WSJM Sports

This week from Full Circle Café & Espresso Bar, we talk St. Joe, Lakeshore, Michigan Lutheran, and Benton Harbor Boys Basketball…

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As you heard on News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM. Joel Cordes brings you all of the action from the Bear Den in St. Joe as the Bears faced Coloma in a non-conference matchup

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NFL – Damar Hamlin asked who won Bills-Bengals when he woke up
Damar Hamlin’s doctors say the Buffalo Bills safety has begun to communicate in writing with his family and others who have been at his bedside since going into cardiac arrest Monday — and his first question was “did we win?” Doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center said in a conference call with reporters that Hamlin remains critically ill and in the hospital’s intensive care unit. But they say it appears his neurological function is intact, meaning he can follow commands and move. The developments come as the Bills return to practice for the first time since Hamlin collapsed during the first quarter of Buffalo’s game against the Bengals.

NFL – NFL: Bills-Bengals won’t resume; playoff scenarios revealed
The NFL won’t resume the Bills-Bengals game that was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field. The league announced its decision on Thursday. The NFL said its decision creates “potential competitive inequities in certain playoff scenarios.” The league said clubs on Friday, in a special league meeting, would consider a resolution recommended by the commissioner and approved Thursday by the Competition Committee. The Bills-Bengals game had major playoff implications. Buffalo entered Monday night needing a win to maintain the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Kansas City Chiefs currently hold that spot. The Bengals had a chance to earn that top seed with two more wins and a loss by the Chiefs.

NFL – National Football League – Week 18 (Final Week of the regular season)
Sunday
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m.
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts, 1:00 p.m.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers, 8:20 p.m.                Rock 107 WIRX 7:15

NFL – Late-season runs raise stakes for Lions-Packers matchup
The Green Bay Packers know they reach the postseason if they win Sunday night. The Detroit Lions’ playoff prospects are a little more complicated. Detroit can reach the playoffs by beating the Packers only if Seattle loses to the LA Rams earlier in the day. A Seahawks victory would eliminate Detroit. The Lions insist they’ll still have plenty of incentive to beat their NFC North rivals even if it has no impact on their own postseason fortunes. The Lions have won seven of their last nine games and are coming off a 41-10 blowout of Chicago. Detroit already has come a long way after going 3-13-1 last year in Coach Dan Campbell’s debut season. The Lions are seeking their first playoff berth since 2016 and have a chance to end a run of four straight losing seasons.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Western Michigan at Toledo, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday
Notre Dame at North Carolina, 11:30 a.m.
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 2:00 p.m.
Michigan at Michigan State, 2:30 p.m.   103.7 Cosy-FM 1:30 (MSU)           94.9 WSJM 2:00 (Michigan)

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Florida Panthers at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
Arizona Coyotes at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday
Detroit at Toronto, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday
Calgary at Chicago, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – NHL evolves its plan, prep for terrifying cardiac events
The horror that swept across the NFL when Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a game this week was all too familiar to members of the hockey community. At least five players experienced a heart-related issue in the NHL over the past 25 years. All of them collapsed during games. All of them survived including Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer. The NHL has updated its policies and required more robust medical support at games. Experts say that’s key and adjustments should continue to make sure medical staffs and teams are always prepared.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Portland Trailblazers at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at San Antonio Spurs, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Utah at Chicago, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
Philadelphia at Detroit, 3:00 p.m.
Charlotte at Indiana, 5:00 p.m.

NBA – McNeese renames its basketball court in honor of Joe Dumars
McNeese has renamed its basketball court for Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, the two-time NBA champion player who scored a record 2,607 points in his four seasons at the school. Joe Dumars Court will be unveiled Thursday on “Joe Dumars Day.” The Detroit Pistons chose Dumars with the 18th pick in the 1985 NBA draft. He spent his entire NBA playing career with the Pistons, becoming an All-Star six times and winning two titles. He went into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006, and is now executive vice president and head of basketball operations for the NBA.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Saturday
Michigan State at (13) Maryland, 1:00 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Bowling Green, 1:00 p.m.
Ball State at Western Michigan, 2:00 p.m.
Central Michigan at Buffalo, 2:30 p.m.
(16) Iowa at (14) Michigan, 4:30 p.m.

Sunday
(4) Notre Dame at (22) North Carolina, 4:00 p.m.

NCAAFB – QB Sam Hartman announces transfer to Notre Dame
Sam Hartman is transferring to Notre Dame, giving the Fighting Irish a dynamic quarterback for coach Marcus Freeman’s second season. Hartman, a three-year starter at Wake Forest, was widely regarded as the top quarterback in the transfer portal. He announced his decision Thursday by tweeting pictures of himself in a Notre Dame uniform. The 23-year-old Hartman holds the Atlantic Coast Conference record for passing touchdowns with 110. He has one year of eligibility remaining. Hartman completed a career-best 63.1% of his passes this past season for 3,701 yards with 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

NCAAFB – Harbaugh: ‘I expect’ to be back at Michigan next season
Jim Harbaugh says he expects to coach Michigan’s football team next season. He has posted a statement on the team’s social media accounts following reports of his interest in returning to the NFL. A person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity has said Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper had a conversation with Harbaugh about the team’s head coaching position. Harbaugh also has been mentioned as a possible candidate to coach in Denver and Indianapolis. Michigan is also awaiting word from the NCAA on an investigation into the football program regarding impermissible texts and calls to high school prospects during part of a COVID-19 dead period, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.

NCAAFB – Michigan State football player pleads guilty to misdemeanors
A Michigan State football player has pleaded guilty to misdemeanors for a skirmish inside the Michigan Stadium tunnel after a game in October. As part of a plea deal, a felony charge against Khary Crump was dropped on Thursday. His record will be scrubbed clean if he stays out of trouble while on probation. Crump was one of seven Michigan State players facing charges but the only one tagged with a felony. Scuffles broke out in the tunnel after Michigan defeated the Spartans on Oct. 29. Crump in one video appeared to swing his helmet at a Michigan player. His attorney said a letter of apology to Gemon Green was part of the deal. Crump was suspended by Michigan State. In addition, the Big Ten has suspended him for eight games in 2023.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Saturday
Women’s Basketball
Morton College at Lake Michigan College, 1:00 p.m.
Grand Rapids Community College at Southwestern Michigan, 1:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball
Morton College at Lake Michigan College, 3:00 p.m.
Grand Rapids Community College at Southwestern Michigan, 3:00 p.m.

AHL – American Hockey league
Tonight
Texas Stars at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey league
Tonight
Kalamazoo Wings at Toledo Walleye, 7:15 p.m.

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Last Night
Maine Celtics 132, Motor City Cruise 102
Fort Wayne Mad Ants 129, Grand Rapids Gold 108

Tonight
Motor City Cruise at Maine Celtics, 7:00 p.m.
Lakeland Magic at Windy City Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Lawrence 62, Battle Creek Academy 29

Girls Basketball
Bangor Invitational
Wyoming Lee 35, New Buffalo 29
Parchment 49, Bangor 25

Bridgman 30, Fennville 21
Lawrence 46, Battle Creek Academy 22

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Coloma at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.       News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM
Niles at Lakeshore, 7:00 p.m.
Buchanan at New Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Covert at Kalamazoo Phoenix, 6:00 p.m.
Fennville at Bridgman, 7:30 p.m.
Allegan at Watervliet, 7:30 p.m.
Lawton at Constantine, 7:30 p.m.
Parchment at Kalamazoo Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Saugatuck at Martin, 7:30 p.m.
Holland Black River at Galesburg-Augusta, 7:30 p.m.
Mattawan at Lansing Everett, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Portage Central, 6:00 p.m.
Marshall at Otsego, 7:15 p.m.

