The Philadelphia 76ers aim to stop a losing skid on Friday evening at home. Philadelphia welcomes the Sacramento Kings to the Wells Fargo Center for a cross-conference battle. The 76ers have lost three straight games, falling to 23-13 overall, though Philadelphia is 13-6 at home. Sacramento is 23-14 overall and 10-7 on the road this season. Joel Embiid (knee) and Robert Covington (knee) are out for Philadelphia, with Kevin Huerter (ankle) listed as questionable for Sacramento.
For this game, SportsLine consensus lists the 76ers as 1-point favorites, and tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 241 in the latest Kings vs. 76ers odds. Before making any 76ers vs. Kings picks, you need to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s advanced computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past five-plus seasons. The model enters Week 12 of the 2023-24 NBA season on a sizzling 112-62 roll on all top-rated NBA picks dating back to last season, returning well over $4,000. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Sixers vs. Kings and just locked in its picks and NBA predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several NBA odds and betting lines for Kings vs. Sixers:
76ers vs. Kings spread: 76ers -1 76ers vs. Kings over/under: 241 points 76ers vs. Kings money line: 76ers -113, Kings -107 Sacramento: The Kings are 11-6 against the spread in road games Philadelphia: The 76ers are 13-6 against the spread in home games 76ers vs. Kings picks: See picks at SportsLine Why the Kings can cover Sacramento hits the road in this matchup, but the Kings are facing a 76ers team that is not functioning at its top level without Embiid. Philadelphia is 2-7 without the reigning MVP in the lineup this season, and the 76ers are giving up 123.2 points per 100 possessions during an active three-game losing streak. The 76ers also have defensive shortcomings that are magnified without Embiid, with Philadelphia landing well below the league average in free throw prevention (24.4 attempts allowed per game) and fast break points allowed (16.2 per game).
Sacramento is a top-five team in 2-point shooting (56.3%) and assists (28.9 per game), and Domantas Sabonis is a key linchpin for the Kings near the rim. Sabonis leads the NBA with 12.7 rebounds per game, generating double-digit rebounds in 20 consecutive games. He is the key to Sacramento’s league-leading defensive rebound rate (74.0%), and the Kings allow only 11.6 second-chance points per game. Sabonis is also a tremendous passer, averaging 7.7 assists per game, and he is shooting 60.4% from the field. See which team to pick here.
Why the 76ers can cover The 76ers are comfortable at home, out-scoring opponents by 9.7 points per possessions at Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia has a potent offense, scoring 119.5 points per 100 possessions to rank in the top five of the NBA. Tyrese Maxey is a key piece of that attack, averaging 26.2 points and 6.7 assists per game, and he is averaging 28.3 points and 7.2 assists per contest in the last six outings. That includes a 35-point, nine-assist effort in Philadelphia’s last game on Wednesday, and the 76ers are leading the NBA in free throw creation (27.1 attempts per game) and free throw accuracy (83.8%).
Philadelphia also takes care of the ball at a top-tier level, committing only 12.5 turnovers per game, and the 76ers are in the top three of the league with 17.2 fast break points per game. From there, Philadelphia is in the top ten of the NBA in points in the paint (52.6 per game), offensive rebound rate (30.0%), and second-chance points (15.6 per game), and the Kings are in the bottom five of the NBA in allowing 38.6% 3-point shooting to opponents on defense. See which team to pick here.
How to make Kings vs. 76ers picks SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting 232 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in 60% of simulations. You can only see the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins 76ers vs. Kings, and which side of the spread hits 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model on a 112-62 roll on top-rated NBA picks, and find out.
This week, the NBA sent teams and media a 57-page report about load management. The primary finding: Based on 10 years of data from regular-season games, it is not clear that resting players makes them less susceptible to injury. In bold type on the fifth page, under the heading “Executive Summary,” the report reads: “Results from these analyses do not suggest that missing games for rest or load management – or having longer breaks between game participation – reduces future in-season injury risk.”
On page 42, under the heading “Summary,” the report further states that the data did not show an association between missing games for rest or load management and lower injury risk, “either in the regular season or playoffs, even after accounting for age, injury history, and minutes played,” and that “there was no observed increase in injuries during or immediately following periods with a dense game schedule or in second games of back-to-back series, even after accounting for age, injury history, and minutes played.”
This is what NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been alluding to for months. In September, when the league’s board of governors approved a stricter Player Participation Policy, Silver told reporters that “the science is inconclusive” about player rest. In December, Silver told reporters at the In-Season Tournament that “we have no solid data that that is effective” at preventing injuries.
But it’s also notable what this report didn’t say.
The conclusion — and the league’s stance — is not that resting players doesn’t reduce injuries, exactly. It’s that this data does not prove that it does. On Thursday, the NBA hosted a video call with its medical personnel and epidemiologists from IQVIA, the company that produced the report, and they chose their words deliberately.
“We want to be careful not to overstate the finding here,” David Weiss, the league’s senior vice president of player matters, said, according to The Athletic. “This doesn’t prove that load management doesn’t work, but it really calls into question the conventional wisdom that it does, to reduce injuries. That’s sort of why we wanted to put it on the table.”
“We’re not saying it’s better or worse,” Dr. Christina Mack, an epidemiologist and IQVIA’s chief scientific officer, said, according to ESPN.
The report notes several limitations of the study, including that it was not feasible to investigate “longer-term impacts of games missed for rest or load management on, for example, career length,” and that there “may be beneficial effects of missing games for rest or load management on risk mitigation in certain subsets of players that could not be investigated in this report (e.g., due to small sample size) and for non-injury-related reasons, such as to improve performance.” Neither Silver, nor Joe Dumars, the league’s vice president of basketball operations, who has delivered similar messages publicly, has denied a link between player rest and performance.
Looking at “just one aspect of load management” — missing a game — means that the report “doesn’t take into account all the other aspects of load management that might be going on that we can’t measure currently,” Dr. John DiFiori, the NBA’s director of sports medicine, said, according to The Athletic.
“We don’t have data, consistent data, across teams, across the league, on what they do on other days that they’re not playing — other training and conditioning aspects,” DiFiori said. “So all of that’s part of load management. This is specifically looking at whether missing a game makes a difference. This is not the final determinant study, but it’s pretty good data for the world of basketball that shows we need to do some more work here to understand it.”
The NBA may no longer accept the premise that rest leads to injury reduction, but its teams have invested in sports science along with medical and training staffs who are tasked with keeping their players healthy. Those staff members are often the ones who suggest that players need to rest. In 2015, CBS Sports published a story by Ken Berger about teams like the Golden State Warriors using wearable technology, data from in-arena cameras and daily questionnaires to guide their decision-making and to, ideally, prevent injuries. After a six-games-in-nine-days road trip, there were numerous red flags, Keke Lyles, then the Warriors’ director of athletic performance, told Berger, adding, “A lot of non-contact injuries are fatigue-related.” They didn’t want to sit four of their best players in their next game, Golden State executive Kirk Lacob told Berger — coach Steve Kerr decided to write an email to fans laying out the reasoning — but the data told the team that it was the right thing to do.
“We found that we had multiple guys red-lining,” Lacob said then. “It was an easy decision. Steve actually said, if one of those guys got hurt and he hadn’t sat them out knowing that information, he could never forgive himself.”
In 2017, after the Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers sat stars during nationally televised games on consecutive Saturdays — and Silver sent out a memo to the board of governors describing it as “an extremely significant issue” that could “damage the perception of our game” — San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said he understood Silver’s position, but that his organization’s approach, which included limiting its veterans’ minutes and holding them out of certain games, had been successful. Tim Duncan, for example, started playoff games at the age of 40.
