The Jimmy V Classic matchup between BYU and Clemson was delayed briefly for maintenance after a dunk from Keba Keita bent the rim.
No. 2 Michigan routs Villanova 89-61, remaining unbeaten with 6th straight win by 25-plus points
Elliot Cadeau scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half to help Michigan build a 30-point lead, and the second-ranked Wolverines coasted to an 89-61 win over Villanova on Tuesday night. The unbeaten Wolverines (9-0) are the only team since at least the 1995-96 season to win six straight games by at least 25 points with at least two of those victories against ranked opponents, according to Sportradar. Michigan entered the game as the first team since Duke in 2009-10 to have a victory margin of 35-plus points in five straight wins, including two against ranked teams, according to Sportradar.
Elliott Cadeau gets turn leading Michigan basketball to rout of Villanova
Michigan basketball score: The Wolverines showed why they're No. 1 vs Villanova, just missing out on winning by at least 30 for the 5th straight time.
Big 12 commissioner says Notre Dame AD’s behavior toward ACC is ‘egregious’
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark slammed Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua, saying his comments criticizing the ACC are 'egregious'
Big 12 commissioner calls out Notre Dame AD Pete Bevacqua’s ‘egregious’ behavior after missing College Football Playoff
"I think he is totally out of bounds in his approach."
To fix CFP bracket, change the format, keep the size, alter committee
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Dodgers’ Dave Roberts helped UCLA football coach search during MLB playoffs
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Mets' David Stearns 'very comfortable' with Devin Williams closing: 'Can be one of the best relievers in baseball'
Speaking from the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns couldn’t comment on Edwin Diaz reportedly agreeing to a three-year deal with the Dodgers.
But Stearns did express his confidence in Devin Williams’ ability to step into the closer’s role.
“Yeah, and we’re very comfortable with that,” Stearns replied when asked if Williams would be the team’s closer at this very moment. “I’ve certainly seen Devin perform at a very high level for a long time. I have full confidence that he can be one of the best relievers in baseball. I think he’s very motivated to do that, and I’m looking forward to watching that.”
Williams, who signed a three-year deal with the Mets earlier this month, has plenty of history with Stearns, as the pair were together in Milwaukee before Stearns left to join the Mets, with Williams going on to pitch one season with the Yankees.
As a member of the Brewers, Williams quickly established himself as one of the best relievers in baseball. The NL Rookie of the Year in 2020, Williams went on to win two NL Reliever of the Year Awards and made two All-Star teams, pitching to a 1.83 ERA with 68 saves over six seasons with the Brewers.
When Stearns and Mets signed Williams, they did so with options. Williams could be one of, if not the premier setup men in all of baseball behind Diaz, or – the option that has turned out to be the case – Williams could step into the closer’s role to take over for the now-Dodger Diaz.
“I think when we go into an offseason, we have lots of different paths that an offseason can take,” Stearns explained. “We thought it important to bring in a reliever of really high quality. We’re really excited that we were able to do that with Devin Williams. We think he’s going to fit our club really well. I’m also confident we’re going to continue to add to the pen and have a very good one when we get to the regular season.”
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns added. “We’ve got, certainly, work to do, but there are a lot of good players out there, and I am confident that we’re really going to like where our team is when we get to opening day.”
While Stearns noted that the Mets obviously still need to add to their bullpen, he wouldn’t say specifically if the club was still in the market for a backend bullpen piece, with options like Robert Suarez and Pete Fairbanks among the most notable free agent options.
“I think we’re having plenty of conversations,” he said. “I think there are different ways to build a bullpen, and we’re going to continue to explore all of them.”
Williams, of course, comes to the Mets with experience when it comes to playing in New York. And while his one season with the Yankees was forgettable, as he pitched to a 4.79 ERA and lost his closer’s role at one point, the 31-year-old is ready to take things to a new level in Queens.
“He got pretty unlucky. The underlying ingredients were still really good,” Stearns said. “This can happen at times with relievers, where there’s an anomalous period of time, or an anomalous season. I think what excites me about Devin is, he’s not just saying, ‘Oh, I got unlucky last year.’ He’s saying, ‘I want to get better, and there’s another gear, and yes, I know my stuff last year was really good and the results didn’t necessarily reflect how good I was, but I can actually get better, and I can manipulate the ball a little bit differently.’
