city of Memphis faces water issues stemming from cold weather over Christmas. Temperatures were below freezing over the weekend and according to Memphis Light Gas and Electric 22 water main pipes burst as a result. As of Monday afternoon, the company had fixed 19 of those breaks. There was a boil water advisory in the city as a result of the water issues in the city.

The Kansas team hotel had been impacted by the lack of water and the team was told to refrain from using tap water and to drink from water bottles instead. Many hotels in the downtown area have also had water issues as a result. A spokesperson for the Liberty Bowl released the following statement Monday evening.

“There have been significant weather challenges throughout the country, including here in Memphis,” the statement said. “We can assure you that the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl between Kansas and Arkansas will be played on Wednesday, December 28th with kickoff at 4:30 p.m. The weather forecast at game time is for temperatures in the 50s.”

Kansas arrived in Memphis on Christmas Night. On Monday, the team held a practice that had to be moved due to the snow. The game will be televised on ESPN. It will be the first game between the two football programs since the early 1900s. KU is 2-0 all time against Arkansas all time.

As for the teams, Arkansas is coming off a 6-6 season in head coach Sam Pittman's third year. The Razorbacks were a preseason Top 25 team and were ranked as high as No. 10 before three straight losses saw them drop out of the rankings. Arkansas won games over Cincinnati, South Carolina, BYU, Auburn and Ole Miss this season. KU was able to make its first bowl game in over a decade after a roller-coaster season. KU started the year off 5-0 and was ranked in the AP Top 25. But the tougher part of the schedule and an injury to Jalon Daniels contributed to KU losing six of its last seven games.

KU will have a big opportunity to start building offseason momentum with a win. KU is currently on track to return 10 of 11 starters on offense from this past season. KU’s only official loss right now is Earl Bostick Jr., who KU has a potential replacement on the way in the form of Wisconsin transfer Logan Brown. On defense, KU will lose a lot of depth along the defensive line with four departures from the two deep, but KU returns all three starting linebackers and cornerbacks and will likely return its main trio of safeties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672138980547.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MEMPHIS, TN. (AP) --&nbsp;The 2022 Liberty Bowl is still expected to be played on its original schedule, the bowl announced on Monday night. The statement comes as the city of Memphis faces water issues stemming from cold weather over Christmas. Temperatures were below freezing over the weekend and according to Memphis Light Gas and Electric 22 water main pipes burst as a result. As of Monday afternoon, the company had fixed 19 of those breaks. There was a boil water advisory in the city as a result of the water issues in the city.The Kansas team hotel had been impacted by the lack of water and the team was told to refrain from using tap water and to drink from water bottles instead. Many hotels in the downtown area have also had water issues as a result. A spokesperson for the Liberty Bowl released the following statement Monday evening.“There have been significant weather challenges throughout the country, including here in Memphis,” the statement said. “We can assure you that the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl between Kansas and Arkansas will be played on Wednesday, December 28th with kickoff at 4:30 p.m. The weather forecast at game time is for temperatures in the 50s.”Kansas arrived in Memphis on Christmas Night. On Monday, the team held a practice that had to be moved due to the snow. The game will be televised on ESPN. It will be the first game between the two football programs since the early 1900s. KU is 2-0 all time against Arkansas all time.As for the teams, Arkansas is coming off a 6-6 season in head coach Sam Pittman's third year. The Razorbacks were a preseason Top 25 team and were ranked as high as No. 10 before three straight losses saw them drop out of the rankings. Arkansas won games over Cincinnati, South Carolina, BYU, Auburn and Ole Miss this season. KU was able to make its first bowl game in over a decade after a roller-coaster season. KU started the year off 5-0 and was ranked in the AP Top 25. But the tougher part of the schedule and an injury to Jalon Daniels contributed to KU losing six of its last seven games.KU will have a big opportunity to start building offseason momentum with a win. KU is currently on track to return 10 of 11 starters on offense from this past season. KU’s only official loss right now is Earl Bostick Jr., who KU has a potential replacement on the way in the form of Wisconsin transfer Logan Brown. On defense, KU will lose a lot of depth along the defensive line with four departures from the two deep, but KU returns all three starting linebackers and cornerbacks and will likely return its main trio of safeties.

🏈 Liberty Bowl releases statement about status of Wednesday's game

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—(AP) The Denver Broncos’ tumultuous and disappointing season continued Monday with the firing of first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The move brings some unknown, especially scheme-wise, just six days before the Chiefs welcome the Broncos to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. But the Chiefs will be prepared for whatever comes their way. 

“The fact that there could be some changes that take place offensively, defensively, special teams — I’m not sure who they put in that position to determine what goes on or not go on — but there’s always that chance,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “There’s a sudden change that’s going to take place here, so you just got to be aware of anything and everything.” This isn’t the season the Broncos envisioned after the team loaded up during the offseason to close the gap in the AFC West.&nbsp; 

Two of Denver’s biggest moves were the hiring of Hackett away from the Green Bay Packers and acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The results, however, have been a disaster, as the Broncos enter Week 17 with a 4-11 record. 

Still, there is talent on the Broncos’ roster on both sides of the football. Wilson and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who scored three touchdowns against the Chiefs in Week 14, anchor the offense, while the defense boasts a pair of star defensive backs in safety Justin Simmons and cornerback Patrick Surtain II.&nbsp;

 And despite Denver now having an interim head coach, the Chiefs are fully aware of the challenges the Broncos present because of the recent matchup.&nbsp; 

Chiefs' Andy Reid is pleased with the teams performance against the Seattle Seahawks Andy Reid spoke to the media on this brisk Monday afternoon about the Chiefs performance against the Seattle Seahawks. 

In that Week 14 meeting, the Chiefs jumped out to a 27-0 lead before the Broncos mounted a comeback attempt with 21 straight points. The Chiefs held on to win 34-28, marking a 14th straight win over their AFC West divisional foe. “Listen, they played well against us last time, a few weeks ago,” Reid said. “The quarterback had some big runs and Jeudy some big catches, and then their defense played well against us after we had taken the 27-0 lead. 

We had the interceptions, and their pass defense was tremendous, which it’s been all year. And it just kind of tightened up on us at that time. 

