WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell scored a season-high 24 points and Wichita State pulled away in the second half to beat Kansas State 84-65 on Saturday night.

Bell made 9 of 17 shots from the floor including his only 3-point attempt and 3 of 4 free throws for the Shockers (9-3), who snapped a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats (6-5).

Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard both posted their second double-double of the season for Wichita State. Washington totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Ballard contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Hill scored 13.

Sophomore Macaleab Rich came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for Kansas State. He made 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Brendan Hausen hit four 3-pointers and scored 13. The pair combined to make 7 of 13 from distance while their teammates made 2 of 19.

Rich scored 13 to lead the Wildcats to a 33-29 advantage at halftime.

Wichita State moved in front 44-41 with 15:41 remaining on a Hill 3-pointer. Rich connected from beyond the arc to pull the Wildcats even at 48 with 12 minutes left. Matej Bosnjak answered with back-to-back baskets to ignite an 8-0 run and Wichita State led 56-48 with 9:38 to go. The Shockers maintained at least a two-possession lead from there.

The Shockers shot 51% overall, made 4 of 10 from distance and 20 of 22 at the foul line. The Wildcats shot 36% overall and made only six of their 15 free throws.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734833037280.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell scored a season-high 24 points and Wichita State pulled away in the second half to beat Kansas State 84-65 on Saturday night.Bell made 9 of 17 shots from the floor including his only 3-point attempt and 3 of 4 free throws for the Shockers (9-3), who snapped a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats (6-5).Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard both posted their second double-double of the season for Wichita State. Washington totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Ballard contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Hill scored 13.Sophomore Macaleab Rich came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for Kansas State. He made 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Brendan Hausen hit four 3-pointers and scored 13. The pair combined to make 7 of 13 from distance while their teammates made 2 of 19.Rich scored 13 to lead the Wildcats to a 33-29 advantage at halftime.Wichita State moved in front 44-41 with 15:41 remaining on a Hill 3-pointer. Rich connected from beyond the arc to pull the Wildcats even at 48 with 12 minutes left. Matej Bosnjak answered with back-to-back baskets to ignite an 8-0 run and Wichita State led 56-48 with 9:38 to go. The Shockers maintained at least a two-possession lead from there.The Shockers shot 51% overall, made 4 of 10 from distance and 20 of 22 at the foul line. The Wildcats shot 36% overall and made only six of their 15 free throws.

🏀 Xavier Bell scores 24 to rally Wichita State to victory over K-State

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rickey-henderson-dies-dbc401d2db457ee16d7e74b3d80d3e92">has died</a>. He was 65.

Henderson died on Friday. The Athletics said Saturday they were “shocked and heartbroken by his passing," but did not specify a cause of death.

Known as baseball's “Man of Steal,” Henderson had a lengthy list of accolades and accomplishments over his nomadic 25-year career — an MVP, 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles and a Gold Glove award.

“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways," said Don Mattingly, Henderson's teammate with the New York Yankees from 1985-89. "It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”

It was stealing bases where Henderson made his name and dominated the sport like no other.

He broke through with 100 steals in his first full season in the majors in 1980, topping Ty Cobb's AL single-season record with Billy Martin's “Billy Ball” Oakland Athletics. He barely slowed playing for nine franchises over the next two decades. He broke Lou Brock's single-season record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982 and led the league in steals for seven straight seasons and 12 overall.

Henderson surpassed Brock's career record when he stole his 939th base on May 1, 1991, for Oakland, and famously pulled third base out of the ground and showed it off to the adoring crowd before giving a speech that he capped by saying: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.”

Henderson finished his career with 1,406 steals. His 468-steal edge over Brock matches the margin between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who is in 46th place with 470.

“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second,” former A's executive Billy Beane said of Henderson.

In September, Henderson insisted he would have had many more steals in his career and in the record-breaking 1982 season if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitch-clock-shift-limits-bigger-bases-311fdb091b61f40b654c05e600a0d4ce">rules introduced in 2023 to limit pickoff throws and increase the size of bases</a>&nbsp;had overlapped with his career.

“If I was playing today, I would get 162, right now, without a doubt," he said. "Because if they had had that rule, you can only throw over there twice, you know how many times they would be throwing over there twice and they’d be going, ‘Ah, (shoot), can y’all send him to third? Give him two bases and send him to third.’ That would be me.”

He even predicted how he could still be stealing more bases than the current major leaguers even 20-plus years post-retirement: "If they’re stealing 40-50 bases right now I’d lead the league.”

Henderson’s accomplishment that record-breaking day in 1991 was slightly overshadowed that night when Nolan Ryan threw his record seventh career no-hitter. Henderson already had been Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout victim, which led him to say, “If you haven’t been struck out by Nolan Ryan, you’re nobody.”

That was clearly not the case for Henderson. He is also the career leader in runs scored with 2,295 and in leadoff home runs with 81, ranks second to Barry Bonds with 2,190 walks and is fourth in games played (3,081) and plate appearances (13,346). He finished his career with 3,055 hits over 25 seasons spent with Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the New York Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He fittingly finished his career with the Dodgers at age 44 in 2003 by scoring a run in his final play on a major league field.

Henderson is the third prominent baseball Hall of Famer with ties to the Bay Area who died this year, following the deaths in June of former Giants stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-mays-dies-at-93-baseball-33b31cc2d6382676ed54517d20ea36a3">Willie Mays</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-cepeda-died-86-giants-2d8b17a39dd0814b290f175196b938d8">Orlando Cepeda</a>.

Henderson was the rare position player who hit from the right side and threw with his left arm — but then again, everything about Henderson was unique.

He batted out of an extreme crouch, making for a tighter strike zone that contributed to his high walk total. He struck fear in opponents with his aggressive leads off first, his fingers twitching between his legs inside his batting gloves as he eyed the pitcher and the next base.

Born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Chicago in the back of his parents' Chevy, Henderson grew up in Oakland and developed into a star athlete. He played baseball, basketball and football at Oakland Tech High School and was a highly sought-after football recruit who could have played tailback at Southern California — where he likely would have eventually had the chance to run alongside football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.

But Henderson said his mother loved baseball and thought it would be the safer career in a decision that proved to be prescient.

“She didn’t want her baby to get hurt,” Henderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2019. “I was mad, but she was smart. Overall, with the career longevity and the success I had, she made the right decision. Some of the players in football now have short careers and they can barely move around when they’re done.”

Henderson was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 amateur draft by the hometown A's and made his big league debut in 1979 with two hits — and, of course, one stolen base.

He became a star for the A's the following season and remained in Oakland through 1984 before being traded to the Yankees. Henderson was part of some talented teams in New York that never made the postseason. In 1985, he scored 146 runs in 143 games to go along with a league-leading 80 steals and 24 homers, helping start the "80-20 club" that season with Cincinnati's Eric Davis.

Henderson was traded back to Oakland in June 1989, leading to his greatest successes. He topped the AL that season with 113 runs, 126 walks and 77 steals, was named the ALCS MVP and helped lead the A's to the World Series title in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge series by sweeping the Giants.

Henderson then won the AL MVP the following season for Oakland before the A's lost the World Series to Cincinnati.

He set the career steals record in 1991 and then was traded two years later to Toronto, where he won his second World Series. He spent the final decade of his career bouncing around the majors and still led the AL with 66 steals and 118 walks at age 39 with Oakland in 1998.

In 2017, the A's named their playing surface “Rickey Henderson Field” at the Oakland Coliseum in his honor.

