MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.

David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.

Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.

Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.

Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.

Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.

Max Jones had eight points and five boards, but no play was bigger than when he kept alive Hawkins' missed free throw in the waning seconds. That got C.J. Jones to the foul line and he provided Kansas State some breathing room.

The Wildcats were 16 of 20 at the foul line. Cincinnati was 4 for 7.

Cincinnati plays Arizona on Saturday. Kansas State visits TCU the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735610859876.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 20 points and 10 rebounds, Dug McDaniel added 17 points and Kansas State led No. 16 Cincinnati nearly wire-to-wire in a 70-67 victory Monday night to open the 20-game Big 12 conference grind.David N'Guessan also had 13 points, and C.J. Jones made four free throws in the final 20 seconds, helping the Wildcats (7-5, 1-0) snap a three-game losing streak that had concluded their bitterly disappointing nonconference slate.Kansas State led the Bearcats (10-2, 0-1) for all but 24 seconds, but was left clinging to a 65-63 lead after Aziz Bandaogo's dunk with 27 seconds to go. Hawkins was fouled and made the first of two free throws with 23 seconds remaining, but Max Jones was there to tap the miss to C.J. Jones, who was fouled and made two free throws to extend the lead.Bandaogo scored again with 8.9 seconds left, but C.J. Jones made the last of his two foul shots to put the game away.Dan Skillings Jr. led Cincinnati with 18 points. Dillon Mitchell had 15 points and 11 rebounds.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Cincinnati committed 15 turnovers that the Wildcats turned into 15 points. Two of those turnovers came in the last two minutes.Kansas State won despite 3-point sharpshooter Brendan Hausen going just 1 for 8 from beyond the arc.<h2>Key moment</h2>Max Jones had eight points and five boards, but no play was bigger than when he kept alive Hawkins' missed free throw in the waning seconds. That got C.J. Jones to the foul line and he provided Kansas State some breathing room.<h2>Key stat</h2>The Wildcats were 16 of 20 at the foul line. Cincinnati was 4 for 7.<h2>Up next</h2>Cincinnati plays Arizona on Saturday. Kansas State visits TCU the same day.___

🏀 K-State hits late FTs to put away No. 16 Cincinnati

PHOENIX (AP) — Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored his third touchdown on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter, helping Kansas State rally past Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl on Thursday night.

The Scarlet Knights (7-6) led by 10 at halftime and went up 34-17 on Ja'shon Benjamin's 7-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half. But Edwards and the Wildcats (9-4) stormed back.

Edwards scored on 65-yard touchdown run and, after an interception thrown by Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Garrett Oakley caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to pull Kansas State within five. The Wildcats failed 2-point conversions after both touchdowns.

Rutgers briefly regained momentum, going up 41-29 early in the fourth quarter on Antwan Raymond's 1-yard TD run on a fake tush push.

Kansas State answered with Avery Johnson's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Jackson. Edwards followed with his 36-yard score, capping an impressive night in place of DJ Giddens, who opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kansas State closed it out by stopping Rutgers on fourth down near midfield with just under two minutes left

Johnson threw for three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Edwards in the second quarter, finishing with 195 yards on 15-of-30 passing.

Raymond ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns in place of leading rusher Kyle Monangai, who also opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kaliakmanis threw for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception on 14-of-32 passing.

Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled defensively until they needed it most, shutting down Rutgers most of the second half. Edwards took it from there, racking up 223 total yards — none bigger than his final TD run.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights had a second straight bowl win within their grasp, but let it slip through their fingers with a slew of defensive miscues in the second half.

Kansas State: Johnson, Edwards and RB Joe Jackson are underclassmen, as is leading tackler Austin Romaine. DE Brendan Mott and LB Austin Moore, anchors to K-State's defense, played their final college games.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights will have plenty of holes to fill in the offseason. Kaliakmanis is one of six senior starters on offense, and the defense has eight.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735263327099.png" alt="Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored 3 touchdowns -photoK-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored 3 touchdowns -photoK-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX (AP) — Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored his third touchdown on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter, helping Kansas State rally past Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl on Thursday night.The Scarlet Knights (7-6) led by 10 at halftime and went up 34-17 on Ja'shon Benjamin's 7-yard touchdown catch on the opening drive of the second half. But Edwards and the Wildcats (9-4) stormed back.Edwards scored on 65-yard touchdown run and, after an interception thrown by Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Garrett Oakley caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to pull Kansas State within five. The Wildcats failed 2-point conversions after both touchdowns.Rutgers briefly regained momentum, going up 41-29 early in the fourth quarter on Antwan Raymond's 1-yard TD run on a fake tush push.Kansas State answered with Avery Johnson's 9-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Jackson. Edwards followed with his 36-yard score, capping an impressive night in place of DJ Giddens, who opted out of the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.Kansas State closed it out by stopping Rutgers on fourth down near midfield with just under two minutes leftJohnson threw for three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Edwards in the second quarter, finishing with 195 yards on 15-of-30 passing.Raymond ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns in place of leading rusher Kyle Monangai, who also opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.Kaliakmanis threw for 237 yards and a touchdown with an interception on 14-of-32 passing.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled defensively until they needed it most, shutting down Rutgers most of the second half. Edwards took it from there, racking up 223 total yards — none bigger than his final TD run.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights had a second straight bowl win within their grasp, but let it slip through their fingers with a slew of defensive miscues in the second half.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: Johnson, Edwards and RB Joe Jackson are underclassmen, as is leading tackler Austin Romaine. DE Brendan Mott and LB Austin Moore, anchors to K-State's defense, played their final college games.Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights will have plenty of holes to fill in the offseason. Kaliakmanis is one of six senior starters on offense, and the defense has eight.___Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apnews.com/newsletters">here</a>. AP college football:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll">https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a>

🏈 Kansas State rallies to beat Rutgers in Rate Bowl

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.

The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6), who have dropped three straight as their chances of capturing the AFC North took another hit.

Mahomes connected on first-half scoring tosses to Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson and Kansas City's defense did most of the rest even with perennial All-Pro defensive end Chris Jones sitting out while nursing a calf injury. The Chiefs sacked Russell Wilson five times, forced two turnovers and hardly looked gassed while playing for the third time in 11 days.

Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards while becoming the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Kelce sealed Kansas City's fifth straight victory with a 12-yard touchdown grab early in the fourth quarter.