Bangor Invitational
Gobles vs. South Haven, 5:30 p.m.
Wyoming Lee vs. Bangor, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Otsego at Marshall, 7:00 p.m.
Allegan at Watervliet, 6:00 p.m.
Lawton at Constantine, 6:00 p.m.
Parchment at Kalamazoo Christian, 6:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Martin, 6:00 p.m.
Holland Black River at Galesburg-Augusta, 6:00 p.m.

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NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan 79, Penn State 69

Michigan 79, Penn State 69 – Michigan stays perfect in Big Ten beating Penn St. 79-69
Hunter Dickinson scored 17 points shooting 6 for 10, Jett Howard scored 14 points and Michigan beat Penn State 79-69 to end the Nittany Lions’ five-game winning streak. Tarris Reed Jr. made 1 of 2 foul shots and Michigan extended its 42-34 halftime lead to 61-47 with 11:20 left. Penn State closed to 72-69 on Camren Wynter’s jump shot with 2:17 remaining. Howard missed a jumper on Michigan’s next possession but Penn State failed to tie it when Andrew Funk missed a 3-pointer. Penn State missed its final three-shot attempts following Wynter’s basket. Jalen Pickett scored 26 points for Penn State.

NCAAMBKB – Michigan’s Dickinson dissociates from Hitler-Izzo comment
Michigan center Hunter Dickinson said he was part of a decision to remove a published Barstool Sports podcast in which one of his co-hosts compared Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo to Adolf Hitler. Hunter said he doesn’t associate himself with the comment after the Wolverines beat Penn State 79-69 Wednesday night. Michigan plays the Spartans on the road Saturday. Dickinson is a regular on the podcast but said he couldn’t recall if he was on it when the comment was made. Michigan plays at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon in East Lansing.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Philadelphia 76ers 129, Indiana Pacers 126 – OT
Chicago Bulls 121, Brooklyn Nets 112
Detroit Pistons 122, Golden State Warriors 119

Bulls 121, Nets 112 – Durant scores 44, but Bulls snap Nets’ 12-game win streak
DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams each scored 22 points, and the Chicago Bulls stopped Brooklyn’s 12-game win streak with a 121-112 victory over Kevin Durant and the Nets. Durant scored 44 points, but Chicago had six players score in double figures. Nikola Vucevic had 21 points and 13 rebounds, and Ayo Dosunmo finished with 17 points. The Bulls had dropped two in a row. Durant rested at the beginning of the fourth quarter and Chicago put together an 8-0 run. Dosunmu stole a pass at midcourt and went in for the jam for a 106-95 lead with 6:46 left.

Pistons 122, Warriors 119 – Bey beats buzzer with 3, Pistons beat Warriors 122-119
Saddiq Bey hit a 3-pointer as time expired after Golden State’s Klay Thompson tied it with a 3 with 2.3 seconds left, sending the Detroit Pistons past the Warriors 122-119 on Wednesday night. Detrout ended the defending champions’ season-best winning streak at five. Reigning NBA Finals MVP Stephen Curry missed his 10th straight game with a partially dislocated left shoulder and is set to be re-examined Saturday at the two-week mark from his last evaluation. Bey made another key 3 late and wound up with 17 points, Bojan Bogdanovic hit his first five 3-pointers and one with 3:42 left on the way to 29 points to lead six Pistons in double figures. Thompson had 30 points.

Sixers 129, Pacers 126 – OT – Without Embiid, 76ers push past Pacers 129-126 in OT
De’Anthony Melton hit a go-ahead 3-pointer late in overtime and James Harden scored 26 points to help a Philadelphia 76ers team playing without Joel Embiid beat the Indiana Pacers 129-126. Melton put the Sixers ahead 125-124 with 2:16 left in OT. He finished with 19 points. Montrezl Harrell followed with a rim-rattling dunk, and the Sixers held on for their 11th straight home win. Harrell also had 19 points on 8-for-9 shooting. Embiid, who had been playing with a sore lower back, sat out with a sore left foot.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
New Jersey Devils 5, Detroit Red Wings 1

Devils 5, Red Wings 1 – Vanecek makes 32 saves as Devils roll past Red Wings 5-1
Vitek Vanecek made 32 saves and blanked Detroit for 58 minutes as the New Jersey Devils downed the Red Wings 5-1. Dougie Hamilton, Nico Hischier, Alexander Holtz and Jack Hughes each had a goal and an assist. Michael McLeod also scored for New Jersey. The Devils, who are 14-2-1 on the road, won the season series 2-1. Lucas Raymond scored on a late power play to prevent a shutout. Red Wings goalie Villo Husso stopped 21 shots.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Toledo 71, Western Michigan 53
Central Michigan 79, Northern Illinois 62
Eastern Michigan 68, Miami (OH) 67

NFL – NFL rallies to support Hamlin as his condition improves
NFL players and coaches are rallying to support Damar Hamlin, two days after the Buffalo Bills safety’s heart stopped and he needed to be resuscitated during a game at Cincinnati. Colts safety Rodney Thomas made the two-hour drive from Indianapolis to Cincinnati to provide his sedated friend words of encouragement. Vikings defensive tackle and former Bills teammate Harrison Phillips arranged to have dinner delivered to the hospital. Hamlin’s marketing representative Jordan Rooney told The Associated Press the player’s recovery is moving in “a positive direction.” The Bills say Hamlin is still in critical condition but has shown signs of improvement.

NFL – Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation
Misinformation about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines has flared up once again, this time following the on-field collapse of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during a game Monday. Even before Hamlin was carried off the field, social media posts claimed without evidence that his medical emergency was caused by a COVID-19 inoculation. Prominent anti-vaccine groups and right-leaning figures like Tucker Carlson claimed Hamlin’s cardiac arrest is connected to a number of athletes who have died after receiving the shot. Physicians interviewed by the AP, however, said it’s wrong to blame vaccines for Hamlin’s injury and that there’s been no increase in cardiac arrests among vaccinated athletes.

NFL – NFL still considering scheduling options, Week 18 unchanged
The NFL is still considering various options following the suspension of the Bills-Bengals game, including possibly eliminating the bye week before the Super Bowl. The Bills-Patriots game set for Sunday and the rest of the Week 18 games remain on schedule. The pivotal Bills-Bengals game was suspended Monday night after Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest while making a tackle in the first quarter. A marketing representative for his family says Hamlin’s recovery is moving in “a positive direction” two days after the 24-year-old player had to be resuscitated on the field. NFL executive Jeff Miller said there has been no decision on whether to resume the Bills-Bengals game at a later date. A decision will be made in the coming days.

NFL – Bears’ Fields to miss finale, ending shot at QB rushing mark
Justin Fields won’t get a chance to break the single-season rushing record for an NFL quarterback. Coach Matt Eberflus says Fields will miss the season finale against the Minnesota Vikings because of a strained hip and Nathan Peterman will start in his place. Fields finishes his second season with 1,143 yards rushing, 63 shy of the record of 1,206 set by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in 2019 during his MVP season. Eberflus said Fields reported a sore hip Monday morning, a day after the Bears got blown out at Detroit. An MRI confirmed the strain and the team’s medical staff ruled him out for the game against NFC North champion Minnesota on Sunday.

