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🦅 Rock Chalk Topped!
#1 hoops team in the nation goes down...
It's Wednesday! Tomorrow, we eat and watch football. Today, we retreat and talk hoops. It was another super Tuesday of college basketball, headlined by two top-10 tilts in the Maui Invitational semifinals, where the Golden Eagles soared past the top-seeded Jayhawks and the Boilers spoiled Tennessee's volunteer vacation. The NBA also took center stage in the professional ranks, with the NHL taking the night off, and we had a loaded night of In-Season Tournament action. Tyrese Haliburton? Sneaky the man. LeBron James? Still the man. And the Pacers-Hawks game? Defense banned. We'll recap every matchup around the Association and then catch you up on the In-Season Tournament standings after a pair of teams booked their tickets to Vegas last night. (How about that ride in? I guess that's why they call it Sin City. HA!) Also, we had a slight shake-up in the College Football Playoff rankings heading into rivalry week. Let's go!
WTF Stat: Erin Matson won four national championships in field hockey as a player at North Carolina. Just a month after she graduated from UNC, she was hired as the team's head coach, becoming the youngest coach in DI athletics at 23 years old. On Sunday, she led the Tar Heels to a fifth national championship - is that good?
Pretty Please?
🏈 The latest College Football Playoff rankings were released Tuesday night, with Georgia, Ohio State, and Michigan remaining as the top three teams, respectively, and Washington flipping with Florida State for the fourth spot
🏈 Steelers fired OC Matt Canada yesterday, and quarterback coach Mike Sullivan will take over as the offensive play-caller going forward - despite a 6-4 record, Pittsburgh's offense ranks 28th in the NFL in yards per game and points per game
🏈 Colts waived four-time All-Pro LB Shaquille Leonard yesterday - Leonard, 28, had seen his role diminish after undergoing two back surgeries last year that limited him to three games in the 2022-23 season
🏈 Jets QB Aaron Rodgers, who is three months removed from surgery on his left Achilles, which he tore in Week 1, says he plans to return to practice in two weeks - Rodgers says he has been jogging on an anti-gravity treadmill and aims to play again this season
🏀 In-Season Tournament Check-In
Photo: Halibuckets | Source: USA Today
Tuesday's Games - Group Play
East, Group A | Indiana Pacers 157, Atlanta Hawks 152: No, this game did not go into overtime. The Pacers and Hawks combined for a whopping 309 points, and Indiana got the win to clinch a berth in the knockout round as Tyrese Haliburton (37 PTS, 9-15 3PT, 16 AST) knocked down nine triples and Buddy Hield (24 PTS, 9-11 FG) had eight points in the final 1:20 to outpace Trae Young (38 PTS, 5-8 3PT, 8 AST) and Atlanta in the Peach State - it is the first game since 1997 that both teams shot over 60% and just the seventh regular-season game in NBA history where both teams have scored over 150 points!
East, Group A | Cleveland Cavaliers 122, Philadelphia 76ers 119 (OT): Despite being without Donovan Mitchell (strained hamstring) for a third straight game, Cleveland got their fourth straight win as Darius Garland (32 PTS, 8 AST) led the shorthanded Cavs past the Sixers, whose comeback fell short in overtime with a Tyrese Maxey (30 PTS, 6 AST) air ball in the final seconds - Cleveland was also without Caris LeVert (knee soreness) and remains alive for the East's wild-card berth
West, Group A | Los Angeles Lakers 131, Utah Jazz 99: LeBron James (17 PTS, 9 AST, 7 REB) became the first player in NBA history to eclipse 39,000 career points, Anthony Davis (26 PTS, 11-14 FG, 16 REB) stuffed the stat sheet, and the Lakers blew out the Jazz to stamp their perfect 4-0 record in group play, booking their ticket to the knockout round - Los Angeles got 64 points from their bench after resting their starters for the majority of the second half
West, Group A | Phoenix Suns 120, Portland Trail Blazers 107: "Here come the Suns, doo-doo-doo-doo!" Phoenix has won four in a row, and Kevin Durant (31 PTS ) moved into 11th all-time on the NBA's scoring list with a casual 30-piece, while Devin Booker (28 PTS, 6 AST) did his thing to top Jerami Grant (26 PTS, 6 AST) and the lowly Pacers in the Valley
East, Group C | Orlando Magic 126, Toronto Raptors 107: The Magic improved to 9-5 and 2-1 in tournament play as Paolo Benchero (25 PTS, 10-20, 5 REB) filled it up, along with Orlando's bench, as Cole Anthony (15 PTS, 10 AST) and company added 56 points to coast past Dennis Schroder (24 PTS) and the Raptors - the Orlando Magic are good.
In-Season Tournament Standings
East - Group A
Indiana Pacers (3-0) - clinched group
Cleveland Cavaliers (2-1)
Philadelphia 76ers (2-2)
Atlanta Hawks (1-2)
Detroit Pistons (0-3) - eliminated
East - Group B
Milwaukee Bucks (2-0)
Miami Heat (2-0)
New York Knicks (1-1)
Charlotte Hornets (1-2) - eliminated
Washington Wizards (0-3) - eliminated
East - Group C
Boston Celtics (2-0)
Brooklyn Nets (2-1)
Orlando Magic (2-1) - are good.
Toronto Raptors (0-2)
Chicago Bulls (0-2) - eliminated
West - Group A
Los Angeles Lakers (4-0) - clinched group
Phoenix Suns (2-1)
Utah Jazz (2-2)
Portland Trail Blazers (1-3) - eliminated
Memphis Grizzlies (0-3) - eliminated
West - Group B
Denver Nuggets (2-1)
New Orleans Pelicans (2-1)
Houston Rockets (1-1)
Dallas Mavericks (1-2)
Los Angeles Clippers (1-2)
West - Group C
Sacramento Kings (2-0)
Minnesota Timberwolves (2-0)
Golden State Warriors (1-1)
Oklahoma City Thunder (1-2)
San Antonio Spurs (0-3) - eliminated
Take another look at the In-Season Tournament standings here.