The 35-year-old celebrated by dunking the ball over the goal post, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and groans from a capacity crowd at Acrisure Stadium that has grown used to seeing Mahomes toy with the hometown team. Mahomes is now 4-0 against the Steelers in his career, with 17 touchdowns against one interception.

Russell Wilson threw for 205 yards for Pittsburgh. George Pickens finished with three receptions for 50 yards after missing three games with a hamstring injury. It wasn't nearly enough for the Steelers, who went 0-3 during a brutal three-game stretch against Super Bowl contenders Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City.

Perhaps more troubling than the losses is the way they played out. The Steelers lost each game at least 14 points and could start the playoffs on the road after playing fast-and-loose with the two-game division lead they had just three weeks ago.

Mahomes, hardly bothered by the ankle injury he suffered against Cleveland, led the Chiefs to touchdowns on their first two drives, finding Worthy in the flat for a 7-yard score and hitting Watson in the back corner of the end zone to make it 13-0.

One sequence late in the first quarter symbolized a frustrating day for Pittsburgh. A holding penalty negated a short touchdown run by Jaylen Warren and Wilson threw into triple coverage in the end zone on the next snap. Kansas City's Justin Reid had little trouble grabbing it to end the threat.

The Steelers drew within six twice at 13-7 and 16-10, but never had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the second half. Instead, the Chiefs — who spent most of the first three months of the season squeaking by most weeks — methodically pulled away.

Kareem Hunt ran over from 2 yards on the first snap of the fourth quarter to make it 22-10. Pat Freiermuth then fumbled on Pittsburgh's next possession. Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton fell on it and Mahomes needed just four plays to float a pass to a wide-open Kelce to put it out of reach.

Chiefs: RB Isiah Pacheco left in the second half with a rib injury.

Steelers: DT Cam Heyward exited briefly in the fourth quarter but managed to return.

Chiefs: finish up the regular season by heading to Denver.

Steelers: host Cincinnati in the regular-season finale.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1735160638717.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6), who have dropped three straight as their chances of capturing the AFC North took another hit.Mahomes connected on first-half scoring tosses to Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson and Kansas City's defense did most of the rest even with perennial All-Pro defensive end Chris Jones sitting out while nursing a calf injury. The Chiefs sacked Russell Wilson five times, forced two turnovers and hardly looked gassed while playing for the third time in 11 days.Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards while becoming the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Kelce sealed Kansas City's fifth straight victory with a 12-yard touchdown grab early in the fourth quarter.The 35-year-old celebrated by dunking the ball over the goal post, which drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and groans from a capacity crowd at Acrisure Stadium that has grown used to seeing Mahomes toy with the hometown team. Mahomes is now 4-0 against the Steelers in his career, with 17 touchdowns against one interception.Russell Wilson threw for 205 yards for Pittsburgh. George Pickens finished with three receptions for 50 yards after missing three games with a hamstring injury. It wasn't nearly enough for the Steelers, who went 0-3 during a brutal three-game stretch against Super Bowl contenders Philadelphia, Baltimore and Kansas City.Perhaps more troubling than the losses is the way they played out. The Steelers lost each game at least 14 points and could start the playoffs on the road after playing fast-and-loose with the two-game division lead they had just three weeks ago.Mahomes, hardly bothered by the ankle injury he suffered against Cleveland, led the Chiefs to touchdowns on their first two drives, finding Worthy in the flat for a 7-yard score and hitting Watson in the back corner of the end zone to make it 13-0.One sequence late in the first quarter symbolized a frustrating day for Pittsburgh. A holding penalty negated a short touchdown run by Jaylen Warren and Wilson threw into triple coverage in the end zone on the next snap. Kansas City's Justin Reid had little trouble grabbing it to end the threat.The Steelers drew within six twice at 13-7 and 16-10, but never had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the second half. Instead, the Chiefs — who spent most of the first three months of the season squeaking by most weeks — methodically pulled away.Kareem Hunt ran over from 2 yards on the first snap of the fourth quarter to make it 22-10. Pat Freiermuth then fumbled on Pittsburgh's next possession. Kansas City linebacker Nick Bolton fell on it and Mahomes needed just four plays to float a pass to a wide-open Kelce to put it out of reach.<h2>Injuries</h2>Chiefs: RB Isiah Pacheco left in the second half with a rib injury.Steelers: DT Cam Heyward exited briefly in the fourth quarter but managed to return.<h2>Up next</h2>Chiefs: finish up the regular season by heading to Denver.Steelers: host Cincinnati in the regular-season finale.

🏈Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed by breezing past the Steelers 

The Junction City High School varsity girls wrestling team placed 4th out of 12 teams at the Wichita North tournament on Friday. 

Five of nine girls placed in the top three. Znylah Slaughter and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz took 3rd.&nbsp; Placing 2nd was Jordis Serrano and the champions were Bre Villanueva and Jaidyn Alvarado.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Junction City High School varsity girls wrestling team placed 4th out of 12 teams at the Wichita North tournament on Friday. Five of nine girls placed in the top three. Znylah Slaughter and Elizabeth Edgerton-Diaz took 3rd.&nbsp; Placing 2nd was Jordis Serrano and the champions were Bre Villanueva and Jaidyn Alvarado.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Girls wrestling finishes fourth at Wichita North tournament

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Zeke Mayo scored 25 points, Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 13 rebounds and No. 8 Kansas defeated Brown 87-53 on Sunday.

Mayo hit two of his five 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to extend the Kansas lead to 25 points with 12 minutes to play. He was coming off a 26-point performance in a 75-60 win over NC State on Dec. 14, the team's last outing.

Brown (7-4) stayed competitive in the first half, trailing by a point 10 minutes into the game. But the Bears' shooting touch went cold.

Kino Lily Jr. scored 18 and Aaron Cooley and AJ Lesburt Jr. had six points each for Brown, which shot 26.7% (20 for 75).

Kansas (9-2) shot 50% (34 for 68) and went 8 for 22 from 3-point range. Brown was 8 for 33 (24%) from distance.

The Jayhawks have won two straight after losing consecutive games to Missouri and Creighton and extended their home winning streak this season to seven games.

Brown: Couldn’t get a rhythm on the offensive end, especially in the second half, scoring just 22 points.

Kansas: Struggled from inside the lane in the first half and let the Bears stay in the game early. The Jayhawks turned it on in the second half, backed by their defense.

Kansas scored the final six points of the first half, starting with an alley-oop dunk by Flory Bidunga, which was assisted by Dajuan Harris Jr., and took a 42-31 lead at the half.