“When you’re old and grey, sitting around with your buds talking about your career in baseball, you are going to talk about Rickey," said Ron Guidry, another of Henderson's former Yankees teammates. "He was just amazing to watch. There were great outfielders. There were great base stealers. There were great home run hitters. Rickey was a combination of all of those players. He did things out there on the field that the rest of us dreamed of.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734811062415.jpeg" alt="Oakland A's Rickey Henderson steals second base against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum, Calif., April 10, 1991. Henderson needs two more stolen bases to break Lou Brock's record of 938 bases. Th A's beat the Twins 7-2. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)" />
 <figcaption>Oakland A's Rickey Henderson steals second base against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum, Calif., April 10, 1991. Henderson needs two more stolen bases to break Lou Brock's record of 938 bases. Th A's beat the Twins 7-2. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)</figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rickey-henderson-dies-dbc401d2db457ee16d7e74b3d80d3e92">has died</a>. He was 65.Henderson died on Friday. The Athletics said Saturday they were “shocked and heartbroken by his passing," but did not specify a cause of death.Known as baseball's “Man of Steal,” Henderson had a lengthy list of accolades and accomplishments over his nomadic 25-year career — an MVP, 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles and a Gold Glove award.“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways," said Don Mattingly, Henderson's teammate with the New York Yankees from 1985-89. "It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”It was stealing bases where Henderson made his name and dominated the sport like no other.He broke through with 100 steals in his first full season in the majors in 1980, topping Ty Cobb's AL single-season record with Billy Martin's “Billy Ball” Oakland Athletics. He barely slowed playing for nine franchises over the next two decades. He broke Lou Brock's single-season record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982 and led the league in steals for seven straight seasons and 12 overall.Henderson surpassed Brock's career record when he stole his 939th base on May 1, 1991, for Oakland, and famously pulled third base out of the ground and showed it off to the adoring crowd before giving a speech that he capped by saying: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.”Henderson finished his career with 1,406 steals. His 468-steal edge over Brock matches the margin between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who is in 46th place with 470.“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second,” former A's executive Billy Beane said of Henderson.In September, Henderson insisted he would have had many more steals in his career and in the record-breaking 1982 season if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitch-clock-shift-limits-bigger-bases-311fdb091b61f40b654c05e600a0d4ce">rules introduced in 2023 to limit pickoff throws and increase the size of bases</a>&nbsp;had overlapped with his career.“If I was playing today, I would get 162, right now, without a doubt," he said. "Because if they had had that rule, you can only throw over there twice, you know how many times they would be throwing over there twice and they’d be going, ‘Ah, (shoot), can y’all send him to third? Give him two bases and send him to third.’ That would be me.”He even predicted how he could still be stealing more bases than the current major leaguers even 20-plus years post-retirement: "If they’re stealing 40-50 bases right now I’d lead the league.”Henderson’s accomplishment that record-breaking day in 1991 was slightly overshadowed that night when Nolan Ryan threw his record seventh career no-hitter. Henderson already had been Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout victim, which led him to say, “If you haven’t been struck out by Nolan Ryan, you’re nobody.”That was clearly not the case for Henderson. He is also the career leader in runs scored with 2,295 and in leadoff home runs with 81, ranks second to Barry Bonds with 2,190 walks and is fourth in games played (3,081) and plate appearances (13,346). He finished his career with 3,055 hits over 25 seasons spent with Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the New York Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.He fittingly finished his career with the Dodgers at age 44 in 2003 by scoring a run in his final play on a major league field.Henderson is the third prominent baseball Hall of Famer with ties to the Bay Area who died this year, following the deaths in June of former Giants stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-mays-dies-at-93-baseball-33b31cc2d6382676ed54517d20ea36a3">Willie Mays</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-cepeda-died-86-giants-2d8b17a39dd0814b290f175196b938d8">Orlando Cepeda</a>.Henderson was the rare position player who hit from the right side and threw with his left arm — but then again, everything about Henderson was unique.He batted out of an extreme crouch, making for a tighter strike zone that contributed to his high walk total. He struck fear in opponents with his aggressive leads off first, his fingers twitching between his legs inside his batting gloves as he eyed the pitcher and the next base.Born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Chicago in the back of his parents' Chevy, Henderson grew up in Oakland and developed into a star athlete. He played baseball, basketball and football at Oakland Tech High School and was a highly sought-after football recruit who could have played tailback at Southern California — where he likely would have eventually had the chance to run alongside football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.But Henderson said his mother loved baseball and thought it would be the safer career in a decision that proved to be prescient.“She didn’t want her baby to get hurt,” Henderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2019. “I was mad, but she was smart. Overall, with the career longevity and the success I had, she made the right decision. Some of the players in football now have short careers and they can barely move around when they’re done.”Henderson was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 amateur draft by the hometown A's and made his big league debut in 1979 with two hits — and, of course, one stolen base.He became a star for the A's the following season and remained in Oakland through 1984 before being traded to the Yankees. Henderson was part of some talented teams in New York that never made the postseason. In 1985, he scored 146 runs in 143 games to go along with a league-leading 80 steals and 24 homers, helping start the "80-20 club" that season with Cincinnati's Eric Davis.Henderson was traded back to Oakland in June 1989, leading to his greatest successes. He topped the AL that season with 113 runs, 126 walks and 77 steals, was named the ALCS MVP and helped lead the A's to the World Series title in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge series by sweeping the Giants.Henderson then won the AL MVP the following season for Oakland before the A's lost the World Series to Cincinnati.He set the career steals record in 1991 and then was traded two years later to Toronto, where he won his second World Series. He spent the final decade of his career bouncing around the majors and still led the AL with 66 steals and 118 walks at age 39 with Oakland in 1998.In 2017, the A's named their playing surface “Rickey Henderson Field” at the Oakland Coliseum in his honor.“When you’re old and grey, sitting around with your buds talking about your career in baseball, you are going to talk about Rickey," said Ron Guidry, another of Henderson's former Yankees teammates. "He was just amazing to watch. There were great outfielders. There were great base stealers. There were great home run hitters. Rickey was a combination of all of those players. He did things out there on the field that the rest of us dreamed of.”___

Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball's stolen base king, has died

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chiefs-nfl-inactives-d2e3212152218c0f4d773a806b90ce70">on his ailing ankle</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.

The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.

Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.

C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-tank-dell-injury-chiefs-846aab7b6825a1febee75eee1dc453cb">hurt his left knee on the play</a>&nbsp;and was carted from the field.

Dalton Schultz also had a TD reception for the Texans. Joe Mixon was held to 57 yards rushing.

There were questions early in the week about whether Mahomes would play after sustaining a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But the two-time MVP was off the injury report by Friday, and Mahomes showed no problems on the Chiefs' opening drive Saturday, finishing it off with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone.

It was merely the start of a back-and-forth first half.

The Texans answered with a 33-yard field goal, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud's touchdown toss to Schutlz. But the Chiefs quickly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the end zone, and they tacked on a field goal after Stroud's second interception to lead 17-10 at the break.

Dell was hurt on the Texans' opening drive of the third quarter. He came across the back of the end zone and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1870558728891826553">made a spectacular catch</a>&nbsp;but collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his way to the ground. He immediately grabbed his left knee, and Stroud was tearful and visibly shaken as one of his top wide receivers was loaded on a cart and driven from the field.

Ka'imi Fairbairn promptly missed the extra point, and any momentum Houston might've had disappeared.

Kansas City marched the other way, relying heavily on Worthy, who touched the ball four times on the drive. He finished it off with an 8-yard reception, giving the first-round a season-high for receiving yards and his eighth touchdown.

The teams matched fourth-quarter field goals, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with just over five minutes to go.

They promptly went three-and-out and Kansas City ran out the clock from there.

Pop star Taylor Swift was on hand for the Chiefs' regular-season finale. She has been spending more time with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-chiefs-childrens-hospital-63677e7d794ea29053c32fe84d44355d">making a surprise visit</a>&nbsp;to Children's Mercy Hospital.

Houston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the game. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was hurt late in the first half.

Kansas City: LB Jack Cochrane (ankle) left in the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left in the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf injury in the fourth.

The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL's doubleheader on Christmas Day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734809639722.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chiefs-nfl-inactives-d2e3212152218c0f4d773a806b90ce70">on his ailing ankle</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-tank-dell-injury-chiefs-846aab7b6825a1febee75eee1dc453cb">hurt his left knee on the play</a>&nbsp;and was carted from the field.Dalton Schultz also had a TD reception for the Texans. Joe Mixon was held to 57 yards rushing.There were questions early in the week about whether Mahomes would play after sustaining a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But the two-time MVP was off the injury report by Friday, and Mahomes showed no problems on the Chiefs' opening drive Saturday, finishing it off with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone.It was merely the start of a back-and-forth first half.The Texans answered with a 33-yard field goal, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud's touchdown toss to Schutlz. But the Chiefs quickly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the end zone, and they tacked on a field goal after Stroud's second interception to lead 17-10 at the break.Dell was hurt on the Texans' opening drive of the third quarter. He came across the back of the end zone and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1870558728891826553">made a spectacular catch</a>&nbsp;but collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his way to the ground. He immediately grabbed his left knee, and Stroud was tearful and visibly shaken as one of his top wide receivers was loaded on a cart and driven from the field.Ka'imi Fairbairn promptly missed the extra point, and any momentum Houston might've had disappeared.Kansas City marched the other way, relying heavily on Worthy, who touched the ball four times on the drive. He finished it off with an 8-yard reception, giving the first-round a season-high for receiving yards and his eighth touchdown.The teams matched fourth-quarter field goals, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with just over five minutes to go.They promptly went three-and-out and Kansas City ran out the clock from there.<h2>Taylor time</h2>Pop star Taylor Swift was on hand for the Chiefs' regular-season finale. She has been spending more time with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-chiefs-childrens-hospital-63677e7d794ea29053c32fe84d44355d">making a surprise visit</a>&nbsp;to Children's Mercy Hospital.<h2>Injuries</h2>Houston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the game. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was hurt late in the first half.Kansas City: LB Jack Cochrane (ankle) left in the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left in the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf injury in the fourth.<h2>Up next</h2>The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL's doubleheader on Christmas Day.___