“We have definitely added years to people,” Popovich said, per the Associated Press. “So it’s a trade-off. You want to see this guy in this one game? Or do you want to see him for three more years in his career? And do you want to see him in the playoffs because he didn’t get hurt because maybe he got rest and he was playing so much.”
Today, the NBA’s stance is that this trade-off represents conventional wisdom, but it is not observable in the data. By not exactly saying the trade-off doesn’t exist, though, it’s walking a tightrope. Technically speaking, the league is not saying its teams are wrong for making decisions based on the idea that rest can mitigate injury risk. Those are individual decisions, and the league’s data only suggests that, on the whole, those decisions have not reduced injuries.
The reality is that it’s impossible to know how many players might have gotten hurt had they played every time they rested. And it’s fair to ask how involved the league should be in determining who a team puts on the court. When a sports scientist on a team payroll is considering how risky it is for a particular player to play in a particular game, the overall efficacy of load management as it pertains to injury prevention leaguewide is irrelevant. This is the data that supports the Player Participation Policy, though, and the policy is affecting these (often difficult) choices. If a heavy-minutes star suffers a serious injury on the second night of a back-to-back that he would have skipped last season, there is no research that will make the policy look less like an overstep.
We’re approaching a new year, but the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 women’s basketball poll remain unchanged for a third consecutive week. This week’s most notable mover is Kansas State, as the Wildcats sit right on the top 10’s doorstep at No. 11. K-State has only one loss on its resume, to Caitlin Clark and Iowa on Nov. 26, but a couple weeks prior Ayoka Lee and Co. handed the Hawkeyes their only loss of the season.
Dawn Staley’s South Carolina Gamecocks remain undefeated after a 92-63 win over Bowling Green, a game in which sophomore Chloe Kitts scored a career-high 21 points. This was Kitts’ first time finishing as South Carolina’s leading scorer, exemplifying just how impressive South Carolina’s depth is.
No. 2 UCLA has another incredibly deep roster, but the Bruins will face one of the toughest tests of the season this coming weekend as they’re playing the USC Trojans. Speaking of the Trojans, they kept their No. 6 ranking after beating Long Beach State without starters JuJu Watkins and Rayah Marshall, who were out with undisclosed injuries.
Iowa has had more players step up offensively as the season progresses, but Caitlin Clark keeps dazzling everyone. During her most recent outing against Loyola Chicago, Clark registered her 13th career triple-double with 35 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists. She has now moved into seventh place on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list with 3,114 career points.
UConn has not yet entered the top 10, but the Huskies improved two spots to No. 15. They collected dominant wins against Butler and Toronto Metropolitan in the past week, but UConn’s strongest resume builders were wins against North Carolina and Louisville earlier this month.
AP Women’s Basketball Top 25 The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sunday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:
Others receiving votes: Washington, UNLV, Texas A&M, Oregon State, Minnesota, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Penn State, Davidson, Washington State, Green Bay, Ole Miss, Syracuse
Women’s college basketball took a few days off for the holidays, but the days before the break were filled with action and 2023 is set to end with a bang.
Iowa star Caitlin Clark registered her 13th career triple-double against Loyola Chicago, and in the process moved into seventh place on the NCAA all-time scoring list. Meanwhile, LSU’s Angel Reese and UConn’s Aaliyah Edwards had outstanding performances in their respective homecoming games.
The year is going to end with several exciting matchups between ranked opponents, including the much-awaited battle between No. 2 UCLA and No. 6 USC. These L.A. schools are two of just 10 undefeated teams remaining in women’s college basketball.
Here are some of the top moments from the past week, as well as some of the main storylines and games to watch over the coming days.
Bucket of the week: Kiki Rice, UCLA The sophomore guard has shown time and time again she can do it all — including flirting with a quadruple-double earlier this month against CSUN. The Bruins picked up an 85-46 win over Hawaii last Thursday, and Rice had 14 points, four rebounds, six assists and four steals.
One of Rice’s smoothest plays happened in the second quarter, when she got a steal and sprinted to the rim for an acrobatic left-handed layup.
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 21, 2023 Assist of the week: Kaylynne Truong, Gonzaga The senior guard has registered 94 assists this season, so there are plenty more of these dimes in her highlight reel. Truong reached 500 career assists during Gonzaga’s 81-69 win over Arizona on Dec. 20, and here’s No. 500 in all its glory.
500 career assists for Kaylynne 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/EvfKuiOc61
— Gonzaga Women’s Basketball (@ZagWBB) December 20, 2023 Game of the week: Boston University vs. Northeastern Sometimes the most exciting battles come from unranked opponents. The Boston Terriers led by five points with two minutes remaining in overtime, but Northeastern’s Derin Erdogan took over the game with a 3-pointer, a steal, another 3-pointer and a free throw to give her team an 80-78 lead with 33 seconds remaining.
A jumper by Boston’s Alex Giannaros tied the game less than 10 seconds later, and teammate Anastasiia Semenova hit a clutch 3-pointer with one second left in overtime to give the Terriers an 83-80 victory.
ANAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!! #GoBU
📺 on NESN: https://t.co/jh4lvaeO5K 💻 on FloHoops: https://t.co/zI1BCfD9VZ 📊: https://t.co/yLzIymHOKi pic.twitter.com/sDndJRKEXG
— BU Women’s Basketball (@TerrierWBB) December 22, 2023 Biggest storylines Caitlin Clark registers 13th career triple-double The Iowa star recorded 35 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists against Loyola Chicago on Dec. 21. After that performance, she now has 3,114 career points and ranks seventh on the NCAA all-time scoring list.
Clark’s 13 career triple-doubles are second in women’s college basketball history, as only Sabrina Ionescu has more with 26. There have only been seven triple-doubles with 35-plus points in women’s college basketball history, and three of those performances belong to Clark.
FROM THREEEE… again 😤@CaitlinClark22 x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/Rwmcptg0j8
— Iowa Women’s Basketball (@IowaWBB) December 22, 2023 Angel Reese shines in homecoming The LSU forward scored 26 points in her return to Baltimore as the Tigers took down Coppin State 80-48 on Dec. 20. Reese also added six rebounds and tied a career-high with five steals in front of her hometown crowd.
“I’ve accomplished a lot at LSU, and being able to come back here was important,” Reese said. “A lot of people came out tonight. … Just getting to come to a historically black college was important. My aunt [played] here and my cousin. I got to come back and do a lot for this community and show little girls that this is something that is possible and was very important to me.”
A great environment at Coppin State for the Baltimore return of Angel Reese pic.twitter.com/R3IqGGj6US
— LSU Women’s Basketball (@LSUwbkb) December 21, 2023 UConn dominates in Canada Ontario native Aaliyah Edwards also had a homecoming game, as Geno Auriemma and the Huskies took on Toronto Metropolitan in Canada. The senior forward registered 26 points and 10 rebounds for her fourth double-double of the season.
TMU is not an NCAA team, so UConn’s 111-34 victory will not have any effect in UConn’s NET rankings for consideration in postseason seeding. However, it was recognized as a regular-season contest and all the statistics counted.
Queen in the North 🇨🇦
Aaliyah Edwards showed off in her homecoming game in Toronto! pic.twitter.com/J18ZNCbHSP
— UConn Women’s Basketball (@UConnWBB) December 21, 2023 Tara VanDerveer on track to become winningest coach Stanford’s 92-52 win against UC Davis was VanDerveer’s 1,196th career victory. She is on track to surpass Mike Krzyzewski’s record of 1,202 victories to become the all-time winningest coach in all of college basketball.