Brown travels to Kentucky on Dec. 31, and Kansas opens Big 12 play at home against West Virginia on the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734905537008.png" alt="Ogiri Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Ogiri Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Zeke Mayo scored 25 points, Hunter Dickinson had 15 points and 13 rebounds and No. 8 Kansas defeated Brown 87-53 on Sunday.Mayo hit two of his five 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to extend the Kansas lead to 25 points with 12 minutes to play. He was coming off a 26-point performance in a 75-60 win over NC State on Dec. 14, the team's last outing.Brown (7-4) stayed competitive in the first half, trailing by a point 10 minutes into the game. But the Bears' shooting touch went cold.Kino Lily Jr. scored 18 and Aaron Cooley and AJ Lesburt Jr. had six points each for Brown, which shot 26.7% (20 for 75).Kansas (9-2) shot 50% (34 for 68) and went 8 for 22 from 3-point range. Brown was 8 for 33 (24%) from distance.The Jayhawks have won two straight after losing consecutive games to Missouri and Creighton and extended their home winning streak this season to seven games.<h2>Takeaways</h2>Brown: Couldn’t get a rhythm on the offensive end, especially in the second half, scoring just 22 points.Kansas: Struggled from inside the lane in the first half and let the Bears stay in the game early. The Jayhawks turned it on in the second half, backed by their defense.<h2>Key moment</h2>Kansas scored the final six points of the first half, starting with an alley-oop dunk by Flory Bidunga, which was assisted by Dajuan Harris Jr., and took a 42-31 lead at the half.<h2>Up next</h2>Brown travels to Kentucky on Dec. 31, and Kansas opens Big 12 play at home against West Virginia on the same day.___

🏀 Mayo and Dickinson power Kansas to a win over Brown

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell scored a season-high 24 points and Wichita State pulled away in the second half to beat Kansas State 84-65 on Saturday night.

Bell made 9 of 17 shots from the floor including his only 3-point attempt and 3 of 4 free throws for the Shockers (9-3), who snapped a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats (6-5).

Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard both posted their second double-double of the season for Wichita State. Washington totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Ballard contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Hill scored 13.

Sophomore Macaleab Rich came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for Kansas State. He made 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Brendan Hausen hit four 3-pointers and scored 13. The pair combined to make 7 of 13 from distance while their teammates made 2 of 19.

Rich scored 13 to lead the Wildcats to a 33-29 advantage at halftime.

Wichita State moved in front 44-41 with 15:41 remaining on a Hill 3-pointer. Rich connected from beyond the arc to pull the Wildcats even at 48 with 12 minutes left. Matej Bosnjak answered with back-to-back baskets to ignite an 8-0 run and Wichita State led 56-48 with 9:38 to go. The Shockers maintained at least a two-possession lead from there.

The Shockers shot 51% overall, made 4 of 10 from distance and 20 of 22 at the foul line. The Wildcats shot 36% overall and made only six of their 15 free throws.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734833037280.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Xavier Bell scored a season-high 24 points and Wichita State pulled away in the second half to beat Kansas State 84-65 on Saturday night.Bell made 9 of 17 shots from the floor including his only 3-point attempt and 3 of 4 free throws for the Shockers (9-3), who snapped a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats (6-5).Corey Washington and Quincy Ballard both posted their second double-double of the season for Wichita State. Washington totaled 18 points and 10 rebounds, while Ballard contributed 10 points and 10 rebounds. Justin Hill scored 13.Sophomore Macaleab Rich came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points for Kansas State. He made 8 of 13 shots with three 3-pointers. Brendan Hausen hit four 3-pointers and scored 13. The pair combined to make 7 of 13 from distance while their teammates made 2 of 19.Rich scored 13 to lead the Wildcats to a 33-29 advantage at halftime.Wichita State moved in front 44-41 with 15:41 remaining on a Hill 3-pointer. Rich connected from beyond the arc to pull the Wildcats even at 48 with 12 minutes left. Matej Bosnjak answered with back-to-back baskets to ignite an 8-0 run and Wichita State led 56-48 with 9:38 to go. The Shockers maintained at least a two-possession lead from there.The Shockers shot 51% overall, made 4 of 10 from distance and 20 of 22 at the foul line. The Wildcats shot 36% overall and made only six of their 15 free throws.

🏀 Xavier Bell scores 24 to rally Wichita State to victory over K-State

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rickey-henderson-dies-dbc401d2db457ee16d7e74b3d80d3e92">has died</a>. He was 65.

Henderson died on Friday. The Athletics said Saturday they were “shocked and heartbroken by his passing," but did not specify a cause of death.

Known as baseball's “Man of Steal,” Henderson had a lengthy list of accolades and accomplishments over his nomadic 25-year career — an MVP, 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles and a Gold Glove award.

“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways," said Don Mattingly, Henderson's teammate with the New York Yankees from 1985-89. "It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”

It was stealing bases where Henderson made his name and dominated the sport like no other.

He broke through with 100 steals in his first full season in the majors in 1980, topping Ty Cobb's AL single-season record with Billy Martin's “Billy Ball” Oakland Athletics. He barely slowed playing for nine franchises over the next two decades. He broke Lou Brock's single-season record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982 and led the league in steals for seven straight seasons and 12 overall.

Henderson surpassed Brock's career record when he stole his 939th base on May 1, 1991, for Oakland, and famously pulled third base out of the ground and showed it off to the adoring crowd before giving a speech that he capped by saying: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.”

Henderson finished his career with 1,406 steals. His 468-steal edge over Brock matches the margin between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who is in 46th place with 470.

“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second,” former A's executive Billy Beane said of Henderson.

In September, Henderson insisted he would have had many more steals in his career and in the record-breaking 1982 season if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitch-clock-shift-limits-bigger-bases-311fdb091b61f40b654c05e600a0d4ce">rules introduced in 2023 to limit pickoff throws and increase the size of bases</a>&nbsp;had overlapped with his career.

“If I was playing today, I would get 162, right now, without a doubt," he said. "Because if they had had that rule, you can only throw over there twice, you know how many times they would be throwing over there twice and they’d be going, ‘Ah, (shoot), can y’all send him to third? Give him two bases and send him to third.’ That would be me.”

He even predicted how he could still be stealing more bases than the current major leaguers even 20-plus years post-retirement: "If they’re stealing 40-50 bases right now I’d lead the league.”