“And so, I think Devin is looking for another level, which is pretty cool.”
Panthers Depart For Important And Challenging Four-Game Road Trip
It might still be a bit early to deem the Florida Panthers' upcoming four-game road trip "a make-or-break trip," but there is no denying the importance and the challenge they'll face.
The Panthers picked up a pair of vital wins over the weekend. They pulled off a miraculous comeback against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, winning 7-6 and fought off Matthew Schaefer and the New York Islanders on Sunday for a 4-1 victory.
The wins helped the Panthers move into sixth place in the Atlantic Division, but more importantly, they are now just four points back of third place in the division and five from the division lead. The Panthers have some things they need to tidy up, and they need to do so on this road trip.
The Panthers will take on the Utah Mammoth on Wednesday, the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday, the Dallas Stars on Saturday and finish off the trip with a duel against their bitter rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Monday.
Three of the four teams are in the playoffs, with the Mammoth sitting just outside a wild card spot due to points percentage. The Panthers are in tough on this trip, but finding results is a must.
Sergei Bobrovsky, whose play has continued to trend in the wrong direction, will start against the Mammoth, according to Panthers coach Paul Maurice. His .881 save percentage ranks 60th in the NHL. The Panthers will continue to drop points if he can't find his game.
Daniil Tarasov will be in the crease on Thursday against the Avalanche, and despite his excellent play as of late, the Avalanche poses a threat that no team in the NHL does. The Avalanche lead the Presidents' Trophy race and leads the NHL in goals per game, averaging 3.97. They also rank first in shots on goal, averaging 34, and rank first in goals allowed, allowing just 2.17 goals per game. The Avalanche are a well-oiled machine led by Hart Trophy favorite and Art Ross Trophy leader Nathan MacKinnon, and Norris Trophy favorite Cale Makar.
MacKinnon Outshines Sickness, Evokes Boxing Legend’s Relentless DriveNathan MacKinnon is far from the first elite competitor to confront illness and nevertheless prevail.The trip doesn't get much easier. Just two days later, they'll take on the Stars, who sit in second place in the NHL. Their metrics might not be as impressive as the Avalanche's, but they have top-end offensive producers who commit to the defensive side of the puck. They rank fourth in goals scored per game and first in shooting percentage. They also ranked fourth in goals allowed per game.
The final game of the road trip is an opponent the Panthers know all too well. The Lightning are currently on a four-game losing streak, but prior to that, they had found their stride. Defensively, the Lightning have been consistent, ranking fifth in goals allowed per game, and their offense is beginning to come around. After slow starts, Nikita Kucherov, Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel are all around a point per game, and Brayden Point has returned from his injury.
Andrei Vasilevskiy is out with an undisclosed injury, but the Lightning hope he can return soon.
It's not to be understated how talented the teams they'll be facing are on this road trip. But the Panthers would be the first to tell you, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the Panthers don't want to fall any farther from the playoffs than they already are.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Panthers Remain Optmistic About Playoff Chances; ‘It’s About Just Getting In’The Florida Panthers completed an inspiring comeback against the Columbus Blue Jackets, but even prior to the win, their belief in themselves had never wavered. Are the LA Kings Actually Built to Contend With the West’s Heavyweights?
Is LA Good Enough in the Western Conference?
The Western Conference this season is looking like a gauntlet that is no joke and is going to be very tough for Los Angeles to compete against in the postseason.
Dallas, Vegas, Edmonton, Colorado, and even Anaheim have established themselves as the top contenders in the Western Conference, with elite scoring, a strong power play, and balanced defense.
The Kings, meanwhile, even though they sit in third place in the Pacific Division, just two points back of Anaheim for the first seed, you get the feeling that doesn’t matter. Fans saw the Kings finish second in the division last season with home-ice advantage and still couldn’t get past the first round against the Oilers for the fourth consecutive season.
With the season already in the second half, questions about general manager Ken Holland and coach Jim Hiller's plans for roster changes should leave fans curious and eager to see what's next for the team.
Los Angeles’s window isn’t closed, but it’s not wide open either.
The Weakness Holding the Kings Back
This is where the separation from the true West contenders becomes clear.
1. A Poor Home Record (4-6-3)
Crypto.com Arena has been a frustration this season. After possessing the best home record last season, the Kings are now the third-worst team at home behind Vancouver and the Rangers.
