BOSTON (AP) — When they played “O Canada” for the second time, there were no American fans left in the arena to boo.

Instead, the Canadian team stood at the blue line, arm in arm, player and coach, wearing their championship hats while the maple leaf flag was lowered behind the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy and the national anthem reverberated across the Americans' home ice. The fans who remained, many of them in their red Team Canada jerseys, sang along.

Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of overtime to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night as the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into a geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as much as international hockey supremacy.

Or, to put it another way: It was the 51st U.S. state 3, Canada’s 11th province 2.

“You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X in a cross-border callback to President Donald Trump's chatter about turning one of the United States' closest allies into the 51st state.

”A lot of stuff going on with Canada and the USA right now, and us playing against each other was kind of a perfect storm for our sport," said Nathan MacKinnon, who was selected the MVP of the new tournament with four goals in four games. “It was much more popular than even we would have imagined. It was getting so much attention from our whole continent.”

Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots — including the last 20 in a row — on the same ice where he helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup as a rookie five years ago. MacKinnon and Sam Bennett also scored for Canada, which made it 2-2 in the second period and then played a scoreless third.

After a flurry of saves by Binnington early in the overtime, Canada gained a faceoff in the U.S. zone and Mitch Marner got the puck along the boards before popping it into the center to McDavid for the winner. The Canadians poured over the boards to celebrate, shook hands with the vanquished Americans, and then took turns skating with the never-before-awarded trophy.

“Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us. I know it’s just a quick tournament, and it’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see,” McDavid said.

“I hope (the new fans) love it,” he said. “It’s a great game, it’s a great sport and I hope we put on a good show these last couple days and gained some fans, ultimately. You can’t ask for a better show than that.”

Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for the Americans, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots in regulation and three more in OT. The U.S. has lost all but one game against Canada in best-on-best international play dating to the preliminaries of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics; the lone victory was in the 4 Nations round-robin, a game so good it turned Thursday's sequel into one of the most anticipated international hockey events in decades.

“I think guys that are at home watching this, I’m hoping they’re wanting a piece of it," U.S. forward Dylan Larkin said. "This grew the game really well, but I hope it pushes guys to want a piece of this and then the next generation that got to watch this, they’re going to watch the Olympics next year and hopefully there’s a different outcome.”

The already ripe rivalry between the two North American hockey powers took on an added intensity during the tournament following Trump’s tariff threats and talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Trump called the American team Thursday morning to wish it well, then turned to Truth Social to take a poke at “Governor Trudeau.”

The political backdrop combined with the quality of the round-robin game, which the United States won 3-1 on Saturday, to bring the atmosphere of a Stanley Cup Final or Olympic gold medal game to the TD Garden.

Fans in their team jerseys waved flags, shouted for their countrymen and continued the ritual booing of the opposing national anthem that has become an nightly undercard for a tournament that returned the NHL's stars to the international scene after missing the last two Winter Games.

The pregame hype video was a callback to the 1980 Olympics, when the undermanned U.S. team upset the powerful Soviet machine in the midst of the Cold War. “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hero and honorary U.S. captain Mike Eruzione wore a Johnny Gaudreau jersey to honor the memory of former Boston College and Calgary Flames star who was killed by a drunk driver while bicycling in New Jersey at his sister’s wedding last summer.

The American fans chanted “Johnny Hockey!” to spur their team on, and broke into frequent cheers of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” — just like in Lake Placid.

But this time it was the team in red that came away with the win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740136950133.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Canada's Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after his game-winning goal against the United States during an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Canada's Connor McDavid (97) celebrates after his game-winning goal against the United States during an overtime period of the 4 Nations Face-Off championship hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — When they played “O Canada” for the second time, there were no American fans left in the arena to boo.Instead, the Canadian team stood at the blue line, arm in arm, player and coach, wearing their championship hats while the maple leaf flag was lowered behind the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy and the national anthem reverberated across the Americans' home ice. The fans who remained, many of them in their red Team Canada jerseys, sang along.Connor McDavid scored at 8:18 of overtime to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night as the North American rivals turned what had been a tune-up for the 2026 Olympics into a geopolitical brawl over anthems and annexation as much as international hockey supremacy.Or, to put it another way: It was the 51st U.S. state 3, Canada’s 11th province 2.“You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X in a cross-border callback to President Donald Trump's chatter about turning one of the United States' closest allies into the 51st state.”A lot of stuff going on with Canada and the USA right now, and us playing against each other was kind of a perfect storm for our sport," said Nathan MacKinnon, who was selected the MVP of the new tournament with four goals in four games. “It was much more popular than even we would have imagined. It was getting so much attention from our whole continent.”Jordan Binnington stopped 31 shots — including the last 20 in a row — on the same ice where he helped the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup as a rookie five years ago. MacKinnon and Sam Bennett also scored for Canada, which made it 2-2 in the second period and then played a scoreless third.After a flurry of saves by Binnington early in the overtime, Canada gained a faceoff in the U.S. zone and Mitch Marner got the puck along the boards before popping it into the center to McDavid for the winner. The Canadians poured over the boards to celebrate, shook hands with the vanquished Americans, and then took turns skating with the never-before-awarded trophy.“Just to see the reaction. Just to know what it means to us. I know it’s just a quick tournament, and it’s not an Olympic gold medal or anything like that, but it means the world to our group, as you can see,” McDavid said.“I hope (the new fans) love it,” he said. “It’s a great game, it’s a great sport and I hope we put on a good show these last couple days and gained some fans, ultimately. You can’t ask for a better show than that.”Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson scored for the Americans, and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 22 shots in regulation and three more in OT. The U.S. has lost all but one game against Canada in best-on-best international play dating to the preliminaries of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics; the lone victory was in the 4 Nations round-robin, a game so good it turned Thursday's sequel into one of the most anticipated international hockey events in decades.“I think guys that are at home watching this, I’m hoping they’re wanting a piece of it," U.S. forward Dylan Larkin said. "This grew the game really well, but I hope it pushes guys to want a piece of this and then the next generation that got to watch this, they’re going to watch the Olympics next year and hopefully there’s a different outcome.”The already ripe rivalry between the two North American hockey powers took on an added intensity during the tournament following Trump’s tariff threats and talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Trump called the American team Thursday morning to wish it well, then turned to Truth Social to take a poke at “Governor Trudeau.”The political backdrop combined with the quality of the round-robin game, which the United States won 3-1 on Saturday, to bring the atmosphere of a Stanley Cup Final or Olympic gold medal game to the TD Garden.Fans in their team jerseys waved flags, shouted for their countrymen and continued the ritual booing of the opposing national anthem that has become an nightly undercard for a tournament that returned the NHL's stars to the international scene after missing the last two Winter Games.The pregame hype video was a callback to the 1980 Olympics, when the undermanned U.S. team upset the powerful Soviet machine in the midst of the Cold War. “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hero and honorary U.S. captain Mike Eruzione wore a Johnny Gaudreau jersey to honor the memory of former Boston College and Calgary Flames star who was killed by a drunk driver while bicycling in New Jersey at his sister’s wedding last summer.The American fans chanted “Johnny Hockey!” to spur their team on, and broke into frequent cheers of “U-S-A! U-S-A!” — just like in Lake Placid.But this time it was the team in red that came away with the win.

Connor McDavid scores in OT to give Canada 3-2 win over United States

&nbsp;Next Page Sports is hosting an exclusive event featuring a meet-and-greet with Kansas State athletes Ayoka Lee, Gabby Gregory, and Serena Sundell, followed by a fireside chat and panel discussion. Client Services Manager Shantel Coleman said that the event will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2025, from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm at Rockin’ Ks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740011394599.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Next Page Sports is hosting an exclusive event featuring a meet-and-greet with Kansas State athletes Ayoka Lee, Gabby Gregory, and Serena Sundell, followed by a fireside chat and panel discussion. Client Services Manager Shantel Coleman said that the event will take place on Sunday, February 23, 2025, from 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm at Rockin’ Ks.