MLB – Benintendi just planning to be himself as he joins White Sox
Andrew Benintendi pulled on his new No. 23 Chicago White Sox jersey a day after finalizing a $75 million, five-year deal. It’s the richest contract in terms of total value in franchise history. The White Sox had long been interested in Benintendi, going back to when the outfielder was selected by Boston with the No. 7 pick in the 2015 amateur draft — one spot ahead of Chicago. Benintendi says it’s good to be with a team that wanted him from the get-go.

MLB – AP source: Cubs, 1B Hosmer agree to 1-year contract
Eric Hosmer has agreed to a $720,000, one-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, giving the team another option at first base and designated hitter. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it was pending a successful physical. The 33-year-old Hosmer played for San Diego and Boston last season, batting .268 with eight homers and 44 RBIs in 104 games. He was traded to Boston in August, and then he was designated for assignment by the Red Sox last month.

USA Soccer – Reyna family flagged Berhalter incident; interim coach named
The U.S. Men’s soccer team has been plunged into public turmoil because the family of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna family says it was the one to notify the U.S. Soccer Federation of a decades-old incident involving Gregg Berhalter and his wife. The family says it took action in response to the coach’s disparagement of young star Gio Reyna, Claudio’s son. Berhalter said Tuesday that his 1991 behavior in which he kicked the woman who would become his wife was “shameful.” Anthony Hudson will coach the team for exhibitions against Serbia on Jan. 25 and Colombia 3 days later.

IIHF – Canada beats US 6-2 in world junior hockey semifinals
Adam Fantilli scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, Thomas Milic made 43 saves and Canada overcame an early deficit to beat the United States 6-2 on Wednesday night to advance to the world junior hockey championship game. Seeking its 20th title, Canada will face the Czech Republic on Thursday night. The Czechs, 5-2 winners over Canada in their tournament opener, rallied to beat Sweden 2-1 in overtime in the first semifinal. Joshua Roy had two goals, the second into the empty net, and two assists for Canada. Fantilli, Connor Bedard and Logan Stankoven each had a goal and an assist, and Brandt Clarke also scored. Logan Cooley and Kenny Connors scored in the first period as the Americans raced to a 2-0 lead.

AHL – American Hockey league
Last Night
Grand Rapids Griffins 3, Cleveland Monsters 1

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Last Night
Windy City Bulls 128, Fort Wayne Mad Ants 116

Tonight
Motor City Cruise at Maine Celtics, 7:00 p.m.
Fort Wayne Mad Ants at Grand Rapids Gold, 7:00 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Last Night
Women’s Basketball
Muskegon Community College 61, Southwestern Michigan 44
Joliet Junior College 71, Lake Michigan College 50

Men’s Basketball
Southwestern Michigan 66, Muskegon Community College 56
Lake Michigan College 82, Joliet Junior College 80

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Grand Haven 53, Portage Central 47
Galesburg-Augusta 67, Saugatuck 45

Bangor Invitational
Wyoming Lee 37, South Haven 36
Bangor 46, Gobles 41

Girls Basketball
Saugatuck 51, Galesburg-Augusta 47

Wrestling
Lakeshore 39, Edwardsburg 24
South Haven, Galesburg-Augusta, Fennville at Parchment

• South Haven 54, Galesburg-Augusta 21
• South Haven 51, Parchment 12
• Galesburg-Augusta 36, Fennville 30
• Fennville 24, Parchment 21

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Battle Creek Academy at Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Bangor Invitational
Wyoming-Lee vs. New Buffalo, 5:30 p.m.
Parchment vs. Bangor, 7:00 p.m.

Bridgman at Fennville, 7:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Academy at Lawrence, 6:00 p.m.

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NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan State 74, Nebraska 56
Boston College 70, Notre Dame 63
Kent State 80, Western Michigan 72
Central Michigan 68, Miami (OH) 56
Bowling Green 91, Eastern Michigan 65

Michigan State 74, Nebraska 56 – Walker scores 21, Michigan State beats Nebraska 74-56
Tyson Walker scored 16 of his 21 points in the first half and Michigan State beat Nebraska 74-56 for its 10th straight victory in the series. Walker had a personal 7-0 run to reach 14 points through the opening 11 minutes of the game as Michigan State led 26-13. The Spartans also closed the half on a 13-0 run for a 39-17 lead — its largest halftime lead against a Big Ten opponent since the 2016-17 season. Nebraska scored 18 points in the opening seven minutes of the second half, after scoring just 17 in the first half, and got as close as 58-46 with 8:44 left. But Michigan State scored the next 10 points, capped by another 3-pointer by Walker.

Boston College 70, Notre Dame 63 – Boston College rallies late to beat Notre Dame 70-63
Jaeden Zackery scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and Boston College rallied from a 10-point deficit to beat Notre Dame 70-63. Boston College took its first lead of the game, 62-61, with 1:43 remaining as it closed on a 17-4 run. Prince Aligbe scored six points and Zackery five during the strech. Aligbe finished with 15 points and Makai Ashton-Langford had 12 for Boston College (8-7, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which shot 52% from the floor. J.J. Starling and Dane Goodwin had 16 points apiece for Notre Dame (9-6, 0-4), which shot 31% and were outrebounded 26-15 in the second half.

Kent State 80, WMU 72 – Kent State knocks off Western Michigan 80-72 in a MAC opener
Jalen Sullinger scored 18 points off of the bench to lead the Kent State Golden Flashes over the Western Michigan Broncos 80-72 on Tuesday night. The Golden Flashes are now 11-3 on the season, while the Broncos dropped to 4-10. Tray Maddox Jr. had 18 points to lead Western.

CMU 68, Miami 56 – Zarzuela scores 19 as Central Michigan beats Miami (Ohio)
Jesse Zarzuela scored 19 points off of the bench to lead the Central Michigan Chippewas over the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks 68-56 on Tuesday night. The Chippewas are now 6-8 with the victory and the RedHawks fell to 6-8.

BGSU 91, EMU 65 – Ayers has 24 as Bowling Green defeats Eastern Michigan 91-65
Led by Leon Ayers III’s 24 points, the Bowling Green Falcons defeated the Eastern Michigan Eagles 91-65 on Tuesday night.  Emoni Bates had 15 in the loss for Eastern.

Tonight
Penn State at Michigan, 7:00 p.m.                                 News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:30

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Indiana Pacers at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 p.m.
Brooklyn Nets at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Golden State Warriors, 10:00 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
(14) Michigan 82, Penn State 72

(14) Michigan 82, Penn State 72 – Phelia scores 24, No. 14 Michigan women beat Penn State
Laila Phelia scored 24 points, Leigha Brown had 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and No. 14 Michigan beat Penn State 82-72. Phelia, Brown and Maddie Nolan combined for Michigan’s opening 20 points of the fourth quarter, including a 10-0 run to pull away. Brown started the run with a three-point play and Nolan capped it with a 3-pointer to give Michigan the first double-digit lead of the game at 72-62 with 5:34 left. Nolan finished with 17 points and five 3-pointers and Emily Kiser had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Michigan.

Tonight
Western Michigan at Toledo, 7:00 p.m.
Northern Illinois at Central Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Miami (OH) at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Tampa Bay Lightning 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Lightning 4, Blackhawks 1 – Hagel, Killorn help Lightning beat lowly Blackhawks 4-1
Alex Killorn snapped a tie in the third period, and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 for their fourth straight victory. Brandon Hagel added a goal and an assist as Tampa Bay won for the 11th time in 14 games overall. Pat Maroon and Nicholas Paul also scored in the opener of a three-game trip, and Brian Elliott made 25 saves. Killorn was stopped by Alex Stalock on his first try, but he slammed home the rebound as he was knocked down by Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy. Killorn’s 12th goal of the season made it 2-1 at 7:11.