🏈 Mahomes throws for TD and runs for score as Chiefs beat Texans 

Andover Central 54, Goddard-Eisenhower 42

Hutchinson Central Christian 59, Caldwell 15

Inman 63, Wichita Central Christian 29

Rawlins County 50, Hitchcock County, Neb. 38

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701785757574.png" alt="Eagle Media HS Basketball Scoreboard for Friday, December 20th" />
 <figcaption>Eagle Media HS Basketball Scoreboard for Friday, December 20th</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Andover 64, Goddard 32Andover Central 54, Goddard-Eisenhower 42Arkansas City 41, Hutchinson 39Atchison County 60, Valley Falls 42Augusta 40, Winfield 30Axtell 62, Flint Hills Christian 13Bennington 39, Remington 36Berean Academy 66, Ell-Saline 14Blue Valley Randolph 53, Rural Vista 20Bluestem 31, Burden Central 21Buhler 67, Mulvane 59Burlington 40, Wellsville 20Caney Valley 49, Dewey, Okla. 46Canton-Galva 52, Centre 21Centralia 56, Valley Heights 45Chaparral 48, Cunningham 35Chase County 49, Topeka Cair Paravel 31Cheney 50, Garden Plain 39Cheylin 66, Logan 28Clay Center 67, Chapman 37Clearwater 44, Rose Hill 33Clifton-Clyde 67, Rock Creek 51Conway Springs 60, Fairfield 36Conway, Ark. 66, Wichita Life Prep 48Derby 64, Maize South 57Ellinwood 49, Ellis 40Ellsworth 48, Beloit 44Elyria Christian 46, Solomon 17Eureka 58, Flinthills 21Fort Scott 48, Chanute 26Frankfort 51, Onaga 35Goessel 52, Douglass 15Halstead 50, Smoky Valley 32Hanover 64, Washington County 26Hartford 60, Marais des Cygnes Valley 49Haven 60, Belle Plaine 24Hays 56, Manhattan 48Highland Park 57, KC Wyandotte 39Hodgeman County 43, Ashland 32Holcomb 61, Scott City 44Holton 71, Rossville 61Horton 51, Oskaloosa 30Howard West Elk 44, Fredonia 36Hutchinson Central Christian 59, Caldwell 15Inman 63, Wichita Central Christian 29KC Piper 60, Leavenworth 42KC Sumner 63, Atchison 57KC Washington 53, KC Harmon 16Larned 54, Kingman 42Lebo 32, Olpe 29Lyndon 40, Mission Valley 26Madison 43, Waverly 21Maize 45, Wichita Campus 34Marshall Co., Ky. 47, BV Northwest 43McPherson 54, Circle 52Meade 62, Minneola 11Nemaha Central 47, Jefferson West 18Oakley 55, Smith Center 42Olathe East 47, SM Northwest 38Olathe North 57, Gardner-Edgerton 43Osage City 45, Wabaunsee 34Oswego 59, Le Roy, Ill. 42Pratt 40, Great Bend 21Quinter 56, Greeley County 40Rawlins County 50, Hitchcock County, Neb. 38Riley County 49, Perry-Lecompton 14Riverton 38, Columbus 27Royal Valley 47, Sabetha 34Russell 44, Norton 35SM East 47, Lawrence 42SM South 38, Olathe Northwest 36SM West 49, Lawrence Free State 33Salina Central 46, Newton 28Salina Sacred Heart 62, Lyons 25Salina South 42, Valley Center 41Santa Fe Trail 58, Anderson County 38Satanta 62, Sublette 46Shawnee Heights 57, Topeka West 40Silver Lake 60, Hiawatha 27South Central 46, Pratt Skyline 31South Gray 54, Ingalls 24South Haven 34, Norwich 21Southwestern Hts. 68, Ulysses 46Spearville 57, Pawnee Heights 31Spring Hill 46, Baldwin 27St John 54, Kiowa County 51St Marys 81, Maranatha 18Sylvan-Lucas 51, Pike Valley 34Topeka Hayden 61, Wichita Independent 13Topeka Seaman 53, De Soto 50Troy 57, Doniphan West 35Uniontown 49, Erie 39Victoria 78, Chase 17Wallace County 48, Dighton 34Wamego 67, Abilene 23Wellington 64, Andale 29Wheatland-Grinnell 51, Golden Plains 18Wichita Collegiate 34, El Dorado 32Wichita County 74, St Francis 34(Thursday's Girl's Scores)Bonner Springs 49, Louisburg 37Deerfield 38, Moscow 34Eudora 40, Tonganoxie 20Galena 56, Baxter Springs 37Golden Plains 45, St Francis 34Highland Park 76, KC Turner 18Hillsboro 44, Southeast of Saline 25Marion 41, Sterling 37Prairie View 49, Iola 35Wichita 42, Reno County 40Wichita Bishop Carroll 59, Wichita Northwest 36<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Abilene 64, Wamego 41Andale 61, Wellington 37Andover 81, Goddard 55Andover Central 52, Goddard-Eisenhower 45Augusta 64, Winfield 55Axtell 83, Flint Hills Christian 9Baldwin 49, Spring Hill 28Beloit 71, Ellsworth 39Blue Valley Randolph 61, Rural Vista 49Buhler 62, Mulvane 57Burden Central 71, Bluestem 38Burlingame 63, Northern Heights 41Burlington 62, Wellsville 55Caney Valley 76, Dewey, Okla. 66Canton-Galva 65, Centre 57Centralia 67, Valley Heights 38Chanute 69, Fort Scott 42Chase County 59, Topeka Cair Paravel 45Cheney 58, Garden Plain 37Clay Center 81, Chapman 17Clifton-Clyde 67, Rock Creek 51Council Grove 63, West Franklin 44Derby 66, Maize South 57Dighton 85, Wallace County 55Douglass 41, Goessel 36El Dorado 73, Wichita Collegiate 43Ell-Saline 51, Berean Academy 38Ellinwood 65, Ellis 55Elyria Christian 64, Solomon 29Flinthills 47, Eureka 45Frankfort 63, Onaga 35Fredonia 76, Howard West Elk 70Great Bend 59, Pratt 46Halstead 69, Smoky Valley 57Hanover 81, Washington County 33Haven 74, Belle Plaine 16Highland Park 88, KC Wyandotte 20Hodgeman County 34, Ashland 30Horton 48, Oskaloosa 43Hutchinson 68, Arkansas City 35Hutchinson Central Christian 52, Caldwell 21Inman 59, Wichita Central Christian 44KC Bishop Ward 59, Drexel, Mo. 26KC Piper 78, Leavenworth 44KC Sumner 52, Atchison 30KC Washington 96, KC Harmon 34La Crosse 59, Otis-Bison 54Larned 52, Kingman 37Lawrence Free State 59, SM West 53Logan 66, Cheylin 29Macksville 66, Stafford 48Maize 63, Wichita Campus 57Manhattan 60, Hays 57Marais des Cygnes Valley 43, Hartford 39McPherson 62, Circle 36Mill Valley 78, Olathe West 72Moundridge 72, Sedgwick 26Nemaha Central 46, Jefferson West 22Newton 67, Salina Central 52Norwich 58, South Haven 30Olpe 64, Lebo 39Oswego 68, Le Roy, Ill. 24Perry-Lecompton 51, Riley County 42Pittsburg St Mary's-Colgan 74, Liberal 38Quinter 72, Greeley County 67, OTRemington 47, Bennington 37Riverton 67, Columbus 37Rose Hill 42, Clearwater 38Rossville 58, Holton 45SM East 59, Lawrence 58SM Northwest 75, Olathe East 54SM South 51, Arapahoe, Colo. 37Sabetha 53, Royal Valley 34Santa Fe Trail 51, Anderson County 35Scott City 54, Holcomb 52Shawnee Heights 74, Topeka West 45Silver Lake 70, Hiawatha 57Smith Center 49, Oakley 48South Central 56, Pratt Skyline 27Spearville 66, Pawnee Heights 12St John 54, Kiowa County 51Sublette 63, Satanta 43Sylvan-Lucas 57, Pike Valley 44Syracuse 49, Elkhart 15Topeka Hayden 91, Wichita Independent 21Topeka Seaman 59, De Soto 53Troy 48, Doniphan West 43Uniontown 58, Erie 44Valley Center 51, Salina South 48Valley Falls 77, Atchison County 27Victoria 89, Chase 11Wabaunsee 51, Osage City 48Washburn Rural 71, Barstow, Mo. 55Weatherford, Okla. 56, Wichita Life Prep 49Weskan 52, Northern Valley 23Wheatland-Grinnell 51, Golden Plains 39(Thursday's Boy's Scores)Anderson County 62, Osawatomie 34Bonner Springs 67, Louisburg 51Broomfield, Colo. 47, SM South 46Eudora 52, Tonganoxie 46Galena 52, Baxter Springs 21Golden Plains 47, St Francis 40Hillsboro 62, Southeast of Saline 43Iola 56, Prairie View 44Junction City 53, Saint Mary's Academy &amp; College 17Linn 62, Onaga 46Olathe Northwest 43, Center, Mo. 39Wichita Northwest 58, Wichita Bishop Carroll 47

🏀 EAGLE Media Scoreboard from Friday's games

AP Sports Summary for December 21st, 2024:

Notre Dame protects home field in new postseason era with 1st playoff win, 27-17 over Indiana

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jeremiyah Love tied the Notre Dame record with a 98-yard touchdown run, Riley Leonard added two more scores and the Fighting Irish shut down the highest-scoring team in the College Football Playoff, overwhelming Indiana 27-17 on Friday night. The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish (12-1) won their 11th straight — and their first playoff victory. They'll face second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. Tenth-seeded Indiana (11-2) completed a magical season by finishing with its second fewest points this season on a cold, brisk night in the first CFP game ever played on a campus site. Both of the Hoosiers' losses came to top-five opponents. Indiana hasn't won at Notre Dame since 1898.

Penn State and SMU carry the weight of history into their CFP debuts. They're both trying to shed it

Penn State and SMU head into the College Football Playoff with the weight of history on their shoulders. This is the Nittany Lions' best shot at making a run at a national title since the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal tarnished the program 13 years ago. SMU is still perhaps best known for being given the death penalty by the NCAA in the 1980s for illegally paying players. Former Nittany Lions give coach James Franklin credit for bringing the program back to prominence. Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee says the work to restore SMU's reputation began long before he arrived in 2022.

World Series champion Dodgers top MLB luxury tax at $103 million as record 9 teams owe penalty

NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers topped a record nine teams owing Major League Baseball's luxury tax this year with an unprecedented $103 million penalty. The New York Mets owe $97.1 million that raises their tax total under high-spending owner Steve Cohen to nearly $229 million. The World Series champion Dodgers will pay a tax for the fourth year in a row. The Dodgers' tax payroll of $353 million included $1,032,454 in non-cash compensation for Shohei Ohtani, whose contract calls for use of a suite for games at Dodger Stadium and an interpreter. The Yankees owe $62.5 million, followed by Philadelphia at $14.4 million, Atlanta at $14 million and Texas at $10.8 million.

Lindsey Vonn finishes 14th in a super-G to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40

ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn has finished 14th in a super-G to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40. Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind Austrian winner Cornelia Huetter. It's the American standout's first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement. Vonn says it was "the perfect start" to her comeback as she just wanted "a solid result." She is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday. Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and decided to come back.

Soccer's top players have had enough, as FIFA's new super-sized tournament sparks a revolt

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Top soccer players have had enough. Legal challenges have been mounted and the possibility of strike action hangs over the most popular sport in the world. A newly-expanded Club World Cup, held in the United States next year, has proved the tipping point. Players say they are "at breaking point, that they are at the limit, that it's actually too much," Alexander Bielefeld, from global players' union FIFPRO, told The Associated Press. The Club World Cup has been increased from seven teams to 32, will be staged every four years and has been crammed into an already congested match calendar.

'Front-row seats to something amazing': In 2024, the sports world, again, had unforgettable moments

Patrick Mahomes threw a walk-off pass to win the Super Bowl. Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam to win a World Series game. Stephen Curry said "nuit, nuit" to win an Olympic basketball title in Paris, Noah Lyles won 100-meter gold by about the smallest margin possible, and Sabrina Ionescu won a WNBA Finals game with a 30-foot heave. Sports is a collection of moments. This year, many moments were — once again — spectacular.

Tiger Woods' immediate goal: Keep his son from beating him in golf for 18 holes

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods turns 49 at the end of the year and he has one pressing goal. That's to keep his 15-year-old son, Charlie, from beating him in golf over 18 holes. Word is out that Charlie already beat his 15-time major champion father for nine holes. They will be playing with, and not against, each other in the PNC Championship. The event pairs major champions with family members and Woods wouldn't want to miss it. He says he had his sixth back surgery in September with hopes of recovering in time to play with Charlie in the PNC Championship.

Jalen Hurts fined for wearing mismatched cleats during Eagles' win over Steelers, AP source says

A person familiar with the decision says Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was fined $5,628 by the NFL for wearing mismatched cleats that were not "constitutional team colors." The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league had not disclosed the fine, which stemmed from Hurts wearing Air Jordan cleats in two different shades of green during the Eagles' 27-13 victory over the Steelers on Sunday. The Nike subsidiary behind the shoes indicated on social media that it would pay Hurts' fine. Jordan Brand said on X: "We're paying the fine. You can't ban greatness."