LA plays tight at home with struggles to generate any offense, and can’t dictate tempo or rhythm the way top teams are supposed to do at home. Now, the flip side is they're very good on the road with a 10-2-4 record, proving they can compete with any team in the playoffs, but they also have to be consistent at home, not just on the road.
2. Power-Play Problems
This has been the biggest weakness:
- Slow puck movement
- Predictable
- Struggles entering the zone
- Lacks a true scoring threat
3. Slow Starts
The Kings often take too long to be aggressive and get going offensively and defensively early in games. In almost all of their games this season, LA has gone down early, clawed its way back, then forced overtime just to lose in a shootout.
It gets tiring, and the Kings go cold when overtime hits for trying so hard in the end, when they need to focus on playing that way early in regulation.
How the Kings Stack Up Against the West’s Best
1. Colorado Avalanche - Top-End Talent and should be the favorites to win the Stanley Cup right now with their strong start. The Avs will be too dominant on offense and defense, both areas where LA struggles.
2. Dallas Stars - The Stars have won a great many of their games this season; they are second in the NHL standings behind the juggernaut Avs. This will be another team that the Kings won’t be able to beat in a seven-game series.
3. Vegas Golden Knights - Vegas has been a strong contender in the Western Conference for years now, winning its first cup in 2023 and sweeping the Kings the last time they faced in the postseason back in 2018, but it is still considered a better team with its defense and strong center depth.
4. Edmonton Oilers - Despite the slow start, the Oilers are always a team that can’t be judged for its results in the early part of the regular season. Especially against the Kings, the Oilers have dominated LA time and time again, serving as their biggest roadblock over the last few years.
5. Anaheim Ducks - The Ducks might be a team that the Kings could beat because they’re a young team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018, but they’re big, fast, young, and have the hunger to go deep in the playoffs.
While probably the easiest team for the Kings to match up with in the postseason, it will still be a tough series for Los Angeles to win.
So… Are the Kings Built to Beat the Western Elite?
Right now? No, they’re not better than several of those teams mentioned above in the Western Conference. At Best, the Kings are the fifth- or sixth-best team in the West, which makes them a bottom wild-card team.
They remain in the middle, but near the bottom against the top contenders in the west if they go head-to-head against them. If the Kings make changes to their roster during the trade deadline that fill their holes and weaknesses, then we can have a conversation about them being a true contender, but now they remain a good team, not a great team in the West.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Norco’s Julian Medina named ALL-USA Football Team QB finalist
Norco's Julian Medina ended his junior season with over 3,000 passing yards and is an ALL-USA Football Tea finalist at quarterback.
Indiana’s win over Ohio State is the most-watched Big Ten title game ever
Over 18 million people watched the Hoosiers win their first conference title since 1967.
NHL Hart Trophy Rankings: There's No Doubt About Who's The MVP
The NHL's Hart Trophy front-runners display elite consistency just over one-third of the season.
Of the five players on The Hockey News' previous Hart Trophy rankings on Nov. 13, four remain on the list. Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid finds his way back into the conversation after recording a hat trick against the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 4 and nine points in his last five games.
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, who fell off this month's ranking, still has a strong case of winning the Hart Trophy, with 35 points in 29 games as a defenseman. But his teammate his playing so well right now that it's tough to justify picking Makar as the most valuable player to his team.
The Professional Hockey Writers Association will have the final say after the regular season on who is "the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team," but this would be my ballot if voting happened now.
5. Logan Thompson, G, Washington Capitals
Logan Thompson is likely the best goaltender in the NHL today. In 21 games this season, the 28-year-old has a 1.96 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage.
Among all goalies who have made at least 10 appearances, only the Minnesota Wild's Jesper Wallstedt has a better save percentage and goals-against average, but he's played in 10 fewer contests than Thompson.
Thompson has been especially hot in his last six starts. He has five wins and one overtime loss and averaged a .955 SP and 1.32 GAA.
It's not like the Capitals' netminder hasn't faced plenty of shots either. On Friday, Dec. 5, he faced 38 shots, and in his last game on Sunday, Dec. 7, he recorded a 39-save shutout.
BetMGM Hart Trophy odds: 176.00/+17500
4. Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton Oilers
McDavid had a slow start to the season by his standards, but he's still third in league scoring with 42 points in 29 games.
At the end of October, McDavid was tied for 19th in league scoring. But since then, he's averaged 1.65 points per game, nearly half a point more than his scoring rate in October.