Tonight
New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – Detroit Red Wings put veteran forward Jakub Vrana on waivers
The Detroit Red Wings have placed forward Jakub Vrana on waivers. It comes a little more than two weeks after he returned from the player assistance program set up by the NHL and NHL Players’ Association. It’s also a week after assigning him to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on a conditioning loan. The 26-year-old is from the Czech Republic. He has 98 goals and 91 assists in 323 career regular-season games. Detroit is four games over .500 and hosts the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night.   In his three games in Grand Rapids, Vrana has not had a point and is a -5 on the ice for the Griffins.

NFL – NFL players, communities rally for Bills safety Damar Hamlin
The NFL and its fans are rallying in support of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who remains in critical condition at a Cincinnati hospital after going into cardiac arrest on the field. Players and coaches from around the league were overcome with emotion while watching Hamlin be resuscitated back to life Monday night during Buffalo’s game at Cincinnati. Hamlin’s uncle, Dorrian Glenn, told CNN that his nephew had to have his heart re-started twice — once on the field, and once at the hospital. Glenn says there were some encouraging signs Tuesday, including doctors reducing the amount of oxygen Hamlin was receiving.

NFL – Fans give millions to Damar Hamlin’s toy drive for kids
Damar Hamlin’s goal was simple: He wanted to raise $2,500 online to buy toys for needy kids. It took about two years. Then came Monday, when the Buffalo Bills safety was critically injured and needed his heart restarted on the field in a chilling scene during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He instantly became one of the biggest stories in sports, and thousands of people found his GoFundMe page. The result was roughly $5.5 million donated in the first 24 hours after his injury. And the number is climbing.

NFL – NFL balances emotions, tight schedule after Hamlin shock
The NFL has informed the Bills and Bengals their suspended game will not be resumed this week while the Week 18 schedule remains unchanged. The NFL has made no decision regarding the possible resumption of the pivotal Bills-Bengals game at a later date. The game was suspended Monday night in the first quarter when Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest. The 24-year-old Hamlin remained in critical condition a day after the Bills said his heart stopped after making a tackle in the opening quarter of a game against the Bengals. Medical staff restored his heartbeat during frantic moments on the field before he was loaded into an ambulance. Players from both teams were crying and praying during an emotional scene on the field.

NCAAFB – AP source: Panthers owner, Jim Harbaugh discuss coaching job
According to a person familiar with the situation, Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper has talked to University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh about the team’s head coaching position. The person characterized the talks as a conversation, not a job interview. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because the team does not normally release details of its coaching search. The Panthers were eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday after a 30-24 loss to Tampa Bay. Steve Wilks is currently serving Panthers interim head coach. Under Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers reached the NFC championship game three straight years from 2011 to 2013 and lost Super Bowl 47 to Baltimore.

MLB – Benintendi, White Sox finalize $75 million, 5-year contract
All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi and the Chicago White Sox have finalized a $75 million, five-year contract. He is due a $3 million signing bonus, as well as $8 million in 2023, $16.5 million each season from 2024-26 and $14.5 million in 2027. The 28-year-old helped Boston win a World Series championship in 2018. He won a Gold Glove with Kansas City in 2021 and was chosen to his first All-Star team last season before the Royals traded him to the New York Yankees on July 27. He missed the playoffs with a broken right wrist.

Soccer –Pelé buried at cemetery in Brazilian city he made famous
Brazil said a final farewell to Pelé on Tuesday, burying the legend who unified the bitterly divided country. Pelé was placed in his final resting place as millions of fans around the world mourned. Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid his respects at the Vila Belmiro stadium where Pelé played much of his career. Pelé was buried in Santos, the city where he became famous. Mass was held at the Vila Belmiro stadium before the casket was ushered through the streets. Pele died Thursday at age 82.

IIHF – US, Canada set to face off in junior hockey semifinals
The United States and Canada face off Wednesday night in another instalment of their world junior hockey rivalry, with a trip to the title game on the line. They advanced to the semifinals after polar-opposite quarterfinals Monday, with Canada beating Slovakia 4-3 on overtime and the U.S. routing Germany 11-1. The Czech Republic will face Sweden in the other semifinal. Connor Bedard scored his second goal of the game in overtime to lift Canada past Slovakia. Expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, the 17-year-old Regina Pats star has set multiple records in the tournament. The Americans are led by the high-scoring top line of University of Minnesota teammates Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud and Boston College’s Cutter Gauthier.

AHL – American Hockey league
Tonight
Cleveland Monsters at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Last Night
Grand Rapids Gold 119, Delaware Blue Coats 113

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Tonight
Women’s Basketball
Southwestern Michigan at Muskegon Community College, 5:30 p.m.
Lake Michigan College at Joliet Junior College, 6:00 p.m.

Men’s Basketball
Southwestern Michigan at Muskegon Community College, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Michigan College at Joliet Junior College, 8:00 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
SB Career Academy 71, New Buffalo 28

• Sam Tripp led New Buffalo with 11 points as the Bison fell to South Bend Career Academy 71-28.

Holland Black River 52, GR Wellspring 51
Hudsonville Unity Christian 57, Schoolcraft 43
Saginaw Nouvell 82, Kalamazoo Hackett 68

Girls Basketball
Lakeshore 74, Niles 33

• Lakeshore started out the New Year with a 74-33 rout of former SMAC rival Niles.  Emily Lockman was one of three Lancers in double figures with 23 points. Paige Lies chipped in 12 and Pallas Dominion added 10.  Lakeshore improves to 5-2 on the season and will travel to Otsego next Tuesday.

Marshall 44, Gull Lake 36
Potters House 67, Holland Black River 27

Bangor Invitational
Bangor 35, Wyoming Lee 19

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Grand Haven at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.
Galesburg-Augusta at Saugatuck, 7:00 p.m.

Bangor Invitational
South Haven vs. Wyoming Lee, 5:30 p.m.
Bangor vs. Gobles, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Galesburg-Augusta at Saugatuck, 5:30 p.m.

Wrestling
Edwardsburg at Lakeshore, 5:00 p.m.
South Haven, Galesburg-Augusta at Parchment, 6:00 p.m.
Brandywine, Sand Creek, Reading at Bronson, 6:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NFL – National Football League – Week 17
Last Night
Buffalo Bills at Cincinnati Bengals, Suspended and Postponed

Bills at Bengals, PPD – Bills’ Hamlin in critical condition after collapse on field
Buffalo defensive back Damar Hamlin was in critical condition early Tuesday after the Bills say he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field following a tackle hours earlier, leading to the indefinite postponement of Buffalo’s pivotal Monday night showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills said in a statement: “Damar Hamlin suffered a cardiac arrest following a hit in our game versus the Bengals. His heartbeat was restored on the field and he was transferred to the UC Medical Center for further testing and treatment. He is currently sedated and listed in critical condition.”  In a chilling scene, Hamlin was administered CPR on the field, ESPN reported, while surrounded by teammates, some of them in tears, while they shielded him from public view. He was hurt while tackling Bengals receiver Tee Higgins on a seemingly routine play that didn’t appear unusually violent.  Jeff Miller, an NFL executive vice president, told reporters on a conference call early Tuesday that the league had made no plans at this time to play the game, adding that Hamlin’s health was the main focus.  Vincent said the league took no steps toward restarting the game and did not ask players to begin a five-minute warmup period as ESPN’s broadcasters had announced.  There was a heavy police presence at Buffalo Niagara International Airport when the team arrived at about 2:45 a.m. A small group of fans gathered across the street from the players’ parking area near the airport. Police blocked off the road to allow the players to leave.

