WSJM Sports

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Vegas Golden Knights 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Golden Knights 4, Blackhawks 1 – Smith scores twice, Golden Knights top Blackhawks 4-1
Reilly Smith scored twice and rookie Logan Thompson made 23 saves to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Smith got a short-handed goal in the second period while the last-place Blackhawks were using five forwards on their top power-play unit. He capped the scoring with an empty-netter for his 14th goal. Chandler Stephenson scored a power-play goal in the second for Vegas, and Phil Kessel tipped one home in the third. The Blackhawks have scored a total of five goals during a five-game slide. Chicago is 1-12-1 in its last 14.

Tonight
Chicago Blackhawks at Minnesota Wild, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Ottawa at Detroit, 1:00 p.m.

Sunday
NY Rangers at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

NFL – National Football League – Week 15
Last Night
San Francisco 49ers 21, Seattle Seahawks 13

49ers 21, Seahawks 13 – Purdy, 49ers topple Seahawks 21-13, win NFC West
Rookie Brock Purdy a pair of touchdown passes to George Kittle, and the San Francisco 49ers won their first NFC West title since 2019, beating the Seattle Seahawks 21-13. Despite using their third starting quarterback this season, the 49ers continued to show they might be the class of the NFC alongside Philadelphia. San Francisco won its seventh straight, using its stifling defense to frustrate Seattle into countless mistakes. Playing on the road for the first time in his career, Purdy connected on his first 11 pass attempts. He finished 17 of 26 for 217 yards. Seattle lost for the fourth time in five games and its playoff hopes took another hit.

Saturday
Indianapolis Colts at Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 p.m.

Sunday
Detroit Lions at New York Jets, 1:00 p.m.            Rock 107 WIRX 12:00
Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears, 1:00 p.m.

NFL – Bears QB Justin Fields takes aim at 1,000-yard rushing mark
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields grew up as a fan of Michael Vick. He’s closing in on a feat accomplished only by Vick and Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson. Fields needs 95 yards rushing to become the third NFL quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The Bears face the Philadelphia Eagles and their intimidating pass rush on Sunday. The Bears have talked about cutting back on planned running plays by Fields. But he’s always a threat to scramble under pressure. His off-script runs have helped the Bears rank sixth in the NFL in third-down conversion rate.

NFL – Jets QB White has no doubt he’ll start Sunday vs. Lions
There’s no doubt in Mike White’s mind he’ll start at quarterback for the New York Jets on Sunday. White said Thursday he’s continuing to prepare to start against Detroit. He has said all week that is his mindset. White has been limited at practice this week after he was twice knocked from the Jets’ loss to the Bills in Buffalo last Sunday by big hits. He finished the game, but left the stadium in an ambulance to be examined at a hospital. White acknowledged he’ll likely wear some sort of protection around his midsection against Detroit.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Sacramento Kings at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers, 7:30 p.m.
New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
New York at Indiana, 5:00 p.m.
Brooklyn at Detroit, 6:00 p.m.
Chicago at Minnesota, 7:00 p.m.

NCAAFB – College Football
Today
FBS Bowls
Miami (OH) vs. UAB, 11:30 a.m.                                    HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl, Nassau
UTSA vs. Troy, 3:00 p.m.                                         Duluth Trading Cure Bowl, Orlando

Division III National Championship – Stagg Bowl
Mount Union vs. North Central, 7:00 p.m.                     Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, MD

Saturday
FBS Bowls
Cincinnati vs. Louisville, 11:00 a.m.                              Wasabi Fenway Bowl, Boston
Florida vs. (14) Oregon State, 2:30 p.m.                  SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas
Washington State vs. Fresno State, 3:30 p.m.          Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel, Los Angeles
Rice vs. Southern Miss, 5:45 p.m.                            LendingTree Bowl, Mobile, AL
SMU vs. BYU, 7:30 p.m.                                           New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, NM
North Texas vs. Boise State, 9:15 p.m.                     Frisco Bowl Presented by SERVPRO, Frisco, TX

Division II National Championship
Ferris State vs. Colorado Mines, 1:00 p.m.                    McKinney ISD Stadium, McKinney, TX

NCAAFB – Coach Brees: Purdue brings back QB to assist at bowl game
Former Purdue quarterback Drew Brees is returning to his alma mater as a coach for the Jan. 2 Citrus Bowl game against No. 17 LSU. The retired NFL star will join new Purdue coach Ryan Walters as he settles into his new job. Walters says he grew up dreaming about following Brees’ career trajectory. Now the two will get acquainted as Brees moves back to Indiana for at least the next few weeks. Walters won’t be coaching the Boilermakers for the bowl game. That task falls to interim coach Brian Brohm. The Boilermakers are short-handed after Brian’s brother, Jeff, left for Louisville and took four assistants with him.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Saturday
Lipscomb at Michigan, 4:00 p.m.                          News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 3:30

Sunday
Western Michigan at Iowa State, 1:00 p.m.
Detroit Mercy at Eastern Michigan, 3:00 p.m.
Central Michigan at Missouri State, 6:00 p.m.
Notre Dame at Georgia, 5:30 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Saturday
Appalachian State at (19) Michigan, 12:00 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Xavier, 1:00 p.m.
Western Michigan at Chicago State, 2:00 p.m

Sunday
Detroit Mercy at Michigan State, 3:00 p.m.
Central Michigan at Eastern Illinois, 3:00 p.m.
(5) Notre Dame at (6) Virginia Tech, 4:00 p.m.

NCAA – Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker to be next NCAA president
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker will be the next president of the NCAA, replacing Mark Emmert as the head of the largest college sports governing body in the country. Baker, a Republican, has been governor of Massachusetts since 2015. He announced earlier this year he would not seek re-election. He will start the job in March 2023. Emmert announced he would step down earlier this year after 12 years of leading the NCAA. Battered by losses in the court and attacks by politicians, the NCAA is going through a sweeping reform, trying to decentralize the way college sports is governed.

NCAA – National labor board to look into rights of USC athletes
The National Labor Relations Board will investigate an unfair labor practice complaint involving the rights of University of Southern California football and basketball players. In February, the National College Players Association filed an unfair labor practice charge against USC, the Pac-12 Conference and the NCAA alleging misclassification of college players as “student-athletes” and other violations. The NLRB’s Region 21 in Los Angeles will look into the complaint that covers football and men’s and women’s basketball players at the private school.

MLB – AP sources: Tigers agree to $8.5M contract with RHP Lorenzen
The Detroit Tigers have bolstered their rotation by agreeing to a one-year contract with right-hander Michael Lorenzen, according to a person familiar with the situation. Lorenzen will make $8.5 million and can earn $1.5 million in performance bonuses based on innings pitched, another person told The Associated Press on Thursday. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. Lorenzen was 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA in 18 starts last season with the Los Angeles Angels. Since making his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2015, he is 31-29 with a 4.10 ERA.

MLB – Cubs add to bullpen, agree to deal with Boxberger
The Chicago Cubs have added bullpen help and agreed to a $2.8 million, one-year contract with veteran right-hander Brad Boxberger. The 34-year-old Boxberger was 4-3 with a 2.95 ERA and one save over 70 appearances and 64 innings with Milwaukee last season. An All-Star with Tampa Bay in 2015, he is 31-37 with a 3.44 ERA in 11 seasons with San Diego, the Rays, Arizona, Kansas City, Miami and the Brewers. Chicago relievers had a 4.12 ERA last season. The Cubs finished 74-88 and missed the playoffs for the second straight year.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Tonight
Kalamazoo Wings at Iowa Heartlanders, 8:05 p.m.

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Hartford Wolfpack at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

FIFA – World Cup 2020 – Qatar
Saturday
3rd Place Match
Croatia vs. Morocco, 10:00 a.m.

Sunday
World Cup Finals
France vs. Argentina, 10:00 a.m.

FIFA – Messi carries the weight of Argentina into World Cup final
As Lionel Messi approaches his second and likely last World Cup final the stakes could hardly be higher. The same goes for Argentina after more than 30 years of disappointment since it last won soccer’s ultimate prize. For Messi victory against France at Lusail Stadium on Sunday is a chance to finally get his hands on the one major trophy that has eluded him in his storied career. In doing so he would push ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo who has also never won a World Cup in the long-running rivalry between the two greatest players of their generation.

FIFA – France struck by cold virus ahead of World Cup final
A cold virus has run through the France squad though coach Didier Deschamps expects all his players to be healthy for the World Cup final against Argentina on Sunday. Defender Dayot Upamecano and midfielder Adrien Rabiot were isolated this week and rested for the 2-0 win over Morocco in the semifinals. Deschamps says “it’s flu season now, and in that sense, we have to be careful.” The coach says the players’ immune systems are run down by the physical toll of World Cup games. He says air conditioning that’s routine in Qatar and at stadiums could also be having an effect.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
SMAC
St. Joseph 58, Lakeshore 51

• St. Joe coach Gregg Schaffer picked up his 200th win as the Bears defeated Lakeshore 58-51 on Thursday.  St. Joe put three starters in double figures as Chase Sanders had 19, including three 3-pointers and was 6 of 7 from the free throw line.  Joron Brown scored 15 and Matt Lanier had 11.   The Bears improve to 2-2 on the season.  Lakeshore was led by JJ Frakes game high 21 points, and 16 points from Jack Carlisle, the Lancers fall to 0-3 on the season.