Exclusive Event Featuring K-State Women’s Basketball Athletes

The Junction City varsity boys and girls bowling team placed first in their meet on Friday, Feb. 14. 

Junction City Bowl was the site of the varsity and junior varsity meet, including Junction City, Emporia, and Topeka Hayden.

Varsity boys scores: Junction City 2,526, Hayden 2,485, and Emporia 586.

Top performers for the boys included Jesse Holtcamp with 677, Sean McKone with 658, and Cael Smith with 649. 

Varsity girls scores: Junction City 2,147, Hayden 1,473

Top performers for the girls included Riley Roberts with 593, Angelina Shannon with 554, and Janiyah George with 488. 

Next is the Centennial League varsity meet on Thursday, Feb. 20, at Junction City Bowl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739991968378.jpeg" alt="(Pictured from left to right) Cael Smith, Janiyah George,&nbsp;Jesse Holtcamp, Riley Roberts,&nbsp;Angelina Shannon, and&nbsp;Sean McKone." />
 <figcaption>(Pictured from left to right) Cael Smith, Janiyah George,&nbsp;Jesse Holtcamp, Riley Roberts,&nbsp;Angelina Shannon, and&nbsp;Sean McKone.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Junction City varsity boys and girls bowling team placed first in their meet on Friday, Feb. 14. Junction City Bowl was the site of the varsity and junior varsity meet, including Junction City, Emporia, and Topeka Hayden.Varsity boys scores: Junction City 2,526, Hayden 2,485, and Emporia 586.Top performers for the boys included Jesse Holtcamp with 677, Sean McKone with 658, and Cael Smith with 649. Varsity girls scores: Junction City 2,147, Hayden 1,473Top performers for the girls included Riley Roberts with 593, Angelina Shannon with 554, and Janiyah George with 488. Next is the Centennial League varsity meet on Thursday, Feb. 20, at Junction City Bowl.

JCHS bowling team wins meet

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Kansas has reached a low point with its uncharacteristic struggles in Big 12 play.

The No. 23 Jayhawks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-byu-basketball-score-5a3cb1b0ef31ad1964470cda758f49c5">lost 91-57 to BYU</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night, matching their largest margin of defeat in Bill Self’s tenure, after previously losing 85-51 to USC in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. It also marked the first time Kansas — the preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll — lost by 30-plus points against an unranked team since the poll began in 1948.

The Jayhawks have not led through their last 80 minutes of basketball after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-utah-basketball-score-2920c07f0583abda508becce4bb8fea0">also falling to Utah 74-67</a>&nbsp;on Saturday. They have lost four of six games since the start of February.

“Obviously we’re going to catch a lot of flak, whether it’s fans or national media, and rightfully so because we just lost by damn near 40,” said senior center Hunter Dickinson, who finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. “Nobody is going to feel bad for us now that NIL is the thing, and players are getting paid and everything like that. Nobody is going to feel bad for you. They’re going to expect you to perform like a paid player.”

Kansas never came close to threatening the Cougars at any point. BYU shot 52% from the field and made 14 3-pointers en route to notching its third straight victory.

“We were one foot in and one foot out in how we guarded and a lot of other things right from the jump,” Self said. “It was crystal clear how we wanted to try to guard them and right from the jump we doubted and ended up hurting ourselves.”

BYU finished with 24 assists and 14 steals. It marked the first game against a ranked opponent over the last 25 seasons where the Cougars totaled more than 20 assists and 10 steals.

“I think BYU could have beat anyone tonight,” Self said. “They were great and then we didn’t do anything to make them play less than great.”

The Cougars looked impressive on both ends of the court en route to moving into fifth place in the Big 12 standings.

They had 15 assists on 15 baskets in the first half and forced eight turnovers on their way to building a 20-point halftime lead. BYU led by as many as 38 points after halftime.

It is a statement win for the Cougars as much as a statement loss for the Jayhawks. BYU started 2-4 in Big 12 play but has won seven of nine since.

“We’ve been waiting for a win against a really storied program and a team that’s good,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “Tonight was impressive by how our guys carried out the game plan on both ends of the floor.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739935195232.png" alt="Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVO, Utah (AP) — Kansas has reached a low point with its uncharacteristic struggles in Big 12 play.The No. 23 Jayhawks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-byu-basketball-score-5a3cb1b0ef31ad1964470cda758f49c5">lost 91-57 to BYU</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night, matching their largest margin of defeat in Bill Self’s tenure, after previously losing 85-51 to USC in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. It also marked the first time Kansas — the preseason No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll — lost by 30-plus points against an unranked team since the poll began in 1948.The Jayhawks have not led through their last 80 minutes of basketball after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-utah-basketball-score-2920c07f0583abda508becce4bb8fea0">also falling to Utah 74-67</a>&nbsp;on Saturday. They have lost four of six games since the start of February.“Obviously we’re going to catch a lot of flak, whether it’s fans or national media, and rightfully so because we just lost by damn near 40,” said senior center Hunter Dickinson, who finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds. “Nobody is going to feel bad for us now that NIL is the thing, and players are getting paid and everything like that. Nobody is going to feel bad for you. They’re going to expect you to perform like a paid player.”Kansas never came close to threatening the Cougars at any point. BYU shot 52% from the field and made 14 3-pointers en route to notching its third straight victory.“We were one foot in and one foot out in how we guarded and a lot of other things right from the jump,” Self said. “It was crystal clear how we wanted to try to guard them and right from the jump we doubted and ended up hurting ourselves.”BYU finished with 24 assists and 14 steals. It marked the first game against a ranked opponent over the last 25 seasons where the Cougars totaled more than 20 assists and 10 steals.“I think BYU could have beat anyone tonight,” Self said. “They were great and then we didn’t do anything to make them play less than great.”The Cougars looked impressive on both ends of the court en route to moving into fifth place in the Big 12 standings.They had 15 assists on 15 baskets in the first half and forced eight turnovers on their way to building a 20-point halftime lead. BYU led by as many as 38 points after halftime.It is a statement win for the Cougars as much as a statement loss for the Jayhawks. BYU started 2-4 in Big 12 play but has won seven of nine since.“We’ve been waiting for a win against a really storied program and a team that’s good,” BYU coach Kevin Young said. “Tonight was impressive by how our guys carried out the game plan on both ends of the floor.”

🏀 Kansas struggles reach low point in 34-point loss to unranked BYU

The Junction City High School swim team placed 3rd at the Centennial League Swim Championships.

Junction City had 6 All-League Swimmers and this is the most the program has had in one season.&nbsp;

(Ivan Velarde, Truman Fortner, Brennen Doan, Owen Bockman)

State swim will take place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22 in Lenexa, KS, at the Shawnee Mission District Aquatic Center

The Junction City High School swim team placed 3rd at the Centennial League Swim Championships.Junction City had 6 All-League Swimmers and this is the most the program has had in one season.&nbsp;1st&nbsp;teamTruman Fortner2nd&nbsp;TeamCaeler RayburnLarry PierceIvan VelardeHonorable MentionAntonio MartinezBrennen Doan24-25 6A State Qualifiers200yd Medley Relay(Ivan Velarde, Truman Fortner, Brennen Doan, Owen Bockman)100yd BreaststrokeTruman FortnerState swim will take place this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 21-22 in Lenexa, KS, at the Shawnee Mission District Aquatic Center

JCHS swim team highlights

The Topeka High Lady Trojans beat the Junction City Lady Jays 76-23 on Monday night. 