The Thunder should have been quite tired. They went 2-0 in Florida anyway, pushing record to 22-5

MIAMI (AP) — Here's how the last few days have gone for the Oklahoma City Thunder: Lose the NBA Cup final to Milwaukee in Las Vegas on Tuesday, spend time airborne over four different time zones on Wednesday, win in Orlando on Thursday, win in Miami on Friday. It was, even by NBA standards, a ridiculous schedule. The Thunder never complained. They just played and won. They expected nothing less. The Western Conference's best team is 22-5 after beating the Heat 104-97 on Friday night.

Former NFL star Michael Vick officially hired by Norfolk State on Friday

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Norfolk State has officially named Michael Vick its head football coach, the latest hire of a talented NFL player with no college coaching experience to lead an HBCU program. Vick's addition was unanimously approved by the school's board of visitors, Norfolk State athletic director Melody Webb said in a release from the university. Vick said he was humbled by the opportunity to take over and revive the football program. The school will introduce Vick on campus Monday. It's release never mentioned Vick's time in federal prison after pleading guilty to his involvement in a dogfighting ring.

Here are the scores from yesterday's sports events:

Final	(12)Texas A&amp;M	77	Houston Christian	45	

		Texas A&amp;M-CC	at	(15)Houston	2 p.m.	

		Mississippi St.	at	(21)Memphis	12:30 p.m.	

		California	at	(23)San Diego St.	10:30 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News Saturday, December 21st, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News Saturday, December 21st, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 21st, 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8627760/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Notre Dame protects home field in new postseason era with 1st playoff win, 27-17 over IndianaSOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Jeremiyah Love tied the Notre Dame record with a 98-yard touchdown run, Riley Leonard added two more scores and the Fighting Irish shut down the highest-scoring team in the College Football Playoff, overwhelming Indiana 27-17 on Friday night. The seventh-seeded Fighting Irish (12-1) won their 11th straight — and their first playoff victory. They'll face second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. Tenth-seeded Indiana (11-2) completed a magical season by finishing with its second fewest points this season on a cold, brisk night in the first CFP game ever played on a campus site. Both of the Hoosiers' losses came to top-five opponents. Indiana hasn't won at Notre Dame since 1898.Penn State and SMU carry the weight of history into their CFP debuts. They're both trying to shed itPenn State and SMU head into the College Football Playoff with the weight of history on their shoulders. This is the Nittany Lions' best shot at making a run at a national title since the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal tarnished the program 13 years ago. SMU is still perhaps best known for being given the death penalty by the NCAA in the 1980s for illegally paying players. Former Nittany Lions give coach James Franklin credit for bringing the program back to prominence. Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee says the work to restore SMU's reputation began long before he arrived in 2022.World Series champion Dodgers top MLB luxury tax at $103 million as record 9 teams owe penaltyNEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers topped a record nine teams owing Major League Baseball's luxury tax this year with an unprecedented $103 million penalty. The New York Mets owe $97.1 million that raises their tax total under high-spending owner Steve Cohen to nearly $229 million. The World Series champion Dodgers will pay a tax for the fourth year in a row. The Dodgers' tax payroll of $353 million included $1,032,454 in non-cash compensation for Shohei Ohtani, whose contract calls for use of a suite for games at Dodger Stadium and an interpreter. The Yankees owe $62.5 million, followed by Philadelphia at $14.4 million, Atlanta at $14 million and Texas at $10.8 million.Lindsey Vonn finishes 14th in a super-G to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn has finished 14th in a super-G to mark her return to World Cup skiing at age 40. Vonn crossed the line 1.18 seconds behind Austrian winner Cornelia Huetter. It's the American standout's first World Cup race after nearly six years of retirement. Vonn says it was "the perfect start" to her comeback as she just wanted "a solid result." She is planning to race another super-G in St. Moritz on Sunday. Vonn had to cut her career short in 2019 due to a series of crashes and injuries but then she had knee replacement surgery in April and decided to come back.Soccer's top players have had enough, as FIFA's new super-sized tournament sparks a revoltMANCHESTER, England (AP) — Top soccer players have had enough. Legal challenges have been mounted and the possibility of strike action hangs over the most popular sport in the world. A newly-expanded Club World Cup, held in the United States next year, has proved the tipping point. Players say they are "at breaking point, that they are at the limit, that it's actually too much," Alexander Bielefeld, from global players' union FIFPRO, told The Associated Press. The Club World Cup has been increased from seven teams to 32, will be staged every four years and has been crammed into an already congested match calendar.'Front-row seats to something amazing': In 2024, the sports world, again, had unforgettable momentsPatrick Mahomes threw a walk-off pass to win the Super Bowl. Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off grand slam to win a World Series game. Stephen Curry said "nuit, nuit" to win an Olympic basketball title in Paris, Noah Lyles won 100-meter gold by about the smallest margin possible, and Sabrina Ionescu won a WNBA Finals game with a 30-foot heave. Sports is a collection of moments. This year, many moments were — once again — spectacular.Tiger Woods' immediate goal: Keep his son from beating him in golf for 18 holesORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Tiger Woods turns 49 at the end of the year and he has one pressing goal. That's to keep his 15-year-old son, Charlie, from beating him in golf over 18 holes. Word is out that Charlie already beat his 15-time major champion father for nine holes. They will be playing with, and not against, each other in the PNC Championship. The event pairs major champions with family members and Woods wouldn't want to miss it. He says he had his sixth back surgery in September with hopes of recovering in time to play with Charlie in the PNC Championship.Jalen Hurts fined for wearing mismatched cleats during Eagles' win over Steelers, AP source saysA person familiar with the decision says Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was fined $5,628 by the NFL for wearing mismatched cleats that were not "constitutional team colors." The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league had not disclosed the fine, which stemmed from Hurts wearing Air Jordan cleats in two different shades of green during the Eagles' 27-13 victory over the Steelers on Sunday. The Nike subsidiary behind the shoes indicated on social media that it would pay Hurts' fine. Jordan Brand said on X: "We're paying the fine. You can't ban greatness."The Thunder should have been quite tired. They went 2-0 in Florida anyway, pushing record to 22-5MIAMI (AP) — Here's how the last few days have gone for the Oklahoma City Thunder: Lose the NBA Cup final to Milwaukee in Las Vegas on Tuesday, spend time airborne over four different time zones on Wednesday, win in Orlando on Thursday, win in Miami on Friday. It was, even by NBA standards, a ridiculous schedule. The Thunder never complained. They just played and won. They expected nothing less. The Western Conference's best team is 22-5 after beating the Heat 104-97 on Friday night.Former NFL star Michael Vick officially hired by Norfolk State on FridayNORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Norfolk State has officially named Michael Vick its head football coach, the latest hire of a talented NFL player with no college coaching experience to lead an HBCU program. Vick's addition was unanimously approved by the school's board of visitors, Norfolk State athletic director Melody Webb said in a release from the university. Vick said he was humbled by the opportunity to take over and revive the football program. The school will introduce Vick on campus Monday. It's release never mentioned Vick's time in federal prison after pleading guilty to his involvement in a dogfighting ring.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Philadelphia	108	Charlotte	98	Final	Cleveland	124	Milwaukee	101	Final	Oklahoma City	104	Miami	97	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	6	Buffalo	3	Final	Montreal	4	Detroit	3	Final OT	Florida	2	St. Louis	1	Final	Washington	3	Carolina	1	Final	Utah	2	Minnesota	1	Final	N-Y Rangers	3	Dallas	1	Final	Colorado	4	Anaheim	2	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALLFinal	(3)Notre Dame	27	(9)Indiana	17	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALLFinal	(12)Texas A&amp;M	77	Houston Christian	45	Final	(19)Cincinnati	66	(22)Dayton	59	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		L.A. Lakers	at	Sacramento	6 p.m.			Miami	at	Orlando	7 p.m.			Memphis	at	Atlanta	7:30 p.m.			Utah	at	Brooklyn	7:30 p.m.			Boston	at	Chicago	8 p.m.			Golden State	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.			New York	at	New Orleans	8 p.m.			Philadelphia	at	Cleveland	8 p.m.			Washington	at	Milwaukee	8 p.m.			L.A. Clippers	at	Dallas	8:30 p.m.			Portland	at	San Antonio	8:30 p.m.			Detroit	at	Phoenix	9 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Los Angeles	at	Nashville	1:30 p.m.			Chicago	at	Calgary	4 p.m.			San Jose	at	Edmonton	4 p.m.			Buffalo	at	Boston	7 p.m.			Columbus	at	Philadelphia	7 p.m.			Detroit	at	Montreal	7 p.m.			Minnesota	at	Winnipeg	7 p.m.			N-Y Islanders	at	Toronto	7 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	New Jersey	7 p.m.			Ottawa	at	Vancouver	10 p.m.			Seattle	at	Vegas	10 p.m.	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE		Houston	at	Kansas City	1 p.m.			Pittsburgh	at	Baltimore	4:30 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(7)Tennessee	at	(6)Ohio St.	8 p.m.			(12)SMU	at	(5)Penn St.	12 p.m.			(13)Clemson	at	(4)Texas	4 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		(16)Purdue	at	(2)Auburn	4:30 p.m.			Ohio St.	at	(4)Kentucky	5:30 p.m.			(5)Duke	at	Georgia Tech	12 p.m.			North Florida	at	(7)Florida	12 p.m.			(9)Marquette	at	Xavier	12 p.m.			(10)Oregon	at	Stanford	8 p.m.			(11)UConn	at	Butler	12 p.m.			Bucknell	at	(13)Gonzaga	9 p.m.			Texas A&amp;M-CC	at	(15)Houston	2 p.m.			Queens (NC)	at	(17)Mississippi	5 p.m.			(18)UCLA	at	North Carolina	3 p.m.			FAU	at	(20)Michigan St.	2 p.m.			Mississippi St.	at	(21)Memphis	12:30 p.m.			California	at	(23)San Diego St.	10:30 p.m.			Wake Forest	at	(25)Clemson	2 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Saturday

12-team college football playoff arrives after 100 years, a few billion dollars and many detours

It took more than 100 years, a few billion dollars and the cold, hard realization that you can't fight progress forever. And now, finally, college football has what the rest of sports have: a legitimate postseason tournament. The first-of-its-kind 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday and Saturday with four first-round games on campuses steeped in gridiron tradition: Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Winners advance to play over the New Year's holiday, and the tournament concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game.