Only 10 unbeaten teams remain: South Carolina UCLA USC Marquette Texas NC State TCU Baylor West Virginia Oregon State Games to watch (all times Eastern)
No. 10 Baylor vs. No. 5 Texas | Saturday, Dec. 30, 2 p.m. | FOX
This is going to be a battle between two very strong defensive teams. Baylor — which is holding opponents to just 53.1 points per game — has already collected good wins against Utah and Miami this season, but it will soon be facing an even tougher defensive challenge against Texas. Texas holds opponents to 54.6 points per game while forcing 24.3 turnovers per contest, and its best win so far was against UConn on Dec. 3.
Both teams have only lost to top ranked opponents this season. The Buffaloes opened their 2023-24 campaign by stunning the defending national champion LSU, and their only loss so far was to a hot NC State team. Utah’s first loss was to Baylor in November, but the Utes bounced back and almost managed to take down No. 1 South Carolina in December behind a career-high 37 points from senior forward Alissa Pili. Pili is one of the top five scorers in the nation with 23.8 points per game, and she’s shooting 69.7% from the field and 56.5% from 3-point range.
UCLA won its two matchups with USC last season, but both were extremely close. USC was having a breakout year, and now the Trojans have leveled up with the addition of freshman JuJu Watkins as well as the return of junior center Rayah Marshall. The Bruins’ top addition was Stanford transfer Lauren Betts, but they are a well-rounded squad as five players average at least 13 points per game. One thing to keep an eye on: Marshall and Watkins did not play against Long Beach State on Dec. 21 because of undisclosed injuries.
The Huskies have struggled with consistency this season and are the only top-20 team with three losses. However, they are starting to find a rhythm, as shown by back-to-back wins over ranked opponents North Carolina and Louisville. A win against Marquette would confirm they are back on the right path. The Golden Eagles, currently 11-0, are off to their best start in program history. Their best win so far was a 76-70 result against Creighton on Dec. 13.
Texas women’s basketball star Rori Harmon will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, the team announced Saturday. Harmon suffered the injury during practice on Dec. 27, bringing an abrupt end to another productive season with the Longhorns.
Harmon, a junior and the reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, was off to a hot start in 2023-24. Through her first 12 games, Harmon was averaging 14.1 points, 7.8 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game.
In spite of her injury, Harmon released a statement expressing her gratitude for all the support she has received from her fellow Longhorns, the coaching staff and the medical personnel who have supported her.
“I’m grateful for the support of my teammates and coaching staff during this difficult time,” Harmon said. “I also want to thank our medical staff at Texas for taking care of me. I’m heartbroken that I won’t be able to play with my teammates this season, but I’m going to support them and be the best teammate I can be. We have big goals for this season and those are not going to change. We are going to come into the gym every day and work hard to achieve those goals. We have the best fans and will play hard for them and for each other.”
Harmon was a big reason why Texas was off to its best start since the 2015-16 season. The Longhorns were 13-0 and ranked No. 5 in the nation, but that perfect record was spoiled on Saturday when the No. 10 Baylor Bears came to town.
Texas was able to hold its own against Baylor without Harmon in the lineup, but the team missed her impact at both ends of the court. The Horns lost a hard-fought battle, 85-79, but there were some positives in Harmon’s absence. Madison Booker stepped up with 25 points, eight assists and seven rebounds to lead Texas in all of those categories.
However, Booker had just one shot attempt in the final six minutes. Perhaps Harmon could have facilitated more opportunities for her down the stretch in a tight game.
Texas will try to get back in the win column in 2024 when it goes on the road to face Texas Tech on Jan. 3.
The battle between crosstown rivals No. 2 UCLA and No. 6 USC did not disappoint. The Bruins used their excellent defense and depth to remain undefeated after a 71-64 win against the Trojans.
This was the first time the programs met while both were undefeated, and it was the third time they’ve faced each other as top 10 opponents.
“I thought it was such a gutsy win,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “We knew they are a really good team, we are a really good team and we needed to have every battle. We have a goal every game to have 75 passion plays or better. Those are all the things that don’t show up on the stat sheet. … We had 76, and we needed every single one.”
Pauley Pavilion: THE 𝗣𝙇𝘼𝗖𝗘 TO WIN.#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/iWIVwbspDh
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 31, 2023 Both teams showed off their defensive powers and neither shot above 35% from the field. There were 10 lead changes throughout the night, but UCLA led most of the game and has now won nine consecutive matchups against the Trojans.
Londynn Jones led the winning offense with 21 points on 8-of-12 from the field, including five 3-pointers. Three other Bruins scored in double digits, one of them being Lauren Betts, who posted 15 points, eight rebounds and a career-best six blocks.
— UCLA W. Basketball (@UCLAWBB) December 31, 2023 USC got off to a shaky offensive start, missing its first 10 shots. UCLA reached a quick double-digit lead, but the Trojans eventually found their rhythm and made it a back-and-forth game.
Per usual, freshman JuJu Watkins led USC’s efforts and registered a double-double of 27 points and 11 rebounds. It wasn’t her best shooting night as she went 7-of-24 from the field, but she came in clutch from the charity line by making 11 out of her 12 free throw attempts.
A few Bruins took turns guarding Watkins, but UCLA veteran leader Charisma Osborne was the key reason why Watkins struggled.
“I think what people don’t understand about Charisma is how high her basketball IQ is,” Close said. “She knows every single part of the scouting report better than anyone else. I go to her a lot. I’m like, ‘What are you thinking? What are you feeling out there?’ Because she [just has] an elite basketball IQ combined with a ferocious desire to defend. That’s a pretty darn good combination.”
Turning defense into offense 👏 #NCAAWBB x 🎥 Pac-12 Network / @UCLAWBB pic.twitter.com/0gypKWI90W
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessWBB) December 31, 2023 Trojan fans held their breath late in the fourth quarter as Watkins went down and was seen grabbing her right leg. It appeared to not be too serious as returned to the floor with five seconds remaining.
McKenzie Forbes was another offensive force for the Trojans as she recorded 23 points. No other USC player scored more than six points. Rayah Marshall went 3-of-11 from the field for six points, but she grabbed 13 rebounds.
“We hate losing. Unfortunately, it was our first time experiencing it this year,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “But I wouldn’t trade being in that locker room that I was in. It’s a little more sad than the other one, but I wouldn’t trade spots with any coach anywhere. … I’m really proud of our effort and our fight.”
UCLA is now 4-0 against ranked teams, something only No. 1 South Carolina has also achieved this season. Gottlieb’s team will get another shot at the Bruins when UCLA visits the Galen Center on Jan. 14.
Just when you thought you had seen it all in the world of sports, 2023 happened. In the last 12 months, we’ve witnessed the signing of a mammoth record contract in Major League Baseball, an unbreakable record fall in the NBA, people raging at — and because of — soccer in the United States, countless dramas play out across the college sports landscape, concerns about the future of an American sports league … and professional football become the second-biggest headline during an NFL game. Here, for your consideration, are CBS Sports’ top 23 headline-making moments of 2023.
The Kelces go mainstream Star tight end Travis Kelce joked about courting Taylor Swift, but once the pop icon actually set foot on Kansas City’s stomping grounds — not for a concert — but to watch Kelce and the Chiefs play football, social media went abuzz with their rumored, and later confirmed, relationship. The Grammy winner is now a regular at Chiefs’ contests, cheering on her big-name beau, all of which helped fuel everything from Kelce’s jersey sales to the Swifties newfound love of all things KC Chiefs to the listenership of the New Heights podcast co-hosted by Kelce and older brother Jason, center for the Philadelphia Eagles … And, oh yeah, the Chiefs won the Super Bowl (by defeating the aforementioned Eagles in comeback fashion) while quarterback Patrick Mahomes picked up the second championship MVP award of his young career.
