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"Sports Quote of the Day"

“The secret of concentration is the secret of self-discovery. You reach inside yourself to discover your personal resources, and what it takes to match them to the challenge.” ~ Arnold Palmer, Professional golfer who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport's history.

TRENDING: Ryan Hartman’s hat trick lifts Blackhawks over Predators. (See the hockey section for Blackhawks updates and NHL news).

TRENDING: GM Pace: 'Sky is the limit for Floyd'. (See the football section for Bears News an NFL updates). 

TRENDING: Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Chicago Bulls Preview, 01/09/2017. (See the basketball section for Bulls news and NBA updates).

TRENDING: What are Maddon's leadoff options? (See the baseball section for Cubs and White Sox updates).

TRENDING: Can Clemson upset Alabama? Nick Saban on Clemson: I think they’re the best team. (See the college football section for NCAA football news and Bowl updates).

NFL "Wild Card" Weekend Scores, January 7-8, 2017.

Oakland Raiders 14

Houston Texans 27

Detroit Lions 6

Seattle Seahawks 26

Miami Dolphins 12

Pittsburgh Steelers 30

New York Giants 13

Green Bay Packers 38

How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Ryan Hartman’s hat trick lifts Blackhawks over Predators.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Every hockey-playing kid has probably dreamed of recording a hat trick. The dream probably features every goal scored in dramatic or stylish fashion, hats reigning down after it’s complete.

For Ryan Hartman, that first career NHL hat trick was complete thanks to two empty-net goals. OK, probably not the way he would’ve drawn it up but you better believe he’ll take it.

Hartman tallied a hat trick, which included a reviewed game-winner and two empty-net goals, as the Blackhawks beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Sunday night. It was the third victory in a row for the Blackhawks, who remain atop the Western Conference.

Artemi Panarin scored his 17th goal of the season and Niklas Hjalmarsson added his fifth, a career high for a season for the defenseman. Corey Crawford stopped 25 of 27 shots for the victory.

But the story was Hartman, who continues to be one of the Blackhawks’ top rookies this season.

“I didn’t know he got that second one, so going out for the faceoff there at the end, I just kind of looked at him and asked if he had two goals. He said, ‘Yeah,’ so good for him,” said Patrick Kane, who had three assists, including the primary one on Hartman’s third goal.

“He’s been a big player for us this year and he’s been very productive. He plays a good style of hockey that we’ve kind of been missing for a little bit. He’s physical, he draws penalties and it seems like he’s always on the puck. He’s had a great season so far.”

Hartman’s biggest goal was his first one, a net-front deflection in which the puck crossed the line as the net was coming out of its moorings. Called a goal on the ice, it was reviewed and deemed a good goal. As the NHL situation room stated:

Video review confirmed that the puck deflected off the body of Chicago's Ryan Hartman and into the net in a legal fashion, before the net was dislodged. According to Rule 78.4 "If an attacking player has the puck deflect into the net, off his skate or body, in any manner, the goal shall be allowed". Good goal Chicago.

Hartman, who scored a slick goal against the Buffalo Sabres on Friday night, felt more like himself on this one.

“I think goals like tonight are a little more like me. I don’t know about the other night,” Hartman said. “It’s nice to get a couple of those where you don’t really use your stick and they kind of go off you.”

Corey Crawford said Hartman deserved that kind of ending, considering his block on Mattias’ Ekholm’s shot not long before Hartman’s first goal.

“Quick play out front and a one-timer right in the slot, [Hartman] sacrificed, went down blocking it comes back and he gets a hat trick,” Crawford said. “Everyone’s happy for him. he played awesome.”

Hartman’s first empty-net goal was a longer-distance shot that line mate Richard Panik was close to as it crossed the line. But Panik said he didn’t touch it.

“My first thought was, ‘I can’t take this from him,’” Panik said with a smile. “I was just trying to play the [defense] and it went in.”

Hartman’s hat trick probably wasn’t how he drew it up in his head but it was effective nonetheless. The Blackhawks are back on the right track following a slump around the holidays, and contributions like that are part of it.

“It’s a long season. There are going to be times when things don’t go your way and you don’t get bounces. There are games where the other team just plays well,” Crawford said. “[It’s just] sticking to it, not letting anything bother you, and keep playing the way you can.”

Five Things from Blackhawks-Predators: Net-front presence.

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Finding another way to win, even with one of the more different hat tricks the Blackhawks have ever seen. You take ‘em how you can get ‘em, and Ryan Hartman and the Blackhawks felt that way, whether it was with his first career hat trick or their 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.

Indeed, that hat trick made the score look more lopsided than it actually was, but the Blackhawks will take their third victory in a row.

Speaking of heating up, as we look to warmer temperatures – yes, 30 degrees sounds downright balmy right now – let’s look at the Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ victory over the Predators.

1. One interesting, but effective, hat trick. With less than 1:15 remaining in regulation you wouldn’t have expected Ryan Hartman, with one goal at that point, to finish with a hat trick. But two empty-net goals later that’s what Hartman did. Hartman, who also had the reviewed game-winner, got his first empty-net goal with 1:14 remaining and the next with 31.6 seconds remaining. But hey, does it matter two were empty netters? As Patrick Kane said, “I think it’s one of those things where you get your first hat trick and then three or four days from now, no one’s going to even remember that he had two empty net.”

2. Getting to the net. We really can’t underestimate how valuable Artem Anisimov has been, even when he doesn’t score a goal. Exhibit A came in the first period, when Anisimov screened Pekka Rinne as Niklas Hjalmarsson’s fifth goal of the season got through. Richard Panik and Hartman got to the net late, and again the result was a goal. Said coach Joel Quenneville, “normally you need traffic and presence. It’s not easy to get there but that’s the reward, by getting to the front of the net.”

3. Getting the right response. Artemi Panarin had barely given the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead before the Nashville Predators tied it up in the first period. Part if it was a bad line change, and the Predators took advantage. While the Blackhawks had the right response following Hjalmarsson’s goal the Predators pushed – and just about scored – again following Hartman’s go-ahead goal in the third. Even without P.K. Subban and James Neal, the Predators were still dangerous.

4. Niklas Hjalmarsson’s career-high fifth goal. Sure, Hjalmarsson’s chief job out there is blocking shots, and he does that well. But on Sunday he added some offense, recording his fifth goal of the season. Any time the Blackhawks defensemen are engaged on the offensive side it usually leads to good things. Hjalmarsson will take it. “I just get more pucks through now, I guess. At the same time, it’s a little luck, too,” he said. “I probably could’ve had a couple more the past few seasons. Sometimes you get those lucky bounces. It’s been going in so far, so hopefully it can keep going.”

5. Panarin, anywhere near the left circle, does it again. OK, Panarin was slightly above his normal shooting area – “his backside might’ve been touching the boards,” Kane said. But it was the same result, as Panarin scored his 17th goal of the season. The kid just has an incredible shot and if he’s anywhere in the vicinity you’ve got to expect him to fire it. Again, it’s still stunning how much space he gets around there to take that shot.

Scott Darling stops season-high 39 shots as Blackhawks beat Hurricanes. (Friday night's game, 01/06/2017).

By Tracey Myers

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Scott Darling doesn’t mind seeing a lot of shots. Good thing, because it seemed like he was seeing a never-ending amount of them.

“It’s nice to see pucks. That’s a little too much, you get a little tired,” said Darling. “But better than seeing no shots.”

On Friday night Darling saw 40 shots, the most the Blackhawks have given up all season. Fortunately for them, he only saw one get past him.

Darling stopped 39 of 40 and Jonathan Toews scored his seventh goal of the season as the Blackhawks beat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1. The Blackhawks gained four points in two nights, and now have a three-point lead in the Western Conference over the Minnesota Wild, who were idle on Friday night.

Artemi Panarin’s 16th goal of the season, a power-play effort, proved to be the winner for the Blackhawks. 

For Darling, it was a little personal “redemption,” as he put it. He took the loss when the Blackhawks fell 3-2 in Carolina last week. But overall it was yet another game in which the Blackhawks’ goaltending was outstanding, and needed to be so.

"Pretty much same as always,” Toews said of Darling’s latest outing. “It's never an easy job to step in the way Scotty does. He's rock solid 100 percent of the time, pretty much. You look at the shot clock, (it) doesn't look pretty in our favor and it's a tight game. [He’s] able to protect a one-goal lead for a long time, so that's a huge tribute to our goaltender for winning there and coming home with those two points.”

One night after being proactive shot-wise vs. the Buffalo Sabres, the Blackhawks were the exact opposite against Carolina. Credit the Hurricanes who, despite playing their second game in as many nights as well, looked like they were coming off a few days’ rest. The Hurricanes were energetic and kept driving to the net. Darling’s work, especially his ability to gobble up rebounds or push pucks off to the side, proved critical.

“I thought he was big,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “His rebound control was very good because they go to the net. They got some traffic in front of him and he was still able to sustain pucks with those guys right at the net looking for second opportunities.”

Toews, meanwhile, gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead in the first period. He and Marian Hossa had good chemistry with Vinnie Hinostroza, who was getting another shot with the top group.

The Blackhawks were once again living right on Friday. They needed their goaltending to be good against a very opportunistic Hurricanes group, and he was. Darling was busy, perhaps busier than a goalie would like. But he managed, and he helped the Blackhawks keep trending in the right direction.

“We need to get back to winning ways,” Darling said. “We don’t like losing and it’s not fun. We want to have fun and win and it was a fun two nights.”

Jonathan Toews loses bet to Patrick Kane after USA beats Canada at World Juniors.

By Charlie Roumeliotis

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Jonathan Toews has some paying up to do.

The Blackhawks captain wagered with teammate Patrick Kane on the gold medal game of the World Junior Championships, which resulted in a 5-4 shootout victory for Team USA over Team Canada.

According to Judd Sirott of WGN, Toews must dress in full-on Team USA gear — similar to LeBron James when he sported Cubs attire to a Bulls home game after losing a bet to former teammate and close friend Dwyane Wade following the Cubs' World Series win over the Cleveland Indians. 

Further details have yet to be determined, but it doesn't sound like Toews is looking forward to it:

Jonathan Toews ✔
                 @JonathanToews

Tough loss for @TeamCanada at #WJC... even tougher was losing bet to @88PKane

11:17 PM - 6 Jan 2017

Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!!! GM Pace: 'Sky is the limit' for Floyd..