It took more than 100 years, a few billion dollars and the cold, hard realization that you can't fight progress forever. And now, finally, college football has what the rest of sports have — a legitimate postseason tournament.

The first 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday and Saturday with four first-round games on campuses steeped in gridiron tradition: Texas (hosting Clemson), Penn State (SMU), Notre Dame (Indiana) and Ohio State (Tennessee).

The winners advance to play over the New Year's holiday — Arizona State, Boise State, Georgia and Oregon are waiting — and the tournament concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.

The concept of a postseason tournament is old hat for virtually every other major sport in the United States (including the lower levels of college football), but this postseason is a novel one for the top level of the game. Not surprisingly for an endeavor that took a century to create, it is teeming with prickly details that will ultimately shape the future of the playoff itself.

Can the college game compete with the NFL?

A deal struck decades ago as part of the NFL's anti-trust exemption deems Saturdays as college territory, prohibiting the league from televising games on college football's biggest day. But that ban is only in effect through mid-December, which is when the NFL jumps in.

On Saturday, it has a pair of standout games: Texans-Chiefs on NBC and Steelers-Ravens on Fox. The CFP has chosen to counterprogram those games with SMU-Penn State and Clemson-Texas, both of which were sublicensed to TNT as part of ESPN's original deal to broadcast the playoff.

How will this go? College football's most-watched game this season grabbed 16.6 million viewers, while last year's title game, when the playoff only consisted of four teams, drew 25 million.

A regular-season NFL game between the Bills and Rams earlier this month drew 24 million viewers and the NFL averaged around 38.5 million viewers for its first round of playoff games last season.

Does it matter? ESPN is signed to the deal (topping out at $1.3 billion a year) through 2031, though if the ratings tank, it might be compelled to look for friendlier TV windows and avoid the ratings behemoth that is the NFL.

"I think it's important for them to get a reasonable rating," said Dan Durbin, the director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society at USC. "I don't think beating the NFL really even counts."

We can trace it back to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Organizers of the annual parade wanted a way to pay for all those flower-covered floats cruising down Colorado Boulevard.

In 1902, they invited Michigan and Stanford to play (the Wolverines won 49-0). In 1916, it was Washington State and Brown, and from there, the game became an annual affair.

Other cities followed suit, mostly in warm-weather areas. By 1937, the Rose, Orange (Miami), Sugar (New Orleans) and Cotton (Dallas) were annual bowls, By the 1940s and '50s, the games had contractual tie-ins with conferences, which pledged to send their teams there.

The games entrenched themselves in the local tourism economy and, so, also became dug into the fabric of college football itself. While virtually all sports had moved toward some sort of playoff tournament by the 1960s, college football stood pat and the bowl games served as its postseason.

AP and other polls declared national champions for decades

The Associated Press started its poll of sports writers in 1936 and began awarding its national championship to whoever was ranked first at the end of each season. In 1968, the AP moved its final poll to after the bowls were over.

Other polls followed — more than 20 different systems or rankings have come and gone since the late 1800s — and for decades, those organizations crowned national champions. They often differed, including 11 seasons where AP and the coaches/UPI polls declared different champions.

Because the bowl games were locked into inviting teams from certain conferences, the top two teams in the sport often never played each other.

"In college football, you had so many teams, so many conferences that it's just been unwieldy to try to create a real postseason," Durbin said.

The alphabet soup of determining a champion

That remains true to this day, even with the expanded playoffs.

The seeds of change were planted after back-to-back seasons with split titles in 1990 and 1991 made it clear something needed to be done. Over the ensuing 35 years, a cocktail of conference realignment, ever-growing TV contracts and, most recently, the financial realities of a sport that will soon share millions with its players spawned new ways for the sport to tackle its playoff problem.

In the 1990s, a two-decade period of systems — the Bowl Alliance, Bowl Coalition and Bowl Championship Series — tried to pair the two best teams in the country to play for the title. Rankings were based on a combination of polls, computer rankings and strength of schedule — a formula that has been tweaked many times but remains a sore spot to this day.

The BCS turned into the College Football Playoff in 2014 with a four-team postseason that felt like progress.

One problem was that the gap grew even wider between what mattered and what didn't — three playoff games vs. dozens of bowl games that looked more and more like exhibitions, especially if players with NFL prospects opted out.

Another was the selection process. The March Madness selection committee in college basketball isn't truly in jeopardy of sidelining the eventual national champion if it makes a bad choice for, say, the last two teams in a 68-team field.

Not so in football, where the field is smaller, every game means more and the financial stakes are higher. The SEC and Big Ten, for instance, receive around $22 million in playoff TV money before a single game is played. There is a pool of about $115 million available to the conferences based on the results of the playoff.

Last year, when the football committee chose one-loss Alabama over undefeated Florida State for the fourth and final spot, it triggered investigations and threats.

The road to 12 teams was already paved by then, but it has been equally as fraught. Some reveled in the fact that the first team out of the bracket this time was the very Alabama program that was chosen a year earlier.

Will this work, and what might change soon?

There is also the issue of automatic bids that go to conference winners, which have not only put Boise State and Arizona State (teams ranked eighth and 10th in the latest AP Top 25) into the tournament but given them two of the four first-round byes.

There is the issue of travel — how many fans can afford to go to three neutral-site games to watch their team chase a championship? With scant time to prepare, can the schools and the CFP pull off campus games without a hitch? Oh, what about the lack of students on campus this week?

The eventual champion will also end up playing 16, maybe 17, games, carving into classroom time that's supposed to still mean something at the college level.

Within a year or two, this tournament will likely expand to 14 teams. The issue of "access" — which conferences get in and how many teams they are allowed — will top that debate. There is also growing separation between the SEC and Big Ten and the rest of college football that makes many in the sport uneasy.

Before all that, it's time to buckle up. College football's first wild ride through the playoffs will last a full month.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734704373519.jpeg" alt="FILE - The trophy is displayed during media day ahead of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Washington and Michigan Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - The trophy is displayed during media day ahead of the national championship NCAA College Football Playoff game between Washington and Michigan Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>12-team college football playoff arrives after 100 years, a few billion dollars and many detoursBy EDDIE PELLS AP National WriterIt took more than 100 years, a few billion dollars and the cold, hard realization that you can't fight progress forever. And now, finally, college football has what the rest of sports have: a legitimate postseason tournament. The first-of-its-kind 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday and Saturday with four first-round games on campuses steeped in gridiron tradition: Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Winners advance to play over the New Year's holiday, and the tournament concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game.It took more than 100 years, a few billion dollars and the cold, hard realization that you can't fight progress forever. And now, finally, college football has what the rest of sports have — a legitimate postseason tournament.The first 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday and Saturday with four first-round games on campuses steeped in gridiron tradition: Texas (hosting Clemson), Penn State (SMU), Notre Dame (Indiana) and Ohio State (Tennessee).The winners advance to play over the New Year's holiday — Arizona State, Boise State, Georgia and Oregon are waiting — and the tournament concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.The concept of a postseason tournament is old hat for virtually every other major sport in the United States (including the lower levels of college football), but this postseason is a novel one for the top level of the game. Not surprisingly for an endeavor that took a century to create, it is teeming with prickly details that will ultimately shape the future of the playoff itself.Can the college game compete with the NFL?A deal struck decades ago as part of the NFL's anti-trust exemption deems Saturdays as college territory, prohibiting the league from televising games on college football's biggest day. But that ban is only in effect through mid-December, which is when the NFL jumps in.On Saturday, it has a pair of standout games: Texans-Chiefs on NBC and Steelers-Ravens on Fox. The CFP has chosen to counterprogram those games with SMU-Penn State and Clemson-Texas, both of which were sublicensed to TNT as part of ESPN's original deal to broadcast the playoff.How will this go? College football's most-watched game this season grabbed 16.6 million viewers, while last year's title game, when the playoff only consisted of four teams, drew 25 million.A regular-season NFL game between the Bills and Rams earlier this month drew 24 million viewers and the NFL averaged around 38.5 million viewers for its first round of playoff games last season.Does it matter? ESPN is signed to the deal (topping out at $1.3 billion a year) through 2031, though if the ratings tank, it might be compelled to look for friendlier TV windows and avoid the ratings behemoth that is the NFL."I think it's important for them to get a reasonable rating," said Dan Durbin, the director of the Institute of Sports, Media and Society at USC. "I don't think beating the NFL really even counts."Why did this take 100 years?We can trace it back to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. Organizers of the annual parade wanted a way to pay for all those flower-covered floats cruising down Colorado Boulevard.In 1902, they invited Michigan and Stanford to play (the Wolverines won 49-0). In 1916, it was Washington State and Brown, and from there, the game became an annual affair.Other cities followed suit, mostly in warm-weather areas. By 1937, the Rose, Orange (Miami), Sugar (New Orleans) and Cotton (Dallas) were annual bowls, By the 1940s and '50s, the games had contractual tie-ins with conferences, which pledged to send their teams there.The games entrenched themselves in the local tourism economy and, so, also became dug into the fabric of college football itself. While virtually all sports had moved toward some sort of playoff tournament by the 1960s, college football stood pat and the bowl games served as its postseason.AP and other polls declared national champions for decadesThe Associated Press started its poll of sports writers in 1936 and began awarding its national championship to whoever was ranked first at the end of each season. In 1968, the AP moved its final poll to after the bowls were over.Other polls followed — more than 20 different systems or rankings have come and gone since the late 1800s — and for decades, those organizations crowned national champions. They often differed, including 11 seasons where AP and the coaches/UPI polls declared different champions.Because the bowl games were locked into inviting teams from certain conferences, the top two teams in the sport often never played each other."In college football, you had so many teams, so many conferences that it's just been unwieldy to try to create a real postseason," Durbin said.The alphabet soup of determining a championThat remains true to this day, even with the expanded playoffs.The seeds of change were planted after back-to-back seasons with split titles in 1990 and 1991 made it clear something needed to be done. Over the ensuing 35 years, a cocktail of conference realignment, ever-growing TV contracts and, most recently, the financial realities of a sport that will soon share millions with its players spawned new ways for the sport to tackle its playoff problem.In the 1990s, a two-decade period of systems — the Bowl Alliance, Bowl Coalition and Bowl Championship Series — tried to pair the two best teams in the country to play for the title. Rankings were based on a combination of polls, computer rankings and strength of schedule — a formula that has been tweaked many times but remains a sore spot to this day.The beginnings of a 'real' playoffThe BCS turned into the College Football Playoff in 2014 with a four-team postseason that felt like progress.One problem was that the gap grew even wider between what mattered and what didn't — three playoff games vs. dozens of bowl games that looked more and more like exhibitions, especially if players with NFL prospects opted out.Another was the selection process. The March Madness selection committee in college basketball isn't truly in jeopardy of sidelining the eventual national champion if it makes a bad choice for, say, the last two teams in a 68-team field.Not so in football, where the field is smaller, every game means more and the financial stakes are higher. The SEC and Big Ten, for instance, receive around $22 million in playoff TV money before a single game is played. There is a pool of about $115 million available to the conferences based on the results of the playoff.Last year, when the football committee chose one-loss Alabama over undefeated Florida State for the fourth and final spot, it triggered investigations and threats.The road to 12 teams was already paved by then, but it has been equally as fraught. Some reveled in the fact that the first team out of the bracket this time was the very Alabama program that was chosen a year earlier.Will this work, and what might change soon?There is also the issue of automatic bids that go to conference winners, which have not only put Boise State and Arizona State (teams ranked eighth and 10th in the latest AP Top 25) into the tournament but given them two of the four first-round byes.There is the issue of travel — how many fans can afford to go to three neutral-site games to watch their team chase a championship? With scant time to prepare, can the schools and the CFP pull off campus games without a hitch? Oh, what about the lack of students on campus this week?The eventual champion will also end up playing 16, maybe 17, games, carving into classroom time that's supposed to still mean something at the college level.Within a year or two, this tournament will likely expand to 14 teams. The issue of "access" — which conferences get in and how many teams they are allowed — will top that debate. There is also growing separation between the SEC and Big Ten and the rest of college football that makes many in the sport uneasy.Before all that, it's time to buckle up. College football's first wild ride through the playoffs will last a full month.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