“So we’ve got to make sure we’re on our ‘A’ game. They already have our attention from our last game. Whatever they did with Hackett or didn’t do with Hackett, I mean, they had our attention. We know we’ve got to be ready, so that’s there.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—(AP) The Denver Broncos’ tumultuous and disappointing season continued Monday with the firing of first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The move brings some unknown, especially scheme-wise, just six days before the Chiefs welcome the Broncos to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. But the Chiefs will be prepared for whatever comes their way. “The fact that there could be some changes that take place offensively, defensively, special teams — I’m not sure who they put in that position to determine what goes on or not go on — but there’s always that chance,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “There’s a sudden change that’s going to take place here, so you just got to be aware of anything and everything.” This isn’t the season the Broncos envisioned after the team loaded up during the offseason to close the gap in the AFC West.&nbsp; Two of Denver’s biggest moves were the hiring of Hackett away from the Green Bay Packers and acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The results, however, have been a disaster, as the Broncos enter Week 17 with a 4-11 record. Still, there is talent on the Broncos’ roster on both sides of the football. Wilson and wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, who scored three touchdowns against the Chiefs in Week 14, anchor the offense, while the defense boasts a pair of star defensive backs in safety Justin Simmons and cornerback Patrick Surtain II.&nbsp; And despite Denver now having an interim head coach, the Chiefs are fully aware of the challenges the Broncos present because of the recent matchup.&nbsp; Chiefs' Andy Reid is pleased with the teams performance against the Seattle Seahawks Andy Reid spoke to the media on this brisk Monday afternoon about the Chiefs performance against the Seattle Seahawks. In that Week 14 meeting, the Chiefs jumped out to a 27-0 lead before the Broncos mounted a comeback attempt with 21 straight points. The Chiefs held on to win 34-28, marking a 14th straight win over their AFC West divisional foe. “Listen, they played well against us last time, a few weeks ago,” Reid said. “The quarterback had some big runs and Jeudy some big catches, and then their defense played well against us after we had taken the 27-0 lead. We had the interceptions, and their pass defense was tremendous, which it’s been all year. And it just kind of tightened up on us at that time. “So we’ve got to make sure we’re on our ‘A’ game. They already have our attention from our last game. Whatever they did with Hackett or didn’t do with Hackett, I mean, they had our attention. We know we’ve got to be ready, so that’s there.”

🏈 Chiefs will be aware of ‘anything and everything’ vs. Broncos Sunday

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' women's college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, and total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking.

Others receiving votes: Louisville 19, Duke 18, Villanova 13, Nebraska 10, South Florida 7, Middle Tennessee 6, Columbia 6, Texas 5, Marquette 4, Alabama 4.

The Associated PressThe top 25 teams in The Associated Press' women's college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, and total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking.		Record	Pts	Prv1. South Carolina (28)	12-0	700	12. Stanford	13-1	672	23. Ohio St.	13-0	632	34. Indiana	12-0	620	45. Notre Dame	10-1	591	56. NC State	11-1	531	77. Virginia Tech	11-1	508	88. UConn	9-2	499	99. LSU	12-0	442	1010. UCLA	12-1	433	1111. Utah	12-0	398	1212. Iowa	10-3	374	1313. North Carolina	9-2	373	614. Michigan	11-1	342	1915. Iowa St.	8-2	337	1416. Maryland	10-3	304	1517. Oregon	10-2	260	1618. Arizona	10-1	238	1819. Gonzaga	12-2	155	2220. Oklahoma	10-1	139	2321. Creighton	8-3	108	2122. Kansas	10-1	94	2023. Baylor	9-3	93	2424. Arkansas	13-2	90	1725. St. John's	12-0	75	25Others receiving votes: Louisville 19, Duke 18, Villanova 13, Nebraska 10, South Florida 7, Middle Tennessee 6, Columbia 6, Texas 5, Marquette 4, Alabama 4.

🏀 AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have relied on unsung and overlooked players alongside stars such as Patrick Mahomes to not only win the AFC West, but continue to fight for the lone first-round playoff bye in the conference. Jerick McKinnon is tops on the list as the journeyman running back has scored in four straight games with seven TDs over that span. He signed a one-year deal that pays him a relatively paltry $1,272,500 this season, making him perhaps one of the best values in the NFL this season. Other unsung players such as Andrew Wylie and Justin Watson have been steals for Kansas City at various points.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games. Hackett never was able to get quarterback Russell Wilson out of a season-long slump. The Broncos are 4-11 and have posted their sixth straight losing season and are missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but the Broncos got worse in almost every category under the first-time head coach. Players were told during a team meeting Monday that senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg will serve as interim head coach.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended for one game Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi for exchanging punches following their game on Sunday. Gregory and Aboushi exchanged words during the postgame handshake and Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi's helmet. Aboushi retaliated before teammates stepped in and separated them. Gregory had received two 15-yard penalties during the Broncos' 51-14 loss to the Rams. He threw his helmet on one play and then hit Rams QB Baker Mayfield in the head on the other.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Austin Ekeler scored on two 1-yard runs and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018, intercepting Indianapolis quarterback Nick Foles three times to beat the overmatched Colts 20-3. Justin Herbert threw for 235 yards and Cameron Dicker made two short field goals for the Chargers, who won their third straight after getting the help they needed this weekend from Las Vegas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets. Los Angeles won on the road on a Monday night for the first time in more than a decade. Indianapolis lost its fifth straight under interim coach Jeff Saturday.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa was experiencing concussion symptoms when he met with team doctors on Monday, a day after the Dolphins’ 26-20 loss to Green Bay. Teddy Bridgewater is expected to get most of the first-team reps in practice this week. McDaniel said it is too early to name a starter for Miami’s game at New England on Sunday. It is the second time this season that Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol. The protocol itself was changed after Tagovailoa took a hard hit and appeared to show concussion symptoms but remained in a game.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Sonny Dykes says he thought about changing careers five years ago when he was finishing a season as an off-field offensive analyst at TCU after being fired at California. Instead, he's coaching the 12-1 Horned Frogs this week in the CFP semifinal Fiesta Bowl against Michigan. Dykes replaced Gary Patterson following a successful four-year stay at SMU. The 53-year-old son of the late Spike Dykes is the AP college football coach of the year. The Frogs were undefeated until an overtime loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game.

UNDATED (AP) — Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week. The week also included preseason No. 1 North Carolina returning to the rankings at No. 25 and New Mexico cracking the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll, while fellow unbeaten Connecticut earned the other 20 to sit at No. 2 in an unchanged top. Houston, Kansas and Arizona rounded out the top five. Miami made the week's biggest jump by climbing eight spots to No. 14.

UNDATED (AP) — South Carolina maintained its hold on top of The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. The Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot for 27 consecutive weeks. That is the fifth longest run all-time. UConn has three of the top four streaks, including the record 51-week run from Feb. 18, 2008 to Dec. 10, 2010. Louisiana Tech has the second longest streak of 36 weeks. The top five teams remained unchanged as Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame stayed behind the Gamecocks. South Carolina hosts Texas A&amp;M on Thursday.

HAVANA (AP) — The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year. The license could be a big step in once again turning Cuba’s national team into heavy hitters on an international stage. It clears the way for MLB stars such as Yordan Alvarez, José Abreu and Randy Arozarena to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in March if they choose to accept a potential invitation. It’s up to each country’s national governing body to pick the players on its team. Final 30-man rosters are due Feb. 7 for the WBC, which begins March 8 with Cuba facing the Netherlands in Taiwan.