Mattawan 66, Portage Central 56
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 57, Portage Northern 54
Battle Creek Lakeview 51, Battle Creek Central 50
Kalamazoo Central 64, Gull Lake 43

Lakeland
Benton Harbor 85, Dowagiac 33

Girls Basketball
BCS
Michigan Lutheran 37, New Buffalo 6
River Valley 44, Our Lady of the Lake 24

• River Valley had three starters in double figures in a 44-24 win over Our Lady of the Lake, Kayanna Lance led the Mustangs with a game high 16 points, while Lexie McCarty scored 15 points, and Nat Heckathorn added 11. Claire Jollay scored 11 to lead the Lakers.

Lakeland
Benton Harbor 55, Dowagiac 37
Buchanan 49, Brandywine 45 – OT

Southwest 10
Bloomingdale 54, Comstock 28
Marcellus 35, Centreville 32
Hartford 47, Decatur 26
Mendon 28, White Pigeon 21

Non-Conference
Cassopolis 39, Berrien Springs 29

• Grace Constable had 11 points for the Shamrocks in the loss.

Lawrence 36, Bangor 28

Friday
Boys Basketball
Wolverine
Sturgis at Niles, 7:15 p.m.
Otsego at Edwardsburg, 7:15 p.m.
Plainwell at Paw Paw, 7:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Three Rivers, 7:15 p.m.

Lakeland
Brandywine at Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.

BCS
River Valley at Our Lady of the Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at New Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.
Countryside at Covert, 6:00 p.m.
Eau Claire at Howardsville Christian, 7:30 p.m.

SAC
South Haven at Watervliet, 7:00 p.m.
Coloma at Fennville, 7:30 p.m.
Gobles at Martin, 7:30 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Lawton, 7:30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Black River, 7:30 p.m.
Galesburg-Augusta at Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m.
Parchment at Constantine, 7:30 p.m.
Kal. Hackett at Kal. Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Southwest 10
Bloomingdale at Comstock, 7:30 p.m.
Decatur at Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
Centreville at Marcellus, 7:30 p.m.
Mendon at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.

Non-Conference
Berrien Springs at Cassopolis, 7:00 p.m.
Lawrence at Bangor, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
SMAC
Lakeshore at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Central at Mattawan, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:00 p.m.
B.C. Lakeview at Battle Creek Central, 7:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at Kalamazoo Central, 7:00 p.m.

Wolverine
Sturgis at Niles, 6:00 p.m.
Otsego at Edwardsburg, 6:00 p.m.
Plainwell at Paw Paw, 6:00 p.m.
Vicksburg at Three Rivers, 6:00 p.m.

SAC
Allegan at Bridgman, 6:00 p.m.
Coloma at Fennville, 6:00 p.m.
Gobles at Martin, 6:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Black River, 6:00 p.m.
Galesburg-Augusta at Saugatuck, 6:00 p.m.
Parchment at Constantine, 6:00 p.m.
Kal. Hackett at Kal. Christian, 6:00 p.m.

Non-Conference
Our Lady of the Lake at Berrien Springs, 7:00 p.m.
Eau Claire at Howardsville Christian, 6:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 141, Charlotte Hornets 134 – OT
Indiana Pacers 125, Golden State Warriors 119
New York Knicks 128, Chicago Bulls 120 – OT

Pistons 141, Hornets 134 – OT – Burks, Pistons spoil Ball’s return to floor with OT win
Alec Burks scored a season-high 27 points off the bench, Killian Hayes added 25 and the Detroit Pistons spoiled LaMelo Ball’s return with a 141-134 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets. Bojan Bogdanovic had 24 points and Isaiah Stewart chipped in with 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit. Jalen Duren grabbed 18 rebounds as the Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points to lead the Hornets, while Terry Rozier added 25. Ball finished with 23 points and 11 assists after missing 11 games with a sprained left ankle. But he fouled out with 29.6 seconds left in regulation and his presence was missed in overtime.

Pacers 125, Warriors 119 – Curry injures shoulder, Pacers hold off Warriors 125-119
Tyrese Haliburton scored 29 points and the Indiana Pacers made 16 3-pointers to hold on for a 125-119 victory over the Golden State Warriors. Golden State’s Stephen Curry didn’t finish the game because of a left shoulder injury. Curry scored 24 of his 38 points in the first half for the defending champions but departed with 2:04 remaining in the third quarter. He got hurt while trying to defend against Jalen Smith, grabbed his shoulder and departed for the locker room. Coach Steve Kerr says Curry will have an MRI. The Warriors fell to 2-12 on the road. Bennedict Mathurin added 24 points for Indiana, which snapped a two-game skid.

Knicks 128, Bulls 120 – OT – Randle, Brunson lead Knicks past Bulls 128-120 in OT
Julius Randle scored 31 points and Jalen Brunson added a season-high 30 as the New York Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls 128-120 in overtime. Brunson’s 3-pointer with less than a minute left in OT helped put the game away. The Knicks have won five straight. Randle missed a chance to win the game in regulation when his step-back shot from the baseline resulted in an air ball and shot-clock violation with 0.7 seconds left. DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points and Zach LaVine had 25 for the Bulls, who fell in overtime for the second consecutive game.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Minnesota Wild 4, Detroit Red Wings 1

Wild 4, Red Wings 1 – Gaudreau scores twice as Wild top Red Wings 4-1
Frederick Gaudreau scored twice, including a long-distance empty netter, and Matt Dumba notched his third goal of the season as the Minnesota Wild won 4-1 on Wednesday over the visiting Detroit Red Wings. Filip Gustavsson made 16 saves in net for Minnesota to improve his record to 6-4-1. Mats Zuccarello extended his point streak to eight games with a second-period goal for the Wild, who earned their third straight win. Wednesday’s loss was the fourth in a row for Detroit.

Tonight
Vegas Golden Knights at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NFL – National Football League – Week 15
Tonight
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 p.m.

NFL – Colts’ Irsay isn’t ready to oust Snyder, wants discussion
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay says he isn’t ready to oust Daniel Snyder as owner of the Washington Commanders and wants to discuss the possibility with other NFL owners. Irsay has said he believes there is merit for Snyder’s removal amid several scandals and investigations into workplace misconduct with the Washington franchise. The league has been investigating allegations of sexual misconduct and financial impropriety. Commissioner Roger Goodell says he hasn’t given the lead investigator any timeline on completing the investigation. Goodell defended the NFL after a House Committee on Oversight and Reform report that sharply criticized the team and the league’s handling of its issues.

NCAA – Big Ten – California Regents vote to affirm UCLA’s move to Big Ten
UCLA has cleared a major hurdle toward joining the Big Ten Conference in 2024, getting approval for the move from the University of California Board of Regents. The regents voted 11-5 to affirm the Bruins’ move during a special meeting on the university’s Westwood campus. A simple majority was needed to pass. The regents imposed conditions to mitigate the impact of the move on athletes, including UCLA investing an additional $12 million in nutritional support, mental health services, academic support while traveling and charter flights to reduce travel time. UCLA will also have to pay the University of California at Berkeley between $2 million and $10 million.

NCAAFB – DII – Mines QB Matocha, Ferris DE Murphy lead D-II All-Americans
Quarterback John Matocha, who has led Colorado School of Mines to the Division II championship game, leads The Associated Press D-II All-America team. Matocha has passed for 4,558 yards and 50 touchdowns with only six interceptions for the Orediggers, who face Ferris State in the title game Saturday. Matocha is one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which goes to the best player in Division II. Ferris State defensive end Caleb Murphy, the only Harlon Hill finalist on defense, was selected to the first team.  Murphy is a Dowagiac native.

NCAAMBKB – Eastern Michigan’s Emoni Bates gets 18 months probation
Eastern Michigan basketball star Emoni Bates has been sentenced to 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge. The Detroit News reports the conviction will be expunged from Bates’ record if he completes probation successfully. Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Patrick Conlin waived a fine during Wednesday’s sentencing. Bates was arrested on felony gun charges after he was pulled over while driving on Sept. 19. He pled down to the misdemeanor in October. Bates’ attorney, Steven Haney, says he’s “very pleased, given what happened that night.” Bates originally was charged carrying a concealed weapon and “altering ID marks” after a traffic stop.

MLB – Tigers bring back LHP Matthew Boyd with $10M, 1-year deal
The Detroit Tigers are bringing back left-hander Matthew Boyd on a $10 million. one-year contract. The Tigers announced Wednesday that they agreed to terms with the 31-year-old Boyd, who pitched in Detroit from 2015-21. Boyd was 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10 games last season and pitched in a playoff game for Seattle. He was acquired by his hometown Mariners from the San Francisco at the trade deadline. The Giants signed Boyd last March to a $5.2 million, one-year deal as he recovered from surgery on a tendon in his left arm.

MLB – Cubs, Bellinger finalize $17.5 million, 1-year contract
The Chicago Cubs and former National League MVP Cody Bellinger have finalized a $17.5 million, one-year contract. Bellinger, the 2019 NL MVP, was cut by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Nov. 18 after the 27-year-old outfielder hit .210 with 19 homers, 150 strikeouts and a .654 OPS in 144 games. He figures to play center for the Cubs. Bellinger was limited to 95 games during the 2021 regular season when he was on the injured list three times and batted .165. In 2020, Bellinger hit .239 with 12 home runs in 56 games during the pandemic-shortened season. Bellinger has battled injuries since his MVP season, including having surgery on his right shoulder in November 2020. Bellinger was the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year and 2018 NLCS MVP. He made two All-Star teams.