🏈 12-team CFP arrives after 100 years, a few billion dollars and many detours

Wichita Bishop Carroll 59, Wichita Northwest 36

Junction City 53, Saint Mary's Academy &amp; College 17

Wichita Northwest 58, Wichita Bishop Carroll 47

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701785757574.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Thursday's ScoresThe Associated PressGIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Bonner Springs 49, Louisburg 37Deerfield 38, Moscow 34Eudora 40, Tonganoxie 20Galena 56, Baxter Springs 37Golden Plains 45, St Francis 34Highland Park 76, KC Turner 18Hillsboro 44, Southeast of Saline 25Marion 41, Sterling 37Prairie View 49, Iola 35Wichita 42, Reno County 40Wichita Bishop Carroll 59, Wichita Northwest 36___Thursday's ScoresThe Associated PressBOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Anderson County 62, Osawatomie 34Bonner Springs 67, Louisburg 51Broomfield, Colo. 47, SM South 46Eudora 52, Tonganoxie 46Galena 52, Baxter Springs 21Golden Plains 47, St Francis 40Hillsboro 62, Southeast of Saline 43Iola 56, Prairie View 44Junction City 53, Saint Mary's Academy &amp; College 17Linn 62, Onaga 46Olathe Northwest 43, Center, Mo. 39Wichita Northwest 58, Wichita Bishop Carroll 47

🏀 EAGLE Media Scoreboard from Thursday games

AP Sports Summary for December 20th., 2024:

Taking advantage of an obscure rule, Chargers' Dicker makes NFL's first fair-catch kick in 48 years

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers made the first successful fair-catch kick in the NFL since 1976 on Thursday night. He connected from 57 yards right before halftime against the Denver Broncos. Dicker and the Chargers took advantage of a seldom-used football play called the fair-catch kick, which allows a team that has just made a fair catch to try a free kick for three points. Only five NFL teams had previously tried the kick in the 21st century, and nobody had successfully executed it since Ray Wersching did it for the San Diego Chargers 48 years ago.

Justin Herbert passes for 2 touchdowns, Chargers score on free kick and rally past Broncos 34-27

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 19-yarder to Derius Davis early in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Chargers got closer to wrapping up a playoff spot by rallying past the Denver Broncos 34-27 on Thursday night. The Chargers' comeback also included Cameron Dicker making the first successful fair-catch kick in the NFL in 48 years. He was good from 57 yards on the final play of the first half to pull the Chargers within 21-13. Los Angeles needs losses by Indianapolis and Miami on Sunday to make the playoffs. Denver failed to clinch a playoff berth and had its four-game winning streak snapped.

Sammy Sosa appears to acknowledge PED use, apologizes; Cubs welcome him back into fold

CHICAGO (AP) — Sammy Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance enhancing drugs during a career in which he hit more than 600 home runs, and the Chicago Cubs said they were ready to welcome him back. Sosa says in a statement "there were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games." He adds: "I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize." Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said the team plans to invite Sosa to the annual fan convention Jan. 17-19 in Chicago.

'Raygun: The Musical' won't use the name of the notorious Australian breaker

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australian breaker Rachael "Raygun" Gunn has tried to be a good sport about the jokes and criticism that poured in from around the globe after her controversial performance at the Paris Olympics. But maybe "Raygun: the Musical" was a bridge too far. Comedian Stephanie Broadbridge called off the show just hours before it was set to premiere in Sydney, after Gunn's lawyers contacted its comedy club venue and threatened legal action. On Thursday, Broadbridge said the musical had been rebranded as "Breaking: The Musical," "A completely legal parody musical." Gunn said in a video posted to social media that decision to demand her name be removed from the musical was not about not "being able to take a joke."

Towns relishes an enjoyable return to Minnesota, from the roar of the crowd to a blowout win

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns needed some extra time to prepare for playing against the team he always figured he'd be with his whole career. The surreal experience of returning to Minnesota was enjoyable from start to finish for Towns. He had 32 points and 20 rebounds for the New York Knicks in a 133-107 victory over the Timberwolves. There was no sense in trying to downplay the significance of this reunion. Minnesota still means a lot to Towns. He also made a major impact on the organization and the community despite some difficult years.

An 'embarrassing' night for Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who fall by 51 at Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Stephen Curry had a game like none other in his career. It was part of an awful night for the Golden State Warriors. Curry didn't make a shot from the field in his 24 minutes — the first time he's played that many minutes without a basket in his 16-year career — and the Warriors fell behind by 57 points in what became a 144-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night. The 51-point final margin and 57-point deficit were both the largest in the NBA this season.

US women's team star Trinity Rodman says her relationship with father Dennis Rodman is strained

U.S. women's soccer team forward Trinity Rodman has opened up about her strained relationship with father Dennis Rodman, saying he is largely absent from her life. She told the Call Her Daddy podcast that the former NBA star is only a father by blood. Dennis Rodman responded to his daughter with a post on Instagram saying he tried to be a father and will keep trying.

Looking at campaign documents for 7 IOC members running to be president of the Olympic body

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Seven International Olympic Committee members are running as candidates to be the next president in its first election since 2013. Their newly published manifestos show broad consensus on some issues and challenges for the IOC and global sports. Climate change and sustainability, engaging with youth via social and digital media in the fast-changing broadcasting landscape, harnessing AI, protecting women's sport. There are clear differences on paying prize money to Olympic athletes and how to engage more than 100 members to shape the IOC's future and pick host cities. Those members vote at a March 18-21 election meeting in Greece.

Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls out ref for technical calls on himself, Joe Mazzulla in loss to Bulls

BOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Jaylen Brown took issue with back-to-back technical fouls called on coach Joe Mazzulla and himself late in the fourth quarter of Boston's 117-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Trailing 99-90, Celtics scored six straight points before consecutive techs were called on Mazzulla and Brown with 5:12 left to play after both protested a non-foul call as Brown scrambled for a loose ball. A jump ball was called instead. Brown said he approached referee Justin Van Duyne to get an explanation on Mazzulla's tech, which Brown felt was unwarranted. Brown was eventually whistled for a technical as well.

		Houston Christian	at	(12)Texas A&amp;M	2 p.m.	