Henderson’s accomplishment that record-breaking day in 1991 was slightly overshadowed that night when Nolan Ryan threw his record seventh career no-hitter. Henderson already had been Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout victim, which led him to say, “If you haven’t been struck out by Nolan Ryan, you’re nobody.”

That was clearly not the case for Henderson. He is also the career leader in runs scored with 2,295 and in leadoff home runs with 81, ranks second to Barry Bonds with 2,190 walks and is fourth in games played (3,081) and plate appearances (13,346). He finished his career with 3,055 hits over 25 seasons spent with Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the New York Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He fittingly finished his career with the Dodgers at age 44 in 2003 by scoring a run in his final play on a major league field.

Henderson is the third prominent baseball Hall of Famer with ties to the Bay Area who died this year, following the deaths in June of former Giants stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-mays-dies-at-93-baseball-33b31cc2d6382676ed54517d20ea36a3">Willie Mays</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-cepeda-died-86-giants-2d8b17a39dd0814b290f175196b938d8">Orlando Cepeda</a>.

Henderson was the rare position player who hit from the right side and threw with his left arm — but then again, everything about Henderson was unique.

He batted out of an extreme crouch, making for a tighter strike zone that contributed to his high walk total. He struck fear in opponents with his aggressive leads off first, his fingers twitching between his legs inside his batting gloves as he eyed the pitcher and the next base.

Born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Chicago in the back of his parents' Chevy, Henderson grew up in Oakland and developed into a star athlete. He played baseball, basketball and football at Oakland Tech High School and was a highly sought-after football recruit who could have played tailback at Southern California — where he likely would have eventually had the chance to run alongside football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.

But Henderson said his mother loved baseball and thought it would be the safer career in a decision that proved to be prescient.

“She didn’t want her baby to get hurt,” Henderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2019. “I was mad, but she was smart. Overall, with the career longevity and the success I had, she made the right decision. Some of the players in football now have short careers and they can barely move around when they’re done.”

Henderson was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 amateur draft by the hometown A's and made his big league debut in 1979 with two hits — and, of course, one stolen base.

He became a star for the A's the following season and remained in Oakland through 1984 before being traded to the Yankees. Henderson was part of some talented teams in New York that never made the postseason. In 1985, he scored 146 runs in 143 games to go along with a league-leading 80 steals and 24 homers, helping start the "80-20 club" that season with Cincinnati's Eric Davis.

Henderson was traded back to Oakland in June 1989, leading to his greatest successes. He topped the AL that season with 113 runs, 126 walks and 77 steals, was named the ALCS MVP and helped lead the A's to the World Series title in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge series by sweeping the Giants.

Henderson then won the AL MVP the following season for Oakland before the A's lost the World Series to Cincinnati.

He set the career steals record in 1991 and then was traded two years later to Toronto, where he won his second World Series. He spent the final decade of his career bouncing around the majors and still led the AL with 66 steals and 118 walks at age 39 with Oakland in 1998.

In 2017, the A's named their playing surface “Rickey Henderson Field” at the Oakland Coliseum in his honor.

“When you’re old and grey, sitting around with your buds talking about your career in baseball, you are going to talk about Rickey," said Ron Guidry, another of Henderson's former Yankees teammates. "He was just amazing to watch. There were great outfielders. There were great base stealers. There were great home run hitters. Rickey was a combination of all of those players. He did things out there on the field that the rest of us dreamed of.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734811062415.jpeg" alt="Oakland A's Rickey Henderson steals second base against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum, Calif., April 10, 1991. Henderson needs two more stolen bases to break Lou Brock's record of 938 bases. Th A's beat the Twins 7-2. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)" />
 <figcaption>Oakland A's Rickey Henderson steals second base against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at the Oakland Coliseum, Calif., April 10, 1991. Henderson needs two more stolen bases to break Lou Brock's record of 938 bases. Th A's beat the Twins 7-2. (AP Photo/Alan Greth)</figcaption>
 </figure>OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, the brash speedster who shattered stolen base records and redefined baseball's leadoff position,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rickey-henderson-dies-dbc401d2db457ee16d7e74b3d80d3e92">has died</a>. He was 65.Henderson died on Friday. The Athletics said Saturday they were “shocked and heartbroken by his passing," but did not specify a cause of death.Known as baseball's “Man of Steal,” Henderson had a lengthy list of accolades and accomplishments over his nomadic 25-year career — an MVP, 10 All-Star selections, two World Series titles and a Gold Glove award.“Rickey was simply the best player I ever played with. He could change the outcome of a game in so many ways," said Don Mattingly, Henderson's teammate with the New York Yankees from 1985-89. "It puts a smile on my face just thinking about him. I will miss my friend.”It was stealing bases where Henderson made his name and dominated the sport like no other.He broke through with 100 steals in his first full season in the majors in 1980, topping Ty Cobb's AL single-season record with Billy Martin's “Billy Ball” Oakland Athletics. He barely slowed playing for nine franchises over the next two decades. He broke Lou Brock's single-season record of 118 by stealing 130 bases in 1982 and led the league in steals for seven straight seasons and 12 overall.Henderson surpassed Brock's career record when he stole his 939th base on May 1, 1991, for Oakland, and famously pulled third base out of the ground and showed it off to the adoring crowd before giving a speech that he capped by saying: “Lou Brock was a great base stealer, but today I am the greatest of all time.”Henderson finished his career with 1,406 steals. His 468-steal edge over Brock matches the margin between Brock and Jimmy Rollins, who is in 46th place with 470.“He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second,” former A's executive Billy Beane said of Henderson.In September, Henderson insisted he would have had many more steals in his career and in the record-breaking 1982 season if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-pitch-clock-shift-limits-bigger-bases-311fdb091b61f40b654c05e600a0d4ce">rules introduced in 2023 to limit pickoff throws and increase the size of bases</a>&nbsp;had overlapped with his career.“If I was playing today, I would get 162, right now, without a doubt," he said. "Because if they had had that rule, you can only throw over there twice, you know how many times they would be throwing over there twice and they’d be going, ‘Ah, (shoot), can y’all send him to third? Give him two bases and send him to third.’ That would be me.”He even predicted how he could still be stealing more bases than the current major leaguers even 20-plus years post-retirement: "If they’re stealing 40-50 bases right now I’d lead the league.”Henderson’s accomplishment that record-breaking day in 1991 was slightly overshadowed that night when Nolan Ryan threw his record seventh career no-hitter. Henderson already had been Ryan’s 5,000th career strikeout victim, which led him to say, “If you haven’t been struck out by Nolan Ryan, you’re nobody.”That was clearly not the case for Henderson. He is also the career leader in runs scored with 2,295 and in leadoff home runs with 81, ranks second to Barry Bonds with 2,190 walks and is fourth in games played (3,081) and plate appearances (13,346). He finished his career with 3,055 hits over 25 seasons spent with Oakland, the Yankees, Toronto, San Diego, Anaheim, the New York Mets, Seattle, Boston and the Los Angeles Dodgers.He fittingly finished his career with the Dodgers at age 44 in 2003 by scoring a run in his final play on a major league field.Henderson is the third prominent baseball Hall of Famer with ties to the Bay Area who died this year, following the deaths in June of former Giants stars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-mays-dies-at-93-baseball-33b31cc2d6382676ed54517d20ea36a3">Willie Mays</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-cepeda-died-86-giants-2d8b17a39dd0814b290f175196b938d8">Orlando Cepeda</a>.Henderson was the rare position player who hit from the right side and threw with his left arm — but then again, everything about Henderson was unique.He batted out of an extreme crouch, making for a tighter strike zone that contributed to his high walk total. He struck fear in opponents with his aggressive leads off first, his fingers twitching between his legs inside his batting gloves as he eyed the pitcher and the next base.Born on Christmas Day in 1958 in Chicago in the back of his parents' Chevy, Henderson grew up in Oakland and developed into a star athlete. He played baseball, basketball and football at Oakland Tech High School and was a highly sought-after football recruit who could have played tailback at Southern California — where he likely would have eventually had the chance to run alongside football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.But Henderson said his mother loved baseball and thought it would be the safer career in a decision that proved to be prescient.“She didn’t want her baby to get hurt,” Henderson told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2019. “I was mad, but she was smart. Overall, with the career longevity and the success I had, she made the right decision. Some of the players in football now have short careers and they can barely move around when they’re done.”Henderson was selected in the fourth round of the 1976 amateur draft by the hometown A's and made his big league debut in 1979 with two hits — and, of course, one stolen base.He became a star for the A's the following season and remained in Oakland through 1984 before being traded to the Yankees. Henderson was part of some talented teams in New York that never made the postseason. In 1985, he scored 146 runs in 143 games to go along with a league-leading 80 steals and 24 homers, helping start the "80-20 club" that season with Cincinnati's Eric Davis.Henderson was traded back to Oakland in June 1989, leading to his greatest successes. He topped the AL that season with 113 runs, 126 walks and 77 steals, was named the ALCS MVP and helped lead the A's to the World Series title in the earthquake-interrupted Bay Bridge series by sweeping the Giants.Henderson then won the AL MVP the following season for Oakland before the A's lost the World Series to Cincinnati.He set the career steals record in 1991 and then was traded two years later to Toronto, where he won his second World Series. He spent the final decade of his career bouncing around the majors and still led the AL with 66 steals and 118 walks at age 39 with Oakland in 1998.In 2017, the A's named their playing surface “Rickey Henderson Field” at the Oakland Coliseum in his honor.“When you’re old and grey, sitting around with your buds talking about your career in baseball, you are going to talk about Rickey," said Ron Guidry, another of Henderson's former Yankees teammates. "He was just amazing to watch. There were great outfielders. There were great base stealers. There were great home run hitters. Rickey was a combination of all of those players. He did things out there on the field that the rest of us dreamed of.”___

Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball's stolen base king, has died

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chiefs-nfl-inactives-d2e3212152218c0f4d773a806b90ce70">on his ailing ankle</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.

The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.

Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.

C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-tank-dell-injury-chiefs-846aab7b6825a1febee75eee1dc453cb">hurt his left knee on the play</a>&nbsp;and was carted from the field.

Dalton Schultz also had a TD reception for the Texans. Joe Mixon was held to 57 yards rushing.

There were questions early in the week about whether Mahomes would play after sustaining a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But the two-time MVP was off the injury report by Friday, and Mahomes showed no problems on the Chiefs' opening drive Saturday, finishing it off with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone.

It was merely the start of a back-and-forth first half.

The Texans answered with a 33-yard field goal, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud's touchdown toss to Schutlz. But the Chiefs quickly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the end zone, and they tacked on a field goal after Stroud's second interception to lead 17-10 at the break.

Dell was hurt on the Texans' opening drive of the third quarter. He came across the back of the end zone and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1870558728891826553">made a spectacular catch</a>&nbsp;but collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his way to the ground. He immediately grabbed his left knee, and Stroud was tearful and visibly shaken as one of his top wide receivers was loaded on a cart and driven from the field.

Ka'imi Fairbairn promptly missed the extra point, and any momentum Houston might've had disappeared.

Kansas City marched the other way, relying heavily on Worthy, who touched the ball four times on the drive. He finished it off with an 8-yard reception, giving the first-round a season-high for receiving yards and his eighth touchdown.

The teams matched fourth-quarter field goals, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with just over five minutes to go.

They promptly went three-and-out and Kansas City ran out the clock from there.

Pop star Taylor Swift was on hand for the Chiefs' regular-season finale. She has been spending more time with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-chiefs-childrens-hospital-63677e7d794ea29053c32fe84d44355d">making a surprise visit</a>&nbsp;to Children's Mercy Hospital.

Houston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the game. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was hurt late in the first half.

Kansas City: LB Jack Cochrane (ankle) left in the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left in the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf injury in the fourth.