WNBA – Study: WNBA still No. 1 in racial, gender hiring practices
The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport has announced that the WNBA received an A for its overall racial and gender practices for 2022. That included an A+ for racial hiring and an A for gender hiring. Richard Lapchick, the director of the institute and primary author of the annual report, said the WNBA continues to lead the way with inclusive racial and gender hiring practices across all professional leagues. The report announced Wednesday marked the 18th consecutive year that the WNBA has received at least an A for its overall race, gender and combined grades.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Yesterday
Iowa Heartlanders 5, Kalamazoo Wings 1
Indy Fuel 6, Wheeling Nailers 4
Toledo Walleye 5, Norfolk Admirals 2

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Last Night
Sioux Falls Skyforce 108, Grand Rapids Gold 105
Windy City Bulls 110, Motor City Cruise 99

FIFA – World Cup 2020 – Qatar
Yesterday
Semifinal 2
France 2, Morocco 0

Sunday
World Cup Finals
France vs. Argentina, 10:00 a.m.

France 2, Morocco 0 – Mbappe, France advance to World Cup final, beat Morocco 2-0
France and Kylian Mbappé are headed back to the World Cup final for a much-anticipated matchup with Lionel Messi after ending Morocco’s historic run at soccer’s biggest tournament. France beat Africa’s first ever semifinalist 2-0 with Mbappé playing a part in goals by Theo Hernandez in the fifth minute and then substitute Randal Kolo Muani in the 79th. France will head into Sunday’s title match against Argentina looking to become the first team to retain the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962. Mbappé has the chance to cement his status as soccer’s new superstar when he comes up against the 35-year-old Messi.

FIFA – Wife: Journalist Wahl died of aortic aneurysm at World Cup
Grant Wahl died of a ruptured blood vessel when he was stricken while covering a World Cup match last weekend, according to an autopsy of the well-known American soccer writer. Wahl’s wife, Dr. Céline Gounder, says an autopsy was conducted by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. She writes “Grant died from the rupture of a slowly growing, undetected ascending aortic aneurysm with hemopericardium,” a reference to the wall that surrounds the heart. She says “no amount of CPR or shocks would have saved him.”

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Kalamazoo Phoenix 76, Eau Claire 57

Wrestling
St. Joseph 33, Portage Central 31
St. Joseph 42, Portage Northern 36

Dowagiac 42, Niles 36

Tonight
Boys Basketball
SMAC
St. Joseph at Lakeshore, 7:00 p.m.             News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM
Mattawan at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Central at Battle Creek Lakeview, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Central at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.

Lakeland
Benton Harbor at Dowagiac, 7:15 p.m.

SAC
Bridgman at Allegan, 7:15 p.m.

Girls Basketball
BCS
New Buffalo at Michigan Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.
Our Lady of the Lake at River Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Lakeland
Benton Harbor at Dowagiac, 5:30 p.m.
Brandywine at Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.

Southwest 10
Comstock at Bloomingdale, 6:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Centreville, 7:00 p.m.
Hartford at Decatur, 7:30 p.m.
Bangor at Lawrence, 6:45 p.m.
White Pigeon at Mendon, 7:30

Non-Conference
Cassopolis at Berrien Springs, 7:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Washington Capitals 7, Chicago Blackhawks 3
Carolina Hurricanes 1, Detroit Red Wings 0

Capitals 7, Blackhawks 3 – Ovechkin reaches 800 goals as Capitals beat Blackhawks 7-3
Alex Ovechkin scored three times to become the third NHL player with 800 career goals, and the streaking Washington Capitals beat the lowly Chicago Blackhawks 7-3. Nic Dowd, Anthony Mantha, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Dmitry Orlov also scored as Washington earned its fifth straight win. Conor Sheary had two assists, and Charlie Lindgren made 26 stops. The Capitals went 6-2-1 during a nine-game stretch that had only one home date. They play seven of their next nine at home, beginning Thursday night against Dallas. Chicago dropped to 1-11-1 in its last 13 games. It has scored just four goals during a four-game slide.

Hurricanes 1, Red Wings 0 – Skjei gives Carolina 1-0 win; Detroit’s Larkin leaves game
Brady Skjei scored the only goal and Pyotr Kochetkov made 27 saves in the Carolina Hurricanes’ 1-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 in the 100th career meeting between the teams. Carolina improved to 5-0-1 on its current road swing, tying a record for most wins and setting a record for points on the road — passing Hartford’s 10-point trip from Jan. 30-Feb. 11, 1996. Ville Husso made 26 saves for the Red Wings. Detroit captain Dylan Larkin blocked a shot earlier in the game and did not return for the third period. Coach Derek Lalonde said Larkin would not be able to play on Wednesday but didn’t elaborate.

Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Minnesota Wild, 7:30 p.m.

NCAAFB – Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach dies at 61
Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach has died following complications from a heart condition. The pioneering coach helped revolutionize the college football passing game with the Air Raid offense. Leach had been hospitalized over the weekend and had a bout of pneumonia late this season. He died Monday night. In 21 seasons as a head coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, Leach went 158-107. Six of the 20 best passing seasons in major college football history were by quarterbacks who played for Leach, including four of the top six. Mike Leach was 61.

NCAAFB – Mississippi St faces tough decisions following Leach’s death
No. 24 Mississippi State will be playing in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Illinois on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Florida. That is one of the few solid things around the football program following the sudden death of coach Mike Leach at the age of 61. Mississippi State is facing a search for a new coach. The annual signing day for recruits is coming up next week. Some players may transfer. And MSU is already looking for a permanent athletic director. Bracky Brett is serving in an interim role since John Cohen left to become AD at Auburn.

NCAAFB – CFP – Ryan Day, Buckeyes feel urgency behind second chance at CFP
Ohio State didn’t get to control its playoff destiny after losing to rival Michigan at the end of the regular season. No matter. The Buckeyes are in the postseason and they’re yearning for redemption. Coach Ryan Day said Tuesday the No. 4 Buckeyes had productive practices last week and realize the opportunity they have in front of them with a semifinal showdown against top-ranked Georgia. The Buckeyes took the back door into the College Football Playoff, benefiting from USC’s second loss this year to Utah in the Pac-12 Championship game. Defending champion Georgia will host Ohio State on New Year’s Eve in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

NFL – Cardinals QB Kyler Murray out for season with torn ACL
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has a torn ACL and will miss the remainder of the season. Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury confirmed the extent of the injury during his Tuesday news conference. The news is not a surprise after the 25-year-old injured his knee on the third play of Monday night’s 27-13 loss to the New England Patriots. The fourth-year quarterback was flushed out of the pocket and running to his right when he tried to juke past a Patriots defender, but tumbled to the grass in obvious pain. Players from both teams surrounded the quarterback before he was carted off the field with a towel draped over his head.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Detroit Pistons at Charlotte Hornets, 7:00 p.m.
Golden State Warriors at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
New York Knicks at Chicago Bulls, 7:30 p.m.

NBA – Warriors’ Green says Bucks fan ‘threatened’ him; fan tossed
A fan was ejected following a complaint by Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green during a game at Milwaukee on Tuesday night. The Bucks said they are investigating the incident and consulting with the NBA. Security personnel removed the man, who was sitting a few rows beyond the baseline, during a stop in play in the third quarter. Green said he pointed out the fan’s behavior to a game official, and the situation was taken care of from there. Green said the fan said “some threatening stuff to my life.” The Warriors lost the game 128-111.

NCAA – Michigan State must disclose deals with 2 big sports donors
A judge has ordered Michigan State University to release donor agreements with two alumni who gave or pledged millions of dollars to the athletic department. Michigan State has acknowledged that some of the money will help pay for a $95 million contract with football coach Mel Tucker. Tucker got a new deal in 2021 while leading the Spartans to an 11-2 record. But Michigan State has refused to release the agreements with Mat Ishbia and Steve St. Andre, citing a privacy exemption in the state’s public records law. A judge rejected that argument Monday. Michigan State has 10 days to release the records. The lawsuit was filed by the Detroit Free Press.

MLB – AP source: Carlos Correa, Giants reach $350M, 13-year deal
All Star shortstop Carlos Correa and the San Francisco Giants have agreed to a $350 million, 13-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations has told The Associated Press. The 28-year-old Correa also was a free agent one year ago after leaving the Houston Astros, and he reached a $105.3 million deal with the Minnesota Twins. That agreement gave him the right to opt out after one year and $35.1 million to hit the market again. Correa batted .291 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs in his one season with Minnesota.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Today
Kalamazoo Wings at Iowa Heartlanders, 11:35 a.m.
Wheeling Nailers at Indy Fuel, 7:00 p.m.
Toledo Walleye at Norfolk Admirals, 7:05 p.m.

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Tonight
Sioux Falls Skyforce at Grand Rapids Gold, 7:00 p.m.
Windy City Bulls at Motor City Cruise, 7:00 p.m.

FIFA – World Cup 2020 – Qatar
Yesterday
Semifinal 1
Argentina 3, Croatia 0

Argentine 3, Croatia 0 – Messi, Argentina beat Croatia 3-0 to reach World Cup final
Lionel Messi is back in the World Cup final with Argentina on his mission to win soccer’s biggest prize for the first time. He could hardly be playing any better. Messi converted a penalty and had a hand in the other two goals by Julián Álvarez to lead Argentina to a 3-0 win over Croatia. It set up a meeting with either France or Morocco in Sunday’s title match. It will be the 35-year-old Messi’s second World Cup final in what might be his last ever appearance at the tournament. Croatia failed in its bid to reach a second straight World Cup final.

Today
Semifinal 2
France vs. Morocco, 2:00 p.m.

FIFA – Morocco faces France in politically charged WCup semifinal
As Morocco faces France in the World Cup semifinal, many players and fans of both diverse teams grapple with family tales of colonial history, challenges of immigration, questions of national loyalty. The match has political and emotional resonance for both nations. It dredges up everything that’s complicated about the relationship in which France still wields considerable influence. For many in the former protectorate, the match against the defending champion is an opportunity to show that Morocco is a formidable foe — on the soccer pitch at least — even though immigration between the two countries has blurred the lines for many in France and in Morocco about who to support Wednesday in Qatar.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
SMAC
Battle Creek Central 52, Lakeshore 28
-J.J. Frakes led Lakeshore with 9 points in a 52-28 loss at Battle Creek Central. Jackson Bushu added 7 in the loss.