The Year of Ohtani Shohei Ohtani began 2023 by striking out then-Angels teammate Mike Trout to win the World Baseball Classic for Team Japan in March and ended it by inking a $700-million deal with the Dodgers in December. In between, the two-way superstar put on a show, pitching 132 innings and socking 44 home runs before being shut down to undergo elbow surgery. All of that added up to another unanimous MVP award in the American League, his second in three years. Under normal circumstances, this would count as a career year, especially since the surgery will keep him off the mound in 2024, but nothing about Ohtani has been normal so far.
You can’t see me. Caitlin Clark and No. 2 Iowa were all the buzz after she dropped 41 points in a stunning upset of top-seeded South Carolina in their women’s Final Four semifinal … and you might say that Angel Reese and fellow semifinal victor No. 3 LSU took that personally. Two days later, the Tigers crushed the Hawkeyes, 102-85, to win the program’s first national championship. With the game decided late in the fourth quarter, Reese stared Clark down, pointed to her ring finger and made the “you can’t see me” gesture — one that Clark had done to an opponent one week earlier. Regardless, Reese’s action, which came in the most-watched women’s college basketball game ever with nearly 10 million viewers, was met with a level of indignation and vitriol that, at best, exposed bias and double-standards because they (presumably) did not know or see Clark’s actions. Clark would later defend Reese’s action, which is now one of the most iconic images in women’s college basketball history.
Deion era opens with a bang Colorado began the Deion Sanders era as a 21-point underdog on the road against a TCU team coming off an appearance in the College Football Playoff title game. But behind a 510-yard passing performance from quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the Buffaloes stunned the Horned Frogs and college football as a whole. Sanders’ performance, which included four touchdown passes, sent the hype surrounding his father’s coaching tenure into overdrive. Colorado climbed to No. 18 in the AP poll amid a 3-0 start before struggling to a 4-8 record in a rugged Pac-12. Nonetheless, Colorado’s start to the 2023 season built a fervor that transcended the normal parameters of college football.
Pray for Damar It looked to be a routine tackle on a routine play in a late-season football game. It would wind up rocking the NFL, all athletes as well as sports fans and non-sports fans alike. After the tackle, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin stood up, took two steps and collapsed as he went into cardiac arrest. Teammates formed a wall around him on the field as CPR was administered in order to restore his heartbeat before he was transported to a hospital in Cincinnati. The incident led to the Jan. 2 game being suspended, then canceled, and while the health of Hamlin was far and away the most important thing, there were questions about how to proceed with postseason seeding as the eventual division winners Bills and Bengals, along with the Kansas City Chiefs all had pathways to being the conference’s top seed had that game been played to completion. (One plan even had the AFC title game being held in the neutral site of Atlanta had it been a Bills-Chiefs matchup.) Meanwhile, “Pray for Damar” became a rallying cry that unified the sports world. By April, Hamlin, stated his intent to return to the game, and he would go on to play in the preseason. On Oct. 1, he played in his first regular season game and he recorded his first tackle on Nov. 13. Said Hamlin: “To be able to still do what I love at the highest level in the world, is amazing.”
Lionel Messi joins MLS The greatest of all time, just months after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina to cement his legacy, departed Paris Saint-Germain after his contract expired and moved to Inter Miami CF of Major League Soccer. There, playing in the first-ever edition of the Leagues Cup, he elevated the competition’s importance and guided his club to its first-ever trophy, scoring in every single one of the games, producing 10 goals in seven games, countless magical moments and setting off an absolute frenzy in the second-hand ticket and merchandise markets. Messi’s July 21 debut drew an A-list turnout of LeBron James, Serena Williams and Kim Kardashian. Since then, other players have followed Messi to South Florida, including former Barcelona partner Luis Suarez, with the Herons’ expectations through the roof next season.
Aaron Rodgers’ four and out It was a major offseason trade that we all saw coming, and so just three days before the NFL Draft, four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers was dealt by the Green Bay Packers to the New York Jets. After an offseason of anticipation, a summer spectacle that included being the focus of HBO’s Hard Knocks and lofty Super Bowl dreams, the long-suffering Jets faithful were subjected to even more suffering when Rodgers’ fourth snap with Gang Green resulted in their star QB going down with a torn Achilles. Rodgers flirted with a historic return from the injury, but his abrupt exit was a shocking way to open — and, in a sense, close — the Jets’ 2023 season.
Michigan’s sign-stealing scandal Michigan found itself embroiled in an NCAA investigation centered around its scouting of future opponents, which is against NCAA rules. It soon developed into a full-blown scandal for the Wolverines centered on the actions of staff member Connor Stalions. Among the allegations against Stalions were that he purchased tickets to games involving future Michigan opponents for associates to use for the purpose of developing intel on the signs used by other teams. He was also accused of using false pretenses to make his way on to Central Michigan’s sideline to scout Michigan State. Stalions was fired and Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh was ultimately handed a three-game suspension from the Big Ten. But the controversy did little to derail the Wolverines, who enter the College Football Playoff with the top seed at 13-0.
Florida State left out The College Football Playoff Selection Committee pulled a stunner by leaving 13-0 ACC champion Florida State out of the four-team CFP field. The Seminoles were the first undefeated Power Five team ever snubbed in the 10 years of the four-team format of the CFP, and the decision sparked outrage among FSU’s leadership. The committee’s rationale for omitting FSU centered around a season-ending injury to start quarterback Jordan Travis, which diminished the Seminoles’ offensive capacity. Instead, 12-1 Alabama and 12-1 Texas were given slots along with 13-0 Michigan and 13-0 Washington.
Disappointment at the World Cup The U.S. women’s national soccer team’s longstanding reign over the sport came to an end with a screeching halt against Sweden in the Round of 16 on Aug. 6, when it registered its earliest ever exit from the World Cup. The team’s signature dominant style never showed up at the tournament, which ushered in new eras galore across the sport. A new world order in the women’s game was confirmed when Spain won its first World Cup, while a USWNT rebuild officially began soon after the tournament. Out went head coach Vlatko Andonvoski and in came young talent like Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel that could lead a squad refresh. More so, coming soon is Emma Hayes, Andonovski’s successor who will reportedly be the highest-paid coach women’s soccer has ever seen … Spain’s win was marred by an incident during the medal ceremony that touched off a “Me Too” moment. The then-Spanish federation chief, Luis Rubiales, grabbed the head of Jennifer Hermoso, the team’s star player, with two hands and kissed her on the lips. Hermoso said the kiss was not consensual, which led to calls for Rubiales to resign, something that he did do about three weeks later.
Emotional rollercoaster for the James household It was quite a year for arguably the most famous sports family in America. LeBron James (who turned 39 on Dec. 30) passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA’s all-time scoring list on Feb. 7. Spring saw a revised Los Angeles Lakers squad make an improbable run to the Western Conference finals. In July, after committing to USC, the most well-known incoming freshman in college basketball suffered heart failure and had to be rushed to the hospital. In an instant, the life of LeBron James Jr. changed. He not only survived, but an optimistic diagnosis and recovery plan enabled Bronny to make his college basketball debut on Dec. 10, the day earning MVP honors for leading the Lakers to victory in the NBA’s inaugural In-Season Tournament.