Photo: All Eagles | Source: USA Today
Men's College Basketball - Top Games
Maui Invitational | #4 Marquette 73, #1 Kansas 59: Things got heated in the second semifinal from Honolulu, as Marquette HC Shaka Smart got into with Kansas' Kevin McCullar (24 PTS, 8 REB) as well as HC Bill Self, and after grabbing a 38-28 lead at the break, Oso Ighodaro (21 PTS, 9 REB, 3 BLK) and the Golden Eagles clamped down on Hunter Dickinson (13 PTS, 5-10 FG, 8 REB) and the Jayhawks to take down the No. 1 team in the land, setting up a date with Purdue in the finals this afternoon at 5:00pm ET - Ighodaro led Marquette in scoring and was fantastic defensively
Maui Invitational | #2 Purdue 71, #7 Tennessee 67: In a physical semifinal that consisted of 52 personal fouls, the Boilermakers trailed by one at the half, but Fletcher Loyer (27 PTS, 6 REB, 3 STL) and Zach Edey (23 PTS, 7-10 FG, 10 REB) took over in the final 20 minutes, and Purdue separated themselves down the stretch to take down Dalton Knecht (16 PTS, 7 REB) and the Vols
Sunshine Slam | Florida State 77, #18 Colorado 71 (OT): Neither team had a bucket in the final two minutes of regulation, but Jalen Warley (19 PTS) and Jamir Watkins (18 PTS, 11 REB) helped Florida State pull away in overtime to win the Sunshine Slam championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, over Cody Williams (18 PTS, 6 REB) and the previously unbeaten Buffs - it's Florida State's 14th consecutive overtime win
East Carolina 85, Kennesaw State 84: Why are we highlighting East Carolina versus Kennesaw State? 1. Because college basketball is awesome, and 2. Because ECU hit the craziest buzzer-beater of the young season! After Kennesaw State's Terrell Burden (19 PTS, 8 REB, 6 AST) made a go-ahead layup with two seconds remaining, Bobby Pettiford Jr. (18 PTS, 4-7 3PT) turned around and sunk the game-winner from beyond half court for an utterly absurd win in Greenville - (*insert Dicky V. voice*) "unbelievableeeee!"
2026 World Cup Qualifying - Top Match
Argentina 1, Brazil 0: It was a tough day for Brazil soccer as their highly-anticipated match with the World Cup holders was delayed for 30 minutes after Brazilian police clashed with fans at Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, and then the Canary Squad suffered their first-ever home loss in a World Cup qualifier as Nicolas Otamendi (63') delivered a towering header in the second half to secure an Argentina victory - at least one fan had to be taken to the hospital for injuries suffered in the scuffle
See the full soccer scoreboard here.
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Which men's college basketball program holds the longest win streak versus non-conference opponents in the last 10 years? (Note: The win streak does not have to be active.)
A. Villanova
B. Kansas
C. Kentucky
D. Purdue
ON THIS DAY
Photo: Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus | Source: Getty Images
On September 22, 2003, the fifth-ever Presidents Cup ended in a 17-17 tie in South Africa. Following a draw after Sunday's matches, both squads chose one player to represent their side in a winner-take-all playoff. Tiger Woods represented Team USA, while Ernie Els was chosen for Team International. Woods and Els stayed even through three holes. However, the sun couldn't keep up (literally and figuratively), and it got too dark to continue. So, Captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player consulted with their teams and with one another, then decided to share the Cup. In light of the peculiar situation (no sun intended... LOL), the Presidents Cup no longer holds a playoff, and if the score is even after Sunday's rounds, the tournament results in a draw.
WHAT TO WATCH
In partnership with Vivid Seats
NBA
Milwaukee Bucks @ Boston Celtics 7:30pm ET, ESPN
Philadelphia 76ers @ Minnesota Timberwolves 8:00pm ET, Local
Golden State Warriors @ Phoenix Suns 10:00pm ET, ESPN
NHL
Boston Bruins @ Florida Panthers 7:00pm ET, TNT
New York Rangers @ Pittsburgh Penguins 7:00pm ET, NHLPP / ESPN+
Vegas Golden Knights @ Dallas Stars 9:30pm ET, TNT
Men's College Basketball
Battle 4 Atlantis: #14 North Carolina vs. Northern Iowa 12:00pm ET, ESPN
Maui Invitational Third-Place: #1 Kansas vs. #7 Tennessee 2:30pm ET, ESPN
Maui Invitational Final: #2 Purdue vs. #4 Marquette 5:00pm ET, ESPN
Fort Myers Tip-Off: #24 Virginia vs. West Virginia 6:00pm ET, FS1
Maui Invitational Fifth-Place: #11 Gonzaga vs. UCLA 11:59pm ET, ESPN2
Women's College Basketball
Baha Mar: #15 Ohio State vs. Oklahoma State 6:30 ET, ESPN+
Baha Mar: #8 USC vs. Penn State 9:00pm ET, ESPN+
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Trivia Time Answer
A. Villanova. In the last 10 years, Villanova holds the longest win streak against non-conference opponents in DI men's basketball with 31 straight wins from 2015 to 2018. However, the Cats' streak is in jeopardy, as Purdue currently has 29 consecutive wins dating back to 2020.
"Lock" of the Day
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College Basketball - Maui Invitational Final
#2 Purdue vs. #4 Marquette: Purdue -1.5 (-110)
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Don't worry, folks, we'll be here all week, including an NFL Thanksgiving Day preview tomorrow. See you then :)