The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL's doubleheader on Christmas Day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734809639722.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while running for a score&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-chiefs-nfl-inactives-d2e3212152218c0f4d773a806b90ce70">on his ailing ankle</a>, and the Kansas City Chiefs took a big step toward securing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs with a 27-19 victory over the Houston Texans on Saturday.The AFC West champion Chiefs (14-1), who have won four straight against the AFC South champ Texans (9-6), can clinch the postseason bye if Buffalo loses to or ties New England on Sunday. If the Bills win, Kansas City can wrap it up by beating Pittsburgh on Christmas Day.Xavier Worthy had seven catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, Kareem Hunt ran for 55 yards and another score, and Marquise Brown had five catches for 45 yards for Kansas City in his first game this season after recovering from a shoulder injury.C.J. Stroud had 244 yards and two touchdown passes with two interceptions for Houston, though one of those TD throws came at great expense. Tank Dell, who had six catches for 98 yards,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texans-tank-dell-injury-chiefs-846aab7b6825a1febee75eee1dc453cb">hurt his left knee on the play</a>&nbsp;and was carted from the field.Dalton Schultz also had a TD reception for the Texans. Joe Mixon was held to 57 yards rushing.There were questions early in the week about whether Mahomes would play after sustaining a high ankle sprain late in last week's win over Cleveland. But the two-time MVP was off the injury report by Friday, and Mahomes showed no problems on the Chiefs' opening drive Saturday, finishing it off with a 15-yard scramble to the end zone.It was merely the start of a back-and-forth first half.The Texans answered with a 33-yard field goal, then went on a 13-play, 82-yard drive that ended with Stroud's touchdown toss to Schutlz. But the Chiefs quickly regained the lead when Hunt barreled into the end zone, and they tacked on a field goal after Stroud's second interception to lead 17-10 at the break.Dell was hurt on the Texans' opening drive of the third quarter. He came across the back of the end zone and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1870558728891826553">made a spectacular catch</a>&nbsp;but collided with teammate Jared Wayne on his way to the ground. He immediately grabbed his left knee, and Stroud was tearful and visibly shaken as one of his top wide receivers was loaded on a cart and driven from the field.Ka'imi Fairbairn promptly missed the extra point, and any momentum Houston might've had disappeared.Kansas City marched the other way, relying heavily on Worthy, who touched the ball four times on the drive. He finished it off with an 8-yard reception, giving the first-round a season-high for receiving yards and his eighth touchdown.The teams matched fourth-quarter field goals, and the Texans took over trailing 27-19 with just over five minutes to go.They promptly went three-and-out and Kansas City ran out the clock from there.<h2>Taylor time</h2>Pop star Taylor Swift was on hand for the Chiefs' regular-season finale. She has been spending more time with her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, in Kansas City since she wrapped up her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 in Vancouver, British Columbia, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-chiefs-childrens-hospital-63677e7d794ea29053c32fe84d44355d">making a surprise visit</a>&nbsp;to Children's Mercy Hospital.<h2>Injuries</h2>Houston: OG Shaq Mason (left knee) left on the fourth play of the game. FS Jimmie Ward (foot) was hurt late in the first half.Kansas City: LB Jack Cochrane (ankle) left in the first quarter. RT Jawaan Taylor (knee) left in the third quarter and DT Chris Jones sustained a minor calf injury in the fourth.<h2>Up next</h2>The Chiefs head to Pittsburgh and Houston welcomes Baltimore for the NFL's doubleheader on Christmas Day.___

🏈 Mahomes throws for TD and runs for score as Chiefs beat Texans 

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Friday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview the Rate Bowl against Rutgers, which will be played next Thursday inside Chase Field. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below. The Wildcats will also take part in Rate Bowl Media Day next Tuesday in Phoenix.

“Well, good morning. The guys are off today, and then tomorrow becomes kind of our Monday. We'll go Saturday through Tuesday as our normal game week, and then a walkthrough on Christmas day and then the game on Thursday the 26th. We've had nine practices. We've had a lot of developmental work and some Rutgers work. As you guys know, we also are limited in the amount of game planning, limited in the amount of time because of portal kids and kids being on campus every day. We've got kids on campus pretty much every day. So, that's the balance that we've got to adapt and adjust to. We hope we get it figured out here in college football in the near future, but that's the balance and that's what we have to do. So, I’m proud of our staff being able to come up with the plans, as well as spending the time with kids that are looking for schools. So, busy times around here for sure. We'll practice Saturday, Sunday and Monday before we leave.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734723235433.jpeg" alt="K-State head football coach Chris Klieman. (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletics)" />
 <figcaption>K-State head football coach Chris Klieman. (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletics)</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Friday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview the Rate Bowl against Rutgers, which will be played next Thursday inside Chase Field. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below. The Wildcats will also take part in Rate Bowl Media Day next Tuesday in Phoenix.CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…“Well, good morning. The guys are off today, and then tomorrow becomes kind of our Monday. We'll go Saturday through Tuesday as our normal game week, and then a walkthrough on Christmas day and then the game on Thursday the 26th. We've had nine practices. We've had a lot of developmental work and some Rutgers work. As you guys know, we also are limited in the amount of game planning, limited in the amount of time because of portal kids and kids being on campus every day. We've got kids on campus pretty much every day. So, that's the balance that we've got to adapt and adjust to. We hope we get it figured out here in college football in the near future, but that's the balance and that's what we have to do. So, I’m proud of our staff being able to come up with the plans, as well as spending the time with kids that are looking for schools. So, busy times around here for sure. We'll practice Saturday, Sunday and Monday before we leave.”

K-State Discusses Matchup with Rutgers at Pre-Bowl Press Conference

Mckenzie Heidrick wins the girls division of Hoop Shoot hitting 3 out of 7 free throws.

The finals of the girls competition in the 2024 Hoop Holler N’ Shoot free throw shooting contest were held during half time of Wednesday’s KSU women’s game.

Participants won their way into the finals via shoot offs conducted at Manhattan area elementary schools among 5th grade students. Over 550 students participated in the competition.

The winners and the schools they represent are as follows:

1st Mckenzie Heidrick, Oliver Brown – hitting 3 out of 7

2nd Jimena Chavez, Bergman – hitting 2 out of 7

3rd Colbie Peterson, Bluemont – hitting 1 out of 7*

Prizes awarded to all finalists included a plaque and a K-State coaches autographed Hoop Holler N’Shoot t-shirt.

This is the 26th Anniversary of Hoop Holler N’ Shoot, during that time over 15,000 5th graders have participated in the program.

Hoop Holler N’ Shoot is a free throw contest for 5th graders in the Manhattan area schools. A boy and girl champion is determined at each school. The grade school champions move on to semi-finals and finals at Kansas State University basketball games. 