UNDATED (AP) — Roberto Clemente remains one of the most revered figures in Puerto Rico and Latin America 50 years after his death. His graceful flare and powerful arm were unrivaled in his era. His humanitarian efforts off the field are perhaps his greatest legacy, though. Half a century after he played, many of today’s Latino baseball players credit him for paving the way. Clemente died at age 38 on Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico as he was delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs have relied on unsung and overlooked players alongside stars such as Patrick Mahomes to not only win the AFC West, but continue to fight for the lone first-round playoff bye in the conference. Jerick McKinnon is tops on the list as the journeyman running back has scored in four straight games with seven TDs over that span. He signed a one-year deal that pays him a relatively paltry $1,272,500 this season, making him perhaps one of the best values in the NFL this season. Other unsung players such as Andrew Wylie and Justin Watson have been steals for Kansas City at various points.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games. Hackett never was able to get quarterback Russell Wilson out of a season-long slump. The Broncos are 4-11 and have posted their sixth straight losing season and are missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but the Broncos got worse in almost every category under the first-time head coach. Players were told during a team meeting Monday that senior assistant coach Jerry Rosburg will serve as interim head coach.NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended for one game Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi for exchanging punches following their game on Sunday. Gregory and Aboushi exchanged words during the postgame handshake and Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi's helmet. Aboushi retaliated before teammates stepped in and separated them. Gregory had received two 15-yard penalties during the Broncos' 51-14 loss to the Rams. He threw his helmet on one play and then hit Rams QB Baker Mayfield in the head on the other.INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Austin Ekeler scored on two 1-yard runs and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched their first playoff berth since 2018, intercepting Indianapolis quarterback Nick Foles three times to beat the overmatched Colts 20-3. Justin Herbert threw for 235 yards and Cameron Dicker made two short field goals for the Chargers, who won their third straight after getting the help they needed this weekend from Las Vegas, Miami, New England and the New York Jets. Los Angeles won on the road on a Monday night for the first time in more than a decade. Indianapolis lost its fifth straight under interim coach Jeff Saturday.MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that Tagovailoa was experiencing concussion symptoms when he met with team doctors on Monday, a day after the Dolphins’ 26-20 loss to Green Bay. Teddy Bridgewater is expected to get most of the first-team reps in practice this week. McDaniel said it is too early to name a starter for Miami’s game at New England on Sunday. It is the second time this season that Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol. The protocol itself was changed after Tagovailoa took a hard hit and appeared to show concussion symptoms but remained in a game.FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Sonny Dykes says he thought about changing careers five years ago when he was finishing a season as an off-field offensive analyst at TCU after being fired at California. Instead, he's coaching the 12-1 Horned Frogs this week in the CFP semifinal Fiesta Bowl against Michigan. Dykes replaced Gary Patterson following a successful four-year stay at SMU. The 53-year-old son of the late Spike Dykes is the AP college football coach of the year. The Frogs were undefeated until an overtime loss to Kansas State in the Big 12 championship game.UNDATED (AP) — Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week. The week also included preseason No. 1 North Carolina returning to the rankings at No. 25 and New Mexico cracking the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll, while fellow unbeaten Connecticut earned the other 20 to sit at No. 2 in an unchanged top. Houston, Kansas and Arizona rounded out the top five. Miami made the week's biggest jump by climbing eight spots to No. 14.UNDATED (AP) — South Carolina maintained its hold on top of The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. The Gamecocks have held the No. 1 spot for 27 consecutive weeks. That is the fifth longest run all-time. UConn has three of the top four streaks, including the record 51-week run from Feb. 18, 2008 to Dec. 10, 2010. Louisiana Tech has the second longest streak of 36 weeks. The top five teams remained unchanged as Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame stayed behind the Gamecocks. South Carolina hosts Texas A&amp;M on Thursday.HAVANA (AP) — The United States will permit Major League Baseball players from Cuba to represent their home country in the World Baseball Classic next year. The license could be a big step in once again turning Cuba’s national team into heavy hitters on an international stage. It clears the way for MLB stars such as Yordan Alvarez, José Abreu and Randy Arozarena to play for Cuba in the World Baseball Classic in March if they choose to accept a potential invitation. It’s up to each country’s national governing body to pick the players on its team. Final 30-man rosters are due Feb. 7 for the WBC, which begins March 8 with Cuba facing the Netherlands in Taiwan.UNDATED (AP) — Roberto Clemente remains one of the most revered figures in Puerto Rico and Latin America 50 years after his death. His graceful flare and powerful arm were unrivaled in his era. His humanitarian efforts off the field are perhaps his greatest legacy, though. Half a century after he played, many of today’s Latino baseball players credit him for paving the way. Clemente died at age 38 on Dec. 31, 1972, when his plane crashed off the coast of Puerto Rico as he was delivering relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.MONDAY SCORESNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal L.A. Chargers 20 Indianapolis 3NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Brooklyn 125 Cleveland 117Final OT L.A. Clippers 142 Detroit 131Final Miami 113 Minnesota 110Final Houston 133 Chicago 118Final New Orleans 113 Indiana 93Final San Antonio 126 Utah 122Final Portland 124 Charlotte 113

Sports Headlines for Tuesday

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the first time since the 2008 season, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football when they travel to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl on December 28.

For more information on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, including fan information, tickets, bowl apparel and more, visit the Kansas Jayhawks Bowl Hub here.

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic is the seventh oldest college bowl game and is one of the most tradition-rich and patriotic bowl games in America. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl was founded in Philadelphia in 1959 and the inaugural game featured a match-up between Penn State and Alabama. That game began a tradition of great stars, exciting football, and was the first of 63 thrilling chapters in the history of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl has enjoyed many highlights through the years. The Bowl has hosted all-time great coaches such as Paul “Bear” Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne, Steve Spurrier and Bill Snyder. The Bowl’s history also includes four Heisman Trophy winners (Ernie Davis, Terry Baker, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson) and other stars such as Archie Manning and Donovan McNabb.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671896234996.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. – For the first time since the 2008 season, the Kansas Jayhawks will play postseason football when they travel to Memphis, Tennessee to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 64th AutoZone Liberty Bowl on December 28.Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN with Dave O’Brien (Play-by-Play), Dan Mullen (Analyst) and Taylor McGregor (Sideline) on the call.Both teams are battling for a winning season and the rights to the Bell Trophy, which is awarded to the winner of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. The meeting between Kansas and Arkansas will be the third in their series history, which dates back to 1905. Kansas has won both meetings between the two teams, with the first coming in 1905 (6-0) and last meeting in 1906 (37-5).Kansas enters its 13th bowl game in program history, where the Jayhawks hold a 6-6 record all-time. Kansas last played in a bowl game in 2008, when they defeated Minnesota in the Insight Bowl, 42-21. The Jayhawks are 5-1 in their last six bowl games, including three straight bowl wins. This will be Kansas’ second appearance in the Liberty Bowl, with its first coming on Dec. 17, 1973, in a 31-18 loss to North Carolina State.The 2022 season has been nothing short of a breakout season for the Jayhawks, who have earned six wins for the first time since 2008. Kansas ranks 28th in the country in scoring offense at 34.2 points per game, which are the most since the 2007 season. Over the last 10 seasons, Kansas’ highest scoring average was 23.5 in 2019.Kansas’ success earned nine Jayhawks a spot on the All-Big 12 teams, led by sophomore cornerback Cobee Bryant being named All-Big 12 First Team. The Jayhawks also placed three individuals on the Second Team, including quarterback Jalon Daniels, tight end Mason Fairchild and center Mike Novitsky.Arkansas finished 3-5 in the SEC, dropping its final game of the season at Missouri, 29-27. Head coach Sam Pittman’s team is led by quarterback KJ Jefferson, who completed 185-of-271 passes this season for 2,361 yards, 22 touchdowns and just four interceptions.Sophomore running back Raheim Sanders was also a standout on offense, rushing for 1,426 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry. Overall, the Arkansas offense is ranked No. 26 in the country in total offense and the defense is ranked No. 123.Arkansas was well-represented on the All-SEC teams with six individuals named, including center Ricky Stromberg, linebacker Drew Sanders, kickoff specialist Jake Bates, running back Raheim Sanders, linebacker Bumper Pool and defensive back Dwight McGlothern.For more information on the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, including fan information, tickets, bowl apparel and more, visit the Kansas Jayhawks Bowl Hub here.About the AutoZone Liberty BowlThe AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic is the seventh oldest college bowl game and is one of the most tradition-rich and patriotic bowl games in America. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl was founded in Philadelphia in 1959 and the inaugural game featured a match-up between Penn State and Alabama. That game began a tradition of great stars, exciting football, and was the first of 63 thrilling chapters in the history of the AutoZone Liberty Bowl Football Classic. The AutoZone Liberty Bowl has enjoyed many highlights through the years. The Bowl has hosted all-time great coaches such as Paul “Bear” Bryant, Lou Holtz, Tom Osborne, Steve Spurrier and Bill Snyder. The Bowl’s history also includes four Heisman Trophy winners (Ernie Davis, Terry Baker, Doug Flutie and Bo Jackson) and other stars such as Archie Manning and Donovan McNabb.