“Sportswashing” Saudi Arabia has made no secret of wanting to become a major player in the global sports scene and with billions of dollars to shell out, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been intent on doing just that. In the last 12 months, Cristiano Ronaldo and other soccer stars have agreed to play in Saudi Arabia for nearly $1 billion and golfer Jon Rahm signed a whopping nine-figure deal to shun the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf — a league that could wind up merging with the PGA. Mixed martial arts and auto racing are also elements of Vision 2030, the prince’s overarching goal of transforming the kingdom away from an oil-based economy while also “sportswashing” or softening the image of nation that has had a well-documented history of human rights issues.
Golden world champion comebacks It was a triumphant return to the world stage for Simone Biles and Sha’Carri Richardson after both experienced setbacks during 2021. Biles, who withdrew from some events while at the Tokyo Olympic Games, received both praise and scorn from the public for citing mental health concerns. But in 2023, Biles became the most decorated gymnast ever as she earned four gold medals, including the all-around at the Gymnastics World Championships in Belgium in October. (She also recently made headlines because her husband, Green Bay Packers safety Jonathan Owens, said he didn’t know who she was when they met in 2020. And he also said that he’s “the catch” in the relationship. Ouch.) … Richardson, meanwhile, tore up the track at the World Track and Field Championships in Hungary in September, winning gold in the 100m and 4×100 relay, and a bronze in the 200m, leading her to say that she has “fallen back in love with my sport” after a positive marijuana test during the U.S. trials kept her off the previous Olympics squad.
Dolphins’ swagger is back If the Dolphins wind up running the table they’ll no doubt look back on Week 3, when Mike McDaniel’s squad scored more points than any team since 1966. The offensive firestorm all but announced Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill as MVP candidates. Washington’s NFL record for points in a game still stands at 72, but with Miami up 70-20 during the game’s final drive, the Hard Rock Stadium faithful began chanting, “Three more points! Three more points!” … In Week 6, after a 41-yard touchdown strike, Hill made a bee-line for a photographer standing beyond the end zone, grabbed a waiting cell phone and recorded himself doing a backflip. The 20-year-old photographer lost his job, but Hill has since said he would replace the missing wages. But putting his money where his mouth is has been nothing new for Hill. During the preseason he said he could become the first player in NFL history with a 2,000-yard receiving campaign. And it had been looking very good until an ankle injury caused him to miss a game in Week 15. But it will still be a historic season and, hey, he’ll always have that selfie.
Wemby arrives in NBA The amazing thing about the Victor Wembanyama phenomenon is not just the sheer amount of hype he generated in the first six months of the year — even before he left France to come to the United States for the NBA Draft. And now, even with his NBA team floundering, it all seems entirely justified. The No. 1 pick selected by the San Antonio Spurs went on to make mere preseason games must-watch, and he was barely a week into his NBA career when he dropped 38 points in a win against the Suns, after which Kevin Durant said that he would “create his own lane, much different than anybody who’s ever played.” Although he hasn’t even turned 20 yet and is figuring out who he is in a less-than-ideal team context, one thing is clear: There is no precedent for Wemby.
The madness was real Hello, friends! … So who else had a Final Four bracket featuring Florida Atlantic, Miami, San Diego State and UConn? March Madness lived up to it’s billing as SDSU knocked off FAU at the buzzer in one semifinal, but that was hardly the only shining moment in the men’s 2023 tournament. Purdue with 7-foot-4 national player of the year Zach Edey became the second No. 1 to lose to a No. 16 in Fairleigh Dickinson University, the smallest team in the field, in the history of the event. No top seed even reached the Elite Eight, and no No. 2 or No. 3 reached the Final Four. It was just the latest reminder of the incredible annual spectacle that is the NCAA Tournament.
NBA adds an In-Season Tournament NBA interest in November and December is low among casual fans, so any semblance of raising the stakes for fall ball would add spice to league overall. But the competition level and genuine excitement around the inaugural in-season tournament was palpable. Ratings for games in the same time period went up year-over-year, and the fans bought in because the players bought in. There were special uniforms and unique floors were used on tournament nights. The group stage games were generally better than the typical early-season alternatives; knockout contests felt like the playoffs. And, for better or for worse, “point differential” entered the NBA lexicon. Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had his coming-out party as a bonafide superstar while the Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Cup, and the $500,000 per player prize that went with it. LeBron James was named MVP, and something that may or may not be a banner was raised to the rafters in Los Angeles.
Draymond Green’s antics It was quite the tumultuous year for Draymond Green, who is currently serving an indefinite suspension for landing a roundhouse to an opponent’s jaw, that Green embarrassingly tried to pawn off as a mere attempt to sell a foul. This instance came less than a month after the Golden State Warriors forward put a different opposing player into a WWE-style chokehold, which he tried to sell as protecting his teammate who was in exactly zero danger. That act cost Green five games, which came on the literal heel of a chest stomp of yet another player during the opening round of the playoffs in April. The Warriors gave Green a $100 million contract extension this summer in the hopes that he would, you know, actually help them on the court. Now the league has deemed Green has to help himself off the court before he can even play again for a Warriors team that is clinging to its last shred of relevancy.
Coco Gauff’s run and drama at the US Open Just two months removed from a first-round exit at Wimbledon, Coco Gauff, 19, entered the US Open as the sixth seed with aspirations of winning her first major on home soil. Gauff worked victory after victory, but in her semifinal match the normally serene tennis crowd became the scene of a global warming protest as a spectator glued his feet to the floor at his seat, delaying the match for close to an hour. Unfazed, Gauff went on to win that match and the championship against second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka to become the youngest American to claim the top prize since Serena Williams did so at 17 in 1999. On the men’s side, Novak Djokovic’s win extended his own record with 24 major singles titles.
Who’s your backup QB? In August, fantasy drafts looked deep as a bevy of young QBs on the ascent looked poised to take the next step — and fantasy football players were ready to roll as well. Then came the injuries. Week 1, Aaron Rodgers. Week 5, Anthony Richardson. Week 6, Justin Fields. Week 8, Kirk Cousins. Week 9, Daniel Jones. Week 10, Deshaun Watson. Week 11, Joe Burrow. Week 14, Justin Herbert. Week 16, Trevor Lawrence. One after one, the NFL’s biggest stars began dropping like flies, leaving fantasy football commissioners scrambling to the waiver wires in search of a new field general. By the time the 2023 season comes to a close, most championship-winning teams won’t have a Rodgers or Burrow at the forefront, but rather a Nick Mullens or Aidan O’Connell.
The return of Brittney Griner After Brittney Griner’s December 2022 release following a harrowing 10 months in Russian custody, no one was sure when or if the then eight-time All-Star would play basketball again. That question was quickly answered when she re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury as a free agent ahead of the 2023 WNBA season. Shortly upon her return, Griner was named an All-Star starter, and with the ninth selection that moved into a tie for fourth on the all-time list. While the season didn’t go well for the Mercury, Griner’s comeback was one of the most inspiring stories of the year. She averaged 17.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. In addition to her play on the court, she won the WNBA’s season-long Community Assist Award for her work with wrongful detainees and homeless people in the Phoenix area.
UFC/WWE merger After years of speculation, WWE officials finally confirmed at the start of 2023 that the company was in sales negotiations with various suitors. Endeavor then announced in April that it would be merging the UFC with the WWE to form TKO Group Holdings. The merger was finally confirmed in September, and while there hasn’t been much crossover between the two promotions, the deal could shape the industries of both mixed martial arts and professional wrestling for years to come.