By Larry Mayer

Bears rookie Leonard Floyd records a safety by sacking Blaine Gabbert in the end zone. (Photo/chicagobears.com)

Bears general manager Ryan Pace was pleased with how Leonard Floyd performed as a rookie and is excited about the outside linebacker’s potential to get even better.

“The sky is the limit for Leonard Floyd,” Pace said. “His athleticism, his quickness, he’s 100 miles per hour to the ball every play. He’s just refining his technique as a pass rusher, so his hand use is going to get better. But he has some special things that we saw in the draft that you can’t coach. He’s the right kind of person, too. He’s highly intelligent, so we can move him around.”

The Bears traded up two spots in the draft to select Floyd at No. 9. The Georgia product played in 12 games, recording 33 tackles, seven sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and six tackles-for-loss. Floyd’s seven sacks rank third in Bears history by a rookie behind Mark Anderson’s 12 in 2006 and Brian Urlacher’s eight in 2000.

Floyd produced arguably the play of the year for the Bears when he sacked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, forcing a fumble that Floyd recovered in the end zone for a touchdown in a Week 7 loss in Green Bay. Floyd generated more points in a Week 13 win over the 49ers when he sacked Blaine Gabbert in the end zone for a safety.

The only negative with Floyd in 2016 was injuries. He missed two games with a calf injury in October and then suffered two concussions in five weeks, missing one contest on each occasion. Both concussions occurred when Floyd tried to make a tackle by leading with the crown of his helmet and slammed head-first into 336-pound teammate Akiem Hicks.

“He had no history of concussions at Georgia,” Pace said. [But] having two concussions late in the year, we’re going to be smart about that. He really needs to learn to play with better technique and keeping his head up, especially when you’re running into Akiem Hicks. That’s not a good thing.”

Proud of Pernell: After spending the first six weeks of the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list while recovering from knee surgery, Pernell McPhee played in the next nine games, recording 16 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble and five tackles-for-loss.

While those numbers don’t jump off the page for a player who received a lucrative free-agent contract in 2015, Pace certainly doesn’t regret signing the veteran outside linebacker.

“There might not be a player I’m more proud of than Pernell and the way he’s responded from this injury and the changes he’s made, not just in the building but out of the building with his diet and his weight and his work ethic,” Pace said.

“He’s one of the top leaders on this team and people follow his attitude and his physicality. He got healthier and healthier as the season went on. I can think of practices when we were in the indoor [facility], I’d see him coming around the corner with the speed and [think] that’s the Pernell I’m used to seeing. Pernell is a professional. Pernell is a leader and I think he’s going to get healthier and healthier. He is worth the investment and I hope to see that more next season.”

PUP candidate: Pace acknowledged that inside linebacker Danny Trevathan could begin training camp on the PUP list after suffering a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee in a Week 11 loss to the Titans.

“I know he’s been communicating with some other guys in the league that have had a similar injury and have come back from it and are currently playing at a high level,” Pace said. “So we’re optimistic. He’s optimistic. He’s working hard.

“It could be a situation where he misses a lot of the offseason OTAs and we get to camp and we’ve got to make the evaluation at that point: Is he ready to go? Is he a PUP guy? We have to make that decision then. But it’s an injury he can fully recover from, so I think we’ll be all right.”

Faith in Fuller: Pace said that he’s not ready to give up on cornerback Kyle Fuller, even after the 2014 first-round pick missed the entire season following a seemingly minor arthroscopic knee surgery.

“I think he’s frustrated and we are too,” Pace said. “We opened up that three-week [practice] window with the full expectation that by the end of that he would be ready to go.

“He’s trying to get stronger and he’s trying to do all of the little things right. I’m not giving up on Kyle Fuller. He was a high draft pick by this organization and it’s on us to do everything we can to get him playing back at a top level. It’s a position of need for us and getting him back where he can play would be huge for this organization. He's got to have an important big offseason; he knows that.”

Asked how Fuller went from a minor scope to injured reserve, Pace said: "Strengthening the small muscles around the knee, and at his position especially different than some other positions, you’ve got to have that twitch and that suddenness and that explosiveness and he just didn’t feel like he had it and we didn’t feel like he had it either.

“There would be moments in practice, especially early on in practice, where he would look good and quick. I would go grab coach and be like, ‘Hey man, Kyle looks good.’ And by the end of practice he would fatigue a little bit. We’ve got to get him to a point where he is strong enough where that fatigue doesn’t occur because that can’t happen in a game obviously. Again, I haven’t given up on him. We’re going to surround him with everything we need to do this offseason and try to get him right. This offseason is critical for him.”

Roster addition: The Bears on Friday signed defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore to a reserve/futures contract.

Lewis-Moore was selected by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2013 draft out of Notre Dame, but he missed the entire 2013 season with a knee injury and the entire 2014 season with an Achilles injury.

Lewis-Moore appeared in five games in 2015, recording three tackles, and then spent the 2016 season on Baltimore’s practice squad.

Who starts at center next season?

By Larry Mayer



Wondering about a player, a past game or another issue involving the Bears? Senior writer Larry Mayer answers a variety of email questions from fans on ChicagoBears.com.

If Hroniss Grasu returns from his knee injury at full strength next year, do you see him playing center and the Bears moving Cody Whitehair and/or Kyle Long to other positions?

Sherrod K.Evanston, Illinois

General manager Ryan Pace was asked about that situation Wednesday during his end-of-season press conference and said it all starts with how well Hroniss Grasu recovers from his torn ACL because Grasu does not have the same position flexibility as Cody Whitehair or Kyle Long. Said Pace: “I view Hroniss more as a center-only. If he comes back, that’d be the position he’s competing for. If Hroniss is playing like a solid NFL starting center and gets to that level, which I think he can, that’s a good problem. We have flexibility with other guys. Cody Whitehair is a flexible guy and Kyle is too. We’ll see how it shakes out.” So in other words if Grasu comes back strong, the Bears will consider moving Whitehair, who started all 16 games at center this season after playing only guard and tackle at Kansas State. I think they would more reluctant to move Long from guard because he’s recovering from foot and shoulder injuries. Said Pace: “That would be a concern moving [Long] around, back and forth, and we have to be conscious of that. Kyle’s coming off two injuries, so he’s going to miss a lot of time this offseason. So that’s on our mind, handling it the right way, reduce the situation where he’s getting moved around too much because he’s at his best when he’s focused on one position.”

I was disappointed that defensive end Jonathan Bullard didn’t have a better rookie season. I heard a lot of people predicting that he would be the steal of the draft as a third-round pick. What do the Bears feel he needs to work on to improve as a player?

Barry L.Midlothian, Illinois

Bears general manager Ryan Pace shared his thoughts on Jonathan Bullard this week, saying that he still has high hopes for Bullard and the third-round pick knows what he needs to work on this offseason. Here’s what Pace said in full: “Bullard came from a defense from Florida that’s a little bit different from what we do here, so there’s a transition going on for him right now. His best attributes are his get-off and his athleticism and getting up the field. Learning how to come off and strike blocks and use your hands and shed, those are things he’s working on. What I really like about Bullard is you always want players that are very self-aware and they know what they are and what they need to improve upon, and Bullard is one of those guys. He knows he needs to have a good offseason, he needs to get stronger, he needs to add weight. But he has some things that we can’t coach, and that’s the quickness, the get-off, the burst. I think he’s an instinctive player, too. I still have high hopes for Bullard. It’s only been one year. He’s a young player.”

Cameron Meredith’s touchdown pass to Matt Barkley was a great play in last week’s game. When was the last time a Bears quarterback caught a pass for a TD? I’m thinking it was Jim McMahon catching one from Walter Payton back in 1985.

Brett Y.

Matt Barkley’s 2-yard touchdown reception from Cameron Meredith against the Vikings in the season finale was the last by a Bears quarterback since the one you mentioned on Sept. 29, 1985 when Jim McMahon caught a 13-yard TD pass from Walter Payton. McMahon made a nice diving grab, catching the back end of the ball. I spoke with both Meredith and Barkley after the play; Meredith said it was the first TD pass he’s thrown since high school and Barkley couldn’t ever remember catching a touchdown pass in an organized football game.

Bears coaching changes trickling out, for different reasons.

By John Mullin

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

John Fox laid out the NFL reality that there would be changes in his coaching staff after a 3-13 season. In the day since the final loss, at Minnesota, four coaches have exited, for different reasons, but coming with interesting possible implications.

Exact details of any personnel move, staff or player, are difficult to ascertain.

Running backs coach Stan Drayton, whose career goal is to become a college head coach, left to join the staff at Texas. Outside linebackers coach Clint Hurtt, who was blocked by the Bears from considering a move to the Miami Dolphins and coach Adam Gase last offseason, passed on a contract extension from the Bears and is on the market. The Dolphins, who are at Pittsburgh on Sunday in one AFC wild-card playoff game, hired Matt Burke last January to coach linebackers after Hurtt was unavailable.

Fox said on Tuesday that his coordinators remained “intact” but the organization did not retain assistant secondary coach Sam Garnes, who played safety five seasons under Fox while the latter was defensive coordinator for the New York Giants. Garnes was an assistant DB’s coach under Fox in Denver, and he coached safeties there from 2011-14 and with the Bears the past two seasons.

But Garnes was not a choice of coordinator Vic Fangio, who was not pleased with safety play during seasons marked by the two lowest takeaway totals in franchise history, including tying the NFL record for fewest takeaways with 11 this season.

Over Garnes’ two years working with safeties, the group had just two interceptions (both by Harold Jones-Quartey), four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in a total of 1,992 opponent plays.

The Bears also fired offensive line coach Dave Magazu, who oversaw a generally successful season that saw the Bears tied for seventh in fewest sacks allowed and No. 6 in rushing average. Magazu had coached with Fox since 2003, in Carolina, Denver and finally Chicago.

Just Another Chicago Bulls Session..... Oklahoma City Thunder Vs. Chicago Bulls Preview, 01/09/2017.

NBA.com

Westbrook, Butler matchup figures to take over Thunder-Bulls clash

In terms of matchups, it's a good time for Russell Westbrook to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder into Chicago to play the Bulls.

Westbrook, one of the favorites to win the NBA's MVP race, will go head-to-head with scorching-hot Bulls guard Jimmy Butler, whose recent play could vault him into the MVP conversation.

Westbrook is coming off his 17th triple-double of the season in the Thunder's 121-106 victory against the Denver Nuggets. Butler comes into Monday's game against the Thunder after a 42-point performance Saturday at the United Center in the Bulls' 123-118 overtime win against the Toronto Raptors.