Participating sponsors are Manhattan Optimist Club, KS StateBank, McDonalds, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Manhattan Parks and Recreation, K-State Bands, Q-Country 103.5, and Power Hits 97.5.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734709079168.jpeg" alt="Photo Left to Right: Colbie Peterson, Jimena Chavez, Mckenzie Heidrick" />
 <figcaption>Photo Left to Right: Colbie Peterson, Jimena Chavez, Mckenzie Heidrick</figcaption>
 </figure>Mckenzie Heidrick wins the girls division of Hoop Shoot hitting 3 out of 7 free throws.The finals of the girls competition in the 2024 Hoop Holler N’ Shoot free throw shooting contest were held during half time of Wednesday’s KSU women’s game.Participants won their way into the finals via shoot offs conducted at Manhattan area elementary schools among 5th grade students. Over 550 students participated in the competition.The winners and the schools they represent are as follows:1st Mckenzie Heidrick, Oliver Brown – hitting 3 out of 72nd Jimena Chavez, Bergman – hitting 2 out of 73rd Colbie Peterson, Bluemont – hitting 1 out of 7**A shoot-off determined 3rd place.Prizes awarded to all finalists included a plaque and a K-State coaches autographed Hoop Holler N’Shoot t-shirt.This is the 26th Anniversary of Hoop Holler N’ Shoot, during that time over 15,000 5th graders have participated in the program.Hoop Holler N’ Shoot is a free throw contest for 5th graders in the Manhattan area schools. A boy and girl champion is determined at each school. The grade school champions move on to semi-finals and finals at Kansas State University basketball games. Participating sponsors are Manhattan Optimist Club, KS StateBank, McDonalds, Manhattan-Ogden USD 383, Manhattan Parks and Recreation, K-State Bands, Q-Country 103.5, and Power Hits 97.5.

Girls Hoop Holler N' Shoot Contest Champion decided Wednesday night at KSU game

ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. 

A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. 

Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. 

The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. 

The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. 

Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; 

While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.

The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. 

The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.

&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734614465849.png" alt="Bruce Weber photo MVC" />
 <figcaption>Bruce Weber photo MVC</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS –&nbsp;Southern Illinois basketball coaching legend Bruce Weber has been selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the League office announced Wednesday. A highly successful men's basketball coach, Bruce Weber began his Division I coaching career at Southern Illinois in 1998.&nbsp; He coached SIU to a 103-54 overall record (.656) in five seasons from 1998-99 through 2002-03.&nbsp; During his five-year sting in Carbondale, the Salukis recorded a 62-28 record in MVC games-only (.689); the 13th best win percentage in MVC history. Weber led SIU to two MVC regular-season titles (2002 and 2003) and two NCAA Tournament appearances (2002 and 2003). Both teams received at-large bids. The 2002 team reached the Sweet 16: one of three Sweet 16 appearances in SIU history. The 2002 team was ranked 22nd nationally in the final USA Today/ESPN poll of the season and is the second winningest team in SIU history (28 victories), which is tied for seventh-best in a single-season in MVC history. The 2003 MVC Coach of the Year, Weber led the 2000 Salukis to the NIT where they won at Colorado and lost at BYU.&nbsp; Weber coached three MVC All Conference First Team players: Kent Williams (2X) and Rolan Roberts. Roberts was 2002 MVC Newcomer of the Year. A 2018 SIU Hall of Fame inductee, his 2002 and 2003 teams launched a stretch of six consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Salukis. Weber has an overall head coaching record of 497-302 (.622) in 24 seasons. He coached SIU, Illinois (2003-2012) and Kansas State (2012-22) to a total of six conference championships, to 13 NCAA tournaments (including the 2005 Final Four), and to two NITs. Weber won Big Ten regular-season titles in 2004 and 2005 while Illinois was crowned as Big Ten tourney champs in 2005.&nbsp; While at K-State Weber earned two regular-season Big 12 titles (2013, 2019).&nbsp; Weber was Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2005, and he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2013.Weber's long list of national coaching accolades include AP Coach of the Year (2005), the Henry Iba Award (2005), NABC Coach of the Year (2005), Naismith College Coach of the Year (2005), Victor Awards National Coach of the Year (2005), USBWA District VI Coach of the Year (2013, 2019), NABC District 8 Coach of the Year (2013), and USA Basketball National co-Coach of the Year (2019).Weber currently works as a studio analyst and color commentator for the Big Ten Network.The league will conduct its annual Hall of Fame ceremony as part the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Championship in St. Louis, Mo., on March 6-9, 2025. The Friday, March 7, festivities begin with an 8:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by the induction ceremony at 8:30 a.m.Tickets to the 2025 Hall of Fame event, which will be held at Stifel Theatre -- adjacent to Enterprise Center – can be obtained by contacting the league office. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.The 2025 State Farm MVC Tournament marks the 35th-straight year the event has been staged in St. Louis.&nbsp;The MVC Hall of Fame consists of 157 former student-athletes, administrators, coaches, and contributors.

🏀 Former K-State coach inducted into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.

Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.

Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.

Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.

The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.

Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.

Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.

Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.

A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.

The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.

Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.

The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.

Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.

Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage.

"(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."

Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.

In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.

The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.

Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.

The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.

Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.

Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.

Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.

It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.

Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.

Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.

The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.

Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice.

"Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.

Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.

Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.

FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23

This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.

Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.

The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.

Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.

Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.

The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.

Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

CANYON, Texas — Down 14 just halfway through the first quarter, No. 3 Hutchinson (11-1) found a way to capture its second national championship in program history Wednesday night.Back-to-back national champion No. 1 Iowa Western (11-2) scored on its first two drives to build a 14-0 advantage with 6:49 left in the first frame.Reiver quarterback Hunter Dekkers drove his team 93 yards in just nine plays on the first possession of the game. Dekkers capped the drive with a 27-yard pass to Keyon Brown.Hutchinson went three-and-out and Davis Barr had his punt blocked. The Reivers recovered with a short field and capitalized on a free play.The Dragon defense jumped offside and Dekkers hit Titus Myers on a 14-yard strike.Dekkers finished the first half with 240 yards and two touchdowns on 15-of-23 passing.Hutchinson cut into the Iowa Western lead as the first quarter expired when Samari Collier completed his first pass of the contest to Ben Prosper for 26 yards.Collier used that momentum on a 27-yard touchdown run just four plays into the second quarter.A Max Bartachek 32-yard field goal gave Iowa Western a 17-7 halftime lead after a Nestus Burger field-goal attempt from 46 yards went wide right.The Reivers drove to the Dragon 4, but had no timeouts left as the clock expired on the first half.Hutchinson scored the next 21 points unanswered.The Dragons opened the third quarter with a 10-play, 54-yard drive that was capped with a Collier 8-yard pass to Prosper.Shortly after, Collier left the game with an ankle injury.Christian Johnson entered the game at quarterback for Hutchinson and threw a dime for seven on just his second play from scrimmage."(You) always got to stay ready," coach Drew Dallas said of his team's next-man-up mentality. "It's two cranks of the arm and go."Johnson dropped back and hit Tre Brown for a 34-yard score.In the national semifinal, Johnson threw a touchdown pass on his first play from scrimmage.The play of the game came with 3:26 left in the third quarter.Punt returner Kordell Gouldsby backpedaled to retrieve a Jonah Dupont punt. He found the opening he needed for a 73-yard house call.The momentum-shifter put Hutchinson up 28-17 and was enough for Gouldsby to be named the game's most valuable player.Hutchinson erased a double-digit lead and etched a double-digit lead of its own, but Iowa Western would not go away quietly.Dekkers led the Reivers on another 93-yard drive. The 10-play drive was capped on a Brown reverse from 11 yards out.Reiver head coach Scott Strohmeier kept his offense on the field for a two-point try. The attempt failed as Dekkers could not connect with receiver Fresh Walters.It was the second time in as many meetings this season that a failed two-point attempt helped decide the outcome of the game.Up five, Hutchinson needed one last stop from its defense after a Nestus Burger 32-yard field-goal attempt was blocked.The Reivers took over at their own 15.Iowa Western drove the ball to its own 46 before facing a fourth down. On 4th-and-5, Dekkers found tight end Naivyan Cargill for 13 yards.The Reivers moved the ball to the Hutchinson 5 before facing fourth down again.Dekkers was looking for Cargill again when he was pressured by Dragon linebacker JaQuel Mack. The pass was broken up by Avian Rice."Play for the man beside you," Rice pleaded with his teammates at halftime when the Dragons were down 10, a sentiment Kedrick Walker reminded himself throughout the second half.Walker, Mack and Rice combined for 18 tackles, a tackle for loss, two broken-up passes and three quarterback hurries.Marshon Oxley lived in the Reiver backfield and registered three sacks.FINAL: Hutchinson 28 Iowa Western 23This is Hutchinson's second national title under Drew Dallas.Much like the first championship, Hutchinson had to erase a 14-point deficit.The Dragon defense held Hunter Dekkers to 36.8% passing in the second half.Before his exit, Samari Collier threw for 80 yards on 6-of-16 passing and added 109 yards on the ground with two total touchdowns.Christian Johnson's only completion in five attempts went for a 34-yard touchdown.The Reivers went 3-of-3 on third down to begin the game but were held to 3-of-14 the rest of the contest.Both of Iowa Western's losses this season came at the hands of Hutchinson.

🏈 Hutchinson secures 2nd national title in 5 years with win over Iowa Western

On Wednesday night inside Blue Jay Event Center, the Junction City Blue Jays completed the sweep over St. Mary's Academy, with the freshman, JV, and varsity teams all winning. 

The varsity game began with a lop pass to senior Ja'Twaan Williams, who started the scoring for Junction City, who ran all over St. Mary's Academy, winning 53-17. 

After a sluggish first quarter, the Blue Jays led by eight, 10-2, then doubled that to 16 at halftime. 

The second half was all about Junction City, with the Blue Jays extending their lead to 30 by the end of the third quarter. Senior Jordan Weston banked in a three-pointer just before the end of the third to give JC a 47-17 lead and a running clock in the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays held St. Mary's scoreless in the fourth quarter and won 53-17.

JC was led in scoring by junior guard Lovell Autry with 18 points, and senior Ja'Twaan Williams added 12 points. 

With the win, the Blue Jays head into Christmas break undefeated at 4-0.

By Anthony GorgesJC PostOn Wednesday night inside Blue Jay Event Center, the Junction City Blue Jays completed the sweep over St. Mary's Academy, with the freshman, JV, and varsity teams all winning. The varsity game began with a lop pass to senior Ja'Twaan Williams, who started the scoring for Junction City, who ran all over St. Mary's Academy, winning 53-17. After a sluggish first quarter, the Blue Jays led by eight, 10-2, then doubled that to 16 at halftime. The second half was all about Junction City, with the Blue Jays extending their lead to 30 by the end of the third quarter. Senior Jordan Weston banked in a three-pointer just before the end of the third to give JC a 47-17 lead and a running clock in the fourth quarter. The Blue Jays held St. Mary's scoreless in the fourth quarter and won 53-17.JC was led in scoring by junior guard Lovell Autry with 18 points, and senior Ja'Twaan Williams added 12 points. With the win, the Blue Jays head into Christmas break undefeated at 4-0.

Blue Jays beat St. Mary's Academy and enter Christmas break undefeated

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bennett Stirtz scored eight of his 22 points in overtime including the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left to give undefeated Drake a 73-70 win over Kansas State on Tuesday night after blowing a 20-point lead.

Mitch Mascari tied a career high with eight 3-pointers in scoring 22 points for the Bulldogs (10-0). Cam Manyawu added 11 points.

Coleman Hawkins scored 16 points but was just 3 of 8 from the line including 2 of 6 in overtime for Kansas State (6-4). David N’Guessan added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Max Jones scored 12 points and Dug McDaniel 10.

Drake's Daniel Abreu made two free throws to tie the game with 23 seconds left in regulation before K-State's Brendan Hausen missed a well-defended 3 attempt.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/12/1734491848639.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Bennett Stirtz scored eight of his 22 points in overtime including the game-winner with 3.4 seconds left to give undefeated Drake a 73-70 win over Kansas State on Tuesday night after blowing a 20-point lead.Mitch Mascari tied a career high with eight 3-pointers in scoring 22 points for the Bulldogs (10-0). Cam Manyawu added 11 points.Coleman Hawkins scored 16 points but was just 3 of 8 from the line including 2 of 6 in overtime for Kansas State (6-4). David N’Guessan added 13 points and a game-high nine rebounds. Max Jones scored 12 points and Dug McDaniel 10.Drake's Daniel Abreu made two free throws to tie the game with 23 seconds left in regulation before K-State's Brendan Hausen missed a well-defended 3 attempt.In overtime, Stirtz scored five straight points and Abreau jammed home a follow for a six-point edge with two minutes left. The Wildcats scored the next six points with Hawkins hitting a 3 to tie with 12.3 seconds remaining. Stirtz took the inbounds and sank his 3 before Jones' deep 3 went off the back of the rim at the buzzer.Kansas State tied the game for the first time midway through the second half and took its first lead shortly thereafter.Mascari was 6 of 6 from the arc in the first half in scoring 18 first-half points for a 36-27 lead. His fifth 3-pointer made it a 20-point lead with six minutes remaining in the period. He finished the game 8 of 10 from the arc.Saturday, Kansas State plays at Wichita State and Drake is host to Green Bay.

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