Bruins roll, then get rocked It was the end of a regular season for the ages for the Boston Bruins, who finished a staggering 65-12-5 and set an NHL record with 135 points over the course of the campaign. Raising the first Stanley Cup since 2011 almost seemed like a foregone conclusion — and then the playoffs happened. Enter the upstart eighth-seeded Panthers, who rallied after falling down 3-1 in the series. Florida won two of the last three games in overtime, both in Boston no less, to bring the top-seeded Bruins’ magical season to a grinding halt.
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Let’s get right to it.
🏈 Football Five The Packers eased past the Vikings, 33-10. Green Bay now controls its postseason destiny and can get in with a win against the Bears next weekend, however, Minnesota is all but eliminated from the playoffs. The Chiefs won the AFC West for the eighth straight year with a 25-17 triumph over the Bengals. Kansas City will be the No. 3 seed, though, its worst seeding of the Patrick Mahomes era. The AFC South is wild. The division-leading Jaguars beat the Panthers, 26-0, without Trevor Lawrence; C.J. Stroud returned to lead the Texans to a 26-3 win over the Titans; and the Colts got a 23-20 win over the Raiders. Texans-Colts next week is a win-and-in. The Steelers kept pace with Houston and Indianapolis with a 30-23 win over the Seahawks behind 202 yards rushing, including 122 from Najee Harris. The Rams are in the playoffs as Los Angeles escaped with a wild 26-25 win over the Giants. New York muffed a late two-point conversion and failed to connect on an even later field goal. That plus the Seahawks’ loss clinched the postseason berth for the Rams. ☝️ Good morning to everyone but especially … likely-ravens-us.jpg USATSI THE NO. 1 SEEDS: THE BALTIMORE RAVENS AND THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
It was nearly halftime, and the battle for the AFC’s No. 1 seed between the Ravens and the Dolphins was living up to the hype, with Baltimore leading 14-13. Then …
Lamar Jackson found a wide-open Zay Flowers for a 75-yard touchdown. Less than a minute later, Roquan Smith picked off Tua Tagovailoa. Four plays later, Jackson fired a fourth-and-7 dart to Isaiah Likely, who snagged the ball with one hand, turned upfield and went 35 yards for a touchdown. Justice Hill took the second-half kickoff 78 yards. Three plays later, Jackson found a wide-open Likely for a 7-yard score. That explosion was emblematic of just how dominant the Ravens are: In four and a half minutes, they turned a 14-13 lead into a 35-13 slaughter … and they didn’t stop there. By the time it mercifully ended, the scoreboard read Ravens 56, Dolphins 19.
Baltimore is the AFC’s No. 1 seed, clinching home-field advantage and a first-round bye, and Lamar Jackson might have wrapped up his second MVP with 321 yards passing and five touchdowns. The Ravens are in a league of their own, and it’s a testament to the entire organization.
The stars: Jackson was the 32nd pick (and fifth quarterback selected) in 2018. The Ravens traded up to get him. It’s one of the greatest moves in franchise history. With 106 yards receiving today, Flowers set the franchise’s single-season rookie receiving record. The Ravens acquired/rescued Smith from the Bears last season and made him the NFL’s highest-paid linebacker. The depth: Likely was a seldom-used backup before Mark Andrews’ injury. Hill wasn’t expected to contribute much, but injuries forced him into action. They combined for 154 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. The results: Baltimore has a +170 point differential against teams with winning records. That would be the best since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The proof is in the pudding. The Ravens are awesome.
Also awesome? The 49ers, who clinched the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Brock Purdy threw for a pair of scores and broke the franchise’s single-season passing record in a 27-10 win over the Commanders. San Francisco got help elsewhere — more on that in a bit — to earn that conference’s first-round bye as well as home-field advantage.
🎉 Honorable mentions Here are our top 23 headline-making moments from 2023. The Bears (via the Panthers) clinched the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft, and Matt Eberflus is expected to be the head coach who helps make it. The Braves acquired Chris Sale from the Red Sox, who signed Lucas Giolito. Amarius Mims declared for the NFL Draft. In men’s college basketball, No. 10 Marquette rallied past No. 22 Creighton, 72-67, and Florida Gulf Coast upset No. 7 Florida Atlantic, 72-68. Here are the weekly grades. In women’s college basketball, No. 2 UCLA topped No. 6 USC, 71-64. R.J. Anderson handed out MLB offseason grades so far. Congrats on retirement, Goran Dragic! 😬 And not such a good morning for … untitled-design-2023-12-31t233106-412.png Getty Images THE DETROIT LIONS AND THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
It’s the call heard ’round the world. Or the reporting not heard ’round the few feet between left tackle Taylor Decker and referee Brad Allen. Or misheard. Or misidentified. Who knows? This is a mess. Saturday night, the Lions were robbed of a potential game-winning two-point conversion in a 20-19 loss to the Cowboys.
After Jared Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown on an 11-yard touchdown to get Detroit to within a point with 23 seconds left in the game, the Lions opted to go for two. Decker, Penei Sewell and Dan Skipper, who subbed in, all went over to Allen. Decker said he then reported to Allen. Allen apparently heard/thought he heard/interpreted Skipper report as eligible, announced No. 70 (Skipper) as eligible and told the Cowboys as much. Decker caught Goff’s pass in the end zone. The officials flagged Decker for illegal touching. In the immediate aftermath, Dan Campbell was shown repeatedly yelling “I told you!” In his press conference, Campbell said he even discussed what the team would do in that exact situation with Allen pregame. Skipper was adamant he hadn’t said anything. In the postgame pool report, Allen said Skipper reported as eligible and Decker did not. He also acknowledged Skipper didn’t have to report as eligible considering where he lined up (so why he would report in the first place?) and Skipper had reported as eligible on earlier plays that game (maybe this was a source of confusion?). The Lions still went for two from the 7-yard line and failed, but Micah Parson was lined up offsides. On the third two-point try, Goff threw incomplete to James Mitchell. Game over. CBS Sports NFL rules analyst Gene Steratore said there likely was a miscommunication because Allen was looking at Skipper when Decker reported. The NFL is reportedly expected to downgrade Allen’s crew. And it should. This was inexcusable.
The Eagles also have no excuses: Philadelphia fell, 35-31, to the Cardinals. Arizona coach Jonathan Gannon — the Eagles’ defensive coordinator last year — saw his team rack up 449 yards against his former unit. Philadelphia’s offense, meanwhile, managed just 275 yards.
There are lots of issues. The offense is disjointed. A frustrated A.J. Brown had “nothing to say.” The defense is flat-out bad: Only the Commanders and Cardinals are worse this year in terms of expected points added.
Combine this result with Saturday night’s, and the result is a disaster for the Eagles. After leading the NFC East pretty much all year, the Eagles ceded the lead to the Cowboys. Dallas will gladly take potentially multiple playoff games at home, where they’re undefeated. Nick Sirianni and the Eagles’ coaching staff were Cody Benjamin’s top loser this week, and Jeff Kerr gave Philadelphia an “F” in our weekly grades.