		(22)Dayton	at	(19)Cincinnati	8:30 p.m.	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701494597443.png" alt="Sports Headlines and News for Friday, December 20th, 2024" />
 <figcaption>Sports Headlines and News for Friday, December 20th, 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>AP Sports Summary for December 20th., 2024:<div><iframe width="100%" height="95" src="https://embeds.audioboom.com/posts/8627326/embed?v=202301" style="background-color: transparent; display: block; padding: 0; width: 100%" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no" title="Audioboom player" allow="autoplay" sandbox="allow-downloads allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe></div>Taking advantage of an obscure rule, Chargers' Dicker makes NFL's first fair-catch kick in 48 yearsINGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Cameron Dicker of the Los Angeles Chargers made the first successful fair-catch kick in the NFL since 1976 on Thursday night. He connected from 57 yards right before halftime against the Denver Broncos. Dicker and the Chargers took advantage of a seldom-used football play called the fair-catch kick, which allows a team that has just made a fair catch to try a free kick for three points. Only five NFL teams had previously tried the kick in the 21st century, and nobody had successfully executed it since Ray Wersching did it for the San Diego Chargers 48 years ago.Justin Herbert passes for 2 touchdowns, Chargers score on free kick and rally past Broncos 34-27INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a go-ahead 19-yarder to Derius Davis early in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Chargers got closer to wrapping up a playoff spot by rallying past the Denver Broncos 34-27 on Thursday night. The Chargers' comeback also included Cameron Dicker making the first successful fair-catch kick in the NFL in 48 years. He was good from 57 yards on the final play of the first half to pull the Chargers within 21-13. Los Angeles needs losses by Indianapolis and Miami on Sunday to make the playoffs. Denver failed to clinch a playoff berth and had its four-game winning streak snapped.Sammy Sosa appears to acknowledge PED use, apologizes; Cubs welcome him back into foldCHICAGO (AP) — Sammy Sosa appeared to acknowledge using performance enhancing drugs during a career in which he hit more than 600 home runs, and the Chicago Cubs said they were ready to welcome him back. Sosa says in a statement "there were times I did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games." He adds: "I never broke any laws. But in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize." Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said the team plans to invite Sosa to the annual fan convention Jan. 17-19 in Chicago.12-team college football playoff arrives after 100 years, a few billion dollars and many detoursIt took more than 100 years, a few billion dollars and the cold, hard realization that you can't fight progress forever. And now, finally, college football has what the rest of sports have: a legitimate postseason tournament. The first-of-its-kind 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off Friday and Saturday with four first-round games on campuses steeped in gridiron tradition: Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State. Winners advance to play over the New Year's holiday, and the tournament concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game.'Raygun: The Musical' won't use the name of the notorious Australian breakerBRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australian breaker Rachael "Raygun" Gunn has tried to be a good sport about the jokes and criticism that poured in from around the globe after her controversial performance at the Paris Olympics. But maybe "Raygun: the Musical" was a bridge too far. Comedian Stephanie Broadbridge called off the show just hours before it was set to premiere in Sydney, after Gunn's lawyers contacted its comedy club venue and threatened legal action. On Thursday, Broadbridge said the musical had been rebranded as "Breaking: The Musical," "A completely legal parody musical." Gunn said in a video posted to social media that decision to demand her name be removed from the musical was not about not "being able to take a joke."Towns relishes an enjoyable return to Minnesota, from the roar of the crowd to a blowout winMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns needed some extra time to prepare for playing against the team he always figured he'd be with his whole career. The surreal experience of returning to Minnesota was enjoyable from start to finish for Towns. He had 32 points and 20 rebounds for the New York Knicks in a 133-107 victory over the Timberwolves. There was no sense in trying to downplay the significance of this reunion. Minnesota still means a lot to Towns. He also made a major impact on the organization and the community despite some difficult years.An 'embarrassing' night for Stephen Curry and the Warriors, who fall by 51 at MemphisMEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Stephen Curry had a game like none other in his career. It was part of an awful night for the Golden State Warriors. Curry didn't make a shot from the field in his 24 minutes — the first time he's played that many minutes without a basket in his 16-year career — and the Warriors fell behind by 57 points in what became a 144-93 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night. The 51-point final margin and 57-point deficit were both the largest in the NBA this season.US women's team star Trinity Rodman says her relationship with father Dennis Rodman is strainedU.S. women's soccer team forward Trinity Rodman has opened up about her strained relationship with father Dennis Rodman, saying he is largely absent from her life. She told the Call Her Daddy podcast that the former NBA star is only a father by blood. Dennis Rodman responded to his daughter with a post on Instagram saying he tried to be a father and will keep trying.Looking at campaign documents for 7 IOC members running to be president of the Olympic bodyLAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Seven International Olympic Committee members are running as candidates to be the next president in its first election since 2013. Their newly published manifestos show broad consensus on some issues and challenges for the IOC and global sports. Climate change and sustainability, engaging with youth via social and digital media in the fast-changing broadcasting landscape, harnessing AI, protecting women's sport. There are clear differences on paying prize money to Olympic athletes and how to engage more than 100 members to shape the IOC's future and pick host cities. Those members vote at a March 18-21 election meeting in Greece.Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls out ref for technical calls on himself, Joe Mazzulla in loss to BullsBOSTON (AP) — Celtics forward Jaylen Brown took issue with back-to-back technical fouls called on coach Joe Mazzulla and himself late in the fourth quarter of Boston's 117-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls. Trailing 99-90, Celtics scored six straight points before consecutive techs were called on Mazzulla and Brown with 5:12 left to play after both protested a non-foul call as Brown scrambled for a loose ball. A jump ball was called instead. Brown said he approached referee Justin Van Duyne to get an explanation on Mazzulla's tech, which Brown felt was unwarranted. Brown was eventually whistled for a technical as well.AP-ScorecardHere are the scores from yesterday's sports events:___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Washington	123	Charlotte	114	Final	Oklahoma City	105	Orlando	99	Final	Utah	126	Detroit	119	Final	Chicago	117	Boston	108	Final	Brooklyn	101	Toronto	94	Final	Memphis	144	Golden State	93	Final	Houston	133	New Orleans	113	Final OT	San Antonio	133	Atlanta	126	Final	L.A. Clippers	118	Dallas	95	Final	Indiana	120	Phoenix	111	Final	New York	133	Minnesota	107	Final	Portland	126	Denver	124	Final	L.A. Lakers	113	Sacramento	100	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal	Columbus	4	New Jersey	2	Final	Tampa Bay	3	St. Louis	1	Final	Los Angeles	7	Philadelphia	3	Final OT	Pittsburgh	5	Nashville	4	Final	Chicago	3	Seattle	1	Final OT	Edmonton	3	Boston	2	Final OT	Ottawa	3	Calgary	2	Final	Vegas	3	Vancouver	1	Final	Colorado	4	San Jose	2	___NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUEFinal	L.A. Chargers	34	Denver	27	___TODAY'S SPORTS SCHEDULE___NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION		Charlotte	at	Philadelphia	7 p.m.			Milwaukee	at	Cleveland	7:30 p.m.			Oklahoma City	at	Miami	8 p.m.	___NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE		Carolina	at	Washington	7 p.m.			Montreal	at	Detroit	7 p.m.			St. Louis	at	Florida	7 p.m.			Toronto	at	Buffalo	7 p.m.			N-Y Rangers	at	Dallas	8 p.m.			Utah	at	Minnesota	8 p.m.			Colorado	at	Anaheim	10 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL		(9)Indiana	at	(3)Notre Dame	8 p.m.	___TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL		Houston Christian	at	(12)Texas A&amp;M	2 p.m.			(22)Dayton	at	(19)Cincinnati	8:30 p.m.	___

📢📰🎧 Sports Headlines for Friday

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutch High Salthawk Basketball teams return the the Salthawk Activity Center tonight to close out the 2024 December portion of their schedule with a doubleheader vs the Arkansas City Bulldogs.

Catch all the action on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio 1450am/98.5fm</a> with the award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew, consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play call and Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato with in-depth analysis. Pregame starts at 5:45 p.m. followed by the opening tip at 6 p.m. The Hutch High boys game will follow at around 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;

You have a choice. The video broadcast of both games will also available on the <a href="https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ks/hutchinson/organization/8/hutchinson-high-school/team/26735/girls-varsity-basketball/schedule?date=2024-12-01T06%3A00%3A00.000Z&amp;range=Month&amp;s=U2NoZWR1bGVFbnRyeVB1YmxpY1N1bW1hcnk2NmRmNTg0ZDM5NThmZmZhY2ViMzYxZmI%3D&amp;ss=2024">Hutch High hudl.tv fan page</a>&nbsp;and on the <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks">NFHS&nbsp; Network Hutchinson Channel.</a>&nbsp;You can subscribe to either network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734607500736.png" alt="Game Day Hutch High vs Arkansas City at the SAC Friday, December 20th." />
 <figcaption>Game Day Hutch High vs Arkansas City at the SAC Friday, December 20th.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutch High Salthawk Basketball teams return the the Salthawk Activity Center tonight to close out the 2024 December portion of their schedule with a doubleheader vs the Arkansas City Bulldogs.Catch all the action on <a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KWBW">KWBW Radio 1450am/98.5fm</a> with the award winning EAGLE Media sportscast crew, consisting of Glen Grunwald with the play-by-play call and Dan "Coach Nac" Naccarato with in-depth analysis. Pregame starts at 5:45 p.m. followed by the opening tip at 6 p.m. The Hutch High boys game will follow at around 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;You have a choice. The video broadcast of both games will also available on the <a href="https://fan.hudl.com/usa/ks/hutchinson/organization/8/hutchinson-high-school/team/26735/girls-varsity-basketball/schedule?date=2024-12-01T06%3A00%3A00.000Z&amp;range=Month&amp;s=U2NoZWR1bGVFbnRyeVB1YmxpY1N1bW1hcnk2NmRmNTg0ZDM5NThmZmZhY2ViMzYxZmI%3D&amp;ss=2024">Hutch High hudl.tv fan page</a>&nbsp;and on the <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/schools/hutchinson-high-school-hutchinson-ks">NFHS&nbsp; Network Hutchinson Channel.</a>&nbsp;You can subscribe to either network.Girls Game vs Ark City on hudl.tv:<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1820313?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>Boys Game vs Ark City on hudl.tv:<div><iframe src="https://vcloud.hudl.com/broadcast/embed/1781293?autoplay=1" width="640" height="360" allow="fullscreen;" style="border:0;overflow:hidden;"></iframe></div>

🎧🎥🏀 Hutch High closes out 2024 part of schedule vs Ark City

CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)

HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734652034031.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CANYON, Texas — Listen back to the complete audio broadcast of the 2024 NJCAA DI Football National Championship Game between Hutchinson Community College and Iowa Western Community College on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024 at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The game was broadcasted on KHUT-FM and KWBW-AM/FM with Sean Boston (play-by-play) and Daren Dunn (color analyst)HutchCC defeated Iowa Western, 28-23, to claim its second national title in program history.<div><iframe title="2024 NJCAA Football National Championship - HutchCC v Iowa Western" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=ju8pn-177ae1d-pb&from=pb6admin&square=1&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=ff6d00&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

🎧 LISTEN: NJCAA Championship Game rewind: HutchCC 28, IWCC 23

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Head coach Brandon Schneider and the Kansas women's basketball staff signed four prospects during the early signing period, including three who are currently ranked in the top 100 of the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.

KU's four-player class of Tatyonna Brown, Jaliya Davis, Libby Fandel and Keeley Parks is ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the ESPNW's post-signing window class rankings. Davis becomes the highest-ranked player that Kansas has signed during Schneider's tenure, coming in at No. 17 in the rankings, while Parks is also a five-star prospect ranked No. 29. Fandel is rated a four-star prospect at No. 44, while Brown is also a four-star and ranked just outside the top 100.

Davis, a 6-2 forward from Blue Valley North HS in Overland Park, Kansas, and Parks, a 5-11 guard from Norman HS in Norman, Oklahoma, were both named to the Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.

The Jayhawks recruiting class ranks as the highest-rated in Schneider's tenure. KU's class of 2023, which featured S'Mya Nichols, the No. 34 recruit in the class, and Laia Conesa was ranked No. 24 in the country.