NFL – Detroit familiar with heart issues in sports
On Oct. 24, 1971, Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions had a heart attack late in the fourth quarter of an NFL game against the Chicago Bears.  He was officially pronounced dead about 50 minutes after the game, with an autopsy revealing that the heart attack was caused by a massive stoppage in his left coronary artery.  Doctors later said he was essentially dead on the field — and the closest defender to him when he collapsed, Bears star Dick Butkus, immediately began waving for help when Hughes tumbled to the turf, clearly aware of the severity of the situation.  The game was delayed and the final 62 seconds were eventually played.  On Nov. 21, 2005, during the first period of a Detroit Red Wings game against Nashville, Detroit defenseman Jiri Fischer slumped over while seated on the Red Wings bench, and coach Mike Babcock began furiously waving for help.  Fischer had a seizure, fell forward and CPR was quickly administered. His heart had stopped and medical personnel could not find a pulse, Babcock said, before emergency workers shocked his heart and got it beating again.  The game was delayed, then ultimately postponed. Fischer never played again.

NFL – Lions looking forward to potentially playing for playoffs
The Detroit Lions will play at Green Bay Packers on Sunday in a matchup of 8-8 teams with much at stake for at least one of the NFC North teams. Detroit must win at Lambeau Field and have the good fortune of the Los Angeles Rams beating or tying Seattle on the road earlier in the day. If the Packers win, they are in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and 12th time in 15 years since Aaron Rodgers became their starting quarterback. The NFL has flexed the game to Sunday Night Football with an 8:20 kickoff.

NFL – Bears’ Fields uncertain to play with rushing mark in reach
Justin Fields might not get the chance to break the single-season rushing record for an NFL quarterback. Coach Matt Eberflus threw Fields’ status for the Chicago Bears’ season finale against Minnesota into question Monday. He says there are “ongoing conversations about everybody” with general manager Ryan Poles. Fields needs 63 yards to break the QB rushing record of 1,206 set by Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in 2019 during his MVP season. But it’s not clear he will get that opportunity when the Bears host the NFC North champion Vikings on Sunday. The Bears set a franchise record by extending their skid to nine games.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Nebraska at Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.                           Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 6:00
Notre Dame at Boston College, 7:00 p.m.
Western Michigan at Kent State, 7:00 p.m.
Miami (OH) at Central Michigan, 7:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Cleveland Cavaliers 145, Chicago Bulls 134 – OT
Portland Trailblazers 135, Detroit Pistons 106
Indiana Pacers 122, Toronto Raptors 114

Cavaliers 145, Bulls 134 – OT – Mitchell scores 71 points, Cavs beat Bulls 145-134 in OT
Donovan Mitchell set a Cleveland record with 71 points, most by an NBA player in 17 years, and the Cavaliers rallied from 21 down to beat the Chicago Bulls 145-134 in overtime. Mitchell’s total matched the eighth-highest in league history and marked the most points by any player since Lakers great Kobe Bryant had 81 against Toronto on Jan. 22, 2006. Wilt Chamberlain owns the NBA record with 100 for Philadelphia against New York on March 2, 1962. Mitchell scored 13 points in the extra period after forcing OT by grabbing his own intentionally missed free throw and making a circus shot with three seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 130.

Blazers 135, Pistons 106 – Grant scores 36, Blazers rout Pistons in Payton’s debut
Jerami Grant scored 36 points against his former team, Anfernee Simons added 30 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Detroit Pistons 135-106. Gary Payton II played 14 minutes in his Portland debut, finishing with seven points, four assists and two steals. The son of Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton missed the first 35 games this season following surgery for a core muscle injury. He signed with the Trail Blazers as a free agent after winning an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors last June. Grant was 12 for 17 from the field, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and Payton’s debut buoyed a Blazers team that had lost four of five. Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points to lead Detroit.

Pacers 122, Raptors 114 – Mathurin, Hield lead Pacers past Raptors for 4th straight
Bennedict Mathurin scored 21 points and Buddy Hield added 19 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 122-114 victory over the Toronto Raptors for their fourth consecutive victory. Myles Turner had 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Tyrese Haliburton added 16 points and eight assists for the Pacers. T.J. McConnell scored 15 off the bench. Gary Trent Jr. scored 32 points and Pascal Siakam had 26 for Toronto. Scottie Barnes added 23. The Pacers, who shot 45% from the field, had a 50-36 edge in rebounds. With the score tied at 101 in the fourth quarter, Haliburton sank a 3-pointer to put the Pacers ahead for good.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan State 71, Northwestern 64

Today
Penn State at (14) Michigan, 1:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowls
Yesterday
Mississippi State 19, Illinois 10                                  ReliaQuest Bowl – Tampa, FL
(17) LSU 63, Purdue 7                                                Cheez-It Citrus Bowl – Orlando, FL
(16) Tulane 46, (10) USC 45                                       Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic – Arlington, TX
(11) Penn State 35, (8) Utah 21                                   Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential – Pasadena, CA

MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Boys Basketball
New Buffalo at SB Career Academy, 7:15 p.m.
GR Wellspring Prep at Holland Black River, 7:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Hudsonville Unity Christian, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Saginaw Nouvell, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Lakeshore at Niles, 7:15 p.m.
Marshall at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Holland Black River at Potters House, 7:00 p.m.

Bangor Invitational
Wyoming Lee vs. Parchment, 5:30 p.m.
South Haven vs. Bangor, 7:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we talk Lakeshore, Michigan Lutheran, and Benton Harbor Girls Basketball…

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Central Michigan 63, Michigan 61

CMU 63, Michigan 61 – Bass lifts Central Michigan to 63-61 upset win over Michigan
Reggie Bass drilled a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left and Central Michigan knocked off in-state rival Michigan 63-61 in the final non-conference game for both schools. Jesse Zarzuela’s 3-pointer with 16:14 left to play put Central Michigan in front, 36-35, and the Chippewas played with the lead for most of the remainder of the game. Jesse Zarzuela led Central Michigan (5-8) with 19 points and six rebounds. Bass hit 4 of 11 from beyond the arc and contributed 16 points and seven rebounds. Brian Taylor added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists. The Chippewas held a 44-32 advantage on the boards and pulled down 17 caroms off the offensive glass. Kobe Bufkin led Michigan (7-5) with 16 points. Hunter Dickinson knocked down 7 of 10 from the free-throw line and added 13 points.

Today
(14) Miami at Notre Dame, 2:00 p.m.
Buffalo at Michigan State, 6:00 p.m.                   Superhits 103..7 Cosy-FM
Eastern Michigan at South Carolina, 7:00 p.m.
Western Michigan at (15) Wisconsin, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
Maryland at Michigan, 4:30 p.m.                         News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 4:00

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan State 83, (4) Indiana 78
(5) Notre Dame 66, Miami 63

Michigan State 83, (4) Indiana 78 – Michigan State holds on to defeat No. 4 Indiana 83-78
Michigan State had four players score in double figures en route to take down previously unbeaten No. 4 Indiana 83-78 on Thursday. Kamaria McDaniel had 24 points to lead the Spartans, while Matilda Ekh and Taiyier Parks each had 18, and DeeDee Hagemann had 15 to go with eight assists. Mackenzie Holmes had 32 points and 12 rebounds for No. 4 Indiana.