😣 Not so honorable mentions The Dolphins lost Bradley Chubb (feared torn ACL) and Xavien Howard (foot) to injury. Panthers owner David Tepper appeared to throw a drink at a Jaguars fan. “Too much eggnog” played a role in Aaron Gordon’s dog bite injuries. Texas star Rori Harmon (torn ACL) is done for the season. 🏈 Updated NFL playoff picture We entered this week with 24 teams in the playoff hunt. We’re now down to 19. Here’s the playoff picture:
In the AFC …
Ravens: 13-3, clinched No. 1 seed Dophins 11-5, clinched playoff berth Chiefs: 10-6, clinched AFC West Jaguars: 9-7 Browns 11-5, clinched playoff berth Bills: 10-6 Colts: 9-7 Texans: 9-7 Steelers: 9-7 In the NFC …
49ers: 12-4, clinched No. 1 seed Cowboys: 11-5, clinched playoff berth Lions: 11-5, clinched NFC North Buccaneers: 8-8 Eagles: 11-5, clinched playoff berth Rams: 9-7, clinched playoff berth Packers: 8-8 Seahawks: 8-8 Saints: 8-8 Vikings: 7-9 🏆 College Football Playoff: Picks, previews and why any team can win it all untitled-design-2023-12-31t234432-491.png Getty Images It’s here! It’s here, it’s here, it’s here: The College Football Playoff semifinals are today, with No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Michigan in the Rose Bowl (preview) and No. 3 Texas vs. No. 2 Washington in the Sugar Bowl (preview).
Our college football writers have pumped out an incredible amount of content. Like, truly incredible. You’ll get the link dump soon. But first … Tom Fornelli’s best bets. That includes …
Fornelli: “Michigan has been one of the most dominant teams in the country, and while it doesn’t have nearly the same level of postseason success Alabama has experienced under coach Nick Saban, this is not your typical Alabama team. We’ve seen the Crimson Tide struggle against inferior competition at times this season, and the Wolverines defense is legitimate … Still, I’m not here to sit on the fence, so if I’m going to make a pick, it’s hard to pass up Alabama as an underdog in a College Football Playoff game, no? Pick: Alabama +1.5” OK, now for the link dump:
Expert picks Five keys to the Rose Bowl Five keys to the Sugar Bowl Why they can win it all: Michigan | Washington | Texas | Alabama Could Nick Saban and/or Jim Harbaugh move on soon? It’s time for Michigan to prove itself. How Texas got “back.” Arch Manning is getting an awful lot of attention … and handling it like a pro. As for top non-CFP bowl games …
No. 6 Georgia crushed opt-out- and injury-riddled No. 5 Florida State, 63-3, the largest win in bowl history. Kirby Smart says something has to change. No. 9 Missouri beat No. 6 Ohio State, 14-3, and Eli Drinkwitz got an extension. No. 11 Ole Miss topped No. 10 Penn State, 38-25, for the first 11-win season in program history. Bowls recap 🏀 NBA roundup: Pistons end losing streak, huge Knicks-Raptors trade cade-2023-pistons-snap-streak.png Getty Images So that’s what a smiling Cade Cunningham looks like! … You may beat the Pistons 28 times in a row, but you’re not gonna beat them 29 times in a row. Detroit got its first win in over two months by beating the Raptors, 129-127, at home Saturday night. The 28 straight defeats tied the longest slide in NBA history. But now it’s over, Detroit. Rejoice!
Toronto was also part of the weekend’s other big NBA news: The Raptors traded OG Anunoby to the Knicks as part of the long-awaited blockbuster for the 3-and-D standout.
Knicks receive: SF OG Anunoby, PF Precious Achiuwa, PG Malachi Flynn Raptors receive: SF RJ Barrett, PG Immanuel Quickley, 2024 second-round draft pick Anunoby, 26, is the prototypical modern NBA wing: Last year he made the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, led the league in steals per game and shot nearly 39% from 3. Quickley, however, is a really good, fun player and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, and Barrett is a talented wing returning to his home country. They’re 24 and 23, respectively. Brad Botkin graded this trade as a win-win.
Elsewhere …
It wasn’t a happy birthday for LeBron James after his would-be game-tying 3 was ruled a 2. At 39, James still has plenty of milestones to chase. Tyrese Haliburton joined Magic Johnson and John Stockton with consecutive 20-point, 20-assist games. The Knicks extended Miles McBride. 📺 What we’re watching Monday 🏈 Fiesta Bowl: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 23 Liberty, 1 p.m. on ESPN 🏈 Citrus Bowl: No. 17 Iowa vs. No. 21 Tennessee, 1 p.m. on ABC 🏀 Timberwolves at Knicks, 3 p.m. on NBA TV 🏒 NHL Winter Classic: Golden Knights at Kraken, 3 p.m. on truTV/TNT 🏈 CFP Semifinal — Rose Bowl: No. 1 Michigan vs. No. 4 Alabama, 5 p.m. on ESPN 🏈 CFP Semifinal — Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Washington vs. No. 3 Texas, 8:45 p.m on ESPN
A new year brought new movement to the AP Top 25 poll. The South Carolina Gamecocks are starting 2024 on top, but they are no longer unanimous as UCLA stole one vote after a win against the USC Trojans.
NC State and Iowa kept their No. 3 and No. 4 spots, but Colorado is new to the top five after a 76-65 win against now-No. 15 Utah. The Buffaloes are 11-1, with their only loss so far being to NC State.
Baylor had the best week, moving up four spots — even ahead of LSU — after a win against Texas. The Longhorns dropped five spots, but still remain in the top 10. Unfortunately for Texas, its season won’t get any easier as star point guard Rori Harmon suffered a torn ACL last week.
UConn is slowly inching its way closer to the top 10 while finding consistency. The Huskies climbed three places to No. 12 following a dominant 95-64 win against a ranked Marquette team.
North Carolina dropped out of the top 25, ending its 34-week run in the rankings — the seventh-longest active streak. Meanwhile, Syracuse entered the top 25 for the first time in the Felisha Legette-Jack era after a 86-81 win against then-No. 13 Notre Dame on Sunday. The 11-1 Orange are off to their best start since the 2017-18 season.
AP Women’s Basketball Top 25 The top 25 teams in The Associated Press’ women’s college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sunday, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and last week’s ranking:
Others receiving votes: North Carolina 49, Washington 36, Oregon St. 19, Texas A&M 16, UNLV 15, Michigan St. 9, Michigan 8, Miami 8, Davidson 6, Mississippi St. 3, Vanderbilt 3.
This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.
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I agree to receive the “CBS Sports HQ Newsletter” and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge Paramount’s Privacy Policy. Email Address 🏆 Good morning to everyone but especially … THE MICHIGAN WOLVERINES AND THE WASHINGTON HUSKIES
Two wild, unforgettable, instant-classic semifinals. One enticing title game coming up between two teams both looking for their first championship this millennium that will be conference rivals in a few months. College football, you’ve truly outdone yourself.
No. 1 Michigan and No. 2 Washington are heading to the College Football Playoff national championship after hanging on by the skin of their teeth.
Let’s start at the Rose Bowl, where it was deja vu all over again for the Wolverines. The types of self-inflicted wounds and mistakes they hadn’t made since last year’s CFP semifinal — and truly have no explanation for — were mounting.
Then came Michigan’s very best in full force. Blake Corum. J.J. McCarthy. That dominant defense. The Wolverines beat No. 4 Alabama, 27-20, in overtime, in a game that featured just about everything that makes college football great.