"You can see it," Bulls guard Dwyane Wade told CSNChicago.com of Butler. "He wants it. So many guys have talent. The mentality it takes, even if you're having a bad game -- like (in) Cleveland, he wasn't shooting well -- to still be able to do it in the clutch. That's special. He's putting himself in the category of special."

Westbrook is already there and has been the past couple seasons. His play hasn't dipped any, but Butler is elevating himself. If he keeps it up, his name will become more than just a throw-in as an MVP candidate.

Butler is playing like the franchise player the Bulls hoped would flourish when they traded Derrick Rose to the New York Knicks in the offseason. He's the odds-on favorite to win the league's Player of the Week award after averaging 38 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the Bulls' three games last week, and is playing like an MVP.

He just doesn't want to get too caught up in that discussion.

"I don't know about all that," Butler said, according to CSNChicago. "Take that one step at a time. All that's way down the road from here. We have to continue to win for that to ever be a question."

On that front, the Bulls (19-18) are looking for their fourth straight win after sweeping three games last week, including a 106-94 win at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday.

Oklahoma City (22-16) hopes to start a win streak of its own.

The Thunder's win against Denver ended a three-game losing skid, but things are looking up after Westbrook's latest triple-double and the return of reserve guard Cameron Payne from a broken bone in his foot.

Payne made his season debut against Denver with eight points, two rebounds and an assist on 3-of-4 shooting -- including 2-of-3 from the 3-point line. His presence should be a welcome relief to Westbrook, who's been shouldering most of the scoring load.

Westbrook's been hot from long-range of late, hitting 15-of-23 (65.2 percent) from the 3-point line the past two games, but that success rate is unsustainable over time.

"When he gets a couple in a row, I think you have to let him take a couple more that may be highly contested or difficult, because he can make them," Thunder coach Billy Donovan told The Oklahoman. "If he misses a couple, then it becomes the balance of 'OK, what do I need to do now?'"

The Butler did it: Jimmy looks like an MVP contender in leading Bulls to comeback win over Raptors.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

If ever Jimmy Butler needed to send a message regarding the rumors about the Bulls looking to see what they can get for him, it was a resounding one, a loud one.

Either that or the Bulls’ mantra against the Toronto Raptors is “hang around long enough for them to screw it up.”

Make no mistake, Butler put his tattoo on the game when he walked Kyle Lowry down for a step-back triple with 17.3 seconds left in overtime, giving the Bulls a five-point lead and putting the finishing touches on a 123-118 win at the United Center, their 10th straight win over their rivals from up north.

Make that another 40-point showing — 42 to be exact, with 10 rebounds and five assists — but also loudly showing the world he is the franchise player he believes himself to be, while muscling himself into true consideration for Most Valuable Player.

At worst, with wins and signature moments over Charlotte, Cleveland and now Toronto, Butler probably sealed Player of the Week honors by averaging 38 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists.

“I think so,” said Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg when asked if Butler deserved MVP consideration.

“Just what he’s done for this team. This stretch he’s got going. Continues to add to his game. He’s playing with the ball in his hands a lot. He’s been phenomenal.”

If these numbers and this production continues, voters will have to take notice and put him in the same class as the presumed frontrunners, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

“I don’t know about all that,” Butler said. “Take that one step at a time. All that’s way down the road from here. We have to continue to win for that to ever be a question.”

He mastered the balance between aggression and facilitating, particularly in overtime after a 25-point second half, keeping his teammates involved.

Butler found a relatively streaking Doug McDermott cutting on the baseline while hanging in midair, with McDermott finishing with a two-handed dunk to give the Bulls their largest lead of the game at 116-111.

Butler was relentless on both ends, taking the punishment while driving to the basket and dishing it out while guarding Lowry on defense, surely leaving the man fatigued after 44 minutes and going to the line 20 times.

“He was out there guarding (DeMar) DeRozan for three quarters then Lowry, who leads the NBA in points in the fourth quarter,” Hoiberg said, as Lowry went 2-for-6 in the period.

“A lot of guys are putting up huge numbers, do it on one end and let somebody else guard the other team’s best player. Jimmy’s doing both for us. To expend that energy on the defensive end and continue to do what he does on offense says a lot about him.”

Butler scored, to the tune of nine straight to tie the game at 99 in the fourth, an unexpected feat with the Raptors once leading 82-63 with 3:42 left in the third quarter.

“You can see it. He wants it,” Dwyane Wade said. “So many guys have talent. The mentality it takes, even if you’re having a bad game like Cleveland (when) he wasn’t shooting well, to still be able to do it in the clutch. That’s special. He’s putting himself in the category of special.”

When he didn’t score, he did ridiculous things like drawing triple teams and feeding Wade for a dunk to give the Bulls a 101-99 lead. Or when he missed a go-ahead triple, he tracked the miss to tip it left-handed to Nikola Mirotic for a corner three that set the United Center into a frenzy.

The Bulls’ comeback was on the back of Butler but also McDermott and Mirotic as Hoiberg has found increasing confidence in a floor-spreading group as a closing lineup, with McDermott scoring 17 and Mirotic 12.

McDermott rebounded from missing an open triple at the top of the key to nailing the very next one the next possession on a pass from Wade, giving the Bulls a 107-105 lead with 39.5 seconds left in regulation.

“They were huge, knocking down big shot after big shot,” Butler said. “I’m smiling because I’m confident, that’s what we need. When you miss your shot, you have to take your shot again.”

Shooting under 40 percent was offset by spirited play and 11 triples as the Bulls are finally hitting their share of outside shots — even with Butler going 10-for-25 and Wade going 6-for-19, they crawled back into the game when all seemed lost.

“It was huge for those guys to stay with it,” Hoiberg said. “The way we hung in there, found some fight after being stuck in the mud (in the first half). Played one possession at a time, and that’s what you have to do to climb your way back in it.”

A wild finish to regulation sent the game into overtime, after Wade missed a short jumper, followed by a Cristiano Felicio tipped miss, followed by DeRozan and Lowry missing shots in the paint before the buzzer sounded.

Lowry continued his understated dominance, recognizing every mismatch on the floor and exploiting it with nine of his game-high 12 assists in the first half, when the Raptors took a 16-point lead — making the Bulls look like they hadn’t had two days in between games.

Lowry and DeRozan took over the game in the ways that made the Raptors an Eastern Conference finalist last season. Lowry finished with 27 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds. Lowry has grown into a better facilitator while DeRozan has become a far more aggressive shot-taker and maker, perhaps a product of being an Olympian over the summer, finishing with a team-high 36 points and eight rebounds.

DeRozan and Butler went at it all night, with the two gold medalists showing how their games benefitted from the summer experience.

But the Bulls’ mastery over the Raptors continued, and the Raptors need point to one culprit for their misery, as the Butler did it — again.

Dwyane Wade, Bulls respond to Jimmy Butler trade rumors.

By Vincent Goodwill

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

Every week there seems to be some rumor of some kind involving the Chicago Bulls and ever-so-slightly, it’s starting to wear on Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg.

Whether it’s the combination of Hoiberg having to face questions about his job security several days ago or the latest one to hit the mill — a report about the Bulls listening to offers about Jimmy Butler — he broke the veneer he’s so carefully crafted since his arrival in Chicago.

“No. I’m not going to comment on the rumors,” Hoiberg said.

When asked if he was surprised, Hoiberg deviated from his usual tactic of cracking a quick joke to break the ice and seemed annoyed he has to address something seemingly every week.

“No, I’m not. I’m not surprised at all,” Hoiberg said. “Because that’s the world that we live in, unfortunately.”

He admitted the totality of it all can wear on someone or even his team, but insisted he won’t allow it to.

“It is what it is. It’s the world that we live in,” Hoiberg said. “You try to stay away from it as much as possible. Keep your head down, keep working. Again, I think we’ve made significant progress these last couple of weeks as a basketball team, winning four of six and having some really good wins in that stretch.”

Dwyane Wade believes it’s the market of Chicago that leads to such daily and weekly controversy.

“It's a big market. It's the Bulls. Our best player is in a rumor right now,” Wade said. “It doesn't matter. It's been a rumor every week but nothing has happened. It's a big market, something to talk about. A couple extra hits. It's the way the world works, the world we're in. Someone decided to write something with no merit. And if it does have merit, way to be first in line for the scoop.”

Dwyane Wade joked he’s never been involved in a trade rumor and stated there’s a few untouchables around the NBA.

“James Harden don't have a price, Russell Westbrook don't have a price, LeBron James don't have a price. Steph Curry don't…,” Wade said. “There's certain guys at this point, this moment, don't have a price. At some point, everybody got a price and depending on when. Dwyane Wade didn't have a price at one point.”

He didn’t forget his teammate, the guy who scored 52 one night and closed out the Cavaliers two nights later with a 14-point fourth quarter.

“In my mind, he doesn't. I think he's the cornerstone of this franchise,” Wade said. “He's the reason I'm here. The reason we're winning games, Not in my mind but it's not my decision.”

Although the two are obviously close and Wade being much more experienced than Butler, he said he wouldn’t give the rumors life by talking to his teammate about it.

“For what? Who wrote an article? Somebody wrote an article? Who cares. Like I said, you can control what you can control,” Wade said. “You can’t control somebody waking up one day and wanting to stir something up in Chicago and write an article.”

It’s the two-way street of the NBA, he believes.

“The only thing you can do is bring your butt in here and work, and if they call you and say, ‘Hey, you’ve been moved.’ Shake their hand and you say, ‘Thank you for everything,’ and you leave,” Wade said. “I always told my teammates, because you never know what’s going to happen in this league, you never know where you’re going to be, stay professional. Just like you have your opportunities in free agency and stuff like that to decide where you want to go, they have opportunities to move you. There’s nothing you can do about it. So don’t listen to it. It’s the time of the year where everybody’s name is being thrown in a hat, and most of it don’t even happen.’’

With the rumors being so prevalent from one thing to another, Hoiberg said he discusses it with his team at times.

“We talk a little but about it, but we don't spend a lot of time talking about it. But yeah, there are moments,” he said. “I'll say this. Going back to my days in the front office, you're always talking to other teams, you're always making calls. You talk about your roster, People throw things against the wall all the time.”

Hoiberg was an assistant GM with the Timberwolves for a short time before going to the college ranks at Iowa State.

“I was a guy that made a lot of calls. So you do that stuff all the time,” he said. “You do your due diligence on other teams and rosters and throw things out there; 99 percent of them have no legs and you move on, but that is the job. You do call every other team in the league and you talk. That's what that job's about.”