Not only does McDavid lead the Oilers in points with five more than Leon Draisaitl, but his 28 assists are tied for the most in the NHL as well.
Edmonton finds itself back in the playoff picture after being on the outside of the mix from Nov. 16 to Dec. 5. As they hold on to the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference and continue to lack consistent goaltending, McDavid will be a significant factor in his team making the post-season as usual.
BetMGM Hart Trophy odds: 3.80/+280
Oilers' Connor McDavid Responds To His Lack Of Shooting In A Big WayEdmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid called himself out for passing instead of shooting on scoring chances last week. The way he responded in the following two games made a significant difference.3. Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard has been a consistent performer for the Chicago Blackhawks, and he's pushed his team into a playoff spot at times this season.
Now, the Blackhawks are just one point out of a playoff spot, with a game in hand on the San Jose Sharks, which sit in the West's second wild-card spot.
Chicago's playoff hopes are in the hands of 20-year-old Bedard, who's carried the weight of the team's offense, recording 15 more points than second-place Tyler Bertuzzi.
Bedard leads the team in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, game-winning goals and more. He's truly been a valuable piece to the Blackhawks, recording 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points this year. He's factored into about 47 percent of the team's 86 goals.
BetMGM Hart Trophy odds: 21.00/+2000
2. Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks
Like Bedard, Macklin Celebrini has been able to maintain his excellent scoring pace from the start of the season. In 30 contests, the 19-year-old has 15 goals and 43 points, which has him second in league scoring.
Celebrini's factored into just over half of the San Jose Sharks' 85 goals. He leads his team in goals, assists, points, plus-minus, overtime goals, power-play goals and more.
The sophomore center has 15 more points than second-place Will Smith, who has 28. Celebrini equals Smith's point total in assists alone. He's tied with McDavid for the league lead in that category.
BetMGM Hart Trophy odds: 23.00/+2200
1. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche
It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Nathan MacKinnon sits at the top of this list.
The Avalanche superstar center is the front-runner for the Rocket Richard Trophy as he leads the league in goals with 24. He also leads the way in the Art Ross Trophy race, sitting on top of the NHL with 49 points, six more than Celebrini.
While the Avalanche have several stars, such as defenseman Cale Makar and right winger Martin Necas, there's no doubt that MacKinnon is the driving force of the team's incredible 21-2-6 record.
MacKinnon also dominates the NHL in the plus-minus department with a plus-35 rating. The closest player to him outside of the Avalanche's roster is Capitals D-man Jakob Chychrun at plus-24.
He's proven to be an extremely valuable piece to the Avs, being on the right side of the puck almost all the time. He's a big reason why the Avalanche are undisputedly the best team in the NHL.
BetMGM Hart Trophy odds: 1.48/-210
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
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NHL Trade Rumors: Should Canadiens Target Blues Center?
The Montreal Canadiens should be looking to improve at the center position this season.
When looking at trade candidates around the NHL, St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn stands out as an interesting potential option for the Canadiens.
With the Blues struggling this season, Schenn has found himself right back into the rumor mill. It is understandable, as he would have the potential to be a very solid addition to a playoff team's roster. This is because he is a solid two-way center who chips in offensively when playing at his best, kills penalties, and is not afraid to throw the body.
Schenn is also known for being a good leader, which is why he is currently the Blues' captain. With the Canadiens being a young team on the rise, adding a player like Schenn as a mentor would have the potential to benefit them.
After a slow start to the season, Schenn is also starting to heat back up for the Blues. In 30 games so far this season with the Central Division club, he has recorded six goals, seven assists, 13 points, and 67 hits. He also recorded four points in his last three games alone, which included him scoring twice and recording an assist against the Canadiens on Dec. 7.
With all Schenn provides, he would have the potential to be a solid addition to the Canadiens' middle six and penalty kill if acquired.
However, there would also be some clear risk in a potential Schenn trade. For starters, he would not come cheap, as he has a $6.5 million cap hit. He would also be more than a rental for Montreal if acquired, as he is signed until the end of the 2027-28 season. The 34-year-old forward has also struggled at times this season.
Ultimately, Schenn would have the potential to be a nice addition to the Canadiens' roster, but his contract is where things could get complicated. Yet, if the Blues were open to retaining some of Schenn's salary, that could make the veteran center a more realistic target for Montreal.