Topeka High won the opening tip and jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. After the first quarter, T-High led 25-8. The second quarter was very similar to the first, with JC again only scoring eight points. The Lady Trojans led 41-16 at the half. 

The third quarter is where Topeka pulled away, outscoring the Lady Jays 24-2 in the quarter to lead 65-18. The fourth quarter featured a running clock, and Topeka High beat JC 76-23. The Lady Trojans swept the Lady Jays this season. 

Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the team with 10 points, and junior Morgan Nabus had seven. 

Junction City falls to 1-16 on the season. 

The Junction City Blue Jays entered Monday night's matchup having lost six of their last eight games. The Blue Jays recovered from a slow start and beat Topeka 81-65. 

The Trojans began the game hitting their first three shots and led the Blue Jays for much of the first quarter, but JC recovered and led 16-12 after the first quarter. 

In the second quarter, Junction City exploded on offense and outscored T-High 29-11. The Blue Jays led by 20, 45-25 at halftime. 

Junction City controlled the game in the second half, leading by as many as 27 points. The Trojans tried to make it interesting down the stretch, cutting the lead to 14 late in the game, but Junction City held on and won, 81-65. 

The Blue Jays were led in scoring by senior Ja'Twaan Williams with 25 points. Senior Jackson Austin had 19, senior Larkin Turner had 15, and senior Isiah Handy added 12 points. 

Junction City improves to 11-6 on the year and, hosts Manhattan on Friday night for senior night.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostGirls recapThe Topeka High Lady Trojans beat the Junction City Lady Jays 76-23 on Monday night. Topeka High won the opening tip and jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. After the first quarter, T-High led 25-8. The second quarter was very similar to the first, with JC again only scoring eight points. The Lady Trojans led 41-16 at the half. The third quarter is where Topeka pulled away, outscoring the Lady Jays 24-2 in the quarter to lead 65-18. The fourth quarter featured a running clock, and Topeka High beat JC 76-23. The Lady Trojans swept the Lady Jays this season. Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the team with 10 points, and junior Morgan Nabus had seven. Junction City falls to 1-16 on the season. Boys recapThe Junction City Blue Jays entered Monday night's matchup having lost six of their last eight games. The Blue Jays recovered from a slow start and beat Topeka 81-65. The Trojans began the game hitting their first three shots and led the Blue Jays for much of the first quarter, but JC recovered and led 16-12 after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Junction City exploded on offense and outscored T-High 29-11. The Blue Jays led by 20, 45-25 at halftime. Junction City controlled the game in the second half, leading by as many as 27 points. The Trojans tried to make it interesting down the stretch, cutting the lead to 14 late in the game, but Junction City held on and won, 81-65. The Blue Jays were led in scoring by senior Ja'Twaan Williams with 25 points. Senior Jackson Austin had 19, senior Larkin Turner had 15, and senior Isiah Handy added 12 points. Junction City improves to 11-6 on the year and, hosts Manhattan on Friday night for senior night.

Blue Jay boys defeat Topeka High, JC girls fall

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ezra Ausar had 21 points and Lawson Lovering posted a double-double to help Utah hold on for a 74-69 victory over Kansas State on Monday night.

Ausar made 7 of 14 shots and all seven of his free throws, adding eight rebounds for the Utes (15-11, 7-8 Big 12 Conference). Lovering totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double this season. Gabe Madsen added 13 points.

Brendan Hausen scored 17 to lead the Wildcats (13-13, 7-8), who have lost two straight following a six-game win streak. Max Jones and Dug McDaniel both scored 13 with McDaniel adding six assists.

Lovering had nine points for Utah and Jones scored 10 for Kansas State in a first half that ended in a 32-32 tie.

Utah scored the first seven points of the second half to grab the lead. A Lovering dunk upped the Utes' advantage to 46-37 with 14:36 left to play. Madsen hit a 3-pointer to give Utah a 57-50 lead with 5:22 left, but Hausen hit a 3-pointer and two free throws as the Wildcats scored the next seven points to tie it with 3:25 remaining.

It was 59-all when Miro Little scored in the paint for Utah and Madsen followed with a 3-pointer. Jones had a layup with 15 seconds left to get the Wildcats within two, but the Utes made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 12 seconds to wrap up the win.

Utah outrebounded K-State 51-28. The Utes had 21 rebounds at the offensive end, leading to 14 second-chance points.

Utah travels to play UCF on Sunday. Kansas State will host Arizona State on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739876173943.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ezra Ausar had 21 points and Lawson Lovering posted a double-double to help Utah hold on for a 74-69 victory over Kansas State on Monday night.Ausar made 7 of 14 shots and all seven of his free throws, adding eight rebounds for the Utes (15-11, 7-8 Big 12 Conference). Lovering totaled 15 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double this season. Gabe Madsen added 13 points.Brendan Hausen scored 17 to lead the Wildcats (13-13, 7-8), who have lost two straight following a six-game win streak. Max Jones and Dug McDaniel both scored 13 with McDaniel adding six assists.Lovering had nine points for Utah and Jones scored 10 for Kansas State in a first half that ended in a 32-32 tie.Utah scored the first seven points of the second half to grab the lead. A Lovering dunk upped the Utes' advantage to 46-37 with 14:36 left to play. Madsen hit a 3-pointer to give Utah a 57-50 lead with 5:22 left, but Hausen hit a 3-pointer and two free throws as the Wildcats scored the next seven points to tie it with 3:25 remaining.It was 59-all when Miro Little scored in the paint for Utah and Madsen followed with a 3-pointer. Jones had a layup with 15 seconds left to get the Wildcats within two, but the Utes made 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 12 seconds to wrap up the win.Utah outrebounded K-State 51-28. The Utes had 21 rebounds at the offensive end, leading to 14 second-chance points.Utah travels to play UCF on Sunday. Kansas State will host Arizona State on Sunday.___

🏀 Ezra Ausar, Lawson Lovering help Utah hold off Kansas State

Junction City girls varsity wrestling team had eight qualify for the KSHSAA State Tournament. 

Freshman Catie Dee at 145 lb. placed 8th, senior Jordis Serrano 110 lb. placed 7th, Freshman, Shalina Hicks 190 lb. placed 6th, sophmores, Ka’Ori Herring 235 lb. and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz 130 lb. place 5th, Elaina Twitty, junior placed 3rd&nbsp;at 125 lbs.&nbsp;

 Regional champions were 115 lb. Bree Villanueva with a record of 29-1, and Jaidyn Alvarado at 100 lbs., record of 29-1 with 27 pins including all first-round pins through regionals.&nbsp; 

The state tournament is in Overland Park, starting on Feb. 28th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739730696085.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Junction City girls varsity wrestling team had eight qualify for the KSHSAA State Tournament. Freshman Catie Dee at 145 lb. placed 8th, senior Jordis Serrano 110 lb. placed 7th, Freshman, Shalina Hicks 190 lb. placed 6th, sophmores, Ka’Ori Herring 235 lb. and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz 130 lb. place 5th, Elaina Twitty, junior placed 3rd&nbsp;at 125 lbs.&nbsp; Regional champions were 115 lb. Bree Villanueva with a record of 29-1, and Jaidyn Alvarado at 100 lbs., record of 29-1 with 27 pins including all first-round pins through regionals.&nbsp; The state tournament is in Overland Park, starting on Feb. 28th.

Junction City girls wrestling qualifies 8 for the 6A State Tournament

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Gabe Madsen scored 24 points and became Utah's career leader in made 3-pointers as the Utes beat No. 17 Kansas 74-67 on Saturday night.

Madsen's fifth and final 3-pointer of the game with 1:58 to play gave him the Utah career record of 288 made 3s. He then hit two free throws with 26 second to play to clinch the game for the Utes.

Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12) never trailed but Kansas tied the game at 60 before the Utes' big finish.