CUBS: Inbox: What are Maddon's leadoff options?

Beat reporter Carrie Muskat answers fans' questions

Schwarber looks ahead to 2017. (Photo/chicagocubs.com) 

With 39 days left before Cubs pitchers and catchers report to Mesa, Ariz., let's tackle another batch of your questions about the season to come.

For too many years, the Cubs struggled to find a leadoff guy, so I don't think it was a fluke that the emergence of Dexter Fowler coincided with the club's success. With his departure, what options does Joe Maddon have for 2017?
-- Michael M., Phoenix

New year, new leadoff man. You may see Kyle Schwarber batting first this year. In the Minor Leagues, Schwarber posted a .429 on-base percentage, and his patience paid off in the World Series. During the Winter Meetings last month, Maddon said he considered inserting Schwarber in the No. 1 spot even when Fowler was on the roster. The "nerds" in the Cubs' baseball operations department who analyze the data convinced Maddon to use Fowler, and it obviously worked. The analytics guys have probably been checking the numbers this offseason.

Other options include Ben Zobrist, who was second on the Cubs last season with a .386 on-base percentage and paced the team in walks (96), and new addition Jon Jay, who led off for the Cardinals.

With David Ross gone, who do you think will catch Jon Lester? Will there be a mix of catchers or will Lester stick with one throughout the season?
-- Tracy S., Winchester, Ind.

That will probably be determined in Spring Training with both Willson Contreras and Miguel Montero working with Lester in Cactus League games. Lester most likely would prefer to have one catcher. He will miss Ross. The lefty compiled a 2.75 ERA over 89 games and 578 2/3 innings in his career with Ross catching.

I continue to hear Ben Zobrist's tie-breaking hit in Game 7 referred to as the game-winning hit. As crucial as it was, it technically didn't win the game. Miguel Montero had the game-winning RBI, and it's hardly mentioned by most sports media. Don't you think it's time to give the man his due?
-- Eric B., Plainfield, Ill.

A brief refresher: Zobrist hit a tie-breaking RBI double with one out in the 10th inning of Game 7 against the Indians, and Montero added an RBI single for an 8-6 lead. The Indians scored in the 10th, but as most Cubs fans know, it wasn't enough and the Cubs won, 8-7. A game-winning RBI is credited to the batter whose plate appearance is responsible for bringing his team ahead for the final time in the game. Zobrist's RBI double in the 10th did just that.

How is the Cubs' outfield going to play out this season? Sure, Jason Heyward was great defensively speaking, but when he's in the lineup, we're essentially down a bat. Would there be any better options for the Cubs on the market? -- Megan A., Rapid City, S.D.

To answer your question regarding better options on the market: No. As of now, the Cubs' outfielders include Heyward, Schwarber, Zobrist, Jay, and Albert Almora Jr. with Matt Szczur in the wings. Heyward's .230 batting average was disappointing, but the team did go 75-37 in the 112 games he started in right. Don't underestimate the importance of what he can do on defense.

Who will be the next position player to impress from the Minors?
-- Rob S., Oak Lawn, Ill.

Keep an eye on third baseman Jeimer Candelario, 23, who compiled a .333/.417/.542 slash line at Triple-A Iowa last season. He got a brief callup in early July, and he's ranked fourth on MLBPipeline.com's list of the Cubs' Top 30 Prospects. The tough part for Candelario is that he's insurance right now because he's blocked at third base by Kris Bryant.

WHITE SOX: When will the White Sox eventually trade Jose Quintana?

By CSN Staff

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

After trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton for a number of top prospects this offseason, the White Sox understand that Jose Quintana could bring in the same value of high-level prospects back to the South Side if Rick Hahn & Co. wish to move him.

The White Sox are reportedly still in trade talks that involve Quintana, with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros as the favorites to land him. The Pirates, Astros and Atlanta Braves have all made offers this winter.

However the White Sox are in no rush to trade Quintana, who has four years left on a favorable contract. Hahn stated that the team isn't going to "force this thing" — talking about the rebuild. That includes the decision of what to do with Quintana.

But if the White Sox decide to trade the 27-year-old southpaw, when will it be?

The SportsTalk Live panel discusses when the best time would be to deal the White Sox ace.

White Sox add a pair of outfielders in series of roster moves.

By Tony Andracki

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The White Sox have added a pair of outfielders into the fold with a series of roster moves Friday.

First, the South Siders signed 26-year-old outfielder Cody Asche to a minor-league deal according to Baseball America's Matt Eddy.

Then the Sox announced they claimed outfielder Willy Garcia off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates, designating outfielder Jason Coats for assignment in a corresponding move to make room for Garcia on the 40-man roster.

Garcia, 24, has been playing the Pirates system since he was a 17-year-old in 2010. He has put up a .257/.304/.418 slash line in 720 minor-league games, including a .659 OPS in Triple-A Indianapolis in 2016.

He has played all three outfield positions, but has the most experience in right field (492 games).

Coats will turn 27 next month and made his MLB debut in 2016, appearing in 28 games with the White Sox.

He has been in the organization since being selected in the 29th round of the 2012 MLB Draft. Coats hit .330 with a .912 OPS in 78 games for Triple-A Charlotte last season before he was called up to the big leagues.

Asche, meanwhile, is a 26-year-old left-handed hitter who has experience as a third baseman and outfielder.

He was recently non-tendered by the Philadelphia Phillies after hitting just .213 with a .635 OPS in 71 games in 2016.

Asche appeared in 250 games for the Phillies as a role player from 2014-15, hitting 22 homers and 47 doubles in 822 at-bats.

White Sox bringing back veteran catcher Geovany Soto on minor league deal.

By Dan Hayes

(Photo/csnchicago.com)

The White Sox have added a veteran to their 2017 catching mix as Geovany Soto agreed to return on a minor league deal on Thursday, a baseball source said.

Soto — who hit .269/.321/.487 with four home runs in 86 plate appearances for the Los Angeles Angels last season — previously played in 78 games for the White Sox in 2015.

With the organization’s lack of experienced options behind the plate, the veteran catcher, an ex-Cub and the 2008 National League Rookie of the Year, has a good chance to make the club’s Opening Day roster.

Soto hit .219/.301/.406 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs in 210 plate appearances for the 2015 club when he split playing time with Tyler Flowers. Both catchers were allowed to depart after that season, and the White Sox signed free agents Dioner Navarro and Alex Avila with the hope they’d offer the team more offensive production.

The team’s catchers both struggled in 2016, and Navarro was traded to Toronto in late August while injuries limited Avila to 57 games. Avila’s disabled list trips opened up playing time for rookie Omar Narvaez, who caught 34 games and showed promise.

Avila returned to the Detroit Tigers on a one-year contract last month, leaving Narvaez and Kevan Smith, who caught seven games last season, as the only catchers with big league experience on the 40-man roster.  

While the White Sox have identified 2016 first-round pick Zack Collins as their catcher of the future, he’s likely to spend all of 2017 in the minors. With the team now in a rebuild, the plan is to give Collins every chance to improve his catching skills. The 2016 Johnny Bench Award winner spent most of the 2016 Arizona Fall League catching bullpen sessions in an attempt to improve behind the plate. He’s expected to start the season at Single-A Winston-Salem.

The Score's Bruce Levine first reported that Soto signed with the White Sox.

Golf: I got a club for that..... Thomas refuses to let disastrous hole derail him.

By Rex Hoggard

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

At no other stop is the style of victory as much a personality trait as it is at the SBS Tournament of Champions.

All 32 are champions, card-carrying members of the game’s most exclusive club and all are somewhat defined by those varied accomplishments.

William McGirt, for example, won the Memorial last June in a gutsy playoff for his first PGA Tour victory, a testament to perseverance and pluck; while Justin Thomas’ ticket to Kapalua was punched just a few weeks ago with an impressive three-stroke statement over red-hot Hideki Matsuyama at the CIMB Classic, a lofty victory to go along with all that untapped potential.

In simplest terms, you are what your victory says you are – be it a gritty journeyman or a prodigy with something to prove. So on Sunday with a fresh wind giving the Plantation Course some much-needed teeth, Thomas’ play and pluck spoke volumes.

It wasn’t supposed to be this hard, not when the 23-year-old began the final round with a two-stroke lead, a mountain of momentum and one of the most powerful swings pound-for-pound in the big leagues.

Thomas was virtually business-like for nine holes with birdies at Nos. 3, 5 and 8 to turn at 21 under and five strokes clear of McGirt. Matsuyama, widely considered the hottest player in golf at the moment following three victories in his last four global starts, stumbled early with a series of poor putts that would come back to haunt him.

That’s when things became interesting.

On Saturday, McGirt said he felt like he would have "putted better blindfolded.” When he four-putted the 10th hole from 49 feet on his way to a double bogey-6 the entire affair started to have a firing-squad air to it as the veteran faded from contention.

At the Plantation Course, however, not even five up with nine to play is safe. The final loop began to resemble the final two minutes of an NBA game with three dramatic swings over the closing stretch.

The first came at the 14th hole when Matsuyama eagled the par 4 and Thomas could only manage a birdie. At the next hole, Thomas hit what he called a “fat-hooked” 4-iron into a hazard on his way to a double bogey-7.

“I told [caddie Jimmy Johnson] walking up to 17 tee, I was like, we would have taken this spot before the week started,” said Thomas, whose lead had been trimmed to a single stroke. “I was still playing great. I was hitting a lot of good shots. It was just a lot slimmer lead than it could have been.”

The final swing came at the 17th hole when Matsuyama three-putted from 29 feet for bogey and Thomas converted from 3 feet for birdie to pull a field goal clear.

For Thomas it was his third Tour victory and moves him into the top 15 in the world ranking. But just as it is with all victories, the subtext of his accomplishment was much more meaningful, if not a tad more difficult to quantify.

Infinitely talented and considered by many a future superstar, Thomas’ play hadn’t been as consistent as some would have expected, including Thomas. The golf swing has never been a question, but his ability to withstand the pressures of contending has been.

But on Sunday after his worst swing of the week on the 15th hole, he never showed any signs of frustration, not a hint of impatience.

“He didn’t even flinch. He didn’t say anything, he just keeps playing now,” Johnson said. “A year and a half ago he would have kept playing but there would have been more turmoil in his head. His head was clear the whole day.”