Kalamazoo Central 51, St. Joseph 43
-After St. Joe took a 10-5 lead after the first quarter, Kalamazoo Central tied the game at 19-19 at the half and outscored St. Joe 17-4 in the third quarter before holding off a Bear comeback in the 4th quarter of a 51-43 win.  Chase Sanders had 13 points to lead St. Joe while Luke Lehner had 12.  Kai Wyndarden came off the bench and had 11.  Hutch ward had 27 for KC.

Mattawan 69, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 57
Portage Central 57, Gull Lake 51
Battle Creek Lakeview 67, Portage Northern 54

Wolverine
Otsego 53, Sturgis 43
Edwardsburg 62, Paw Paw 57
Plainwell 57, Three Rivers 33
Niles 49, Vicksburg 28

BCS
Countryside 54, Our Lady of the Lake 42
-Ja’Vrius Gordan scored 23 points for Countryside in a 54-42 win over Our Lady of the Lake.

Eau Claire 88, New Buffalo 45

SAC
Bridgman 53, Coloma 29
Parchment 73, Delton-Kellogg 39
Kalamazoo Hackett 83, Galesburg-Augusta 50
Lawton 48, Gobles 20
Constantine 76, Holland Black River 62
Saugatuck 74, Allegan 44

Southwest 10
Cassopolis 66, Bangor 12
White Pigeon 74, Comstock 50
Lawrence 52, Mendon 49
Centerville 70, Decatur 49
-Jesse Bauschke had 21 points to lead Decatur.

Non-Conference
River Valley 55, Dowagiac 44
Schoolcraft 57, Marshall 53

Girls Basketball
SMAC
Lakeshore 52, Battle Creek Central 26
-Lakeshore had three players in double figures, led by Emily Lockman’s 15 points in a 52-26 win over Battle Creek Central, Paige Lies had 13, while Megan Wurster scored 11.

Kalamazoo Central 64, St. Joseph 41
-Jaslynn Ward had 14 points to lead St. Joe in a 64-41 loss at Kalamazoo Central.

Mattawan 47, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 34
Portage Central 31, Gull Lake 24
Battle Creek Lakeview 39, Portage Northern 19

Wolverine
Otsego 66, Sturgis 44
Edwardsburg 53, Paw Paw 40
Three Rivers 50, Plainwell 45
Vicksburg 67, Niles 7

BCS
Our Lady of the Lake 59, Countryside 8
-Abby Schrauben had a game high 12 points to lead the Lakers over Countryside Academy 59-8.

Michigan Lutheran 36, Howardsville Christian 28
Eau Claire 19, New Buffalo 17

SAC
Kalamazoo Christian 61, Gobles 27
Martin 39, Kalamazoo Hackett 35
Lawton 42, Saugatuck 35

Southwest 10
Bangor 67, Cassopolis 22
White Pigeon 53, Comstock 22
Mendon 48, Lawrence 29
Centreville 51, Decatur 22

Non-Conference
Watervliet 55, Hartford 6
Dowagiac 50, River Valley 24
GR Ottawa Hills 60, Allegan 35

Tonight
Boys Basketball
Eau Claire at Kalamazoo Phoenix, 8:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NBA – Pistons’ Cunningham to have season-ending surgery
Detroit guard Cade Cunningham is planning to have season-ending surgery to repair his left shin, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft is expected to be ready for the start of training camp next season, said the person, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither Cunningham nor the team announced the plans for surgery publicly. ESPN first reported that Cunningham would be having the season-ending procedure.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Miami Heat 87, Indiana Pacers 82

Heat 87, Pacers 82 – Butler’s late flurry helps Heat put away Pacers 87-82
Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 17 rebounds, and Jimmy Butler scored seven straight points in the closing minutes to help the Miami Heat hold off the Indiana Pacers 87-82. The Heat had lost three of their previous four. Butler finished with 20 points. Buddy Hield led the Pacers with 19 points in a rough-and-tumble game in which baskets came at a premium. Butler finally cranked it up late, helping the Heat turn a 77-73 contest into an 84-75 edge. Indiana never got closer than four.

NFL – National Football League – Week 14
Last Night
New England Patriots 27, Arizona Cardinals 13

Patriots 27, Cardinals 13 – Patriots rally for 27-13 win over Cardinals, Murray hurt
Mac Jones threw for 235 yards, Raekwon McMillan had a crucial fumble return for a touchdown and the New England Patriots earned a 27-13 win on Monday night over the Arizona Cardinals, who lost starting quarterback Kyler Murray in the first quarter to a potentially serious knee injury. New England trailed 13-10 at the break but tied the game at 13-all early in the third quarter after a short field goal. The Patriots got their game-changing play and a 20-13 lead later in the third when McMillan scooped up a fumble and returned it 23 yards for a touchdown. Murray was hurt on the third play of the game, immediately changing the complexion of the evening.

NFL – Bears get 2 rookie defensive starters back to face Eagles
The Chicago Bears will have defensive backs Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker back in the starting lineup for the first time since Nov. 20 following concussions as they try to break a six-game losing streak when they face the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bears will need as many players healthy heading into their final four games against the Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. They’ve made progress addressing problems on defense and at pass blocking but quarterback Justin Fields still needs to prove he can win a game at the end after six straight failed attempts to win or tie on their final possessions.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
Washington Capitals at Chicago Blackhawks, 9:00 p.m.

NCAAFB – Mississippi State’s Mike Leach listed in critical condition
Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach is listed in critical condition at a hospital in Jackson. The update came one day after what the university called “a personal health issue” at his home in Starkville forced him to be airlifted to Jackson. A spokesman at the University of Mississippi Medical Center says Leach is listed in critical condition. Other details are not known, but according to ESPN, Leach suffered a “massive heart attack.” Leach is in his third season at Mississippi State, with a 19-17 record. He is widely recognized for his innovative Air Raid offense.

NCAAFB – Navy AD blunt about expectations for program, next coach
Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk says the football program has two main goals. One is to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy over Army and Air Force. The other is to go to a bowl. Gladchuk spoke to reporters a day after the academy announced coach Ken Niumatalolo was out after 15 seasons. Niumatalolo is the program’s winningest coach, but he hasn’t been to a bowl or won the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy since 2019. Gladchuk indicated the team would likely keep running the triple option with whoever the new coach is.

NCAAMBKB – Purdue moves to No. 1, ‘Bama cracks top 5
Purdue has climbed to No. 1 in men’s basketball AP Top 25 for the second straight season. The Boilermakers moved up three spots in this week’s poll. Virginia moved up to No. 2, with Connecticut, Alabama and Houston rounding out the top five. The Crimson Tide have their second top-five ranking in three seasons after becoming the second team to beat two No. 1 teams in the same season. Alabama knocked off Houston last week after beating North Carolina earlier in the season.

NCAAWBKB – South Carolina tops women’s AP Top 25,
Kansas has cracked The Associated Press women’s basketball poll for the first time in nearly 10 years. The 22nd-ranked Jayhawks routed then 12th-ranked Arizona by 27 points on the road last week. The top five teams remained the same with No. 1 South Carolina followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame. Virginia Tech was sixth and will host Notre Dame on Sunday. Fellow ACC schools North Carolina and N.C. State were seventh and eighth. UConn fell three spots to ninth after losing at Maryland. UCLA moved up three places to 10th.

NCAASOC – Syracuse wins first men’s soccer title, beats Indiana
Syracuse goalkeeper Russell Shealy stopped two shots in an eight-round shootout and Amferny Sinclair scored the game-winner as No. 3 seed Syracuse beat 13th-seeded Indiana 7-6 in a shootout to win the NCAA College Cup championship for the first time in program history. It was the longest penalty shootout in the history of the College Cup. Indiana tied it at 2-all in the 80th minute before the title game went to overtime for the sixth time in nine years. After two scoreless 10-minute overtime sessions, each goalkeeper had a diving save in the second round before the next 10 players scored. Syracuse was playing in its first men’s soccer title match after setting a program record in the semifinals with its 18th win.

NCAASWM – High court won’t hear Title IX case involving MSU
The Supreme Court says it won’t take the plunge into a dispute over Michigan State University’s decision to end its swimming-and-diving teams, a decision female athletes sued over. The case was one of many the high court rejected Monday. As is typical, the justices didn’t comment in turning away the case. The dispute the justices rejected stems from MSU’s decision to end its men’s and women’s swimming-and-diving teams after the 2021 season. The school cited cost as the reason, saying its swimming and diving facilities needed millions in upgrades. School officials have said they’re discussing reinstating the swimming-and-diving program.

WNBA – Nneka Ogwumike elected to 3rd term as WNBA union president
Nneka Ogwumike will serve a third term as president of the WNBA Players Association after being re-elected over the weekend. The Los Angeles Sparks star has served as WNBPA President since 2016, first winning reelection in 2019. She was instrumental in negotiating for the ground-breaking 2020 collective bargaining agreement that saw major pay increases and guarantees of full salaries of players on maternity leave. The contract, which runs through 2027, also provided enhanced family benefits, travel standards and other health and wellness improvements. Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum was elected to serve as First Vice President of the union. It’s her first term on the WNBPA Executive Committee.