(5) Notre Dame 66, Miami 63 – No. 5 Notre Dame moves to 11-1, holds off Miami 66-63
Maddy Westbeld scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and No. 5 Notre Dame rallied in the fourth quarter to hold off Miami 66-63 on Thursday night. Sonia Citron scored 13, Olivia Miles added 12 and Lauren Ebo had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Irish. Notre Dame has won five straight. Destiny Harden had 12 points, nine rebounds and five steals for Miami. Haley Cavinder also scored 12 and Lashae Dwyer added 10 for the Hurricanes.

Sunday
Boston College at (5) Notre Dame, 12:00 p.m.
Chicago State at Central Michigan, 1:00 p.m.

Soccer – Pelé, Brazil’s mighty king of ‘beautiful game,’ has died
Pelé, Brazil’s mighty king of soccer, has died. He was 82. Since 2021, he had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer discovered during a routine medical exam. Pelé was one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century. He won a record three World Cups with Brazil and was the standard-bearer of “the beautiful game” with the national team and his club Santos. His exuberance and mesmerizing moves transfixed generations of fans around the globe. His flair personified his country’s samba-style elegance. Late in his career, he helped popularize soccer in North America by joining the New York Cosmos.

Soccer – As ‘The King,’ Pelé enchanted fans and dazzled opponents
Pelé won a record three World Cups and was widely regarded as one of his sport’s greatest players. He was among the most recognizable figures in the world at the time of his death on Thursday. Pelé was among the game’s most prolific scorers and spent nearly two decades enchanting fans and dazzling opponents. His grace, athleticism and moves were mesmerizing. He orchestrated a fast, fluid style of play that revolutionized soccer. He carried Brazil to soccer’s heights and became a global ambassador for his sport. His journey began on the streets of Sao Paulo state, where he would kick a sock stuffed with newspapers or rags.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Buffalo Sabres 6, Detroit Red Wings 3
St. Louis Blues 3, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Sabres 6, Red Wings 3 – Okposo scores 3 times as Sabres beat Red Wings 6-3
Kyle Okposo scored three times, Casey Mittelstadt had two goals and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 for their fifth straight victory. Jeff Skinner also scored for Buffalo, and Owen Power, Zemgus Girgensons and JJ Peterka each had two assists. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 28 saves and won his third straight start. Dominik Kubalik scored two goals for Detroit, which lost for the seventh time in nine games.

Blues 3, Blackhawks 1 – Rosen, Binnington spark Blues to 3-1 win over Blackhawks
Calle Rosen scored unassisted and Jordan Binnington stopped 21 shots to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 3-1 victory over the struggling Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis is 9-0-2 the last 11 games against the Blackhawks, the longest point streak against Chicago in franchise history. St. Louis has outscored the Blackhawks 38-18. The Blues have also won five straight against Chicago. The Blackhawks have won just two games since last facing the Blues in November. Chicago is 1-10-0 its last 11 games and 2-17-1 in its last 20 games. Josh Leivo and Brendon Saad also scored for St. Louis. Patrick Kane scored for Chicago.

Saturday
Ottawa at Detroit, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday
San Jose at Chicago, 7:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Indiana Pacers 135, Cleveland Cavaliers 126

Pacers 135, Cavaliers 126 – Haliburton, Hield combine for 11 3s, Pacers top Cavs 135-126
Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points, Buddy Hield made a 3-pointer three seconds into the game and added 25, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 135-126.

Tonight
Detroit Pistons at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Cleveland at Chicago, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit at Minnesota, 8:00 p.m.

Monday
Chicago at Cleveland, 7:00 p.m.
Toronto at Indiana, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit at Portland, 10:00 p.m.

NBA – NBA suspends 11 players from Magic-Pistons scuffle
Detroit guard Killian Hayes and Orlando’s Moritz Wagner were each given multi-game suspensions for their roles in a scuffle, while the NBA suspended eight Magic players one game apiece for leaving the bench area during an altercation. Hayes, who struck Wagner in the back of the head, was given a three-game suspension without pay. Wagner was banned two games and the Pistons’ Hamidou Diallo was suspended one game by NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars — the former Pistons star player and executive. The fallout from the game in Detroit on Wednesday night was so large that the suspensions of the Magic players will be staggered so they have enough available players to play their next game.

NFL – National Football League – Week 17
Last Night
Dallas Cowboys 27, Tennessee Titans 13

Sunday
Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m.
Indianapolis Colts at New York Giants, 1:00 p.m.
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers, 4:25 p.m.

NFL – Lions host Bears, needing win to keep playoff hopes alive
The Detroit Lions put themselves in the playoff picture by being one of the NFL’s hottest teams, winning six of seven and barely losing to Buffalo during a surprising and successful stretch. With a chance to potentially secure an NFC wild-card berth, the Lions went cold in Carolina and lost by two touchdowns. Detroit did not doom its chances, but it must close with wins over Chicago on Sunday at home and against wild-card contending Green Bay on the road next week to have a shot at being in the postseason for the first time since 2016.

NFL/NCAA – Big Ten – AP source: Big Ten’s Warren candidate for Bears president
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren has spoken to the Chicago Bears about becoming the team’s next president and CEO. A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the talks to The Associated Press. The Bears are searching for a president to replace the retiring Ted Phillips. Warren became the first Black commissioner of a Power Five college conference in 2020. His tenure includes the delayed 2020 football season during the pandemic and the Big Ten landing $7 billion media rights deal, along with the additions of USC and UCLA.

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowls
Yesterday
Minnesota 28, Syracuse 20                                         Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl – Bronx, NY
(13) Florida State 35, Oklahoma 32                              Cheez-It Bowl – Orlando, FL
(12) Washington 27, (20) Texas 20                              Valero Alamo Bowl – San Antonio, TX

Today
Maryland vs. (23) NC State, 12:00 p.m.                         Duke’s Mayo Bowl – Charlotte, NC
Pittsburgh vs. (18) UCLA, 2:00 p.m.                             Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl – El Paso, TX
(21) Notre Dame vs. (19) South Carolina, 3:30 p.m.         TaxSlayer Gator Bowl – Jacksonville, FL
Ohio vs. Wyoming, 4:30 p.m.                                       Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl – Tucson, AZ
(6) Tennessee vs. (7) Clemson, 8:00 p.m.                       Capital One Orange Bowl – Miami, FL

Saturday
(5) Alabama vs. (9) Kansas State, 12:00 p.m.                  Allstate Sugar Bowl – New Orleans, LA
Iowa vs. Kentucky, 12:00 p.m.                                      TransPerfect Music City Bowl – Nashville, TN
(2) Michigan vs. (3) TCU, 4:00 p.m.                          CFP Semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl – Glendale, AZ                  News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 3:00
(1) Georgia vs. (4) Ohio State, 8:00 p.m.                       CFP Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl – Atlanta, GA

NCAAFB – Notre Dame, South Carolina will look much different in bowl
No one should expect Notre Dame and South Carolina to look — or probably play — like they did late in the regular season. The teams are essentially shells of themselves right now. The 19th-ranked Fighting Irish and the 20th-ranked Gamecocks will be without several of their best players when they meet in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl on Friday. Their first matchup since 1984 is more like a preview of 2023 than a wrap of 2022. Notre Dame is switching quarterbacks and playing without All-American tight end Michael Mayer while South Carolina is even more short-handed.

NCAAFB – Rising stars: Michigan’s Moore, TCU’s Riley guide CFP teams
Michigan’s Sherrone Moore and TCU’s Garrett Riley will arrive at the Fiesta Bowl for a College Football Playoff semifinal Saturday between No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 TCU as rising-star offensive coordinators. A couple of millennials with old souls, Moore and Riley seem to be on a fast-track to head coaching jobs —- eventually. Neither is in a rush to move up, but it’s apparent bigger things lie ahead in their careers.