Thomas was not as kind when asked how he would have reacted to the dramatic turn of events on No. 15 just two years ago. “I probably would still be out there crying or whining about it,” he conceded with a smile and a shrug.

Instead, he’s now won twice in his first four starts of the 2016-17 season and solidified himself as one of the game’s established players. At 23, some would consider that ahead of schedule, but in some ways Thomas has suffered by association.

A longtime friend and frequent practice-round partner of Jordan Spieth, the external comparisons between the two always felt unfair, not because Thomas was an inferior player but because few in the history of the game have been able to develop, and deliver, as quickly as Spieth.

But moments after Spieth congratulated him for his victory on the Plantation Course’s 18th green, Thomas conceded the internal pressure had been the most difficult over his first two seasons on Tour.

“I wasn't mad, but it was maybe a little frustrating sometimes seeing some friends and peers my age do well,” Thomas said. “Not because I wasn't cheering for them, [but] because I feel like I was as good as them. It's just immature of me. I mean, the fact of the matter is, over the course of a long career, we're going to beat each other. That's just how it is.”

It was his victory in October at the CIMB Classic, his second consecutive triumph at the Asian stop, where Thomas said he started to truly feel comfortable in his Tour skin, but it will most likely be his three-stroke coronation at Kapalua that propels him to that coveted next level.

“I think it's potentially floodgates opening,” Spieth said of Thomas’ victory. “The guy hits it forever. He's got a really, really nifty short game. He manages the course well ... I’m really excited for him. It's awesome. He's going to be tough to beat next week [Sony Open], too.”

Each victory has a personality, and Thomas’ eventful triumph in Maui fits the new champion perfectly – confident, surprisingly cool and comfortable.

PGA Tour, LPGA may hold joint Tournament of Champions.

By Randall Mell

The PGA Tour is exploring the possibility of spicing up its opening event of the new year with some help from the LPGA.

The Tour is considering sharing its Tournament of Champions stage in Hawaii with the women.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan tells Golf Channel that talks are in the works with LPGA commissioner Mike Whan to stage a similar women’s event jointly with the men’s in the future.

“You could see men and women here at the Tournament of Champions,” Monahan told Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner as part of a wide-ranging interview that will air Monday on Golf Central and Tuesday on Morning Drive. “That is something we are thinking about and talking to Mike and the LPGA about. We would like to see that happen. We have some interest from sponsors.”

Monahan didn’t give specifics on how the joint event would be presented.

Back in March, the PGA Tour and LPGA announced a “strategic alliance agreement” where the tours would work together coordinating schedules, including trying to come up with joint events. The tours said the alliance would include some joint marketing and domestic television and media strategies.

“We have been partners with the LPGA for a long time, so when we made the announcement it really wasn’t anything new,” Monahan told Lerner. “It’s just more formalized.

“We are spending more time talking about how do we drive more people to the game, both men and women, girls and boys. Can we potentially get men and women into the same field of play? Again, another thing that no other sport can do, and then looking at media. Are there some shared efficiencies with how we present our tours to the world at large?”

Rory on Rio WD: 'I resent the Olympics Games'.

By Nick Menta

(Photo/Golf Channel Digital)

At the time, Rory McIlroy said he was skipping the Rio Olympics because of the Zika virus. He also said he "didn't get into golf to try and grow the game."

But now months later, in an interview with the Sunday Independent, the current world No. 2 is opening up about his uneasiness representing a particular country.

McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, had announced prior to his withdrawal that he would represent Ireland rather than Great Britain in golf's return to the Olympic Games; but the more he considered it, the less comfortable he felt playing for either flag.

"Not everyone is driven by nationalism and patriotism," he told the Independent, via RTE.ie, which elaborated that McIlroy "identifies himself as Northern Irish rather than British or Irish."

The Belfast Telegraph has additional quotes from the interview, in which McIlroy says he resents the Olympic Games for forcing him to choose one country over another.

"All of a sudden it put me in a position where I had to question who I am. Who am I? Where am I from? Where do my loyalties lie? Who am I going to play for? Who do I not want to piss off the most?" he said.

"I started to resent it and I do. I resent the Olympics Games because of the position it put me in, that's my feelings towards it, and whether that's right or wrong, it's how I feel."

Great Britain's Justin Rose would go on to win the gold medal, and while McIlroy wasn't shy in reaching out to offer his congratulations, their text conversation summed up the Ulsterman's apprehension.

“I sent Justin Rose a text after he won," McIlroy said. "I think I still have the message: 'I'm happy for you, mate. I saw how much it means to you. Congratulations.' He said: 'Thanks very much. All the boys here want to know do you feel like you missed out?'

“I said: 'Justin, if I had been on the podium (listening) to the Irish national anthem as that flag went up, or the British national anthem as that flag went up, I would have felt uncomfortable either way.'

“I don't know the words to either of them; I don't feel a connection to either flag; I don't want it to be about flags; I've tried to stay away from that.”

McIlroy was just one from a group of the game's top players - including Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and others - who opted not to make the trip to Rio.

He would go on to represent Team Europe at the Ryder Cup in September, going 3-2-0 and taking on a key role as the team's emotional leader opposite the United States' Patrick Reed.

NASCAR: Is it time for NASCAR to make format changes?

By Dustin Long

(Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

With speculation of format changes for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, one track president said he doesn’t want to see anything “radical,” but would be for a halftime break or quarter breaks in a race.

Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, said Friday he would be for breaks in races but is against anything that shortens races.

“I think a format change is a good thing, but it needs to be a tweak, not a radical change,” he said on a conference call Friday announcing the track’s repaving project. “If I could wave the magic wand, we’d have at least a halftime and maybe periods. Something like that. Football games have four quarters. Hockey games have three (periods). That kind of thing.

“Pit stops? I don’t know if you would have five minutes or 10 minutes or just throw a caution flag like a competition yellow. Those aren’t radical departures.’’

Gossage also said he would be for paying a bonus to the leader at halfway again. He even suggested awarding points based on segments of races.

“Those kind of things as opposed to, I’ve heard people talking about heats and things like that, I think that is a radical departure,’’ he said. 

Discussion of any format changes has increased with Monster Energy becoming the title sponsor for NASCAR’s top series. Some believe this could be a natural time to make such changes.

Monster Energy sponsors the Supercross Series — it was announced Thursday that Monster has extended its deal to sponsor that series through 2021 — and that series is making changes. The Supercross Series will go to timed races this year instead of races based on laps.

Would timed races be something that could work with some NASCAR races?

“My personal opinion is that timed races suck,’’ Gossage said. “It’s funny, I hear all these kind of things from the people that travel the circuit, the teams, the sponsor reps, the media, but you don’t hear these things from the fans. Our fans, they don’t want less. They’ve been waiting all year long for this. They don’t want less. They want more.

“No fan wants us to go away from 500-mile races (at Texas). I don’t know if timed races make any sense, to me personally. I watched I think the longest college football game in history the other night. The Rose Bowl game. Didn’t it go 17 hours or something like that (actual time of USC’s 52-49 win over Penn State on Monday was 4 hours, 12 minutes)?

“But it was thrilling. You didn’t want to turn it off. What we’ve got to work on is make sure the product is thrilling and it doesn’t matter how long it goes.’’

Which of these changes should NASCAR make for 2017?

Halftime break

Cautions at particular times

Heat races

Timed races

Pay leader at halfway a cash bonus

None

Vote

View Results    Polldaddy.com

Davey Allison’s legacy lives on through family and friends.

By Kelly Crandall

(Photo/Kelly Crandall / NBC Sports)

The four of them sat on a makeshift stage at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and were ready, if not appearing a bit apprehensive, to turn around.

There was the son who lost his father before the age of 2, Robbie Allison. Next to him sat his grandfather, 1983 Cup champion Bobby Allison. Then came a former crew chief and a close friend of both Allisons, Larry McReynolds. Finally, another friend, and son of a famous car owner, Lorin Ranier.

But the group did turn and watch as a car cover was removed. With it went the butterflies, replaced by broad smiles and a rush of memories at the sight of the No. 28 Ford Thunderbird driven by Davey Allison in his rookie Cup Series season for Ranier-Lundy Racing. The car proudly taking its place with the rest of those deemed iconic enough to be on Glory Road.

“It was just such a great feeling,” Bobby Allison said of seeing the car. “I was really bonded with the car all the way through. I had driven for that team (Ranier Racing) earlier and then (Davey) got in the car, and it was the black-and-white deal and evolved from that into the black Havoline special, the Texaco star. Just so many good things about it. The good wins that he had. Just made me feel great.”

Pride emanated from all four individuals throughout the event. Especially Bobby, who not only raised Davey with his late wife, Judy, but raced against him from 1985-88. Bobby took a few trips up Glory Road to get a good look at the car and shared his favorite memories of Davey with those who asked. Or at least the ones he can remember.

Bobby carries around a picture in his pocket of the 1988 Daytona 500 that he won with Davey finishing second to remind himself that, “Yeah, that did happen.” (Bobby lost his memory of the win in a crash at Pocono Raceway a few months later.)

Robbie Allison has his own brief memories of his father, who won 19 Cup races in 191 starts, including the 1992 Daytona 500, before his untimely passing in a July 1993 helicopter crash. Robbie, like many others, also repeatedly has heard how his father was destined to become a champion.

Davey, Robbie said, “definitely was as good a father as he was a racer.”

With his car now displayed in the Hall of Fame, it provides Robbie and the others a chance to explain why Davey was as good as many say.

“You have to think about how he grew up,” said Ranier, who shared a picture of the two from when they were teenagers. “His father was an iconic driver, and Davey took advantage of his position, meaning he wasn’t just floating around saying, ‘Hey, Bobby Allison’s my dad, and I can do whatever I want.’ He went and worked his ass off and learned and understood why his dad won races.

“He knew why (Bobby) won and then he just kind of adopted that to himself. Also, too, (Davey) kind of saw the mistakes that his dad made, and he tried not to do that. He had a really cool upbringing to become a great driver, and he was talented. So you mix all that together.”

McReynolds knew Davey as well as anyone.

The two were friendly long before McReynolds became his crew chief and their relationship went far beyond the NASCAR garage. Davey and his wife, Liz, were close friends with McReynolds and his wife, Linda. Robbie Allison and Larry’s son Brandon were born a few months apart and later baptized together. The Allisons were named Brandon’s godparents and the McReynolds the same for Robbie.

Friday, Larry showed up at the Hall of Fame proudly wearing a leather jacket that had been given to Davey’s team many years ago. McReynolds shared the sentiment that Davey was not only talented but a student of the sport.