NBAGL – NBA G-League
Last Night
Sioux Falls Skyforce 89, Grand Rapids Gold 83
Cleveland Charge 114, Windy City Bulls 108
Iowa Wolves 121, Motor City Cruise 110

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Brandywine 66, Bronson 51
Berrien Springs 51, S.B. Career Academy (IN) 49
Hartford 49, Martin 44
Bryon Center Zion Christian 58, Kalamazoo Heritage Christian 29

Girls Basketball
Bridgman 43, New Buffalo 8
Eau Claire 40, Watervliet Grace Christian 21
Schoolcraft 41, Galesburg-Augusta 39
Holland Black River 62, Wyoming-Lee 14

Tonight
Boys Basketball
SMAC
Lakeshore at Battle Creek Central, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Central at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Battle Creek Lakeview, 7:00 p.m.

Wolverine
Sturgis at Otsego, 7:15 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Paw Paw, 7:15 p.m.
Three Rivers at Plainwell, 7:15 p.m.
Niles at Vicksburg, 7:15 p.m.

BCS
Our Lady of the Lake at Countryside, 7:00 p.m.

SAC
Coloma at Bridgman, 7:15 p.m.
Parchment at Delton-Kellogg, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Galesburg-Augusta, 7:00 p.m.
Lawton at Gobles, 7:00 p.m.
Constantine at Holland Black River, 7:00 p.m.
Allegan at Saugatuck, 7:00 p.m.

Southwest 10
Cassopolis at Bangor, 6:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Bloomingdale, 7:30 p.m.
White Pigeon at Comstock, 7:30 p.m.
Centerville at Decatur, 7:30 p.m.
Mendon at Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.

Non-Conference
Dowagiac at River Valley, 6:00 p.m.
Marshall at Schoolcraft, 7:00 P.M.

Girls Basketball
SMAC
Battle Creek Central at Lakeshore, 7:00 p.m.
St. Joseph at Kalamazoo Central, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix Mattawan, 7:00 p.m.
Portage Central at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m.

Wolverine
Otsego at Sturgis, 7:15 p.m.
Paw Paw at Edwardsburg, 6:30 p.m.
Plainwell at Three Rivers, 7:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Niles, 7:15 p.m.

BCS
Countryside at Our Lady of the Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Howardsville Chr., 7:30 p.m.
New Buffalo at Eau Claire, 6:00 p.m.

SAC
Delton-Kellogg at Constantine, 7:00 p.m.
Gobles at Kalamazoo Christian, 7:00 p.m.
Martin at Kalamazoo Hackett, 7:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Lawton, 7:00 p.m.
Holland Black River at Parchment, 7:00 p.m.

Southwest 10
Bangor at Cassopolis, 7:30 p.m.
Bloomingdale at Marcellus, 6:00 p.m.
Comstock at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.
Decatur at Centerville, 7:30 p.m.
Lawrence at Mendon, 7:30 p.m.

Non-Conference
Berrien Springs at South Haven, 6:00 p.m.
Hartford at Watervliet, 7:00 p.m.
Dowagiac at River Valley, 7:40 p.m.
GR Ottawa Hills at Allegan, 6:30 p.m.

FIFA – World Cup 2020 – Qatar
Today
Semifinal 1
Argentina vs. Croatia, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday
Semifinal 2
France vs. Morocco, 2:00 p.m.

FIFA – Messi, Modric get Argentina, Croatia to World Cup semifinals
Tears are flowing from soccer’s biggest superstars as they make emotional exits from what might be their last World Cup. First it was Neymar, then it was Cristiano Ronaldo and it could be Lionel Messi next. Momentum is building behind Messi’s push to cap his one-of-a-kind career by winning the World Cup for the first time. The 35-year-old Argentina playmaker has carried his team to the semifinals almost in the same way Diego Maradona led the South American nation to the title in 1986. Now in Argentina’s way is Croatia. The 2018 runner-up is establishing a reputation as the most stubborn and durable of opponents and boasts one of soccer’s most graceful players in Luka Modric.

FIFA – US almost sent Reyna home from World Cup for lack of hustle
American midfielder Gio Reyna almost was sent home from the World Cup because of a lack of hustle in training, for which he later apologized. U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter revealed the team’s concerns about a player when speaking at the HOW Institute for Society’s Summit on Moral Leadership. His remarks were published by Charter Works. Berhalter said: “We had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field … We were ready to book a plane ticket home, that’s how extreme it was.” Charter later said Berhalter’s remarks were not meant to be made public.

FIFA – Soccer journalist Grant Wahl’s body returned to US
A senior State Department official says the body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl have been repatriated to the United States after his death last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar. The official says Wahl’s remains and his belongings arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport around 8:30 a.m. ET. They were accompanied by a consular official from the U.S. embassy in Doha who had had custody of Wahl’s remains since shortly after he collapsed and died during Friday’s match between Argentina and the Netherlands. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Wahl’s “writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it.”

FIFA – Tchouaméni shows at World Cup why Mbappé wanted him at PSG
Kylian Mbappé is finally getting his chance to play alongside Aurélien Tchouaméni. The France teammates have reached the World Cup semifinals and will next face Morocco on Wednesday. Tchouaméni’s displays at the heart of the France midfield have shown why Real Madrid paid $84.5 million to sign him in June. The 22-year-old Tchouaméni moved to Madrid despite Mbappé tempting him to team up together at Paris Saint-Germain. Tchouaméni has stepped up as a key starter for France after injuries to long-time starters Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté. France is bidding to become the first team in 60 years to successfully defend its World Cup title.

AP Men’s Top 25

1

10-0

2

8-0

3

11-0

4

8-1

5

9-1

6

9-1

7

7-1

8

9-1

9

8-1

10

9-1

11

7-2

12

10-2

13

7-2

14

8-2

15

7-3

16

8-2

17

9-0

18

7-3

19

8-1

20

8-2

21

8-1

22

8-2

23

7-2

24

10-1

25

10-1

AP Women’s Top 25

1

9-0

2

10-1

3

10-0

4

10-0

5

8-1

6

10-0

7

8-1

8

9-1

9

7-2

10

9-1

11

9-0

12

8-3

13

8-0

14

7-2

15

9-3

16

7-1

8-1

18

7-2

19

9-1

20

7-1

21

12-0

22

9-0

23

9-2

24

8-1

25

9-2

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NFL – National Football League – Week 14
Yesterday
Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 23
Bears, Packers, and Colts are off this week

Lions 34, Vikings 23 – Goff helps surging Lions beat division-leading Vikings 34-23
Jared Goff threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns, leading the surging Detroit Lions to a 34-23 win over the NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings needed a win or tie to clinch the division title. Kirk Cousins threw for 425 yards, including a franchise-record 223 to Justin Jefferson on 11 catches. But Dalvin Cook ran for just 23 yards on 15 carries, and Minnesota couldn’t stop Goff. Detroit has won five of six, its best stretch since its last postseason appearance in 2016. The Lions invested a lot to give Goff deep-play threats this season, signing DJ Chark in free agency and trading up to draft Jameson Williams 12th overall. The moves finally paid off against Minnesota.

Other NFL Scores
L.A. Rams 17, Las Vegas 16
Baltimore 16, Pittsburgh 14
Buffalo 20, N.Y. Jets 12
Cincinnati 23, Cleveland 10
Dallas 27, Houston 23
Jacksonville 36, Tennessee 22
Philadelphia 48, N.Y. Giants 22
Kansas City 34, Denver 28
Carolina 30, Seattle 24
San Francisco 35, Tampa Bay 7
L.A. Chargers 23, Miami 17
Open: Indianapolis, Atlanta,
Chicago, Green Bay,
New Orleans, Washington

Tonight
New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals, 8:15 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Yesterday
Marquette 79, Notre Dame 64
Niagara 67, Eastern Michigan 60

Marquette 79, Notre Dame 64 – Jones, Ighodaro lead Marquette over Notre Dame 79-64
Kam Jones scored 25 points, Oso Ighodaro added a double-double and Marquette breezed to a 79-64 victory over Notre Dame. Jones sank half of his 20 shots with four 3-pointers for the Golden Eagles (8-3). Ighodaro added 16 points and a career-high 18 rebounds. Olivier Maxence Prosper had 14 points and Tyler Kolek scored 11 with six assists. Nate Laszewski paced the Fighting Irish (7-3) with 20 points and seven rebounds. JJ Starling scored 12. Ighodaro had 10 points and 10 rebounds to guide Marquette to a 34-29 lead at halftime.

Niagara 67, EMU 60 – Thomasson scores 20 as Niagara takes down Eastern Michigan
Noah Thomasson had 20 points in Niagara’s 67-60 win over Eastern Michigan. Thomasson shot 7 for 14 and 5 of 7 from the free throw line. Aaron Gray added 12 points and David Mitchell 11 for the Purple Eagles. Noah Farrakhan led Eastern Michigan in scoring, finishing with 21 points and four assists. Eastern Michigan also got 13 points from Emoni Bates.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Yesterday
Los Angeles Lakers 124, Detroit Pistons 117
Atlanta Hawks 123, Chicago Bulls 122 – OT

Lakers 124, Pistons 117 – James, Davis carry Lakers past Pistons, 124-117
LeBron James scored 35 points, Anthony Davis had 34 points and 15 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Detroit Pistons 124-117 on Sunday night. Davis also had seven assists as the Lakers overcame 38 points from Bojan Bogdanovic to end a three-game losing streak. Lonnie Walker IV added 18 points for Los Angeles and Russell Westbrook had 11 points and nine assists. Rookie Jaden Ivey had 16 points for Detroit. The Pistons have lost three straight. The Lakers led 61-49 at halftime, but Bogdanovic scored a career-high 25 points in the third quarter to pull the Pistons back into the game.