🏈 Kansas Set to take on Arkansas in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended for one game Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi for exchanging punches following their game on Sunday.

Gregory and Aboushi exchanged words during the postgame handshake and Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi's helmet.

Aboushi retaliated before teammates stepped in and separated them.

Gregory had received two 15-yard penalties during the Broncos' 51-14 loss to the Rams.

He threw his helmet on one play and then hit Rams QB Baker Mayfield in the head on the other.

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL has suspended for one game Broncos linebacker Randy Gregory and Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi for exchanging punches following their game on Sunday.Gregory and Aboushi exchanged words during the postgame handshake and Gregory threw a punch at Aboushi's helmet.Aboushi retaliated before teammates stepped in and separated them.Gregory had received two 15-yard penalties during the Broncos' 51-14 loss to the Rams.He threw his helmet on one play and then hit Rams QB Baker Mayfield in the head on the other.

🏈 Bronco's Randy Gregory, Oday Aboushi suspended 1 game for punches

Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week. The week also included preseason No. 1 North Carolina returning to the rankings at No. 25 and New Mexico cracking the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll, while fellow unbeaten Connecticut earned the other 20 to sit at No. 2 in an unchanged top. Houston, Kansas and Arizona rounded out the top five. Miami made the week's biggest jump by climbing eight spots to No. 14.

Others receiving votes: Coll of Charleston 102, Maryland 87, Memphis 74, Illinois 65, Ohio St. 59, Missouri 57, Virginia Tech 57, San Diego St. 39,&nbsp;Iowa St. 19, Marquette 12,&nbsp;Texas Tech 10, Michigan St. 7, Providence 6,&nbsp;Kansas St 5, Southern Cal 4, San Francisco 1.

Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week. The week also included preseason No. 1 North Carolina returning to the rankings at No. 25 and New Mexico cracking the poll for the first time in eight years. The Boilermakers earned 40 of 60 first-place votes in Monday’s new poll, while fellow unbeaten Connecticut earned the other 20 to sit at No. 2 in an unchanged top. Houston, Kansas and Arizona rounded out the top five. Miami made the week's biggest jump by climbing eight spots to No. 14.Record Pts Prv1. Purdue (40) 12-0 1478 12. UConn (20) 13-0 1459 23. Houston 12-1 1351 34. Kansas 11-1 1299 45. Arizona 12-1 1274 56. Texas 10-1 1144 77. Tennessee 10-2 1068 88. Alabama 10-2 1067 99. Arkansas 11-1 1017 1010. Gonzaga 10-3 940 1111. UCLA 11-2 906 1312. Baylor 9-2 888 1213. Virginia 8-2 861 614. Miami 12-1 658 2215. Wisconsin 9-2 570 1716. Indiana 10-3 513 1817. Duke 10-3 500 1418. TCU 10-1 480 2019. Kentucky 8-3 439 1920. Auburn 10-2 237 2321. Mississippi St. 11-1 215 1522. New Mexico 12-0 147 -22. Xavier 10-3 147 -24. West Virginia 10-2 126 -25. North Carolina 9-4 112 -Others receiving votes: Coll of Charleston 102, Maryland 87, Memphis 74, Illinois 65, Ohio St. 59, Missouri 57, Virginia Tech 57, San Diego St. 39,&nbsp;Iowa St. 19, Marquette 12,&nbsp;Texas Tech 10, Michigan St. 7, Providence 6,&nbsp;Kansas St 5, Southern Cal 4, San Francisco 1.

🏀 Kansas remains at No. 4 in AP Men's Poll

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games. Hackett never was able to get quarterback Russell Wilson out of a season-long slump. The Broncos are 4-11 and have posted their sixth straight losing season and are missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but the Broncos got worse in almost every category under the first-time head coach.

Denver parted ways with the 43-year-old two games before the end of his first season with the team. He had led the Broncos to just a 4-11 record despite the team being seen as a potential contender entering 2022.

An interim head coach has not yet been announced.

Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner released a statement after the firing.

"I will lead our head coaching search with support from out ownership group and George (Paton), whom I have confidence in as our general manager," Penner wrote. "As we begin the process of selecting our next head coach, we remain focused on playing competitive football to finish the season on a positive note."

Under Hackett, the Broncos offense averaged the fewest points per game (15.5) this season and were already eliminated from postseason contention by Week 15.

The poor play began in Week 1 when Wilson made his return to Seattle. The Seahawks won 17-16 in a win that was seen then as an upset. But after how both teams have played since then, Seattle's close win seems to be expected in hindsight.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672086387376.jpeg" alt="Denver Fires nathanial Hackett" />
 <figcaption>Denver Fires nathanial Hackett</figcaption>
 </figure>ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have fired coach Nathaniel Hackett after 15 games. Hackett never was able to get quarterback Russell Wilson out of a season-long slump. The Broncos are 4-11 and have posted their sixth straight losing season and are missing the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but the Broncos got worse in almost every category under the first-time head coach.Denver parted ways with the 43-year-old two games before the end of his first season with the team. He had led the Broncos to just a 4-11 record despite the team being seen as a potential contender entering 2022.An interim head coach has not yet been announced.Broncos owner and CEO Greg Penner released a statement after the firing."I will lead our head coaching search with support from out ownership group and George (Paton), whom I have confidence in as our general manager," Penner wrote. "As we begin the process of selecting our next head coach, we remain focused on playing competitive football to finish the season on a positive note."Under Hackett, the Broncos offense averaged the fewest points per game (15.5) this season and were already eliminated from postseason contention by Week 15.The poor play began in Week 1 when Wilson made his return to Seattle. The Seahawks won 17-16 in a win that was seen then as an upset. But after how both teams have played since then, Seattle's close win seems to be expected in hindsight.