Coach Brandon Schneider on the 2025 Recruiting Class:

"This recruiting class is the result of years of work that fortunately went our way. I think we've been involved in a lot of fierce recruiting battles through the years, some that we were really close on, and didn't succeed. It's nice when it all comes together like it did with this class. Success in recruiting is a team effort. We have a terrific staff, and our players are heavily involved and want to be involved in recruiting. I think we've really made a greater effort to recruit within driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas, and all four of these kids can jump in the car and get here. I think that they are drawn to our culture and the trajectory of our program, but I also think they see an opportunity to take it to new heights and to places that this program has never been."

Tatyonna Brown | F | 6-2 | Colorado Springs, Colo (Air Academy HS)

• Two-sport standout, competing in basketball and volleyball for Air Academy HS

• Averaging 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for her career

• Recorded 11 double-doubles as a junior, helping Air Academy to a 25-2 overall record and a state semifinal appearance

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Brown is a 6-2 lefty forward who is active in the paint and on the glass. She brings a physical presence to the floor and has upside potential with flashes of the perimeter shot."

Jaliya Davis | F | 6-2 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North HS)

• Rated a five-star prospect and the No. 17 recruit in the country by ESPNW

• Top high school prospect in the state of Kansas and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List

• Has led Blue Valley North HS to a 40-9 record over the past two seasons, including the 2023 Class 6A State Championship and a third-place finish in 2024

ESPNW Scouting Report: Davis is one of the best forwards in the 2025 class. She is an elite operator in the paint and extremely hard to keep off of the glass, with an advanced face up game and soft touch around the rim.

Libby Fandel | G | 6-1 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier HS)

• Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the class by ESPNW

• Has earned all-state honors in both volleyball (four times) and basketball (three), helping Xavier HS win state titles in each sport

• Averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a junior and was named the conference player of the year

• Reigning Cedar Rapids Metro Area Girls Basketball Athlete of the Year

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Fandel is a multisport athlete with an all-around game. She can catch fire from the perimeter and moves well without the ball. She has that glue-like quality about her that impacts winning."

Keeley Parks | G | 5-11 | Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)

• Rated a five-star prospect and ranked as No. 29 in the country by ESPNW

• 2024 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List

• Named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year and Big All-City First Team in 2024 ater averaging 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 5.6 steals per game

ESPNW Scouting Report: "Parks is an accomplished big guard with a strong frame. She has long range on her shot and finishes well around the rim with contact."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734622216346.jpeg" alt="Image Courtesy KU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Image Courtesy KU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KU AthleticsLAWRENCE, Kan. — Head coach Brandon Schneider and the Kansas women's basketball staff signed four prospects during the early signing period, including three who are currently ranked in the top 100 of the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings.KU's four-player class of Tatyonna Brown, Jaliya Davis, Libby Fandel and Keeley Parks is ranked as the No. 6 recruiting class in the ESPNW's post-signing window class rankings. Davis becomes the highest-ranked player that Kansas has signed during Schneider's tenure, coming in at No. 17 in the rankings, while Parks is also a five-star prospect ranked No. 29. Fandel is rated a four-star prospect at No. 44, while Brown is also a four-star and ranked just outside the top 100.Davis, a 6-2 forward from Blue Valley North HS in Overland Park, Kansas, and Parks, a 5-11 guard from Norman HS in Norman, Oklahoma, were both named to the Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.The Jayhawks recruiting class ranks as the highest-rated in Schneider's tenure. KU's class of 2023, which featured S'Mya Nichols, the No. 34 recruit in the class, and Laia Conesa was ranked No. 24 in the country.Coach Brandon Schneider on the 2025 Recruiting Class:"This recruiting class is the result of years of work that fortunately went our way. I think we've been involved in a lot of fierce recruiting battles through the years, some that we were really close on, and didn't succeed. It's nice when it all comes together like it did with this class. Success in recruiting is a team effort. We have a terrific staff, and our players are heavily involved and want to be involved in recruiting. I think we've really made a greater effort to recruit within driving distance of Lawrence, Kansas, and all four of these kids can jump in the car and get here. I think that they are drawn to our culture and the trajectory of our program, but I also think they see an opportunity to take it to new heights and to places that this program has never been."Class of 2025 Signees:Tatyonna Brown | F | 6-2 | Colorado Springs, Colo (Air Academy HS)• Rated a four-star prospect by ESPNW• Two-sport standout, competing in basketball and volleyball for Air Academy HS• Averaging 13.2 points and 9.4 rebounds for her career• Recorded 11 double-doubles as a junior, helping Air Academy to a 25-2 overall record and a state semifinal appearanceESPNW Scouting Report: "Brown is a 6-2 lefty forward who is active in the paint and on the glass. She brings a physical presence to the floor and has upside potential with flashes of the perimeter shot."Jaliya Davis | F | 6-2 | Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley North HS)• Rated a five-star prospect and the No. 17 recruit in the country by ESPNW• Top high school prospect in the state of Kansas and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List• Has led Blue Valley North HS to a 40-9 record over the past two seasons, including the 2023 Class 6A State Championship and a third-place finish in 2024ESPNW Scouting Report: Davis is one of the best forwards in the 2025 class. She is an elite operator in the paint and extremely hard to keep off of the glass, with an advanced face up game and soft touch around the rim.Libby Fandel | G | 6-1 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Xavier HS)• Rated a four-star prospect and the No. 44 prospect in the class by ESPNW• Has earned all-state honors in both volleyball (four times) and basketball (three), helping Xavier HS win state titles in each sport• Averaged 24.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a junior and was named the conference player of the year• Reigning Cedar Rapids Metro Area Girls Basketball Athlete of the YearESPNW Scouting Report: "Fandel is a multisport athlete with an all-around game. She can catch fire from the perimeter and moves well without the ball. She has that glue-like quality about her that impacts winning."Keeley Parks | G | 5-11 | Norman, Okla. (Norman HS)• Rated a five-star prospect and ranked as No. 29 in the country by ESPNW• 2024 Gatorade Oklahoma Girls Basketball Player of the Year and one of 50 prep seniors named to the Naismith Trophy High School Player of the Year Watch List• Named The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year and Big All-City First Team in 2024 ater averaging 26.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 5.6 steals per gameESPNW Scouting Report: "Parks is an accomplished big guard with a strong frame. She has long range on her shot and finishes well around the rim with contact."

🏀 KU signing class is top 10

WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State baseball was picked second in the 2025 American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, the highest preseason projection for the Shockers since joining the conference in 2017.

East Carolina topped the poll with 80 points, including eight first-place votes, while the Shockers garnered 72 points and the other two first-place nods. Defending American Athletic Conference tournament champion Tulane checked in at #3, followed by UTSA and Charlotte in the top half of the poll. Florida Atlantic, South Florida, UAB, Memphis and Rice round out the projections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734621739902.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Wichita State AthleticsWICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State baseball was picked second in the 2025 American Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll, the highest preseason projection for the Shockers since joining the conference in 2017.East Carolina topped the poll with 80 points, including eight first-place votes, while the Shockers garnered 72 points and the other two first-place nods. Defending American Athletic Conference tournament champion Tulane checked in at #3, followed by UTSA and Charlotte in the top half of the poll. Florida Atlantic, South Florida, UAB, Memphis and Rice round out the projections.The Shockers have never been picked higher than fourth in the American preseason poll, a status they reached just once in the 2022 edition. Last season, Wichita State was picked seventh before finishing 32-29 (15-12) and tying for third in Brian Green's first season as head coach.WSU and Tulane lead the way with four preseason All-Conference selections apiece. Wichita State catcher Mauricio Millan, first baseman Josh Livingston, second baseman Jordan Rogers and shortstop Camden Johnson were all recognized by the conference, with Millan as the unanimous selection behind the plate.Millan put together another consistent season as Wichita State's primary starting catcher in 2024, making 56 total starts that included 40 at catcher. The El Paso, Texas native finished third on the team with a .301 batting average, smacking 10 doubles and two home runs while setting a new program and American Athletic Conference record with 24 hit by pitches. Millan recorded 15 multi-hit games and six multi-RBI contests, solidifying his reputation as one of the conference's most clutch hitters with a .371 batting average with runners in scoring position.Livingston delivered one of the most impressive months in recent program history to buoy Wichita State's late-season surge. The rising senior went 11-for-33 in the month of May with three doubles, six home runs and 23 RBI in just nine games, highlighted by four homers in the conference tournament. For the season, Livingston hit .253 with five doubles, 11 home runs and 39 RBI, establishing a new program record with three pinch-hit home runs that included the program's first pinch-hit grand slam since 2016.Rogers posted the best season of his career as Wichita State's regular second baseman in 2024. The versatile defender played in 60 games with 57 starts (52 at second base, four in right field, one in center field), hitting .296 with 12 doubles, four triples, 11 home runs and 41 RBI. Rogers tied for third in the American Athletic Conference in both triples and hit by pitches while leading the Shockers with 56 runs scored. He also put together an 18-game hitting streak from April 20-May 21, the longest by any Wichita State player in 2024.Johnson burst onto the scene in 2024 as one of the region's most dynamic young players. The left-handed hitting infielder was named Second Team All-AAC and AAC All-Freshman Team as the only Shocker to start 60 games, 55 at third base and five at shortstop. Johnson led the team with a .326 batting average, adding 13 doubles, one triple, two home runs and 32 RBI while tying for the team lead with seven stolen bases in eight attempts.2024 American Baseball Preseason Coaches Poll (First-place votes in parentheses)East Carolina (8) -- 80Wichita State (2) -- 72Tulane -- 63UTSA -- 55Charlotte -- 50Florida Atlantic -- 36South Florida -- 31UAB -- 27Memphis -- 21Rice -- 15Preseason Player of the YearMason Lytle, Sr., OF, UTSAPreseason Pitcher of the YearColin Daniel, Jr., UABPreseason All-Conference TeamP – Colin Daniel, Jr., UAB*P – Davion Hickson, Jr., RiceP – Luc Fladda, Sr., TulaneRP – Ethan Norby, So., East CarolinaRP – Jacob Moore, R-Jr., TulaneC – Mauricio Millan, Sr., Wichita State*1B – Josh Livingston, Sr., Wichita State2B – Jordan Rogers, R-Sr., Wichita StateSS – Camden Johnson, So., Wichita State3B – Gavin Schulz, Sr., TulaneOF – Carson Bayne, Sr., Charlotte*OF – Ryley Johnson, Sr., East CarolinaOF – Mason Lytle, Sr., UTSA*OF – Jackson Linn, Sr., TulaneDH – Rafael Betancourt, Jr., South Florida* denotes unanimous selection