Hawks 123, Bulls 122 – OT – Griffin wins game at OT buzzer, Hawks hold off Bulls 123-122
A.J. Griffin hit a 6-footer on an alley-oop pass at the overtime buzzer and the Atlanta Hawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 123-122 victory over the Chicago Bulls. DeMar DeRozan sank three free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to finish with 33 points as it appeared the Bulls had the game wrapped up. But Griffin took the alley-oop pass from Jalen Johnson on the sideline and scored on a turnaround jumper with a defender nearby to seal the win. Trae Young hit a 20-footer with 1 second left to give the Hawks a 121-119 lead in the extra period, and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 of his 28 points in the first half for Atlanta.

Tonight
Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Yesterday
Georgia Tech 71, Central Michigan 45
(3) Ohio State 74, Michigan State 68

(3) Ohio State 74, Michigan State 68 – Thierry, No. 3 Ohio State hold off Michigan State 74-68
Taylor Thierry scored a career-high 21 points and Taylor Mikesell added 16 as No. 3 Ohio State won its 10th game in a row Sunday defeating Michigan State 74-68. The Buckeyes (10-0) led by as many as 18 points in the first half before the Spartans cut it down to one with 1:44 left in the fourth quarter. Taylor Mikesell made four free throws in the final minute and Madison Greene added another as Michigan State missed four of its last six shot attempts. “We showed really good competitive character,” Ohio State coach Kevin McGuff said. “We kept fighting and scratching and clawing and just doing whatever we had to try to find a way to win.”

WNBA – ‘I want to talk’: Griner opened up during her long trip home
WNBA star Brittney Griner didn’t want quiet time as soon as she boarded a U.S. government plane that would bring her home. “I’ve been in prison for 10 months, listening to the Russians. I want to talk,” Griner said. That’s according to Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who helped secure the basketball star’s release and bring her back to the U.S. last week. Carstens told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that Griner walked throughout the plane, introducing herself to every member of the flight crew, shaking their hands, and “making a personal connection with them.”

NCAAFB – College Football – Week 15
Saturday
Army 20, Navy 17 – 2OT                 1ST Overtime game in the 123 year history of the Army/Navy Game

NCAAFB – Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo out after 15 seasons as coach
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo is out after 15 seasons at the helm. The academy said Sunday that Niumatalolo would not return. The announcement came a day after the Midshipmen lost to Army in overtime and finished 4-8 for the second straight year. Niumatalolo is the winningest coach in school history at 109-83, but after going 11-2 in 2019, Navy hasn’t finished above .500 since. Defensive coordinator Brian Newberry was named interim coach. Athletic director Chet Gladchuk is expected to speak to reporters Monday.

NCAAFB – Mississippi State coach Mike Leach hospitalized in Jackson
Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach was hospitalized after “a personal health issue” that happened at his home in Starkville. The 61-year-old Leach was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, which is about 125 miles away from Mississippi State. The university said in a statement it would have no further comment on Leach’s condition. Defensive coordinator Zach Arnett has been placed in charge of the team as it prepares for an appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Florida. Leach is in his third season at Mississippi State, with a 19-17 record.

NCAAFB – College Football – Division II Semifinals
Saturday
Ferris State 38, West Florida 17
Ferris State will face Colorado School of Mines on Saturday at 1:00 at McKinney Texas for the NCAA DII National Championship, FSU is the defending national champions.

SW Michigan players on Ferris. Tyrese Hunt-Thompson (Cassopolis), Darius Pruitt (Kalamazoo Central), Caleb Murphy (Dowagiac), Cyntell Williams (Battle Creek Central), Cailyn Murphy (Dowagiac), Derrell Mabon (Kal. Loy Norrix), Jalen Jones (Mattawan), Corbin Kalin (St. Joseph), Kyler Granger (Battle Creek Central), Garrett Jones (Berrien Springs), Cameron Wirtz (BC Lakeview), Tirell Hausmanis (Three Rivers), Tayvon Hughes (BC Lakeview).

NCAAFB – College Football – Division III Semifinals
Saturday
Mount Union 34, Wartburg College 31
Mount Union will face North Central on Friday at 7:00 at Annapolis, MD for the NCAA DIII National Championship in the Stagg Bowl

SW Michigan players on Mt. Union. Brennan Kerns (St. Joseph)

MHSAA – High School Sports
Saturday
Boys Basketball
Buchanan 54, Coloma 37
Holt 42, Battle Creek Central 37
Charlotte 46, Vicksburg 36
GR Forest Hills Northern 43, Otsego 33
Quincy 48, White Pigeon 36

Girls Basketball
Potterville 47, Michigan Lutheran 23
Kalamazoo Central 52, Jackson 35
White Pigeon 32, Quincy 26

Today
Boys Basketball
Brandywine at Bronson, 7:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at South Bend Career Academy (IN), 7:00 p.m.
Martin at Hartford, 7:00 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Bridgman at New Buffalo, 6:00 p.m.
Eau Claire at Watervliet Grace Christian, 6:00 p.m.
Galesburg-Augusta at Schoolcraft, 7:00 p.m.
Wyoming-Lee at Holland Black River, 7:00 p.m.   Holland Black River joined the SAC Conference this year

FIFA – World Cup 2020 – Qatar
Tuesday
Semifinal 1
Argentina vs. Croatia, 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday
Semifinal 2
France vs. Morocco, 2:00 p.m.

FIFA – England looks to future after latest World Cup heartbreak
England’s World Cup fate was effectively sealed from the penalty spot as Harry Kane’s late strike flew high over the bar at Al Bayt Stadium. France held out for a 2-1 win that sent the defending champions back to the semifinals and England home. Penalties have cost the Three Lions time and again at major tournaments. They have lost shootouts on seven occasions in World Cups and European Championships since 1990. It didn’t come down to that against France. But Kane still faced a test of nerve from the spot when standing over the ball in the 84th minute.

FIFA – Mbappé to face good friend Hakimi in World Cup semifinal
Kylian Mbappé is going to meet his good friend Achraf Hakimi again at this World Cup. The France star went to visit his Paris Saint-Germain teammate at the Morocco team hotel in downtown Doha last week. Mbappé will be marked by Hakimi in a World Cup semifinal on Wednesday. His path to Morocco’s goal down the French left wing blocked by a player he has called the best right-back in the world. Their friendship in Paris had bonded over music, video games and choreographed goal celebrations. Only one friend can advance to a World Cup final against Argentina or Croatia.

FIFA – Ronaldo says his dream of winning World Cup has ‘ended’
Cristiano Ronaldo has said in a cryptic social media post that his dream of winning the World Cup with Portugal has ended. But he stopped short of announcing his retirement from international duty. The 37-year-old Ronaldo left the field in tears after Portugal lost 1-0 to Morocco in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Ronaldo said Sunday on Instagram in his first comments after the elimination that it was “time to take stock.” But he didn’t explicitly say if he wants to carry on being available for Portugal. Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international soccer with 118 goals. He said putting Portugal “on the highest level in the world” was his biggest dream.

FIFA – After Neymar, Croatia aims to end Messi’s World Cup dream
Croatia has already ended Neymar’s World Cup dream by beating Brazil in the quarterfinals. Now it hopes to do the same to Lionel Messi in the semifinals on Tuesday. The 2018 runner-up Croatia is the next obstacle for Argentina to overcome as Messi bids to win the one major trophy that has eluded him. Croatia was beaten by France in the final in Russia and is on its own mission to go one step further this time.

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This week from Full Circle Café & Espresso bar, we talk Our Lady of the Lake, Lakeshore, Michigan Lutheran, and Benton Harbor Girls Basketball…

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Our Midwest Family Player of the Week for the winter high school sports season is Megan Wurster of Lakeshore High School Basketball. Megan is a sophomore at Lakeshore.   She also plays soccer and golf and in the classroom she has a 3.7 GPA.

WSJM Sports Director Dave Wolf caught up with Megan and Lakeshore Girls Basketball Coach Michael Clark earlier this week.

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As you heard on News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM. Joel Cordes brings you all of the action from Lakeshore High School as the Lancers opened the 2022-23 regular season at home against Portage Central in a SMAC West Division contest.

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WNBA – Griner freed: WNBA star swapped for Russian, heads home
American basketball star Brittney Griner is heading home, freed from Russian prison in exchange for the U.S. releasing notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Thursday’s dramatic action was the culmination of an eight-month saga of high diplomacy and dashed hopes. But the U.S. failed to win freedom for another American, Paul Whelan, jailed in Russia for nearly four years on espionage charges that his family and the U.S. government say are baseless. The swap comes at a time of heightened tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And it has brought unprecedented attention to the number of what the U.S. considers wrongful detainees.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan 90, Minnesota 75

Michigan 90, Minnesota 75 – McDaniel shines in first start, Michigan eases by Minnesota
Hunter Dickinson scored 19 points, freshman Dug McDaniel had 15 points and seven assists in his first start of the season and Michigan routed Minnesota 90-75. Michigan made its first five 3-pointers, led 24-9 after the opening eight minutes and extended it to 37-13. Minnesota used a 15-3 run to pull within 40-28 with 3:15 left in the first half but McDaniel ended Michigan’s nearly four minute scoring drought with a long 3-pointer and the Wolverines led 47-31 at the break. McDaniel scored nine of Michigan’s 17 points to start the second half for a 21-point lead. And Jett Howard scored five straight Michigan points during a 12-2 run for a 76-47 advantage. McDaniel shined in Michigan’s first game without guard Jaelin Llewellyn, who suffered a season-ending knee injury.