🏈 Denver Broncos fire rookie head coach Hackett

&nbsp; HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp;

Some NFL yesterday, there were three games on tap and some pretty competitive, but least two of the three were. Green Bay won over Miami 26 to 20. The L.A. Rams blowout Denver an embarrassment for the Broncos, one of the worst showings in their recent history, 51 to 14 as the Rams never looked back and a game that went over time last night, Sunday Night Football, Tampa won over Arizona, 19 to 16. 

Monday Night Football tonight, the L.A. Chargers at Indianapolis, that will be at 7:15 pm on ESPN. 

We'll have the Chiefs Kingdome show on BW Radio Sports tonight from 7 to 8. As Kansas City won over Seattle on Saturday by a score of 24 to 10.

The winningest program  in college basketball history, KU celebrating its 125th year of a play during the 2022-2023 season. And they'll host a 125th reunion coming up on Saturday, January 14th, when the Hawks play host to Iowa State at Allen Field House. 

The game will feature on court recognition honoring past Jayhawks in attendance. Additionally, the first 5000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative pennant celebrating 125 years of Kansas basketball. The Iowa State contest on that date will start at 3:00 and be televised on ESPN+, KU off until Saturday when they'll play host to Oklahoma State at 1:00. 

Well, golf has lost one of their legends. We get more from CBS. Kathy Whitworth, "A legendary Hall of Fame pro women's golfer, has died at the age of 83. Over her career, Whitworth scored 88 victories. That's the most by any player, male or female, on a single professional tour." Pretty  incredible stuff.  

That's BW Radio Sports for Monday Morning. 

<div><iframe title="Eagle Media Sports for Monday, December 26th, 2022" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=b7mvj-13487bb-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=1&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=7"></iframe></div>&nbsp; HUTCHINSON, Kan.:&nbsp;(Transcript from KWBW Sports)&nbsp;7:10 am on BW Radio, time to turn to sports,&nbsp; &nbsp;Some NFL yesterday, there were three games on tap and some pretty competitive, but least two of the three were. Green Bay won over Miami 26 to 20. The L.A. Rams blowout Denver an embarrassment for the Broncos, one of the worst showings in their recent history, 51 to 14 as the Rams never looked back and a game that went over time last night, Sunday Night Football, Tampa won over Arizona, 19 to 16. Monday Night Football tonight, the L.A. Chargers at Indianapolis, that will be at 7:15 pm on ESPN. We'll have the Chiefs Kingdome show on BW Radio Sports tonight from 7 to 8. As Kansas City won over Seattle on Saturday by a score of 24 to 10.The winningest program in college basketball history, KU celebrating its 125th year of a play during the 2022-2023 season. And they'll host a 125th reunion coming up on Saturday, January 14th, when the Hawks play host to Iowa State at Allen Field House. The game will feature on court recognition honoring past Jayhawks in attendance. Additionally, the first 5000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative pennant celebrating 125 years of Kansas basketball. The Iowa State contest on that date will start at 3:00 and be televised on ESPN+, KU off until Saturday when they'll play host to Oklahoma State at 1:00. Well, golf has lost one of their legends. We get more from CBS. Kathy Whitworth, "A legendary Hall of Fame pro women's golfer, has died at the age of 83. Over her career, Whitworth scored 88 victories. That's the most by any player, male or female, on a single professional tour." Pretty incredible stuff. That's BW Radio Sports for Monday Morning. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

🎙 📰 Eagle Media Sports for Monday Morning

AP Sports Summary for Monday, December 26th, 2022

Tom Brady, Buccaneers rally to beat Cardinals 19-16 in OT

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers maintained control of the NFC South, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beating the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in overtime Sunday night. Ryan Succop hit a 40-yard field goal with 3:41 left in overtime, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. The Cardinals got the ball to start overtime but eventually had to punt. Arizona (4-11) has lost five straight games, while Tampa Bay snapped a two-game skid. The Bucs (7-8) stayed a game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the medicore NFC South. Tampa Bay has a crucial home game against Carolina next weekend.

Tagovailoa throws 3 picks, Packers defeat Dolphins 26-20

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw for 238 yards and a touchdown, Green Bay's defense had four takeaways and the Packers came from behind to defeat the Miami Dolphins 26-20 and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Packers (7-8) have won their past three games after starting the season 4-8. Miami (8-7) lost its fourth straight game and must win its final two regular to make the postseason. Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted three times in the fourth quarter to end Miami's comeback bid with the Dolphins trailing by six points.

Mayfield, Akers lead Rams' 51-14 blowout of Wilson's Broncos

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams routed the Denver Broncos 51-14 for their second victory since mid-October. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores. Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams' six sacks of Russell Wilson. Wilson passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion. It was the Rams' first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since a 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.

Jokic, Nuggets outlast Suns 128-125 in OT; Booker sidelined

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had another monster triple-double, Aaron Gordon threw down a pivotal dunk that stood up after a review in overtime and the Denver Nuggets rallied for a 128-125 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Jokic had 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists for his 83rd career triple-double. The two-time reigning NBA MVP had a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist outing a week ago. Phoenix star Devin Booker lasted only 4:20 in his return from a groin injury, scoring two points after getting 58 against New Orleans in his previous start. Jamal Murray tied it in regulation for Denver on a dunk with 10.7 seconds left.

Doncic, Mavs top Lakers 124-115 to celebrate Nowitzki statue

DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 32 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 16 of his 26 points in a huge third quarter for Dallas and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 124-115. Christian Wood added 30 points and tied a career high with seven assists. The Mavericks finished off a celebration of Dirk Nowitzki's statue unveiling by winning just the second Christmas Day home game in franchise history. Dallas took its first lead during a 51-point third quarter, the highest-scoring quarter on Christmas in NBA history. LeBron James scored 38 points and the Lakers led by 12 early in the third before the Mavericks took over.

With Curry out, Poole scores 32 and Warriors beat Grizzlies

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jordan Poole scored 32 points — highlighted by emphatic one-handed slam off a pass from Draymond Green in the third — to outduel Ja Morant before being ejected, and the Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 123-109 on Sunday night in a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals won by Golden State. Morant scored 36 points while debuting his first Nike signature "Ja 1" shoe for the Grizzlies' first Christmas Day game ever. Klay Thompson added 24 points and nine rebounds and Donte DiVincenzo had 19 points as the Warriors played their 10th straight Christmas game.

Tatum has 41, Celtics push back on Giannis, Bucks 139-118

BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 20 of his 41 points in the third quarter to help the Celtics beat the Bucks 139-118 in a matchup of the top two teams in the NBA. Jaylen Brown scored 13 of his 29 in the fourth. Giannis Antetokounmpo lost his temper after a hard pick sent him to the floor and retaliated by shoving the Celtics All-Star. Antetokounmpo was given a technical foul and went to the bench. The teams played the last 3:41 without further incident. Antetokounmpo added 27 points and nine rebounds for Milwaukee, and Jrue Holiday scored 23 points.