Zeke Mayo had to leave the game briefly with a lower leg injury but led Kansas (17-8, 8-6) with 15 points while Dajuan Harris Jr. had 14 points and Hunter Dickinson added 12.

Ezra Ausar scored 12 points and Jake Wahlin had 10 points and 12 rebounds to help Utah get its first Quad 1 win in 10 tries.

Kansas coach Bill Self got a technical with 11:37 to play and the resulting free throws by Madsen gave Utah a 60-49 lead. The Jayhawks scored 11 consecutive points after that.

Kansas: In the first game for the Jayhawks at Utah, Kansas committed 12 turnovers which led to 22 Utah points. Kansas has now dropped three of its last five games.

Utah: Despite a second-half drought of 7:17 and Lawson Lovering going 1 for 9 from the free-throw line, the Utes finally found a way to win against a top-flight opponent.

Capping a late 7-0 run, Madsen hit a stepback jumper after a head fake with 1:58 remaining to pass Nick Jacobson and top the school 3-pointer list.

Utah has 16 offensive rebounds and a 46-36 overall edge on the boards.

Utah hosts Kansas State on Monday night while Kansas plays at BYU on Tuesday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739703657667.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Gabe Madsen scored 24 points and became Utah's career leader in made 3-pointers as the Utes beat No. 17 Kansas 74-67 on Saturday night.Madsen's fifth and final 3-pointer of the game with 1:58 to play gave him the Utah career record of 288 made 3s. He then hit two free throws with 26 second to play to clinch the game for the Utes.Utah (14-11, 6-8 Big 12) never trailed but Kansas tied the game at 60 before the Utes' big finish.Zeke Mayo had to leave the game briefly with a lower leg injury but led Kansas (17-8, 8-6) with 15 points while Dajuan Harris Jr. had 14 points and Hunter Dickinson added 12.Ezra Ausar scored 12 points and Jake Wahlin had 10 points and 12 rebounds to help Utah get its first Quad 1 win in 10 tries.Kansas coach Bill Self got a technical with 11:37 to play and the resulting free throws by Madsen gave Utah a 60-49 lead. The Jayhawks scored 11 consecutive points after that.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas: In the first game for the Jayhawks at Utah, Kansas committed 12 turnovers which led to 22 Utah points. Kansas has now dropped three of its last five games.Utah: Despite a second-half drought of 7:17 and Lawson Lovering going 1 for 9 from the free-throw line, the Utes finally found a way to win against a top-flight opponent.<h2>Key moment</h2>Capping a late 7-0 run, Madsen hit a stepback jumper after a head fake with 1:58 remaining to pass Nick Jacobson and top the school 3-pointer list.<h2>Key stat</h2>Utah has 16 offensive rebounds and a 46-36 overall edge on the boards.<h2>Up next</h2>Utah hosts Kansas State on Monday night while Kansas plays at BYU on Tuesday night.

🏀 Madsen scores 24 in Utah win over No. 17 Kansas

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Richie Saunders scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday night to help BYU beat Kansas State 80-65 and snap the Wildcats' six-game win streak.

Dallin Hall scored 16 points and Fousseyni Traore 11 for BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12). Keba Keita added nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

Egor Demin threw down a dunk that gave BYU the lead for good less than five minutes into the game and sparked a 17-4 run that made it 26-12 about four minutes later. The Cougars led by at least eight point the rest of the way.

CJ Jones made layup for the Wildcats with 7:43 left in the first and half and neither team scored again until Hall's layup with 2:56 to go until halftime that gave BYU a 14-point lead.

Kansas State, which made four of its first 16 shots and at one point missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts, shot 27% (9 of 33) in the first half.

Dug McDaniel led Kansas State (13-12, 7-7) with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 3 of 7 from 3-point range. Brendan Hausen added 12 points, including three 3s.

The Wildcats lost for the first time since a 70-62 loss at Baylor on Jan. 22, the last in a six-game skid.

Hall hit a 3-pointer to give the Cougars a 22-point lead — their biggest of the game — less than four minutes into the second half. Kansas State responded with an 18-4 run to trim its deficit to 53-45. Saunders answered with a layup and BYU led by double figures for the final 10-plus minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739679165258.png" alt="Photo BYU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo BYU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PROVO, Utah (AP) — Richie Saunders scored 17 points and grabbed 14 rebounds on Saturday night to help BYU beat Kansas State 80-65 and snap the Wildcats' six-game win streak.Dallin Hall scored 16 points and Fousseyni Traore 11 for BYU (17-8, 8-6 Big 12). Keba Keita added nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.Egor Demin threw down a dunk that gave BYU the lead for good less than five minutes into the game and sparked a 17-4 run that made it 26-12 about four minutes later. The Cougars led by at least eight point the rest of the way.CJ Jones made layup for the Wildcats with 7:43 left in the first and half and neither team scored again until Hall's layup with 2:56 to go until halftime that gave BYU a 14-point lead.Kansas State, which made four of its first 16 shots and at one point missed 10 consecutive field-goal attempts, shot 27% (9 of 33) in the first half.Dug McDaniel led Kansas State (13-12, 7-7) with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, 3 of 7 from 3-point range. Brendan Hausen added 12 points, including three 3s.The Wildcats lost for the first time since a 70-62 loss at Baylor on Jan. 22, the last in a six-game skid.Hall hit a 3-pointer to give the Cougars a 22-point lead — their biggest of the game — less than four minutes into the second half. Kansas State responded with an 18-4 run to trim its deficit to 53-45. Saunders answered with a layup and BYU led by double figures for the final 10-plus minutes.

🏀 Richie Saunders has 17 and 14 rebounds, BYU beats Kansas State 

The Junction City Lady Jays kept the game close for the first four minutes, then Washburn Rural took over and cruised to a 71-13 win. 

At the end of the first quarter, the Junior Blues led 17-4. Washburn Rural then had an offensive explosion in the second quarter, outscoring JC 28-4, and led 45-8 at the half. 

Rural continued to pour it on in the second half, leading 59-11 at the end of three, and then finished the game with a final score of 71-13. 

Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the Lady Jays with six points. Rural completed the season sweep of JC. 

Washburn Rural was ready from the opening tip and took a 7-0 lead to force an early Junction City timeout. The Junior Blues led by double-digits at the end of the first quarter, 18-7. In the second quarter, JC trailed by 16 points, 29-13. The Blue Jays then rattled off a 14-4 run to end the half and trailed 33-27. 

In the second half, the Blue Jays turned up their defensive intensity and turned defense into offense, which then gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game late in the third quarter. Washburn Rural senior King Leonard made a floater at the buzzer, but JC led 50-49 at the end of the third. 

The Junior Blues took the momentum of the buzzer-beater into the fourth quarter and outscored JC to win the game 64-58. JC made it close down the stretch when senior Jayden Mears hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 60-58 with 30 seconds to go. Rural made their free throws down the stretch and completed the season sweep over Junction City. 

In the game, Junction City had three players in double-digits. Senior Ja'Twaan Williams led the way with 12 points, and junior Lovell Autry and senior Jeremias Cruz had 10 in the game. 

JC falls to 10-6 on the year and 3-3 in Centennial League play. 

The next action will be Monday night, Feb. 17, when the Blue Jays host Topeka High School. (The games have been moved up to Monday due to potential inclement weather on Tuesday).