NCAAFB – Michigan graduate assistant a trailblazer for female coaches
Mimi Bolden-Morris of Michigan is believed to be the first female graduate assistant football coach at a Power Five school since the late 1980s. Bolden-Morris will be on the sideline Saturday when the second-ranked Wolverines play No. 3 TCU at the Fiesta Bowl in a College Football semfinal. The 23-year-old Bolden-Morris played basketball at Boston College and Georgetown. She reached out to college football programs across the country to inquire about potential opportunities. She works with the tight ends at Michigan.

NCAAFB – Confident Edwards a key cog for Michigan at Fiesta Bowl
Donovan Edwards is good and knows he’s good. The Michigan running back will tell you he’s good. It’s been hard to argue with his proclamations so far. Given a bigger role after Blake Corum’s injury, Edwards has thrived in the spotlight and will be a key cog in the No. 2 Wolverines’ bid to beat TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Edwards shined in Michigan’s two biggest games of the season, running for 401 combined yards and three touchdowns in wins over Ohio State and Purdue. The Fiesta Bowl winner will play for a national championship.

MLB – Cubs finalize 2-year deal with catcher Tucker Barnhart
The Chicago Cubs have finalized a $6.5 million, two-year contract with Gold Glove-winning catcher Tucker Barnhart. Barnhart is expected to back up Yan Gomes. Willson Contreras was the starting catcher for Chicago last season, but he signed an $87.5 million, five-year contract with St. Louis during free agency. Barnhart returns to the NL Central after struggling in his only season with Detroit. He spent his first eight seasons with Cincinnati, winning Gold Gloves in 2017 and 2020. The Cubs have also signed Gold Glove winners Dansby Swanson and Cody Bellinger this offseason.

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Grand Rapids Griffins at Milwaukee Admirals, 7:00 p.m.
Rockford Ice Hogs at Chicago Wolves, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Chicago Wolves at Rockford Ice Hogs, 5:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Admirals at Grand Rapids Griffins, 6:00 p.m.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Tonight
Newfoundland Growlers at Kalamazoo Wings, 7:00 p.m.
Cincinnati Cyclones at Indy Fuel, 7:00 p.m.
Fort Wayne Komets at Toledo Walleye, 7:15 p.m.

Saturday
Newfoundland Growlers at Kalamazoo Wings, 6:00 p.m.
Toledo Walleye at Cincinnati Cyclones 6:00 p.m.
Indy Fuel at Fort Wayne Komets, 7:30 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Boys Basketball
Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
B.C. Lakeview 51,. Harper Creek, 35
BC Central 54, BC Pennfield 50 – OT

Paw Paw 42, Niles 40
Brandywine 44, Bridgman 36

Girls Basketball
River Valley Tournament
Potterville 58, River Valley 37

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
BC Lakeview 38, Harper Creek 31
BC Central 53, BC Pennfield 42
Battle Creek St. Philip 58, Union City 50 – 3 OT

Paw Paw 87, Niles 17

Saturday
Boys Basketball
Otsego at Watervliet, 1:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 5, Pittsburgh Penguins 4 – OT

Red Wings 5, Penguins 4 – OT – Walman scores in OT to lift Red Wings past Penguins, 5-4
Jake Walman scored at 2:13 of overtime and the Detroit Red Wings overcame an early four-goal deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-4 on Wednesday night. Walman, off the rush, tipped a rebound behind goaltender Casey DeSmith for his second goal of the season. Pittsburgh was coming a 5-1 road loss to the New York Islanders less than 24 hours earlier, while Detroit played its first game since Dec. 21. Dylan Larkin started the Detroit comeback in the second period with a power-play goal, and David Perron completed it with his third goal in three games. Joe Veleno and Jonatan Berggren also scored to help the Red Wings win consecutive games following a six-game losing streak. The Penguins started strong with four goals on 12 first-period shots.

Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues, 8:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 121, Orlando Magic 101
Chicago Bulls 119, Milwaukee Bucks 113 – OT

Pistons 121, Magic 101 – Pistons end 6-game skid, win fight-marred game vs Magic
Alec Burks scored a season-high 32 points, Saddiq Bey added 28 and the Detroit Pistons overcame the ejection of two players after a scuffle to beat the Orlando Magic 121-101 and snap a six-game losing streak. Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo were thrown out after the fight just before halftime, Moritz Wagner was tossed for Orlando and took a shot to the back of the head from Hayes and appeared to be briefly knocked out. Jalen Duren finished with seven points and 18 rebounds for the Pistons, who got 76 points from their bench, which has led the NBA in scoring in December.

Bulls 119, Bucks 113 – OT – DeRozan scores 42 points, Bulls beat Bucks 119-113 in OT
DeMar DeRozan scored 42 points and the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks 119-113 in overtime Wednesday night. The Bulls trailed by 15 early in the fourth quarter, only to pull even in the closing minute of regulation. DeRozan scored 10 in overtime, Nikola Vucevic hit a 3 in the extra period and the Bulls beat one of the NBA’s best teams after losing to one of the worst — Houston — two nights earlier. Antetokounmpo matched a season high with 45 points and set one with 20 rebounds. He also committed two turnovers in the closing seconds of regulation, and the Bucks extended their season-high losing streak to four.

Tonight
Cleveland Cavaliers at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.

NFL – National Football League – Week 17
Tonight
Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans, 8:15 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Central Michigan at Michigan, 7:00 p.m.                  News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 6:30

NCAAHKY – College Hockey
Last Night
57th Great Lakes Invitational – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids
Michigan Tech 3, Michigan State 2 – 3rd place game
Western Michigan 8, Ferris State 2 – Championship

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowls
Yesterday
Duke 30, UCF 13                                                       Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Annapolis, MD
Arkansas 55, Kansas 53 – 3 OT                                    AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Memphis, TN
(15) Oregon 28, North Carolina 27                              San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl–San Diego, CA
Texas Tech 42, Ole Miss 25                                          TaxAct Texas Bowl – Houston

Today
Minnesota vs. Syracuse, 2:00 p.m.                                Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl – Bronx, NY
Oklahoma vs. (13) Florida State, 5:30 p.m.                    Cheez-It Bowl – Orlando, FL
(12) Washington vs. (20) Texas, 9:00 p.m.                     Valero Alamo Bowl – San Antonio, TX

NCAAFB – With mix of blue-chips and 3-stars, Michigan develops top D
Michigan brings the third-ranked defense in the country into the its College Football Playoff semifinal against No. 3 TCU at the Fiesta Bowl. The unit is a mix of developmental success stories such as defensive end Mike Morris and defensive back Mike Sainristil and blue-chip recruits such as Mazi Smith and Will Johnson. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter says the defense is a testament to coach Jim Harbaugh’s player development model. TCU offensive coordinator Garret Riley says beyond Michigan’s talent, the discipline of the Wolverines is the biggest challenge.

NCAAFB – Michigan’s Smith says he delayed applying for weapon permit
Michigan defensive tackle Mazi Smith is talking publicly for the first time since he was charged with felony gun possession during an October traffic stop. Smith says he was in the process of applying for a concealed-weapon permit. He says he had already taken the required eight-hour class and was several days away from turning in the necessary paperwork. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. He has continued to play for the Wolverines, who face TCU in a College Football Playoff semifinal this weekend at the Fiesta Bowl.