A cue for success? Zimbabwe's pool players are betting on it

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Once a minority sport played mostly in Zimbabwe's wealthier neighborhoods, pool has increased in popularity over the years, first as a pastime and now as a survival mode for many in a country where employment is hard to come by. Pool tables have been springing up in bars and homes over recent years across the country as the game's popularity increases. Pool has become an income earner for players and gamblers who bet on games. Others warn that betting is a dangerous habit that can have disastrous impacts on families. But with Zimbabwe's economic outlook so dire, many people are desperately scrambling to make money through a cue stick.

Kathy Whitworth, winningest golfer in history, dies at 83

Hall of Fame golfer Kathy Whitworth has died at the age of 83. Whitworth holds the record with 88 wins on the LPGA Tour. That's one of the most famous records in golf because no one else has ever won more on any tour. Sam Snead and Tiger Woods have 82 wins on the PGA Tour. Whitworth died on Christmas Eve. Her longtime partner says she was celebrating with family and friends. Whitworth won the LPGA money title eight times and was player of the year seven times. But she will also be defined by one number — 88.

Chargers face Colts on rebound after historically poor games

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts revealed the unvarnished truth in their own words this week. After back-to-back historically poor performances, they described it as embarrassing. On Monday night, nine days since allowing the largest comeback in NFL history, the Colts hope to deliver a memorable rebound performance on national television. The Los Angeles Chargers understand. They started Week 16 with the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff chase. And it's come nearly 12 months after an overtime loss in last season's final regular-season game kept them out of the postseason.

AP Sports Summary for Monday, December 26th, 2022Tom Brady, Buccaneers rally to beat Cardinals 19-16 in OTGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers maintained control of the NFC South, overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and beating the Arizona Cardinals 19-16 in overtime Sunday night. Ryan Succop hit a 40-yard field goal with 3:41 left in overtime, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. The Cardinals got the ball to start overtime but eventually had to punt. Arizona (4-11) has lost five straight games, while Tampa Bay snapped a two-game skid. The Bucs (7-8) stayed a game ahead of the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints in the medicore NFC South. Tampa Bay has a crucial home game against Carolina next weekend.Tagovailoa throws 3 picks, Packers defeat Dolphins 26-20MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers threw for 238 yards and a touchdown, Green Bay's defense had four takeaways and the Packers came from behind to defeat the Miami Dolphins 26-20 and keep their playoff hopes alive. The Packers (7-8) have won their past three games after starting the season 4-8. Miami (8-7) lost its fourth straight game and must win its final two regular to make the postseason. Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted three times in the fourth quarter to end Miami's comeback bid with the Dolphins trailing by six points.Mayfield, Akers lead Rams' 51-14 blowout of Wilson's BroncosINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Rams routed the Denver Broncos 51-14 for their second victory since mid-October. Baker Mayfield threw two touchdown passes to Tyler Higbee and Cam Akers rushed for 118 yards and three more scores. Larrell Murchison made 2 1/2 of the Rams' six sacks of Russell Wilson. Wilson passed for 214 yards with three interceptions for Denver in his return from a one-game absence with a concussion. It was the Rams' first 50-point performance under Sean McVay since a 54-51 victory over Kansas City in 2018.Jokic, Nuggets outlast Suns 128-125 in OT; Booker sidelinedDENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had another monster triple-double, Aaron Gordon threw down a pivotal dunk that stood up after a review in overtime and the Denver Nuggets rallied for a 128-125 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Jokic had 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists for his 83rd career triple-double. The two-time reigning NBA MVP had a 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist outing a week ago. Phoenix star Devin Booker lasted only 4:20 in his return from a groin injury, scoring two points after getting 58 against New Orleans in his previous start. Jamal Murray tied it in regulation for Denver on a dunk with 10.7 seconds left.Doncic, Mavs top Lakers 124-115 to celebrate Nowitzki statueDALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic scored 32 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 16 of his 26 points in a huge third quarter for Dallas and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 124-115. Christian Wood added 30 points and tied a career high with seven assists. The Mavericks finished off a celebration of Dirk Nowitzki's statue unveiling by winning just the second Christmas Day home game in franchise history. Dallas took its first lead during a 51-point third quarter, the highest-scoring quarter on Christmas in NBA history. LeBron James scored 38 points and the Lakers led by 12 early in the third before the Mavericks took over.With Curry out, Poole scores 32 and Warriors beat GrizzliesSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jordan Poole scored 32 points — highlighted by emphatic one-handed slam off a pass from Draymond Green in the third — to outduel Ja Morant before being ejected, and the Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 123-109 on Sunday night in a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals won by Golden State. Morant scored 36 points while debuting his first Nike signature "Ja 1" shoe for the Grizzlies' first Christmas Day game ever. Klay Thompson added 24 points and nine rebounds and Donte DiVincenzo had 19 points as the Warriors played their 10th straight Christmas game.Tatum has 41, Celtics push back on Giannis, Bucks 139-118BOSTON (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 20 of his 41 points in the third quarter to help the Celtics beat the Bucks 139-118 in a matchup of the top two teams in the NBA. Jaylen Brown scored 13 of his 29 in the fourth. Giannis Antetokounmpo lost his temper after a hard pick sent him to the floor and retaliated by shoving the Celtics All-Star. Antetokounmpo was given a technical foul and went to the bench. The teams played the last 3:41 without further incident. Antetokounmpo added 27 points and nine rebounds for Milwaukee, and Jrue Holiday scored 23 points.A cue for success? Zimbabwe's pool players are betting on itHARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Once a minority sport played mostly in Zimbabwe's wealthier neighborhoods, pool has increased in popularity over the years, first as a pastime and now as a survival mode for many in a country where employment is hard to come by. Pool tables have been springing up in bars and homes over recent years across the country as the game's popularity increases. Pool has become an income earner for players and gamblers who bet on games. Others warn that betting is a dangerous habit that can have disastrous impacts on families. But with Zimbabwe's economic outlook so dire, many people are desperately scrambling to make money through a cue stick.Kathy Whitworth, winningest golfer in history, dies at 83Hall of Fame golfer Kathy Whitworth has died at the age of 83. Whitworth holds the record with 88 wins on the LPGA Tour. That's one of the most famous records in golf because no one else has ever won more on any tour. Sam Snead and Tiger Woods have 82 wins on the PGA Tour. Whitworth died on Christmas Eve. Her longtime partner says she was celebrating with family and friends. Whitworth won the LPGA money title eight times and was player of the year seven times. But she will also be defined by one number — 88.Chargers face Colts on rebound after historically poor gamesINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts revealed the unvarnished truth in their own words this week. After back-to-back historically poor performances, they described it as embarrassing. On Monday night, nine days since allowing the largest comeback in NFL history, the Colts hope to deliver a memorable rebound performance on national television. The Los Angeles Chargers understand. They started Week 16 with the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff chase. And it's come nearly 12 months after an overtime loss in last season's final regular-season game kept them out of the postseason.<h2>Sunday's NBA Games&nbsp;</h2>Philadelphia 119, New York 112Dallas 124, L.A. Lakers 115Boston 139, Milwaukee 118Golden State 123, Memphis 109Denver 128, Phoenix 125, OTMonday's Games Brooklyn at Cleveland, 7 p.m.L.A. Clippers at Detroit, 7 p.m.Minnesota at Miami, 7:30 p.m.Houston at Chicago, 8 p.m.Indiana at New Orleans, 8 p.m.Utah at San Antonio, 8 p.m.Charlotte at Portland, 10 p.m.Tuesday's Games L.A. Lakers at Orlando, 7 p.m.Philadelphia at Washington, 7 p.m.Atlanta at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.Houston at Boston, 7:30 p.m.L.A. Clippers at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.Phoenix at Memphis, 8 p.m.San Antonio at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.New York at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.Charlotte at Golden State, 10 p.m.Denver at Sacramento, 10 p.m.Wednesday's Games Orlando at Detroit, 7 p.m.Phoenix at Washington, 7 p.m.Brooklyn at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.L.A. Lakers at Miami, 7:30 p.m.Milwaukee at Chicago, 8 p.m.Minnesota at New Orleans, 8 p.m.Denver at Sacramento, 10 p.m.Utah at Golden State, 10 p.m.