By Anthony GorgesJC PostGirls recapThe Junction City Lady Jays kept the game close for the first four minutes, then Washburn Rural took over and cruised to a 71-13 win. At the end of the first quarter, the Junior Blues led 17-4. Washburn Rural then had an offensive explosion in the second quarter, outscoring JC 28-4, and led 45-8 at the half. Rural continued to pour it on in the second half, leading 59-11 at the end of three, and then finished the game with a final score of 71-13. Junction City Freshman Isabel Pruitt led the Lady Jays with six points. Rural completed the season sweep of JC. The Lady Jays fall to 1-15 on the year. Boys recapWashburn Rural was ready from the opening tip and took a 7-0 lead to force an early Junction City timeout. The Junior Blues led by double-digits at the end of the first quarter, 18-7. In the second quarter, JC trailed by 16 points, 29-13. The Blue Jays then rattled off a 14-4 run to end the half and trailed 33-27. In the second half, the Blue Jays turned up their defensive intensity and turned defense into offense, which then gave the Blue Jays their first lead of the game late in the third quarter. Washburn Rural senior King Leonard made a floater at the buzzer, but JC led 50-49 at the end of the third. The Junior Blues took the momentum of the buzzer-beater into the fourth quarter and outscored JC to win the game 64-58. JC made it close down the stretch when senior Jayden Mears hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 60-58 with 30 seconds to go. Rural made their free throws down the stretch and completed the season sweep over Junction City. In the game, Junction City had three players in double-digits. Senior Ja'Twaan Williams led the way with 12 points, and junior Lovell Autry and senior Jeremias Cruz had 10 in the game. JC falls to 10-6 on the year and 3-3 in Centennial League play. The next action will be Monday night, Feb. 17, when the Blue Jays host Topeka High School. (The games have been moved up to Monday due to potential inclement weather on Tuesday).

Washburn Rural sweeps Junction City

Executive Associate Athletics Director for Communications/PR&nbsp;&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;K-State Athletics generates more than $486 million in annual economic activity for the Manhattan community and the state of Kansas according to a thorough economic impact study performed by nationally-renowned Tripp Umbach and the athletics department.

Tripp Umbach, who also recently performed a similar study with the university, utilized data from 2022-23 to conduct the study, which also revealed that more than 3,850 jobs resulted from the department’s impact. From a tax perspective, K-State Athletics generated $26.2 million in direct and indirect/induced tax payments for state and local governments in Kansas, with $21.0 million amount specifically benefiting Manhattan.

“The experience surrounding game days in Manhattan is an amazing site to see – from Aggieville, restaurants, hotels and of course our purple-filled stadiums,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “On the heels of the most recent University-wide study, we wanted to exhaustively study ourselves on various fronts, and this summary from Tripp Umbach paints a solid picture of the overall value and impact K-State Athletics has on the local economy.”

Visitors from outside of the community have a tremendous impact as more than $161 million in expenditures were accounted for in Manhattan and $201 million for the state. In addition, the 450 Wildcat student-athletes who live in the community accounted for $9.1 million of that spending.

A significant portion of K-State Athletics’ economic impact is driven by visitor and fan spending before, during, and after sporting events. As a member of the Big 12 Conference, K-State attracts fans from across the country. Visitors from inside and outside Kansas flock to Manhattan to attend football, basketball, and other games. In FY23 alone, K-State Athletics welcomed 527,280 patrons to ticketed events, with many more attending non-ticketed games and matches.

By KENNY LANNOUExecutive Associate Athletics Director for Communications/PR&nbsp;&nbsp;MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;K-State Athletics generates more than $486 million in annual economic activity for the Manhattan community and the state of Kansas according to a thorough economic impact study performed by nationally-renowned Tripp Umbach and the athletics department.Tripp Umbach, who also recently performed a similar study with the university, utilized data from 2022-23 to conduct the study, which also revealed that more than 3,850 jobs resulted from the department’s impact. From a tax perspective, K-State Athletics generated $26.2 million in direct and indirect/induced tax payments for state and local governments in Kansas, with $21.0 million amount specifically benefiting Manhattan.“The experience surrounding game days in Manhattan is an amazing site to see – from Aggieville, restaurants, hotels and of course our purple-filled stadiums,” Athletics Director Gene Taylor said. “On the heels of the most recent University-wide study, we wanted to exhaustively study ourselves on various fronts, and this summary from Tripp Umbach paints a solid picture of the overall value and impact K-State Athletics has on the local economy.”Visitors from outside of the community have a tremendous impact as more than $161 million in expenditures were accounted for in Manhattan and $201 million for the state. In addition, the 450 Wildcat student-athletes who live in the community accounted for $9.1 million of that spending.A significant portion of K-State Athletics’ economic impact is driven by visitor and fan spending before, during, and after sporting events. As a member of the Big 12 Conference, K-State attracts fans from across the country. Visitors from inside and outside Kansas flock to Manhattan to attend football, basketball, and other games. In FY23 alone, K-State Athletics welcomed 527,280 patrons to ticketed events, with many more attending non-ticketed games and matches.– kstatesports.com -<figure>
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K-State athletics generates $486.1 million impact for state of Kansas

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;After serving the last three seasons as Kansas State’s tight ends coach,&nbsp;Brian Lepak&nbsp;will now work with the Wildcat offensive line, head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Thursday. Additionally,&nbsp;Drew Liddle, who has spent seven years on the K-State staff over two different stints, has been named the assistant offensive line coach after serving as an offensive analyst in 2024.

“Not only is Brian one of the top young coaches in our conference, but his background and experience with the offensive line made him the logical choice for this role,” Klieman said. “It was also important to have two coaches work in the trenches with our guys, and elevating Drew to assist Brian provides us stability and allows for a smooth transition.”

Lepak’s move to offensive line is part of K-State’s new-look offensive staff as&nbsp;Matt Wells&nbsp;was elevated to offensive coordinator earlier this week following the departure of offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Conor Riley last week.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;After serving the last three seasons as Kansas State’s tight ends coach,&nbsp;Brian Lepak&nbsp;will now work with the Wildcat offensive line, head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Thursday. Additionally,&nbsp;Drew Liddle, who has spent seven years on the K-State staff over two different stints, has been named the assistant offensive line coach after serving as an offensive analyst in 2024.“Not only is Brian one of the top young coaches in our conference, but his background and experience with the offensive line made him the logical choice for this role,” Klieman said. “It was also important to have two coaches work in the trenches with our guys, and elevating Drew to assist Brian provides us stability and allows for a smooth transition.”Lepak’s move to offensive line is part of K-State’s new-look offensive staff as&nbsp;Matt Wells&nbsp;was elevated to offensive coordinator earlier this week following the departure of offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Conor Riley last week.RYAN LACKEY“&nbsp;

Lepak to Coach K-State’s Offensive Line, Liddle to Assist

Junction City High School senior Petren Bartolome was honored Tuesday night at halftime of the boys varsity basketball game for being selected to represent the Blue Jays at the 2025 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasShrineBowl?__cft__[0]=AZW44fG8pwdwYpDv7WTVnPVpAtAmvFIEMdnB2-P2fKjLGekMIAJxeiCJmfWRxg2c-fqUHMCPEITlEw4jUh585E2TdrCHrCehMMvtka5H7jGTusCUiQh0Fl0OoJ7pYb82EHj3g_vxP1DVrl8SmVj-BIyGAO6G2uEbXGV8UDluX3rBDp-05SqE9gW30jFAdQ5GQV8&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Shrine Bowl</a>.