Saturday
UIC at Western Michigan, 2:30 p.m.
Central Michigan at Tulsa, 3:00 p.m.
Brown vs. Michigan State, 4:30 p.m.  COSY-FM 3:30

Sunday
Eastern Michigan at Niagara, 1:00 p.m.

NFL – National Football League – Week 14
Last Night
Los Angeles Rams 17, Las Vegas Raiders 16

Rams 17, Raiders 16 – Baker cooks: Newcomer Mayfield rallies Rams past Vegas 17-16
Baker Mayfield threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Van Jefferson with 10 seconds to play to cap a 98-yard drive, and the Los Angeles Rams’ brand-new quarterback led two TD drives late in the fourth quarter of a shocking 17-16 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. Just two days after the Rams claimed Mayfield off waivers from Carolina, the former No. 1 pick went 22 of 35 for 230 yards and snapped the defending Super Bowl champions’ six-game losing streak in dramatic fashion. Josh Jacobs rushed for 99 yards and the only touchdown for the Raiders, whose three-game winning streak ended in humiliating fashion.

Sunday
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m.       Rock 107 WIRX 12:00
Bears, Packers, and Colts are off this week

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Florida Panthers 5, Detroit Red Wings 1

Panthers 5, Red Wings 1 – Tierney gets 1st goal for Panthers in 5-1 win over Red Wings
Veteran Chris Tierney scored his first goal of the season in his second game with Florida, and the Panthers scored four times in the second period to beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Rookie Matt Kiersted also scored his first goal for the Panthers, who have won seven straight against the Red Wings and 17 of the last 19 meetings. Tierney and Kiersted were recalled this week from Charlotte of the AHL. Eetu Luostarinen, Josh Mahura and Matthew Tkachuk had Florida’s other goals, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves. Jonatan Berggren scored for the Red Wings, and Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 36 shots.

Tonight
Winnipeg at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday
Detroit at Dallas, 2:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Washington at Indiana, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit at Memphis, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
Brooklyn at Indiana, 7:00 p.m.
Dallas at Chicago, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
LA Lakers at Detroit, 6:00 p.m.
Chicago at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Toledo 71, (14) Michigan 68
Cleveland State 86, Central Michigan 55
(5) Notre Dame at Lafayette, Postponed

Toledo 71, (14) Michigan 68 – Mikonowicz, Toledo women upend No. 14 Michigan 71-68
Sammi Mikonowicz made a layup with 13.6 seconds left and then added two free throws at 3.1 seconds as Toledo beat No. 14 Michigan 71-68 for its first win over a ranked team in 12 years and first on the road since March of 1996. The Rockets extended their nation’s best road winning streak to 14 and ended the Wolverines’ home winning streak at 21, which was the third-longest in the nation. Leigha Brown put the Wolverines on top 68-67 win a shot from the elbow with 20.3 seconds to play. After a timeout, Mikonowicz got the ball at the right elbow and drove to the basket for the winner. She padded that with foul shots after grabbing the rebound on a Brown miss.

Saturday
Merrimack at (5) Notre Dame, 12:00 p.m.
Indiana State at Western Michigan, 12:00 p.m.
Southern Indiana at Eastern Michigan, 1:00 p.m.

Sunday
Central Michigan at Georgia Tech, 1:00 p.m.
Michigan State at (3) Ohio State, 4:00 p.m.

NCAAFB – College Football – Week 15
Saturday
Navy at Army, 3:00 p.m.                 at Philadelphia

NCAAFB – College Football – Division II Semifinals
Saturday
West Florida at Ferris State, 12:00 p.m.

NCAAFB – Western Michigan hires Lance Taylor to lead football program
Western Michigan has hired Louisville offensive coordinator Lance Taylor to lead its football program. Athletic director Dan Bartholomae made the announcement Thursday. The 41-year-old Taylor previously coached running backs for three seasons at Notre Dame and Stanford. He was also an assistant at Appalachian State and with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. Alabama coach Nick Saban gave him his start in coaching as a graduate assistant in 2007. Taylor walked on the Crimson Tide’s team in 1999 and later earned a scholarship as a receiver and special team’s captain for former coach Mike Shula.

NCAAFB – USC QB Caleb Williams voted AP Player of the Year
Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams is The Associated Press college football player of the year. The sophomore Heisman Trophy favorite is the school’s first winner of the award since 2005 with his stellar debut season for the Trojans. Williams received 32 of the 46 first-place votes and 117 total points from AP Top 25 poll voters. TCU quarterback Max Duggan came in second with six first-place votes and 64 points. Williams has passed for 4,075 yards with an FBS-leading 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions this season.

NCAAFB – Michigan lineman Mazi Smith takes plea deal in gun case
Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. The deal comes a week after Smith was charged with a felony for having a gun in his pickup truck without a concealed-weapon permit. Smith’s record will be scrubbed clean if he stays out of trouble for a certain length of time. Police say Smith was stopped for speeding on Oct. 7 and found to have a handgun and ammunition but not a concealed-pistol permit. He was arrested, taken to the police station and released to play the next day in Michigan’s game against Indiana. Washtenaw County prosecutor Eli Savit was criticized for waiting nearly two months to file a charge.

MLB – Dodgers sign OF Jason Heyward to minor league deal
The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed outfielder Jason Heyward to a minor league deal and invited him to spring training. The 33-year-old was released by the Chicago Cubs earlier this offseason. Heyward put up the worst offensive numbers of his career last season and battled injuries. He batted .204 and had 10 RBI and one home run in 137 plate appearances. He’s a valuable defender in the outfield. He’s also friends with Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman. Heyward helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series.

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Grand Rapids at Springfield, 7:05 p.m.   (1st ever meeting)

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Yesterday
Toledo Walleye at Kalamazoo Wings, 7:00 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Girls Basketball
Battle Creek Central 48, St. Joseph 37
Portage Central 42, Lakeshore 38 – OT
Michigan Lutheran 36, Our Lady of the Lake 29
Bridgman 28, Coloma 22
Mattawan 56, Portage Northern 50
Gull Lake 48, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 39
Kalamazoo Central 55, Battle Creek Lakeview 48 – OT

Boys Basketball
Countryside Academy 53, Bloomingdale 45
Dowagiac 63, Comstock 42
Bangor 41, Wyoming West Michigan Lutheran 28

Boys Swimming and Diving
St. Joseph 130, Kalamazoo Central 46

Yesterday
Boys Basketball
SMAC
Portage Central at Lakeshore, 7:00 p.m.    WSJM
St. Joseph at Battle Creek Central, 7:00 p.m.
Gull Lake at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:00 p.m
Mattawan at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m.
Kal. Central at Battle Creek Lakeview, 7:00 p.m.

Wolverine
Three Rivers at Edwardsburg, 7:15 p.m.
Otsego at Niles, 7:15 p.m.
Plainwell at Sturgis, 7:15 p.m.
Paw Paw at Vicksburg, 7:15 p.m.

Lakeland
Buchanan at Benton Harbor, 7:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Brandywine, 7:00 p.m.

BCS
Our Lady of the Lake at Michigan Lutheran, 7:30 p.m.
Allegan at South Haven, 7:30 p.m.
Covert at Eau Claire, 7:00 p.m.
Countryside Academy at New Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.
Howardsville Christian at River Valley, 7:30 p.m.

SAC
Watervliet at Fennville, 7:30 p.m.
Martin at Holland Black River, 7:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Lawton, 7:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Parchment, 7:30 p.m.
Gobles at Saugatuck, 7:30 p.m.
Constantine at Schoolcraft, 7:30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Galesburg-Augusta, 7:30 p.m.

Non-Conference
Decatur at Dowagiac, 7:00 p.m.
Union City at Mendon, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Wolverine
Three Rivers at Edwardsburg, 6:00 p.m.
Otsego at Niles, 6:00 p.m.
Plainwell at Sturgis, 6:00 p.m.
Paw Paw at Vicksburg, 6:00 p.m.

Lakeland
Buchanan at Benton Harbor, 5:30 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Brandywine, 5:30 p.m.

BCS
Countryside Academy at New Buffalo, 7:00 p.m.
Howardsville Christian at River Valley, 7:30 p.m.

SAC
Watervliet at Fennville, 6:00 p.m.
Martin at Holland Black River, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Lawton, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Parchment, 6:00 p.m.
Gobles at Saugatuck, 6:00 p.m.
Constantine at Schoolcraft, 6:00 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Galesburg-Augusta, 6:00 p.m.

Southwest 10
Bloomingdale at Bangor, 6:00 p.m.
Centreville at Cassopolis, 7:30 p.m.
Comstock at Decatur, 7:00 p.m.
Hartford at Lawrence, 7:00 p.m.
White Pigeon at Marcellus, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday
Boys Basketball
Coloma at Buchanan, 5:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Central at Holt, 7:00 p.m.
Vicksburg at Charlotte, 7:00 p.m.
GR Forest Hills Northern at Otsego, 2:30 p.m.
Quincy at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.

Girls Basketball
Michigan Lutheran at Potterville, 4:00 p.m.
Jackson at Kalamazoo Central, 4:00 p.m.
Quincy at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.

FIFA – 2022 FIFA World Cup – Qatar
Friday
Quarterfinals
Croatia vs. Brazil, 10:00 a.m.
Netherlands vs. Argentina, 2:00 p.m.