Sports Headlines for Monday

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and Kansas City shut down Geno Smith and the slumping Seattle offense as the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 victory over the Seahawks. Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards,and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches for the AFC West champions. They remained tied with Buffalo at 12-3 for the conference's best record. The Seahawks were stopped twice on fourth down and Geno Smith threw a pick in the end zone as they lost for the fifth time in six games.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, Kansas City shut down Geno Smith and Seattle's slumping offense and the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 victory over the Seahawks on Saturday.

Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards, and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches as the AFC West champion Chiefs (12-3) remained tied with Buffalo for the conference's best record with two games to go.

The Chiefs stopped the Seahawks (7-8) twice on fourth down, picked off their Pro Bowl quarterback in the end zone and dealt coach Pete Carroll's team their fifth loss in six games along with a near-knockout blow to their playoff hopes.

Kenneth Walker III was the biggest bright spot for Seattle, running for 107 yards but failing to reach the end zone.

Kansas City has won 16 consecutive regular-season games against NFC opponents.

Much like the rest of the country, the cold weather that flooded the Midwest produced some frigid temperatures — the wind chill was minus-2 at kickoff, and that was an improvement over the previous two days. In fact, it had been so cold the tarp was frozen to the field when workers tried to remove it three hours before kickoff.

That didn't bother a half-dozen Seahawks, including DK Metcalf and his fellow wide receivers, who walked out of the tunnel bare-chested shortly afterward for their pregame warmups on the ice-covered field.

Maybe they weren't cold, but Seattle's offense was downright frigid.

Playing without wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who had surgery on his broken hand this week, Smith and Co. gained just 18 yards on their first 15 plays, and they were forced to punt on their first five possessions.

The Chiefs took advantage of the slow start, too. Mahomes threw a pop pass to Toney to cap a 63-yard TD drive, then a pass to McKinnon out of the backfield a few minutes later for another score. And by the time Harrison Butker drilled a 47-yard field goal late in the half, the Chiefs had jumped out to a 17-0 lead.

Even when Seattle got a field goal before halftime, much of the drive was aided by defensive penalties.

While the Chiefs struggled to extend their lead in the second half, the Seahawks were incapable of trimming it.

They failed on fourth down at the Kansas City 34 when tight end Colby Parkinson was stood up after a catch; failed on fourth down again when Laquon Treadwell failed to run his route to the first-down marker and came up short; and failed to score at the Kansas City 22 when Smith overthrew Treadwell and was picked off by Juan Thornhill in the end zone.

The Chiefs, who have been maligned for failing to put struggling teams away, finally did it on the ensuing possession, when Mahomes hit Kelce with two long throws before sprinting to the pylon for the clinching touchdown.

The Seahawks still have not won at Arrowhead Stadium since Nov. 21, 1999. ... The Seahawks were one of three teams Mahomes had yet to beat along with Indianapolis and Minnesota. ... Mahomes extended his consecutive completions streak to 21 at the start of the game before missing his next throw. ... McKinnon has six TDs in his past four games.

Seahawks: NT Al Woods (Achilles) and SS Ryan Neal (knee) were inactive. ... FS Joey Blount (knee) and RB Travis Homer (ankle) left in the first quarter, and RT Abraham Lucas (thigh) in the third. ... WR Marquise Goodwin also left with a wrist injury, though he was able to return to the game.

Seahawks: host the New York Jets next Sunday.

Chiefs: host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score and Kansas City shut down Geno Smith and the slumping Seattle offense as the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 victory over the Seahawks. Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards,and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches for the AFC West champions. They remained tied with Buffalo at 12-3 for the conference's best record. The Seahawks were stopped twice on fourth down and Geno Smith threw a pick in the end zone as they lost for the fifth time in six games.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, Kansas City shut down Geno Smith and Seattle's slumping offense and the Chiefs rolled to a 24-10 victory over the Seahawks on Saturday.Travis Kelce had six catches for 113 yards, and Kadarius Toney and Jerick McKinnon had touchdown catches as the AFC West champion Chiefs (12-3) remained tied with Buffalo for the conference's best record with two games to go.The Chiefs stopped the Seahawks (7-8) twice on fourth down, picked off their Pro Bowl quarterback in the end zone and dealt coach Pete Carroll's team their fifth loss in six games along with a near-knockout blow to their playoff hopes.Kenneth Walker III was the biggest bright spot for Seattle, running for 107 yards but failing to reach the end zone.Kansas City has won 16 consecutive regular-season games against NFC opponents.Much like the rest of the country, the cold weather that flooded the Midwest produced some frigid temperatures — the wind chill was minus-2 at kickoff, and that was an improvement over the previous two days. In fact, it had been so cold the tarp was frozen to the field when workers tried to remove it three hours before kickoff.That didn't bother a half-dozen Seahawks, including DK Metcalf and his fellow wide receivers, who walked out of the tunnel bare-chested shortly afterward for their pregame warmups on the ice-covered field.Maybe they weren't cold, but Seattle's offense was downright frigid.Playing without wide receiver Tyler Lockett, who had surgery on his broken hand this week, Smith and Co. gained just 18 yards on their first 15 plays, and they were forced to punt on their first five possessions.The Chiefs took advantage of the slow start, too. Mahomes threw a pop pass to Toney to cap a 63-yard TD drive, then a pass to McKinnon out of the backfield a few minutes later for another score. And by the time Harrison Butker drilled a 47-yard field goal late in the half, the Chiefs had jumped out to a 17-0 lead.Even when Seattle got a field goal before halftime, much of the drive was aided by defensive penalties.While the Chiefs struggled to extend their lead in the second half, the Seahawks were incapable of trimming it.They failed on fourth down at the Kansas City 34 when tight end Colby Parkinson was stood up after a catch; failed on fourth down again when Laquon Treadwell failed to run his route to the first-down marker and came up short; and failed to score at the Kansas City 22 when Smith overthrew Treadwell and was picked off by Juan Thornhill in the end zone.The Chiefs, who have been maligned for failing to put struggling teams away, finally did it on the ensuing possession, when Mahomes hit Kelce with two long throws before sprinting to the pylon for the clinching touchdown.STATS AND STREAKSThe Seahawks still have not won at Arrowhead Stadium since Nov. 21, 1999. ... The Seahawks were one of three teams Mahomes had yet to beat along with Indianapolis and Minnesota. ... Mahomes extended his consecutive completions streak to 21 at the start of the game before missing his next throw. ... McKinnon has six TDs in his past four games.INJURY REPORTSeahawks: NT Al Woods (Achilles) and SS Ryan Neal (knee) were inactive. ... FS Joey Blount (knee) and RB Travis Homer (ankle) left in the first quarter, and RT Abraham Lucas (thigh) in the third. ... WR Marquise Goodwin also left with a wrist injury, though he was able to return to the game.UP NEXTSeahawks: host the New York Jets next Sunday.Chiefs: host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.