NCAAFB – Freeman debut had ups, downs for Notre Dame as bowl arrives
Coach Marcus Freeman will lead No. 19 Notre Dame against No. 20 South Carolina in the Gator Bowl on Friday. A year ago, he was the new coach for the Fighting Irish. He tried to balance recruiting and preparations for a Fiest Bowl game against Oklahoma State. Notre Dame ended up blowing a big lead. Freeman says he has learned from the mistakes he made last December and throughout the 2022 season as he attempts to live up to expectations in South Bend.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
(14) Michigan 76, Nebraska 59
Eastern Michigan 76, Hillsdale 61

(14) Michigan 76, Nebraska 59 – No. 14 Michigan win top Huskers, Barnes Arico wins 500th
Leigha Brown scored 20 points and No. 14 Michigan defeated Nebraska 76-59 on Wednesday night, giving coach Kim Barnes Arico her 500th career win. Jaz Shelley had 21 points to lead the Cornhuskers, who failed to get coach Amy Williams her 300th career win. Kiser scored seven points as Michigan opened the game with nine-straight points to lead 19-5 to start the 2nd quarter.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Rockford Ice Hogs 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 1

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Last Night
Cincinnati Cyclones 3, Kalamazoo Wings 1
Fort Wayne Komets 2, Toledo Walleye 1

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Earl McKee Holiday Classic at Benton Harbor
Kal. Loy Norrix 72, Ypsilanti Lincoln 47 – Consolation
Benton Harbor 71, GR Ottawa Hills 66 – Championship

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
Battle Creek Central 70, Ypsilanti Community 24
Bronson 62, Bellevue 59

River Valley Tournament
GR Forest Hills Eastern 89, River Valley 60
Potterville 71, Eau Claire 58

Girls Basketball
River Valley Tournament
Potterville 48, Cassopolis 32
Benton Harbor 51, River Valley 39

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
Coldwater 42, Battle Creek Central 29

Motor City Roundball Classic at Detroit Redfield
Dexter 58, Battle Creek Lakeview 40

Today
Boys Basketball
River Valley Tournament
River Valley vs. Eau Claire, 2:30 p.m.

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
B.C. Lakeview vs. Harper Creek, 4:00 p.m.
B.C. Pennfield vs. B.C. Central, 8:00 p.m.

Niles at Paw Paw, 7:15 p.m.
Bridgman at Brandywine, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball
River Valley Tournament
River Valley vs. Potterville, 1:00 p.m

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
B.C. Lakeview vs. Harper Creek, 4:00 p.m.
B.C. Pennfield vs. B.C. Central, 8:00 p.m.

Paw Paw at Niles, 7:15 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Carolina Hurricanes 3, Chicago Blackhawks 0

Hurricanes 3, Blackhawks 0 – Raanta, Hurricanes beat Blackhawks 3-0 for 9th straight win
Antti Raanta made 24 saves for his first shutout since March and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-0 on Tuesday night for their ninth consecutive victory. Martin Necas, Jesper Fast and Jordan Martinook scored to help the Hurricanes extend their franchise-record points streak to 15 games. Raanta, making his third consecutive start, had his 16th career shutout. He faced only seven shots in both the first and third periods. The Blackhawks were aiming for back-to-back wins for the first time since late October. They’ve lost nine of their last 10. Chicago goalie Petr Mrazek made 46 saves against one of his former teams.

Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Indiana Pacers 129, Atlanta Hawks 114

Pacers 129, Hawks 114 – Hield makes 6 3-pointers as Pacers beat Hawks 129-114
Buddy Hield made six 3-pointers on his way to 28 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-114. Hield hit 11 of 16 shots, including 6 of 7 from deep. He leads the NBA with 132 3s this season. The Pacers led by 10 entering the fourth quarter and doubled that margin in about six minutes. Tyrese Haliburton had 23 points and seven assists. Myles Turner scored 18. John Collins had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Hawks, who were without injured starters De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela. Trae Young had 22 points and 10 assists.

Tonight
Orlando Magic at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

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

NCAAFB – College Football – Bowls
Yesterday
Buffalo 24, Georgia Southern 21                                 Camellia Bowl – Montgomery, AL
Memphis 38, Utah State 10                                          SERVPRO First Responder Bowl – Dallas, TX
East Carolina 53, Coastal Carolina 29                         TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl – Birmingham, AL
Wisconsin 24, Oklahoma State 17                                Guaranteed Rate Bowl – Phoenix, AZ

Today
UCF vs. Duke, 2:00 p.m.                                              Military Bowl Presented by Peraton – Annapolis, MD
Kansas vs. Arkansas, 5:30 p.m.                                    AutoZone Liberty Bowl – Memphis, TN
(15) Oregon vs. North Carolina, 8:00 p.m.                     San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl–San Diego, CA
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss, 9:00 p.m.                                TaxAct Texas Bowl – Houston

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

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Notre Dame 59, Jacksonville 43

Notre Dame 59, Jacksonville 43 – Notre Dame beats Jacksonville, snaps 3-game losing streak
Marcus Hammond scored 15 points, Dane Goodwin added 12 points and Notre Dame beat Jacksonville 59-43 to snap a three-game losing streak. Notre Dame won a game with less than 60 points scored for the first time since Jan. 3, 2018. The Irish only had 21 points in the first half but scored 22 in the opening 10 minutes of the second. Notre Dame went ahead by double digits for the first time with 6:11 left in the second half. J.J. Starling and Cormac Ryan, two of Notre Dame’s top-three scorers, each went 0 for 5 from the field in the first half. Ryan started 0 for 7 until scoring at the 12:49 mark of the second half, but the three-point play came during a 15-2 run as Notre Dame built a 45-36 lead.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Tonight
(18) Michigan at Nebraska, 7:00 p.m.
Hillsdale at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.

NCAAHKY – College Hockey
Last Night
57th Great Lakes Invitational – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids
Western Michigan 8, Michigan Tech 1
Ferris State 4, Michigan State 2

Tonight
57th Great Lakes Invitational – Van Andel Arena – Grand Rapids
Michigan State vs. Michigan Tech, 3:30 p.m.  – 3rd place game
Western Michigan vs. Ferris State, 7:00 p.m. – Championship

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Earl McKee Holiday Classic at Benton Harbor Farnum Gym
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills 65, Ypsilanti Lincoln 43
Benton Harbor 74, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 65

Cornerstone Holiday Tournament
East Kentwood 70, Parchment 37

Girls Basketball
Benton Harbor 59, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills 31
Kalamazoo Central 71, St. Clair Shores South Lake 33
Frankenmuth 35, Battle Creek Lakeview 31

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Earl McKee Holiday Classic at Benton Harbor Farnum Gym
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix vs. Ypsilanti Lincoln, 5:15 p.m. – 3rd place game
Benton Harbor vs. vs. Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills, 7:00 p.m. – Championship

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
Battle Creek Academy vs. Kalamazoo Heritage, 2:00 p.m.
Bellevue vs. Bronson, 4:00 p.m.
Ypsilanti vs. Battle Creek Central, 8:00 p.m.

River Valley Tournament
GR Forest Hills Eastern vs. River Valley, 1:00 p.m.
Eau Claire vs. Potterville, 2:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
River Valley Tournament
Cassopolis vs. Potterville, 4:00 p.m.
Benton Harbor vs. River Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Chuck Turner Classic at Battle Creek Central
Coldwater vs. Battle Creek Central, 6:00 p.m.

Motor City Roundball Classic at Detroit Redfield Prep
Battle Creek Lakeview vs. Dexter, 12:30 p.m.

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