“He lived, ate and slept racing,” McReynolds said. “I said it at his funeral that we miss him, we’re grieving, but if there’s anybody that’s left this earth that had his priorities in order, Davey Allison was that guy. He enjoyed getting away and doing a little bit of hunting and fishing, but for the most part, especially during the racing season, he would live, sleep, and eat these race cars pretty much from the beginning of February to the middle of November and even during the offseason. It was never good enough, and that’s rubbed off on me.”

The allure of Davey Allison also came in how he was described as a genuinely kind-hearted person off the track.

“It’s funny because when people think about Bobby back in the day, Bobby was a very popular driver, he won like Most Popular Driver (six) times,” Ranier said. “People liked Bobby, but they loved Davey. You know what I mean? They just loved him.”

As did all those in attendance. The group of four along with those who accompanied them were the last ones to leave the Hall of Fame after taking one last look at the car. They did so sharing a common hope for the future.

To McReynolds, Davey Allison’s car being in the Hall of Fame is hopefully just another rung in the ladder. He deserves Ranier said, to climb that ladder to induction into the Hall of Fame. It would give him a permanent place in the Hall alongside his father Bobby, who continues to wait for that day.

“Oh yes,” Bobby said of wanting Davey in the Hall of Fame. “Yes. There’s so many good guys out there, but Davey accomplished so much in that short period of time. Including the Daytona win, the wins around the other big tracks around the country. I’d love to see him in there.”

Circle Sport and The Motorsports Group merge for 2017 effort.

By Kelly Crandall

Joe Falk and Curtis Key Sr. have merged their respective operations to field a single entry in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season.

The team will be led by Falk, who brings a charter to the partnership. Falk had been a part of the Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing effort in 2016, which fielded a car that was split between Ty Dillon and Michael McDowell.

However, NASCAR viewed the alliance as Falk having leased his Charter to Bob Leavine. It resulted in Falk needing to use the Charter this season or sell it.

In 2016, Key also fielded a single car effort. The No. 30 qualified for 30 of the 36 races with drivers Gray Gaulding and Josh Wise.

Under the Falk and Key partnership, the team will field the No. 33 Chevrolet. Falk’s charter guarantees the team, with a driver to be announced in the coming weeks, will compete in every Cup Series race.

“It’s great to join forces with Curtis Key, I’ve known him for a very long time and know we share the same feelings about racing,” Falk said in a team release.

Veteran crew chief Pat Tryson will oversee the effort. Tryson has 541 starts at the Cup level and eight career wins. Throughout his career, Tryson has worked with drivers such as Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Kurt Busch, and Martin Truex Jr.

Tryson also previously worked with The Motorsports Group when the team made the transition into the Cup Series in 2015.

“It’s great to have Pat back with us, he was instrumental when we got started with our Cup program and we look forward to his insight in 2017,” said Key.

The team will operate out of The Motorsports Group shop in Mooresville, North Carolina.

SOCCER: Fire sign Uruguayan goalkeeper Jorge Bava.

By Dan Santaromita

(Photo/AP)

As the Chicago Fire have added a striker and a midfielder earlier this December, a gaping hole at goalkeeper remained.

Matt Lampson, who made 11 starts in 2016, was the team’s only goalkeeper under contract. That changed on Saturday with the addition of 35-year-old Uruguayan Jorge Bava.

Bava last played for Atletico Bucaramanga in the Colombian first division. The 6-foot-4 ‘keeper has also played in Argentina, Mexico and Paraguay in addition to five clubs in his native Uruguay.

“Bava is technically clean, comfortable off his line and a good organizer of the defense,” general manager Nelson Rodríguez said in the team's announcement. “His skill set is complementary to that of Matt Lampson and we expect him to compete for playing time.”

The contract is a one-year deal with options for 2018 and 2019.

Bava will take up an international slot on the Fire’s roster, bringing the team’s total to eight, which is the league's limit. In order to add another international player, the Fire can trade for another international spot or have a current player receive a green card to count as a domestic player.

The Fire currently have 20 players under contract.

The combine for next week's MLS SuperDraft starts tomorrow. The Fire have the third and 11th picks in the first round.

FA Cup wrap: Chelsea, Spurs nab wins; Reds get replay.

By Nicholas Mendola

(AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Three Premier League sides secured spots in the fourth round of this year’s FA Cup competition, though Liverpool will have to wait for a replay in the hopes of joining Chelsea, Spurs, and Middlesbrough.

That puts the trio with Manchester City, Manchester United, Hull City, Arsenal, Watford, and Leicester City in the fourth round. Burnley, Sunderland, Liverpool, Southampton, and Crystal Palace face replays.

Tottenham 2-0 Aston Villa

Mauricio Pochettino handed a start to promising British-American back Cameron Carter-Vickers, who played well, and Spurs needed plenty of time to break down Steve Bruce‘s Villans. Ben Davies and Son Heung-min scored in the last 20 minutes to lead Spurs onward.

Cardiff 1-2 Fulham

The Welsh hosts took a lead from an early Anthony Pilkington free kick, but Stefan Johansen and 16-year-old Ryan Sessegnon had the Cottagers ahead for good by halftime.

Liverpool 0-0 Plymouth Argyle — RECAP

Jurgen Klopp went with mostly kids, and the Reds couldn’t find the net and will have to head to Plymouth for a rematch.

Chelsea 4-1 Peterborough — RECAP

Easy sailing for Antonio Conte aside from a late John Terry red card, as Pedro scored twice to go with goals from Michy Batshuayi and Willian in a straight-forward win.

Middlesbrough 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Grant Leadbitter scored again before Boro went down a man in the 59th minute, but the hosts instead found two more goals to move onto the next round (Alvaro Negredo and Marten De Roon with the other markers).

FA Cup wrap: Three Premier League sides upset. (Saturday's results, 01/07/2017).

By Nicholas Mendola

(Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

There are plenty of replays on tap after deadlocks dotted the landscape of the FA Cup’s third round.

Six Premier League sides are out, with four more headed for replays. Advancing to the next round are Manchester United, Leicester City, Watford, and Hull City.

West Ham fell to Man City 5-0 on Friday, a result which gives the PL five sides in the next round.

— Darren Bent and Tom Ince found the back of the net for Derby County when the Rams upended West Brom at the Hawthorns. Matty Phillips scored for the hosts.

— Bournemouth went out, too, at the hands of Shaun Cummings, Steve Morison, Shane Ferguson, and Millwall. USMNT mid Emerson Hyndman got a rare start for the Cherries in the loss.

— Stoke City was bounced at home by Wolverhampton, as Helder Costa and Matt Doherty scored for Wolves.

— Wayne Rooney tied Bobby Charlton’s record for most goals as a Manchester United player in a 4-0 beatdown of Reading.

— Ahmed Musa is having a day, scoring twice in five minutes when Leicester City erased a 1-0 deficit at the hands of Everton.

— Hull City topped fellow relegation strugglers Swansea City 2-0. Watford handled Burton Albion by the same score.

— Lincoln City also got a brace, this one from Theo Robinson, as the National League side built a lead at Ipswich Town. Ex-Man Utd man Tom Lawrence twice scored equalizers.

— Burnley and Sunderland finished 0-0, giving the clubs a replay they likely prefer a bit less than a loss. Crystal Palace and Southampton also needs replays after drawing second tier sides.

— Arsenal advanced with a win in the late game behind more Olivier Giroud heroics, and three more sides play Sunday: Liverpool, Chelsea, and Spurs.

FA Cup third round results

West Ham United 0-5 Man City — RECAP
Manchester United 4-0 Reading
Everton 1-2 Leicester City
Ipswich Town 2-2 Lincoln City
Sunderland 0-0 Burnley
Bolton 0-0 Crystal Palace
Norwich City 2-2 Southampton
Queens Park Rangers 1-2 Blackburn
Watford 2-0 Burton Albion
West Brom 1-2 Derby County
Millwall 3-0 Bournemouth
Birmingham City 1-1 Newcastle United
Wigan Athletic 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Bristol City 0-0 Fleetwood Town
Hull City 2-0 Swansea City
Blackpool 0-0 Barnsley
Stoke City 0-2 Wolves
Huddersfield Town 4-0 Port Vale
Brighton 2-0 MK Dons.
Brentford 5-1 Eastleigh
Accrington Stanley 2-1 Luton Town
Wycombe 2-1 Stourbridge
Rotherham 2-3 Oxford United
Barrow 0-2 Rochdale
Sutton United 0-0 AFC Wimbledon
Preston North End 1-2 Arsenal

Monday

Cambridge United vs. Leeds United — 2:45 p.m. EDT

La Liga & Serie A: Messi salvages point for Barca; Juventus cruises.

By Matt Reed

(Photo/David Ramos/Getty Images)

A roundup of Sunday’s action in Spain and Italy’s top flights…

Villareal 1-1 Barcelona

The Blaugrana were on the verge of disaster until Lionel Messi rescued Barcelona with a 90th minute free kick on Sunday afternoon. The Argentine forward struck in the dying moments with a superb dead ball opportunity to give Barcelona a share of the points against Villareal. The Yellow Submarine took the lead four minutes into the second half after Nicola Sansone finished off an Alexandre Pato pass on a counterattack. Barcelona currently trails league leaders Real Madrid by five points, while Villareal sits fifth on 30 points.

Real Betis 2-0 Leganes

Ruben Castro and Cristiano Piccini each scored after halftime on Sunday as Real Betis moved nine points above the relegation zone in La Liga. Meanwhile, the loss puts Leganes within four points of the bottom three as the season approaches its halfway stage.

Celta Vigo 3-1 Malaga

The two sides are now level on points following their clash at the Balaídos. Iago Aspas gave Celta the lead on seven minutes before Daniel Wass and Fontas put the match to bed in the second stanza. Wass briefly gave Malaga a glimmer of hope in the 86th minute when he put the ball into his own net, however, the chance was gone for the Boquerones to mount a comeback.

Elsewhere in La Liga

Athletic Bilbao 0-0 Alaves

Juventus 3-0 Bologna

The Bianconeri jumped out to a two-goal lead before halftime, and from there the league leaders left their opponent no chance. First-half goals from Gonzalo Higuain and Paulo Dybala gave Juventus their first win since the holiday break. Higuain scored once more after halftime to hand Juventus a third and the side three points on the day.