🏈 Chiefs dump Seahawks 24-10, stay tied for AFC's best record

🎥🏈 Chiefs Insider vs Seattle Seahawks

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sam Hartman completed 23 of 36 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns in what was expected to be his final game with Wake Forest, a 27-17 win over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl. The redshirt junior now will look at entering the NFL draft or transfer portal. Hartman threw his 108th career touchdown pass to set an Atlantic Coast Conference record on a 5-yard strike to Taylor Morin that made it 7-0 with 9:43 left in the first quarter. He had been tied with Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and ended up with 110 TD passes overall.

SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — Clayton Tune connected with Nathaniel Dell for a 12-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining, and Houston rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Louisiana-Lafayette 23-16 in the Independence Bowl on Friday. The TD pass was Tune’s third of the game and 40th of the season, tying the senior with Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed for the most in the nation. Before the winning throw, he completed a 41-yard pass to KeSean Carter on first-and-30 to move Houston into Ragin’ Cajuns territory.

AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — Damian Jackson followed two tours of duty with the Navy SEALs by turning to football. He sees it as a potential career even though he never played the sport growing up. The 30-year-old University at Buffalo defensive end is set to play the final game of his college career on Tuesday, when the Bulls face Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl. Jackson is looking ahead to attracting NFL attention as a special teams player. He's already earned the respect from Buffalo teammates and coaches for his humility and how Jackson has led by example.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Sam Hartman completed 23 of 36 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns in what was expected to be his final game with Wake Forest, a 27-17 win over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl. The redshirt junior now will look at entering the NFL draft or transfer portal. Hartman threw his 108th career touchdown pass to set an Atlantic Coast Conference record on a 5-yard strike to Taylor Morin that made it 7-0 with 9:43 left in the first quarter. He had been tied with Clemson’s Tajh Boyd and ended up with 110 TD passes overall.SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — Clayton Tune connected with Nathaniel Dell for a 12-yard touchdown with 20 seconds remaining, and Houston rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat Louisiana-Lafayette 23-16 in the Independence Bowl on Friday. The TD pass was Tune’s third of the game and 40th of the season, tying the senior with Western Kentucky’s Austin Reed for the most in the nation. Before the winning throw, he completed a 41-yard pass to KeSean Carter on first-and-30 to move Houston into Ragin’ Cajuns territory.AMHERST, N.Y. (AP) — Damian Jackson followed two tours of duty with the Navy SEALs by turning to football. He sees it as a potential career even though he never played the sport growing up. The 30-year-old University at Buffalo defensive end is set to play the final game of his college career on Tuesday, when the Bulls face Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl. Jackson is looking ahead to attracting NFL attention as a special teams player. He's already earned the respect from Buffalo teammates and coaches for his humility and how Jackson has led by example.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The woman who called police to report a family violence assault by Texas basketball coach Chris Beard said Friday that Beard did not strangle her and she never wanted him arrested or prosecuted. Beard was suspended indefinitely without pay after his Dec. 12 arrest on a felony charge of strangling his fiancée, Randi Trew. In a statement sent to The Associated Press by her attorney, Trew said she is “deeply saddened” by the incident and said Beard was acting in self-defense from her. The university said in a statement that officials are reviewing Trew's statement.UNDATED (AP) — New York Jets wide receivers coach Miles Austin has been suspended by the NFL for violating the league’s gambling policy. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed the suspension, which Austin is appealing. McCarthy added the league would have no further comment until the appeal is resolved. Austin could be forced to sit out for a minimum of a year, pending the results of the appeal. The former NFL wide receiver did not coach in the Jets’ 19-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. Austin’s attorney and agent William P. Deni Jr. said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press that Austin did not gamble on football.UNDATED (AP) — Zach Wilson’s reset needed more time. The New York Jets benched the second-year quarterback for three games so he could work on his mechanics, fundamentals and mental approach. But Wilson was forced back into action in the middle of a playoff push because of Mike White’s rib injury and the flaws in his game are still very much present. And perhaps worse than ever. Being replaced by fourth-stringer Chris Streveler in a 19-3 loss to Jacksonville on Thursday night to give the offense a spark was further evidence Wilson just isn’t the guy the Jets hoped for when they drafted him No. 2 overall last year.DALLAS (AP) — A judge has ordered Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to take a paternity test as part of a legal dispute with a 26-year-old woman who claims the billionaire is her biological father. A Texas judge issued the order for genetic testing Thursday in a paternity case brought by Alexandra Davis. She previously alleged in a separate lawsuit she was conceived from a relationship Jones had with her mother in the mid-1990s. Attorneys for Jones did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday, but said in court filings that they intend to appeal the decision.FRIDAY SCORESCOLLEGE FOOTBALLWake Forest 27, Missouri 17 -Gasparilla BowlHouston 23, Louisiana-Lafayette 16 - Independence BowlTOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLGrambling St. at (17)Wisconsin 9 p.m. (Canceled)Final (18)Indiana 69 Kennesaw St. 55NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE SATURDAYAtlanta at Baltimore 1 p.m.Buffalo at Chicago 1 p.m.Cincinnati at New England 1 p.m.Detroit at Carolina 1 p.m.Houston at Tennessee 1 p.m.N-Y Giants at Minnesota 1 p.m.New Orleans at Cleveland 1 p.m.Seattle at Kansas City 1 p.m.Washington at San Francisco 4:05 p.m.Philadelphia at Dallas 4:25 p.m.Las Vegas at Pittsburgh 8:15 p.m.NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Orlando 133 San Antonio 113Final Philadelphia 119 L.A. Clippers 114Final Toronto 118 Cleveland 107Final Boston 121 Minnesota 109Final Atlanta 130 Detroit 105Final Brooklyn 118 Milwaukee 100Final Chicago 118 New York 117Final Indiana 111 Miami 108Final Dallas 112 Houston 106Final OT New Orleans 128 Oklahoma City 125Final Denver 120 Portland 107Final Washington 125 Sacramento 111Final Memphis 125 Phoenix 100Final Charlotte 134 L.A. Lakers 130NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEDetroit at Ottawa 7 p.m. (Postponed)Final Boston 4 New Jersey 3Final Washington 4 Winnipeg 1Final Carolina 6 Philadelphia 5Final N-Y Islanders 5 Florida 1Final Dallas 4 Montreal 2Final OT Colorado 3 Nashville 2Final Chicago 5 Columbus 2Final Vancouver 5 Edmonton 2Final SO Arizona 2 Los Angeles 1Final SO Vegas 5 St. Louis 4Final OT Calgary 3 Anaheim 2