After Jase McClellan’s third-quarter touchdown run, Michigan trailed in the second half for the first time all season. Later, Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal put the Tide up, 20-13, with 4:41 left. The Wolverines, to that point, had 17 plays for 44 yards and no points in the second half. It looked like Alabama was going to do what it does: Find a way to win. But with their backs against the wall, Michigan’s stars came to the rescue. McCarthy hit big passes to Corum and Roman Wilson, had a 16-yard keeper and capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown to Wilson. The extra point tied it up. On the first drive of overtime, Corum ripped off runs of 8 and 17 yards, the latter a whirling dervish touchdown (watch it here), the program-record 56th of his career. Jalen Milroe then drove the Crimson Tide down to the 3-yard line, but the Wolverines’ ferocious defense stuffed him on fourth down. Ball game. When it mattered most, Michigan bullied the bully, writes Dennis Dodd. That outstanding Michigan defense is going to have quite the test: Washington held on against No. 3 Texas, 37-31, behind a majestic performance from Michael Penix Jr. The lefty super senior made every throw imaginable en route to 430 yards passing, fourth-most in any CFP game. Watching him throw to future NFLers Rome Odunze (125 yards), Ja’Lynn Polk (122 yards, one touchdown), and Jalen McMillan (58 yards, one touchdown) is magical — a master at work.
But it was the defense that had to stand tall as this game, too, came down to the final play. The Huskies appeared to have the game sealed after recovering an onside kick late. Then all hell broke loose.
Washington’s Dillon Johnson got hurt on a third-down run, which stopped the clock. Instead of getting the ball back with about 10 seconds left, the Longhorns got it with 45. And they got it in great field position due to a boneheaded kick catch interference penalty by Washington. Quinn Ewers hit Jordan Whittington for 41 yards and Jaydon Blue for 16 more to get Texas to the Washington 12-yard line with 15 seconds left. The Longhorns never got any closer, and Elijah Jackson knocked the ball away from an outstretched Adonai Mitchell as time expired. Michigan-Washington will be an absolute barn burner. Any game between these four teams would have been, frankly, but I’m super excited about this particular matchup. We’ll get a terrific Michigan defensive front — fresh off six sacks — against one of the nation’s best offensive lines, which didn’t allow any sacks Monday. We’ll get stars on both sides of the ball. And, for the final time in the four-team CFP era, we’ll crown a national champion. Whew.
Here’s our early preview of the championship, complete with expert picks.
👍 Honorable mentions No. 8 Oregon stomped No. 23 Liberty, 45-6, in the Fiesta Bowl behind Bo Nix’s record-breaking performance, and Malik Nabers set a program record himself in No. 13 LSU ‘s 35-31 ReliaQuest Bowl win over Wisconsin. Here’s our bowls roundup. Dallas Turner declared for the NFL Draft. Quarterback movement: DJ Uiagalelei transferred to Florida State, KJ Jefferson transferred to UCF and Cam Ward declared for the NFL Draft. Here’s how the Lions plan to move past the controversial finish against the Cowboys. Ahead of the Winter Classic, the Kraken dressed up as fishermen, the Golden Knights dressed up like Elvis, and Seattle cruised, 3-0, for its fifth straight win. Here are the men’s basketball AP Top 25 and the women’s basketball AP Top 25. We have 2024 predictions for the USMNT and the USWNT. Steven Taranto recalled the late, great Cale Yarborough’s best moments. The USFL and the XFL merged. 💔 And not such a good morning for … untitled-design-2024-01-01t235528-322.png Getty Images THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE AND THE TEXAS LONGHORNS
At most programs, a national title within the last four years is a success. At Alabama, it earns you a shake of the head and an “I can’t believe it’s been that long.” The Crimson Tide are officially on their longest championship drought of the Nick Saban era, and they’ll view Monday night’s loss as one that got away.
Michigan kept trying to give the game away: two muffed punts, a poor snap on a failed extra point, a botched flea flicker, a missed field goal and several drops. Against so many of Saban’s Alabama teams, those miscues would have been killers, especially in games of this magnitude. But not this time.
Aside from the six sacks taken, Milroe had an awful fumble and missed key throws. Seth McLaughlin derailed an entire drive with his wayward snaps, which he struggled with all night. The secondary, led by two potential first-round picks, allowed a ton of chunk plays, including a busted coverage on Corum’s 27-yard gain on fourth-and-2 early in the game-tying drive. The defense hardly put up a fight in overtime. Still, the offense had a chance to tie it before a messy final play. These had been issues all season, though. Only Old Dominion and Colorado allowed more sacks. The Milroe experience came with magnificent highs and devastating lows. The team that defeated Georgia in the SEC Championship also needed a miracle to beat lowly Auburn the week before. That’s what made this coaching job by Saban so impressive: because this team wasn’t his best.
In the end, though, it’s another title-less season, and, no matter how much a team overachieved or improved, that won’t sit well in Tuscaloosa.
The feeling will be similar in Austin. Texas’ defense got burnt short, long and everywhere in between. The offense was good but not good enough, and two lost fumbles — one deep in their own territory, one deep in Washington’s — now loom even larger considering how shockingly close the Longhorns came. But close isn’t good enough. The Crimson Tide and the Longhorns now know that as well as anyone.
👎 Not so honorable mentions Christian McCaffrey (mild calf strain) will miss Week 18 … but it’s nothing serious, per Kyle Shanahan. The Rams are going back to Brett Maher at kicker after Lucas Havrisik’s struggles. Bradley Chubb (torn ACL) is done for the year. 🏈 NFL Week 18 playoff-clinching scenarios untitled-design-2024-01-02t002539-368.png Getty Images We’re into Week 18 of the NFL season, and there are still five playoff berths up for grabs … and 10 seeds to be determined.
Here’s what has been determined: In the AFC …
The Ravens, Dolphins, Chiefs and Browns have clinched a playoff berth. The Ravens (No. 1, home-field advantage, first-round bye), Chiefs (No. 3) and Browns (No. 5) have clinched their exact seed. In the NFC …
The 49ers, Cowboys, Lions, Eagles and Rams have clinched a playoff berth. The 49ers (No. 1, home-field advantage, first-round bye) are the only team that’s clinched its exact seed. Now for what’s TBD: We have every single scenario here, but perhaps the craziest lies in the AFC South, where the Jaguars, Colts and Texans are all 9-7 and still alive for both the division crown and a wild-card berth. Jacksonville leads the division, and Indianapolis is currently the No. 7 seed; Houston is No. 8.
The Steelers need help to make it, but it’s impressive they even have a chance. Mason Rudolph — the third different starting quarterback this year — has led a surprising offensive resurgence, and he’ll be the Week 18 starter against the Ravens, Mike Tomlin said.
It could end up being straightforward in the NFC — the Buccaneers (at Panthers) and Packers (vs. Bears) have win-and-in contests — but there’s chaos if either falters. Remember, weird things do tend to happen in the final week.
⚾ Wander Franco arrested after failing to appear at summons untitled-design-2024-01-02t003138-614.png Getty Images Rays shortstop Wander Franco was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Monday. The arrest stems from his failure to appear at a court summons last week, not from his alleged relationship with a minor that put him on MLB’s restricted list back in August.
Last week, Franco did not appear at a summons at the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Children and Adolescents to address allegations that he had inappropriate relationships with minors. Franco and his new attorneys met with prosecutors Monday morning to address the allegations. Franco will go before a judge by tomorrow at the latest. Per reports, at least two people have filed legal action against Franco; a third has accused him of improper behavior without seeking legal action. Dominican Republic authorities and MLB continue to investigate the allegations. 📺 What we’re watching Tuesday 🏀 Bulls at 76ers, 7 p.m. on NBA TV 🏀 No. 8 North Carolina at Pittsburgh (M), 7 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Syracuse at No. 14 Duke (M), 9 p.m. on ESPN 🏀 Northwestern at No. 9 Illinois (M), 9 p.m. on BTN 🏀 Magic at Warriors, 10 p.m. on NBA TV 🏀 New Mexico at No. 13 Colorado State (M), 10:30 p.m. on FS1