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NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Last Night
Michigan State 67, Penn State 58
Notre Dame 81, Boston University 75
Robert Morris 71, Central Michigan 66
Illinois State 87, Eastern Michigan 81

Michigan State 67, Penn State 58 – Hoggard scores career-high 23, Michigan St snaps 2-game skid
A.J. Hoggard scored a career-high 23 points, Joey Hauser had 12 points and 15 rebounds and Michigan State beat Penn State 67-58 to snap a two-game losing streak. Michigan State avoided going .500 or worse after 10 games for the first time in 18 seasons. Hoggard blocked an open layup with less than a minute to play and Hauser grabbed the rebound before being fouled and making two free throws at the other end for a 66-58 lead. Hoggard, Hauser and Tyson Walker combined for 31 of Michigan State’s 32 second-half points. The Michigan State defense allowed only one made field goal in the final five minutes. Penn State was just 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the second half after 7 of 18 before halftime.

Notre Dame 81, Boston U. 75 – Ryan scores 21 to help Notre Dame hold off Boston University
Cormac Ryan scored 21 points, including five free throws down the stretch, and Notre Dame held off Boston University 81-75. Ryan continued his hot 3-point shooting, making all four of his attempts. In his last three games, Ryan is 14 of 19 from the arc. Trey Wertz added three more treys and had 16 points with JJ Starling adding 15 for Notre Dame, which shot 49% and was even better from 3-point range at 9 of 17 for 53%. Ethan Brittain-Watts made 5 of 10 3-point tries and scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Terriers.

Tonight
Michigan at Minnesota, 9:00 p.m.              News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 8:30

NCAAMBKB – Michigan’s Jaelin Llewellyn out for season with knee injury
Michigan point guard Jaelin Llewellyn is out for the rest of the season with an injured left knee. He is expected to have surgery next month. Llewellyn was hurt in a loss to Kentucky in London over the weekend. Llewellyn transferred to Michigan from Princeton last spring and that seemed to lead to Frankie Collins transferring to Arizona State. Llewellyn averaged seven points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in eight games at Michigan. He was an All-Ivy League player last season and averaged nearly 16 points over three seasons at Princeton.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Western Michigan 68, Valparaiso 62

Today
Cleveland State at Central Michigan, 11:00 a.m.
Toledo at (14) Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
(5) Notre Dame at Lafayette, Postponed

NCAAWBKB – Notre Dame, Lafayette women postpone game for health reasons
No. 5 Notre Dame and Lafayette have postponed a women’s basketball game scheduled for Thursday because of health and safety protocols. No other details were immediately available. The game was supposed to be played at Lafayette in Easton, Pennsylvania. The schools say they are looking at whether the game can be rescheduled. The Fighting Irish are still supposed to host Merrimack on Saturday.

NFL – National Football League – Week 14
Tonight
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams, 8:15 p.m.

NFL – McVay: Baker Mayfield likely to be active for Rams vs Vegas
Coach Sean McVay says Baker Mayfield probably will be active for the Los Angeles Rams’ game against the Raiders on Thursday night. That’s just two days after the Rams claimed the former No. 1 draft pick off waivers from Carolina. McVay wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Mayfield playing against Las Vegas, but the Rams coach indicated it likely would happen only if John Wolford’s persistent neck injury forces struggling Los Angeles to try a desperate solution to its quarterback woes. Mayfield arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday night to join the Rams.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers, 7:30 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
New Orleans Pelicans 104, Detroit Pistons 98
Chicago Bulls 115, Washington Wizards 111
Minnesota Timberwolves 121, Indiana Pacers 115

Pelicans 104, Pistons 98 – Williamson scores 29, Pelicans hold off Pistons 104-98
Zion Williamson had 29 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans held off the Detroit Pistons 104-98 for their fifth straight victory. Trey Murphy III hit four 3s and finished with 20 points for New Orleans, which won for the 10th time in 12 games. Naji Marshall added 17 points, including a put-back that made it 100-94 with 29 seconds left. Saddiq Bey scored 25 points for Detroit. Killian Hayes added 17 points and 12 assists for the Pistons. The Pelicans’ winning streak has come without Brandon Ingram because of the star forward’s left foot injury. Williamson has averaged 28 points during Ingram’s absence.

Bulls 115, Wizards 111 – DeRozan, Bulls beat Wizards; Beal out with hamstring strain
DeMar DeRozan scored 15 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, Nikola Vucevic had 25 points and 11 rebounds, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Washington Wizards 115-111. Zach LaVine added 25 points as Chicago bounced back after a 2-4 road trip. Vucevic’s basket gave the Bulls a 106-105 lead with 2:50 left, and he then blocked a shot that led to a jumper by DeRozan. After Porzingis missed a 3-pointer, DeRozan had a three-point play to put Chicago ahead 111-105 with 1:43 left. Kristaps Porzingis scored 28 points and Kyle Kuzma added 21 for Washington, which has lost four straight. The Wizards played without leading scorer and three-time All-Star Bradley Beal, who strained his hamstring Sunday in a loss to the Lakers. Beal will be re-evaluated next week.

T-Wolves 121, Pacers 115 – Russell scores 15 points in 4th, Wolves beat Pacers 121-115
D’Angelo Russell had 15 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, Anthony Edwards scored 26 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on to beat the Indiana Pacers 121-115 on Wednesday night. Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 20 rebounds for Minnesota, which blew a 23-point lead and had to overcome an eight-point deficit. Buddy Hield scored 26 points and hit 7 of 11 from 3-point territory for Indiana. Tyrese Haliburton added 26 points and 15 assists for the Pacers.

MLB – AP source: Aaron Judge, Yankees reach $360M, 9-year deal
A person familiar with the deal says that Aaron Judge has agreed to return to the New York Yankees on a $360 million, nine-year contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. It’s the largest free agent deal in baseball history. Judge will earn $40 million per season, the highest average annual payout for a position player. The contract trails only Mike Trout’s $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels and Mookie Betts’ $365 million pact with the Dodgers for biggest in baseball history.

MLB – Braves acquire former All-Star reliever Jiménez from Tigers
The Atlanta Braves have traded for former All-Star reliever Joe Jiménez, sending two minor leaguers to Detroit to help restock a bullpen now minus Kenley Jansen. The Tigers acquired outfielder Justyn-Henry Malloy and left-hander Jake Higginbotham. The swap at the winter meetings on Wednesday night came after Jansen, who led the NL with 41 saves last season, left the NL East champion Braves and got a $32 million, two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. Jiménez, who turns 28 next month, was 3-2 with two saves and a 3.49 ERA in 62 games with the Tigers last season, striking out 77 in 56 2/3 innings. The right-hander has spent all six of his seasons in the majors with Detroit and was an All-Star in 2018.

MLB – AP source: Cardinals, Contreras agree to 5-year contract
Willson Contreras is going to St. Louis to replace Yadier Molina at catcher, agreeing to an $87.5 million, five-year contract with the Cardinals. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the move to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical. The addition of Contreras fills a major void for St. Louis, which won the NL Central this season with a 93-69 record. Molina decided to retire after spending his entire 19-year career with the Cardinals, making 10 All-Star teams and winning nine Gold Gloves.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Last Night
Women’s Basketball
Lake Michigan College 68, Mott Community College 63

• The Lady Red Hawks had three players score in double figures in a 68-63 road win over Mott, Arial Ford had a game high 22 points along with 19 rebounds.  Aaliyah Reno and Kalyah Watson scored 10 points each.

Southwestern Michigan 79, Henry Ford College 55

• Cameron Thomas had a game high 27 points to lead Southwestern Michigan over Henry Ford College 79-55.  Her teammate Macey Laubach had 25.

Men’s Basketball
Mott Community College 87, Lake Michigan College 50

• 20th ranked Mott out scored Lake Michigan College 45-19 in the second half on the way to an 87-50 win over the Red Hawks. Jailen Campbell scored 13 to lead LMC.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Grand Rapids Griffins 6, Iowa Wild 2

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Yesterday
Kalamazoo Wings 6, Toledo Walleye 1

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Wrestling
St. Joseph at Paw Paw Quad
Jackson Northwest 48, St. Joseph 24
St. Joseph 51, Paw Paw 30

SAC Meet at South Haven
South Haven 48, Delton-Kellogg 27
Martin 54, South Haven 17
Parchment Dual
Parchment 54, Coloma 0
Watervliet 42, Parchment 36

Hudsonville Quad
Hudsonville 34, Lakeshore 33
Lakeshore 63, East Kentwood 15

Girls Basketball
Buchanan 63, Edwardsburg 42

Boys Basketball
Kalamazoo Phoenix 65, White Pigeon 40

Today
Girls Basketball
St. Joseph at Battle Creek Central, 7:00 p.m.
Lakeshore at Portage Central, 7:00 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Our Lady of the Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Bridgman at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Mattawan, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Kalamazoo Central, 7:00 p.m.
Climax-Scotts at Mendon, 6:00 p.m.

Boys Basketball
Countryside Academy at Bloomingdale, 6:00 p.m.
Dowagiac at Comstock, 7:00 p.m.
Bangor at Wyoming West Michigan Lutheran, 6:00 p.m.

Boys Swimming and Diving
Kalamazoo Central at St. Joseph, 6:00 p.m.

FIFA – 2022 FIFA World Cup – Qatar
Friday
Quarterfinals
Croatia vs. Brazil, 10:00 a.m.
Netherlands vs. Argentina, 2:00 p.m.

FIFA – After World Cup, US men recede to background for 3 1/2 years
The United States men’s soccer team recedes into the background of American sports for the next 3 1/2 years. The team’s four World Cup matches averaged 12.2 million viewers on Fox but its 27 games on rated English-language networks from the start of 2020 through this fall averaged 668,000. That is according to Nielsen. The U.S. team averaged 2.45 million during the World Cup on Telemundo. That is double its 1.02 million average for 40 matches on Spanish-language networks during the three years ahead of the tournament. That compares with the NFL’s average of 17.1 million for the 2021 regular season.

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