Bartolome, who recently signed to play football at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoConqs?__cft__[0]=AZW44fG8pwdwYpDv7WTVnPVpAtAmvFIEMdnB2-P2fKjLGekMIAJxeiCJmfWRxg2c-fqUHMCPEITlEw4jUh585E2TdrCHrCehMMvtka5H7jGTusCUiQh0Fl0OoJ7pYb82EHj3g_vxP1DVrl8SmVj-BIyGAO6G2uEbXGV8UDluX3rBDp-05SqE9gW30jFAdQ5GQV8&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Dodge City Community College</a> next fall, will play for the West Team on Saturday, June 21 at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739377052261.jpeg" alt="Petren Bartolome officially receives and accepts the invitation to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Petren Bartolome officially receives and accepts the invitation to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Junction City High School senior Petren Bartolome was honored Tuesday night at halftime of the boys varsity basketball game for being selected to represent the Blue Jays at the 2025 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KansasShrineBowl?__cft__[0]=AZW44fG8pwdwYpDv7WTVnPVpAtAmvFIEMdnB2-P2fKjLGekMIAJxeiCJmfWRxg2c-fqUHMCPEITlEw4jUh585E2TdrCHrCehMMvtka5H7jGTusCUiQh0Fl0OoJ7pYb82EHj3g_vxP1DVrl8SmVj-BIyGAO6G2uEbXGV8UDluX3rBDp-05SqE9gW30jFAdQ5GQV8&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Kansas Shrine Bowl</a>. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739377174461.jpeg" alt="Junction City High School Football coach Randall Zimmerman with Blue Jay senior Petren Bartolome.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Junction City High School Football coach Randall Zimmerman with Blue Jay senior Petren Bartolome.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Bartolome, who recently signed to play football at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoConqs?__cft__[0]=AZW44fG8pwdwYpDv7WTVnPVpAtAmvFIEMdnB2-P2fKjLGekMIAJxeiCJmfWRxg2c-fqUHMCPEITlEw4jUh585E2TdrCHrCehMMvtka5H7jGTusCUiQh0Fl0OoJ7pYb82EHj3g_vxP1DVrl8SmVj-BIyGAO6G2uEbXGV8UDluX3rBDp-05SqE9gW30jFAdQ5GQV8&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Dodge City Community College</a> next fall, will play for the West Team on Saturday, June 21 at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City.

Junction City's Petren Bartolome will play in Kansas Shrine Bowl

Junction City and Emporia entered the game on Tuesday night looking for their first win in Centennial League play. 

The Lady Spartans jumped out to an early lead and led 13-7 after one. Emporia expanded their lead to double-digits before halftime, but the Lady Jays cut it to nine points at the half trailing 22-13. 

In the second half, the Lady Spartans pulled away, leading by 20 points at the end of the third quarter, and then grew the lead in the fourth quarter, winning 49-21. 

Junior Morgan Nabus led the way for the JC girls with seven points, and Freshman Laniya Warmack had a career-high six points in the game. 

With the loss, the Lady Jays fall to 1-14, and 0-5 in Centennial League play. 

The Junction City Blue Jays entered Tuesday's matchup with Emporia on a three-game losing streak, and having lost five of their last six games. 

The first quarter was up-tempo, and the Emporia Spartans led by one, 14-13, going into the second quarter. 

Shots began falling for JC, with back-to-back threes from Isiah Handy and Jeremias Cruz. The Blue Jays outscored Emporia 21-13 in the second quarter, and JC led at the half 34-27. 

The third quarter was a defensive battle, with not a lot of scoring, and Junction City still led by seven after three quarters, 45-38.

The fourth quarter is when the excitement began, as it looked like the Blue Jays had a chance to put the game away. Emporia had other things in mind, as they shot lights out down the stretch. Madden Seidl for Emporia hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 58 with 14 seconds to go. JC had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jeremias Cruz three did not go, and the game went into overtime. 

To begin overtime, Cruz hit a three-pointer this time and gave the Blue Jays a three-point lead.  JC led by five with a minute to go, but the Spartans again came back. Two big threes for Emporia made it a one-point game, 67-66 with 20 seconds to go. Junior Lovell Autry made two free throws to give the Blue Jays a 69-66 lead. After an Emporia miss, the Blue Jays missed two free throws to seal the game. A half-court heave for the Spartans missed, and Junction City won in overtime. 

The Blue Jays snapped their three-game losing streak and improved to 10-5 on the season. 

Seniors Larkin Turner and Jeremias Cruz both had 16 points for JC, Autry had 13, and Isiah Handy added 11. 

Next up for JC is hosting Washburn Rural on Friday night at Blue Jay Event Center.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostGirls recapJunction City and Emporia entered the game on Tuesday night looking for their first win in Centennial League play. The Lady Spartans jumped out to an early lead and led 13-7 after one. Emporia expanded their lead to double-digits before halftime, but the Lady Jays cut it to nine points at the half trailing 22-13. In the second half, the Lady Spartans pulled away, leading by 20 points at the end of the third quarter, and then grew the lead in the fourth quarter, winning 49-21. Junior Morgan Nabus led the way for the JC girls with seven points, and Freshman Laniya Warmack had a career-high six points in the game. With the loss, the Lady Jays fall to 1-14, and 0-5 in Centennial League play. Boys recapThe Junction City Blue Jays entered Tuesday's matchup with Emporia on a three-game losing streak, and having lost five of their last six games. The first quarter was up-tempo, and the Emporia Spartans led by one, 14-13, going into the second quarter. Shots began falling for JC, with back-to-back threes from Isiah Handy and Jeremias Cruz. The Blue Jays outscored Emporia 21-13 in the second quarter, and JC led at the half 34-27. The third quarter was a defensive battle, with not a lot of scoring, and Junction City still led by seven after three quarters, 45-38.The fourth quarter is when the excitement began, as it looked like the Blue Jays had a chance to put the game away. Emporia had other things in mind, as they shot lights out down the stretch. Madden Seidl for Emporia hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 58 with 14 seconds to go. JC had a chance to win it in regulation, but Jeremias Cruz three did not go, and the game went into overtime. To begin overtime, Cruz hit a three-pointer this time and gave the Blue Jays a three-point lead. JC led by five with a minute to go, but the Spartans again came back. Two big threes for Emporia made it a one-point game, 67-66 with 20 seconds to go. Junior Lovell Autry made two free throws to give the Blue Jays a 69-66 lead. After an Emporia miss, the Blue Jays missed two free throws to seal the game. A half-court heave for the Spartans missed, and Junction City won in overtime. The Blue Jays snapped their three-game losing streak and improved to 10-5 on the season. Seniors Larkin Turner and Jeremias Cruz both had 16 points for JC, Autry had 13, and Isiah Handy added 11. Next up for JC is hosting Washburn Rural on Friday night at Blue Jay Event Center.

Blue Jays win in OT, Lady Jays fall to Emporia

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 19 points to help No. 17 Kansas beat Colorado 71-59 on Tuesday night, handing the Buffaloes their 13th straight loss.

Besides Dickinson, Kansas (16-7, 7-5 Big 12) had three other players in double figures. Zeke Mayo added 13 points and Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams each had 10 each.

Kansas has alternated between wins and losses in the last seven games. Despite the double-digit margin, this victory was anything but easy.

Colorado (9-14, 0-12) used an early second-half run to trim a 14-point halftime deficit to just 6. Kansas didn't lead by more than 11 points until Adams hit a short jumper just before the shot clock expired to make it 69-56 with 1:31 left.

Sebastian Rancik led Colorado with a season-high 19 points. Bangot Dak added 11 points for the Buffaloes, and Elijah Malone had 10.

Colorado: Even after Kansas pulled away late in the first half to take a 40-26 lead into the break, the Buffaloes opened the second half with a 10-2 run to trim the deficit to six points.

Kansas: The Jayhawks needed a big game from Dickinson and they got it. With backup center Flory Bidunga scoring just fuur points, Dickinson's 19 points were critical.

Kansas held Colorado without a field goal for almost seven minutes in the first half to help the Jayhawks open their largest lead of the game. The Buffaloes missed 10 straight shots during the stretch.