AC Milan 1-0 Cagliari

Carlos Bacca played hero for the Milan side as the Colombian scored inside of five minutes remaining to give the Rossoneri the win. The hosts and goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma weren’t challenged much on the day, however, Milan struggled to break down the Cagliari backline for a large part of the afternoon. Cagliari was dealt its final blow in stoppage time when Bruno Alves was sent off for a rash tackle on Bacca in the 94th minute.

Atalanta 4-1 Chievo Verona

Surprises Atalanta moved into sixth in Italy’s top flight on Sunday after a comfortable victory over 11th place Chievo. The hosts took the lead after four minutes when Alejandro Gomez notched his first of two finishes. Andrea Conti made it 3-0 prior to halftime before Atalanta grabbed a fourth on the side of the break.

Elsewhere in Serie A

Udinese 1-2 Inter Milan
Roma 1-0 Genoa
Sassuolo 0-0 Torino
Lazio 1-0 Crotone
Pescara-Fiorentina (Postponed)

FIFA set to approve 48-team World Cup.

Associated Press

(Photo by Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)

FIFA is set to make the World Cup bigger and richer, even if the price to pay is lower quality soccer.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hopes his ruling Council will agree Tuesday to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 nations, playing in 16 groups of three teams.

A decision could be delayed if some Council members demand to know exactly how many qualifying places each continent will get before agreeing to scrap the 32-team format. It has been successful, popular and profitable since 1998 and is locked in for the next two World Cups in Russia and Qatar.

The prize of 16 extra places, and the biggest increases to Africa and Asia, has “overwhelming” support from FIFA’s 211 member federations, Infantino has said.

Their promise of extra funding from Zurich could also be secured by FIFA’s forecast 20 percent rise in rights fees paid by broadcasters and sponsors.

“Financially, the 48-team format is the most appealing or successful simply because the sporting element is prevailing and every match is important,” Infantino said two weeks ago. "The decision should not be financially driven, neither in terms of revenue or costs … but the driver should really be the development of football and boosting football all over the world.”

World Cup champion Germany is not in favor. It argued that diluting the number of European and South American teams – which won all 20 titles since 1930 – could “strengthen the imbalance” seen at some tournaments.

“The (German soccer federation) fundamentally believe that the current 32-team format is the best option,” its president Reinhard Grindel said last week. Germany has no delegate at Tuesday’s meeting though Grindel is set to join the FIFA Council in May.

FIFA acknowledged the risk of lower standards in a research document sent to members last month, as first reported by The Associated Press.

The “absolute quality” of soccer, defined by high-ranked teams playing each other most often, is achieved by 32 teams, FIFA said, citing 10,000 tournament simulations made to reach that conclusion.

Still, Infantino promised voters more World Cup places and funding raises before his election last February.

FIFA expects $5.5 billion income tied to the 2018 World Cup in Russia, though 25 of 34 sponsorship slots are unsold. The research document predicted the equivalent of $6.5 billion revenue from a 48-team tournament in the “16×3” format, which would send two teams from each group to a new Round of 32 knockout bracket.

All 80 matches would play in an exclusive time slot. Currently, 64 World Cup matches have 56 broadcast slots because the eight four-team groups play their last matches simultaneously.

FIFA predicts organizing costs for “16×3” rising from $2 billion to $2.3 billion, giving a potential profit rise of $640 million.

Though a “16×3” World Cup would still need a maximum of 12 stadiums, the demand for 16 more top-quality training camps and hotels suggests FIFA would look for 2026 hosts with existing capacity.

A North American bid from two or three of the United States, Canada and Mexico is currently favored in a contest that could start within weeks.

Five options are open Tuesday, including staying with 32 teams.

Infantino campaigned last year on a 40-team promise, in either eight groups of five teams or 10 groups of four teams. Neither impressed voters in recent regional meetings of FIFA member federations.

When the FIFA leader first proposed 48 teams, it included an opening playoff round. The 16 winners would join 16 seeded teams in a traditional 32-team group stage.

FIFA members disliked “one-and-done” teams going home before the “real” World Cup kicks off. It would also stretch to a 39-day event with more short-notice travel for fans.

Africa and Asia could be the big winners, and FIFA hopes new teams would include another Iceland, Wales and Costa Rica – over-achieving teams and feelgood stories at recent tournaments.

Still, hapless Tahiti was outclassed at the 2013 Confederations Cup, conceding 24 goals in three games.

“The goal of expanding the FIFA World Cup,” it has told members, “is to further advance the vision to promote the game of football, protect its integrity and bring the game to all.”

Entry quotas for 2018 World Cup: Europe 14 (including host Russia to qualify direct); Africa 5; Asia and South America 4.5 each; North, Central America and Caribbean 3.5; Oceania 0.5.

NCAAFB: Nick Saban on Clemson: I think they’re the best team.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images)

Alabama head coach Nick Saban has the defending national champions on the brink of the first 15-0 season in FBS history, yet he says the team his Crimson Tide will be lining up against on Monday night in the College Football Playoff national championship game is the best.

Speaking to the media in the final press conference setting before Monday night’s championship game in Tampa, Saban was, as to be expected, complimentary of Alabama’s opponent, ACC champion Clemson. Having gone toe-to-toe with Clemson a year ago in the championship game, Saban has as much respect for his next opponent as you can imagine. As Saban suggested, Clemson didn’t get back to the championship game by accident.

“I think that based on competition, competitors, you want to play, you should expect to play the best team,” Saban explained, as transcribed by TigerNet.com. “If you’re going to compete for a championship, and I think that Clemson deserves to be here, and I think they’re the best team, and I think our team deserves to be here, and they’ve done a great job all year to beat a lot of good teams to have the opportunity to get here, as well.”

Last year, it was Alabama handing Clemson their first loss of the year in the championship game, blocking Clemson from reaching an unprecedented 15-0. This year the roles are reversed. Clemson was No. 1 last year, Alabama is the top team this year. Clemson was undefeated last season, this year Alabama is undefeated. The respect Saban has his counterpart, Dabo Swinney, is evident because Saban knows how difficult it is to reach this stage, especially in consecutive seasons (yes, even for Alabama it is an accomplishment reaching this far).

“Dabo does a great job,” Saban said. “I think we need to be ready for whatever might happen and whatever the situation might be. But I think even without any new wrinkles, it’s been a very challenging week for us in terms of getting ready for whatever they do because they do a fantastic job.”

Greg Sankey may soon have power to reschedule SEC games.

By Kevin McGuire

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

After witnessing a messy situation between Florida and LSU in rescheduling a conference game this past season, the conference appears to be moving closer and closer to giving SEC commissioner Greg Sankey the power to take control of the conference schedule when the need arises.

Athletic directors in the SEC have voted unanimously in favor of providing Sankey with such power as commissioner to settle potential scheduling conflicts involving conference games, but that proposal must be approved by the conference’s university presidents and chancellors later this year during regularly scheduled spring meetings.

”I think it’s a very clear indication of how our athletics directors view the commissioner’s authority moving forward,” Sankey said when meeting with the media on Sunday in Tampa ahead of Monday night’s College Football Playoff championship game. ”We’ll continue a discussion about … how games, if they need to be rescheduled, might be rescheduled, whether it’s a particular time window or opportunities available and just make that clear in our commissioner’s regulations. ‘Very clearly our conference is supportive of saying that the commissioner is going to have the authority, which I didn’t have last fall.”

Florida’s home game against LSU last fall was forced to be canceled by the University of Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. A contentious war of words was ignited as a result and LSU ended up getting the game rescheduled and played in Baton Rouge later in the season. In exchange, LSU will play in Gainesville next season instead of hosting Florida as they were originally scheduled.

FBS commissioners thinking about doing something about ever-growing game length.

By Zach Bennett

The first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one, and college football is well beyond that point. As ESPN’s Brett McMurphy points out, the average game in 2016 lasted three hours and 24 minutes. That 3:24 figure, McMurphy writes, has grown seven minutes over the past four years despite the average number of plays dropping slightly over that span — from 143 in 2013 to 142.6 in ’16.

Reporting on the ground from Tampa, McMurphy canvased the powers-that-be in college football, and nearly all of them agreed there’s a problem.

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott: “I would like to see shorter games.”

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey: “Fundamentally, we have to have that conversation,”

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze: “I firmly believe we have to shorten games for the good of the game.”

While (most) everyone is in agreement games need to be shorted, there is no consensus in how to shorten them. Writes McMurphy:

These were some of the most common suggestions on how to shorten the games: a running clock on first downs (until the final two or five minutes of each half); shortening halftime; limiting the number of replays; reducing the number of timeouts; a shorter play clock; changing in-game substitution rules; and limiting the number of commercial breaks.

Shortening halftime, reducing television timeouts and limiting commercial breaks are all non-starters. Each would ask television networks to give back money, money those networks need to recoup after buying each commissioner, head coach and AD their second homes and third country club memberships. A shorter play clock seems like it would actually lengthen games.

The only sure-fire way to shorten games would be to limit replay reviews and/or to move toward an NFL-style timing system. While the former move may be possible, the latter would meet a brick wall of resistance. Reducing the number of plays in the average game would mean less reps for players, writing off a number of team and individual numeric standards and records as unattainable, and losing another differentiator between the college game and the NFL.

“There is a consensus, if not unanimity, the games need to be shortened, but there is also a strong belief that we don’t want to reduce the number of plays in a game,” Sun Belt commissioner Karl Benson said. “So until the majority agrees that shorter games will require fewer plays, we will be at a standstill.”

NCAABKB: SATURDAY’S SNACKS: Florida State, Butler earn wins; Duke, Louisville suffer injuries in wins.

By Scott Phillips

(Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)

SATURDAY’S THINGS TO KNOW

Grayson Allen may have tried to trip – or kick – another player, while Oregon’s Dillon Brooks definitely kicked another player. Right in the … fellas.

Fresh off of the win over No. 1 Villanova at home, No. 18 Butler went on the road and knocked off Georgetown on Saturday with an overtime win. CBT’s Rob Dauster was at this one as he offers more here.

Make it 11 consecutive wins for No. 12 Florida State as they took down No. 21 Virginia Tech to move to 3-0 in the ACC. The Seminoles have an impressive roster that is deep and athletic. I talked more about them and this game with three takeaways here.

Playing its first game without Coach K (back surgery), No. 8 Duke was able to beat Boston College for a home ACC win. I wrote a bit more on this one and what Duke has coming up this week. Senior Amile Jefferson also hurt his foot in this one, so pay attention there.