Colorado shot just 17.4% (4-of-23) from 3-point range. The Buffaloes were 1-of-11 in the first half.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739334512592.jpeg" alt="Colorado guard Julian Hammond III (3) tries to steal the ball away from Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Colorado guard Julian Hammond III (3) tries to steal the ball away from Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson scored 19 points to help No. 17 Kansas beat Colorado 71-59 on Tuesday night, handing the Buffaloes their 13th straight loss.Besides Dickinson, Kansas (16-7, 7-5 Big 12) had three other players in double figures. Zeke Mayo added 13 points and Dajuan Harris and KJ Adams each had 10 each.Kansas has alternated between wins and losses in the last seven games. Despite the double-digit margin, this victory was anything but easy.Colorado (9-14, 0-12) used an early second-half run to trim a 14-point halftime deficit to just 6. Kansas didn't lead by more than 11 points until Adams hit a short jumper just before the shot clock expired to make it 69-56 with 1:31 left.Sebastian Rancik led Colorado with a season-high 19 points. Bangot Dak added 11 points for the Buffaloes, and Elijah Malone had 10.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Colorado: Even after Kansas pulled away late in the first half to take a 40-26 lead into the break, the Buffaloes opened the second half with a 10-2 run to trim the deficit to six points.Kansas: The Jayhawks needed a big game from Dickinson and they got it. With backup center Flory Bidunga scoring just fuur points, Dickinson's 19 points were critical.<h2>Key moment</h2>Kansas held Colorado without a field goal for almost seven minutes in the first half to help the Jayhawks open their largest lead of the game. The Buffaloes missed 10 straight shots during the stretch.<h2>Key stat</h2>Colorado shot just 17.4% (4-of-23) from 3-point range. The Buffaloes were 1-of-11 in the first half.<h2>Up next</h2>

🏀 No. 17 Kansas struggles before beating Colorado 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Dug McDaniel scored a season-high 24 points and Kansas State beat No. 13 Arizona 73-70 on Tuesday night for its sixth straight victory — four against ranked opponents.

David N’Guessan had 16 points and seven rebounds for the resurgent Wildcats (13-11, 7-6 Big 12), who lost six in a row right before this winning streak. C.J. Jones added 10 points, and McDaniel finished with five steals, four rebounds and three assists.

KJ Lewis led Arizona (17-7, 11-2) with 15 points off the bench. The Wildcats missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, ending their six-game winning streak.

Jaden Bradley had 13 points, Henri Veesaar scored 12 and Tobe Awaka added 10 for Arizona, which lost for only the second time since Dec. 14.

Kansas State ended the first half on a 13-0 run to take a 35-29 lead into the break.

Arizona: Winning on the road in the Big 12 is tough, especially when facing one of the hottest teams in the country.

Kansas State: The Wildcats have caught fire and are playing like an NCAA Tournament team. If they can keep winning Big 12 games, it’ll be tough to keep them out.

Lewis fouled Max Jones on a 3-point attempt late in the first half, which led to three free throws and a 32-29 Kansas State lead.

Both teams were atrocious from the 3-point line as Arizona went 2 of 22 and Kansas State was 1 for 19 from deep.

Arizona hosts No. 6 Houston on Saturday. Kansas State visits BYU the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739332433877.jpeg" alt="Kansas State's C.J. Jones celebrates a shot and a foul during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Travis Heying)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State's C.J. Jones celebrates a shot and a foul during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Travis Heying)</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Dug McDaniel scored a season-high 24 points and Kansas State beat No. 13 Arizona 73-70 on Tuesday night for its sixth straight victory — four against ranked opponents.David N’Guessan had 16 points and seven rebounds for the resurgent Wildcats (13-11, 7-6 Big 12), who lost six in a row right before this winning streak. C.J. Jones added 10 points, and McDaniel finished with five steals, four rebounds and three assists.KJ Lewis led Arizona (17-7, 11-2) with 15 points off the bench. The Wildcats missed a desperation heave at the buzzer, ending their six-game winning streak.Jaden Bradley had 13 points, Henri Veesaar scored 12 and Tobe Awaka added 10 for Arizona, which lost for only the second time since Dec. 14.Kansas State ended the first half on a 13-0 run to take a 35-29 lead into the break.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Arizona: Winning on the road in the Big 12 is tough, especially when facing one of the hottest teams in the country.Kansas State: The Wildcats have caught fire and are playing like an NCAA Tournament team. If they can keep winning Big 12 games, it’ll be tough to keep them out.<h2>Key moment</h2>Lewis fouled Max Jones on a 3-point attempt late in the first half, which led to three free throws and a 32-29 Kansas State lead.<h2>Key stat</h2>Both teams were atrocious from the 3-point line as Arizona went 2 of 22 and Kansas State was 1 for 19 from deep.<h2>Up next</h2>Arizona hosts No. 6 Houston on Saturday. Kansas State visits BYU the same day.___

🏀 McDaniel scores 24 as Kansas State beats No. 13 Arizona

Junction City High School Athletic Director Chris Bogenhagen announced changes to the start times for Tuesday night's basketball games when the blue Jays host Emporia High.&nbsp;

Due to expected inclement weather late Tuesday night, the start times have been adjust for the varsity games.&nbsp;

Girls varsity will be at 4:30 in the Main Gym

Boys varsity will be at 6:00 in the Main Gym

Girls JV will play at 6:00 in the Aux Gym.

There will be no freshman games played Tuesday.&nbsp;

Junction City High School Athletic Director Chris Bogenhagen announced changes to the start times for Tuesday night's basketball games when the blue Jays host Emporia High.&nbsp;Due to expected inclement weather late Tuesday night, the start times have been adjust for the varsity games.&nbsp;Varsity gamesGirls varsity will be at 4:30 in the Main GymBoys varsity will be at 6:00 in the Main GymJV GamesBoys JV will play at 4:30 in the Aux GymGirls JV will play at 6:00 in the Aux Gym.There will be no freshman games played Tuesday.&nbsp;

JCHS moves up basketball game times for Tuesday night

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Matt Wells, who served on the K-State football staff as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach/associate head coach in 2024 has been promoted to offensive coordinator, head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Monday.

“We are fortunate to have someone experienced on staff in Matt, who I have known for 12-plus years and will seamlessly transition into the offensive coordinator role,” Klieman said. “He worked closely with Conor last season and had a big part in our offensive production. His resume speaks for itself, and his relationship with and development of Avery Johnson and our other quarterbacks will help our offense continue to grow.”

Wells replaces Conor Riley as the primary play caller, who was named the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line coach late last week.

“It is such an honor to coach here at K-State, and I am thankful to Coach Klieman for this opportunity,” Wells said. “I have grown to love this school and our players throughout this past year. I am excited for this upcoming season and looking forward to building upon this offense with our players and staff.”

Wells hit the ground running in his first season on staff, tutoring&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;to a school-record 25 touchdown passes, while his sophomore signal caller ranked fifth in school history in passing yards (2,712) and completions (217). Additionally, Johnson was one of only five players in the nation and one of three from Power 4 schools to record at least 2,700 passing yards and 600 rushing yards, while he was one of nine signal callers nationally with at least 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;Matt Wells, who served on the K-State football staff as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach/associate head coach in 2024 has been promoted to offensive coordinator, head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;announced Monday.“We are fortunate to have someone experienced on staff in Matt, who I have known for 12-plus years and will seamlessly transition into the offensive coordinator role,” Klieman said. “He worked closely with Conor last season and had a big part in our offensive production. His resume speaks for itself, and his relationship with and development of Avery Johnson and our other quarterbacks will help our offense continue to grow.”Wells replaces Conor Riley as the primary play caller, who was named the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive line coach late last week.“It is such an honor to coach here at K-State, and I am thankful to Coach Klieman for this opportunity,” Wells said. “I have grown to love this school and our players throughout this past year. I am excited for this upcoming season and looking forward to building upon this offense with our players and staff.”Wells hit the ground running in his first season on staff, tutoring&nbsp;Avery Johnson&nbsp;to a school-record 25 touchdown passes, while his sophomore signal caller ranked fifth in school history in passing yards (2,712) and completions (217). Additionally, Johnson was one of only five players in the nation and one of three from Power 4 schools to record at least 2,700 passing yards and 600 rushing yards, while he was one of nine signal callers nationally with at least 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns.RYAN LACKEY

K-State’s Wells Named Offensive Coordinator

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat.

<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1888750819786256472">DeJean got a pick-6</a>&nbsp;on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-birthday-cooper-dejean-barkley-697c91e35802293f29cf0aed95e15436">22nd birthday</a>, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.

Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push, and Vic Fangio's defense was so dominant that the Eagles didn't need much from Saquon Barkley.

The game-changing running back finished with 57 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-eagles-barkley-5e28abc26e50169e124fa99c2ef4058e">breaking Terrell Davis’ record</a>&nbsp;for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. Hurts threw for 221 yards.

With Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-super-bowl-first-president-766c628f4ea3faf38d100e4f33f2ac8c">becoming the first president in office to attend a Super Bowl</a>, the Eagles outplayed Kansas City in every facet, delighting a raucous pro-Philly crowd that celebrated each score with a familiar rendition of “Fly! Eagles! Fly!”

Even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-35c7b3b896c226566e4afa0baa7b69c5">Taylor Swift’s presence</a>&nbsp;couldn’t help the Chiefs. They lost for the first time in 10 games this season with the pop superstar in a suite watching boyfriend Travis Kelce, who didn’t catch a pass until late in the third quarter.

Not in Kansas City’s worst nightmares could its fans have imagined such a lackluster performance. The Chiefs had won three of the previous five Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago.

Mahomes was 8-0 against Fangio’s defenses before the longtime coordinator and former Broncos head coach outcoached Andy Reid, capping his first season with his hometown team. Reid fell to 3-3 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles.

The Eagles sacked Mahomes six times, the most of his career, including 2 1/2 by Sweat. And they did it without Fangio calling a single blitz.

Barkley, the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, only had 31 yards rushing in the first half when Philly built a 24-0 lead.

The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.

Hurts nearly led the Eagles to victory against the Chiefs two years ago in Arizona, but Mahomes led a comeback and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute for a 38-35 victory. Mahomes rallied Kansas City to an overtime victory over San Francisco last year for the Chiefs' second straight title.

This time, a revamped Philly defense featuring eight new starters from the 2022 team made sure Mahomes had no chance to pull off his magic.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-analysis-sirianni-sideline-antics-125b677b3a4d8cca37d89ead27b5fe1e">who mocked fans chanting “Fire Nick!”</a>&nbsp;during a victory over Cleveland in October and was called a “clown” on national television, should finally silence critics by adding a championship ring to a resume that includes the fifth-best winning percentage in league history.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739157518917.png" alt="Photo Philadelphia Eagles" />
 <figcaption>Photo Philadelphia Eagles</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Cooper DeJean, Josh Sweat and the Philadelphia Eagles’ ferocious defense denied Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs a Super Bowl three-peat.It wasn’t even close.<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1888750819786256472">DeJean got a pick-6</a>&nbsp;on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-birthday-cooper-dejean-barkley-697c91e35802293f29cf0aed95e15436">22nd birthday</a>, Sweat tormented Mahomes and the Eagles routed the Chiefs 40-22 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl championship.Jalen Hurts threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score on a tush push, and Vic Fangio's defense was so dominant that the Eagles didn't need much from Saquon Barkley.The game-changing running back finished with 57 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-eagles-barkley-5e28abc26e50169e124fa99c2ef4058e">breaking Terrell Davis’ record</a>&nbsp;for yards rushing in a season, playoffs included. Hurts threw for 221 yards.With Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nfl-super-bowl-first-president-766c628f4ea3faf38d100e4f33f2ac8c">becoming the first president in office to attend a Super Bowl</a>, the Eagles outplayed Kansas City in every facet, delighting a raucous pro-Philly crowd that celebrated each score with a familiar rendition of “Fly! Eagles! Fly!”Even&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-35c7b3b896c226566e4afa0baa7b69c5">Taylor Swift’s presence</a>&nbsp;couldn’t help the Chiefs. They lost for the first time in 10 games this season with the pop superstar in a suite watching boyfriend Travis Kelce, who didn’t catch a pass until late in the third quarter.Not in Kansas City’s worst nightmares could its fans have imagined such a lackluster performance. The Chiefs had won three of the previous five Super Bowls, losing 31-9 to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers four years ago.Mahomes was 8-0 against Fangio’s defenses before the longtime coordinator and former Broncos head coach outcoached Andy Reid, capping his first season with his hometown team. Reid fell to 3-3 in Super Bowls, including a loss with the Eagles.The Eagles sacked Mahomes six times, the most of his career, including 2 1/2 by Sweat. And they did it without Fangio calling a single blitz.Barkley, the 2024 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, only had 31 yards rushing in the first half when Philly built a 24-0 lead.The Chiefs were aiming to become the third team in NFL history to win three straight championships and the first to three-peat in the Super Bowl era.Hurts nearly led the Eagles to victory against the Chiefs two years ago in Arizona, but Mahomes led a comeback and Harrison Butker kicked the game-winning field goal in the final minute for a 38-35 victory. Mahomes rallied Kansas City to an overtime victory over San Francisco last year for the Chiefs' second straight title.This time, a revamped Philly defense featuring eight new starters from the 2022 team made sure Mahomes had no chance to pull off his magic.Eagles coach Nick Sirianni,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eagles-analysis-sirianni-sideline-antics-125b677b3a4d8cca37d89ead27b5fe1e">who mocked fans chanting “Fire Nick!”</a>&nbsp;during a victory over Cleveland in October and was called a “clown” on national television, should finally silence critics by adding a championship ring to a resume that includes the fifth-best winning percentage in league history.Sirianni was showered with Gatorade with nearly three minutes left in the game while backup QB Kenny Pickett took snaps in mop-up duty.Barkley helped push Hurts into the end zone from the 1 to give Philadelphia a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.Up 10-0 after Jake Elliott’s 48-yard field goal, Sweat and Jalyx Hunt sacked Mahomes on consecutive plays. Mahomes then rolled out and made an errant throw that was picked by DeJean, who returned it 38 yards for a 17-0 lead.It was Mahomes’ first pick-6 in 21 career playoff games and ended a streak of 297 straight passes without an interception.All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun picked Mahomes again late in the second quarter, and Hurts connected with A.J. Brown on a 12-yard TD pass for a 24-0 lead.<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1888774848114983241">Hurts threw a perfect 46-yard TD pass to DeVonta Smith</a>&nbsp;to make it 34-0 late in the third.Mahomes fired a 24-yard TD pass to Xavier Worthy to avoid the shutout, but the 2-point conversion failed. He threw two late, mostly meaningless TD passes, one to DeAndre Hopkins and another to Worthy.After two weeks of discussions about questionable calls that led to public perception that officials favor the Chiefs — a theory NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called “ridiculous” — the first penalty of the game only fueled critics.A 32-yard pass from Hurts to Brown to the Chiefs 18 on fourth-and-2 was negated by a penalty for offensive pass interference. Brady, now a Fox analyst, and officiating analyst Mike Pereira both disagreed with the call, although Brown shoved Trent McDuffie’s facemask.On the next possession, the Eagles benefited from an unnecessary roughness penalty on McDuffie against Dallas Goedert following an incomplete pass on third-and-5.Hurts then connected with Jahan Dotson on a 27-yard pass to the 1 and scored on the next play.Hurts’ streak of 217 passes without a pick ended in the first half when he was intercepted deep in Kansas City territory, but the Chiefs didn’t capitalize.The Green Bay Packers are the only NFL team to win three championships in a row, doing it from 1929-31 and 1965-67.