Malik Monk, an Arkansas native, picked Kentucky over the Razorbacks. On Saturday, Arkansas visited No. 6 Kentucky. They lost, 97-71, and while Monk struggled, De’Aaron Fox went for 27 points, six boards and six assists.

After knocking off Oklahoma State at home, 61-57, No. 2 Baylor will be the No. 1 team in the country on Monday morning.

Syracuse once again went with a shortened rotation as they blew past Pitt for an easy ACC home win. I wrote more on how head coach Jim Boeheim’s move to six players could change the Orange’s NCAA tournament picture.

Postponements happened all over college basketball due to some sub-freezing weather a little farther south than usual. No. 14 North Carolina and N.C. State was the main postponement, but No. 5 Gonzaga also had to postpone their game against Portland tonight.

STARRED

John Gillon, Syracuse: The senior continued to look like a point guard in ACC play with 20 points and 11 assists in a big Orange win over Pitt. Gillon was also 6-for-12 from three-point range. I have more on his performance here.

Desi Rodriguez and Angel Delgado, Seton Hall: DePaul was able to hang around with Seton Hall for most of the first half then these two took over. Rodriguez finished with 25 points and four assists on 10-for-13 shooting while Delgado had 20 points and 12 rebounds on 8-for-9 shooting.

Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky: This sophomore forward is starting to get comfortable for the Norseman as he went for 37 points and 10 rebounds in a Horizon League win over Cleveland State. McDonald was 11-for-15 from the field and 5-for-6 from three-point range.

MiKyle McIntosh, Illinois State: Keep an eye on this junior forward (and the Redbirds) as McIntosh continued his strong start in the Valley with 31 points, six rebounds and three assists. McIntosh was 9-for-13 from the floor and 5-for-5 from three-point range.

THE REST OF THE TOP 25

• After losing to Butler on Wednesday, No. 1 Villanova bounced back with a 93-81 win over Marquette.
• Frank Mason III and Devonte’ Graham combined for 46 points as No. 3 Kansas routed Texas Tech in Allen Fieldhouse.
• No. 7 West Virginia bounced back from its loss to Texas Tech with a home Big 12 win over TCU. Daxter Miles Jr. led four Mountaineers in double figures with 22 points.
• Road win for No. 9 Louisville as they outlasted Georgia Tech but the Cardinals lost Deng Adel to a concussion along the way. Sophomore Donovan Mitchell continued his recent solid play with 20 points.
• The evolution of Justin Patton continues as the freshman had 20 points and six rebounds to help lead No. 10 Creighton past Providence for a road Big East win. The Bluejays also had 11 points and 14 assists from senior point guard Mo Watson Jr.
• No. 16 Xavier scored 54 points in the first half on the way to a blowout win over St. John’s in the Big East. Sophomore Edmond Sumner finished with 20 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals.
• Allonzo Trier missed his 17th straight game, but No. 18 Arizona landed a win over Colorado, 82-73.
• Kyle Washington led five Bearcats in double-figures as No. 22 Cincinnati knocked off Houston, 67-58.
• V.J. Beachem played one of his best games of the season, scoring 22 points as No. 23 Notre Dame remained perfect in the ACC with a 75-70 win over Clemson.
• KeVaughn Allen’s 23 points led No. 24 Florida past Tennessee, 83-70.
• No. 25 Indiana snapped a three-game losing streak with a 96-80 win over Illinois.

NOTABLE

• Penn State earned a really good win over Michigan State in a special Big Ten game played in the Palestra. The Nittany Lions had 18 points from Lamar Stevens and 14 points from Tony Carr in the win. This should be something Penn State does every year because the atmosphere was great.

• Kansas State took advantage of Jordan Woodard’s absence as they raced past Oklahoma for a Big 12 home win. Wesley Iwundu led five players in double-figures with 15 points for the Wildcats.
• Georgia beat Missouri for a home SEC win as Yante Maten went for 17 points and nine rebounds. This game wasn’t really notable other than a heated confrontation between the two teams as the coaches stole the show.

No. 1 Villanova 3-point happy in 93-81 win over Marquette.

Associated Press

(Photo/Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Kris Jenkins scored a season-high 23 points, Josh Hart had 19 and No. 1 Villanova returned to form with a 93-81 win over Marquette on Saturday night.

The Wildcats (15-1, 3-1 Big East) bounced back from their first loss of the season at Butler and still have not lost two straight games since 2013.

The Wildcats fell to 14-1 with their 66-58 loss at Butler, ending their 20-game winning streak going back to last season’s NCAA title.

Villanova played for the first time at the Wells Fargo Center with a national championship banner hanging in the rafters. Jenkins, the title game standout, Hart and Jalen Brunson all made the Wildcats look quite capable of winning back-to-back titles.

Markus Howard led the Golden Eagles (10-5, 1-2) with 21 points.

The Golden Eagles made five of their first nine 3-pointers to hang around for a half before the Wildcats blew the game open. Brunson hit a 3 off an assist from Jenkins; Jenkins followed with a 3 off an assist from Brunson for a 17-point lead.

Jenkins made six of Villanova’s 14 3-pointers. Brunson, who had 16 points, was 3 of 3 on 3s.

Villanova will likely lose the top spot in the AP Top 25 poll to Baylor. But the Wildcats made 25 of their first 25 shots and proved that even with a loss, the road to a Big East crown still goes through the best basketball team in Philly.

BIG PICTURE

Marquette: Coach Steve Wojciechowski was whistled for a technical late in the first half. He had good reason to be fired up: Marquette was just 2 for 2 from the free-throw line in the half. If the Wildcats are the Big East measuring stick, Marquette again failed a big test and lost to them for the ninth straight game. Marquette hasn’t defeated Villanova since Jan. 28, 2012. Marquette’s career record against top-ranked teams fell to 1-10.

Villanova: The Wildcats have not dropped consecutive games since they lost a Big East tourney game and their first NCAA Tournament game in 2013. The loss to Butler was just a minor bump for a program looking for a fourth straight Big East championship. But a game with No. 16 Xavier on Tuesday looms for the Wildcats and the Musketeers could give them fits.

UP NEXT

Marquette returns home to play Seton Hall on Wednesday. The Musketeers split their series with Villanova last season, with each team winning at home.

Baylor on verge of No. 1 after 61-57 win over Oklahoma State.

Associated Press

(Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Manu Lecomte scored 17 points, Johnathan Motley had 13 and second-ranked Baylor closed in on the school’s first No. 1 ranking with a 61-57 victory against Oklahoma State on Saturday night.

The Bears (15-0, 3-0 Big 12), one of two unbeaten teams in the nation along with No. 5 Gonzaga, are in position to reach the top of the poll after No. 1 Villanova’s 20-game winning streak ended Wednesday — the same night Baylor beat Iowa State on a late jumper from Lecomte.

A rowdy crowd that included new Baylor football coach Matt Rhule in the first row of the student section chanted “No. 1, No. 1” in the final seconds of the Bears’ 11th straight home victory.

Phil Forte had 17 points to lead the Cowboys (10-5), who started 0-3 in conference for the first time since 1995-96, the last year of the Big Eight before it merged with the Big 12.

Al Freeman, who hasn’t hit a field goal in two games, made a pair of free throws to put the Bears ahead for good at 50-48 with a little more than six minutes remaining.

The Cowboys were within two in the final minute and had a chance to tie down three when leading scorer Jawun Evans, who was 2 of 12 from the field, missed a jumper and Lecomte got the rebound.

Oklahoma State shot 35 percent.

Motley had a game-high 10 rebounds with three assists and three blocks.

The Bears had just seven offensive rebounds to 19 for the Cowboys, but one of them came from Jake Lindsey after a missed 3 by Motley with the Bears leading by four with 1:48 remaining. Two minutes earlier, Lindsey hit a 3 with Baylor leading by one.

Jeffrey Carroll scored 14 for the Cowboys, but just three after halftime when Oklahoma State shot 32 percent.

BIG PICTURE

Oklahoma State: It’s been a tough early conference schedule for first-year coach Brad Underwood, with an opening loss to No. 7 West Virginia. And it won’t get easier with Kansas looming. But Underwood knew that. He had a close-up view of the Big 12 while leading Stephen F. Austin to prominence in East Texas.

Baylor: The Bears didn’t have an easy time at home with a pair of unranked teams in Iowa State and Oklahoma State. But coach Scott Drew knows it’s just about winning in the Big 12, and plenty of ranked opponents are coming soon.

UP NEXT

Oklahoma State: Iowa State at home on Wednesday before a trip to No. 3 Kansas next Saturday.

Baylor: The long trip to West Virginia on Tuesday before a visit to Kansas State next Saturday.

On This Date in Sports History: Today is Friday, December 30, 2016.

Memoriesofhistory.com

1918 - The NHL announced a new rule that permitted goaltenders to leave their feet while making a save. Previously a penalty was called if a goalie sat or lay on the ice to stop the puck.

1930 - The Boston Bruins set an NHL record with 14 straight wins.

1952 - Jackie Robinson became the highest paid player in Brooklyn Dodger history.

1954 - Bert Olmstead (Montreal Canadiens) tied an NHL record when he scored 8 points in a game.

1962 - The NFL banned the grabbing of face masks.

1972 - The Los Angeles Lakers ended their 33 game winning streak.

1972 - The 2,000,0000th NBA point was scored.

1973 - The Philadelphia 76ers began a 20 game losing streak.

1977 - Super Bowl XI set a pro attendance record with 103,438. The NBC telecast was viewed by 81.9 million.

1981 - Hockey Hall of Famer, Phil Esposito, announced that he would retire as a hockey player after the New York Rangers-Buffalo Sabres hockey game. The game ended in a tie.

1984 - Pascual Perez (Atlanta Braves) was arrested for cocaine possession in his native Dominican Republic.

1991 - A special committee of Major League Baseball authorities officially banned Pete Rose from being elected into the Hall of Fame.

1997 - Former Los Angeles Kings owner Bruce McNall was sentenced to five years, 10 months in prison and ordered to repay five-million dollars after being convicted more than two years ago on bank fraud and conspiracy charges.

1998 - The "Hockey News" magazine selected Wayne Gretzky as the best NHL player ever.

2004 - Brian Boucher (Phoenix Coyotes) set a new NHL record with his fifth consecutive shutout. The total time of the streak was 325 minutes and 45 seconds.

2005 - Randy Moss (Minnesota Vikings) pretended to pull down his pants and moon the Green Bay Packer crowd during a playoff win. On January 13 the NFL fined Moss $10,000 for the act.

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