HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp had 23 points and six rebounds as No. 3 Houston rallied from an early deficit to beat Kansas State 78-64 on Saturday for the Cougars’ sixth straight win.

Sharp scored 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting in the first half as Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) built a 33-19 halftime lead.

Milos Uzan added 12 points and eight assists, and Kingston Flemings finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, which won their 18th straight at home.

P.J. Haggerty scored 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-15, 1-11). Haggerty surpassed 2,000 points in his collegiate career in the first half, becoming the fifth current Division I player to achieve the milestone.

Nate Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Taj Manning added 10 points for Kansas State. The Wildcats shot 35% from the field, 8 of 26 (31%) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 25 (64%) from the free-throw line.

The Wildcats raced to a 15-6 lead about 8 ½ minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Haggerty, but Houston responded to finish the half on a 27-4 run. Sharp had nine points and Uzan added seven points in the spurt. Kansas State shot 1 for 15 from the floor to end the half.

Kansas State got no closer than 10 points in the second half.

The Wildcats have lost six consecutive games overall and have lost six straight on the road. Kansas State dropped to 0-6 against ranked teams this season.

Houston: Plays Monday at No. 5 Iowa State, the first of three straight games against Top-10 opponents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771130961062.jpeg" alt="Houston guard Emanuel Sharp (21) controls the ball against Kansas State guard David Castillo, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/ Karen Warren)" />
 <figcaption>Houston guard Emanuel Sharp (21) controls the ball against Kansas State guard David Castillo, left, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/ Karen Warren)</figcaption>
 </figure>HOUSTON (AP) — Emanuel Sharp had 23 points and six rebounds as No. 3 Houston rallied from an early deficit to beat Kansas State 78-64 on Saturday for the Cougars’ sixth straight win.Sharp scored 14 points on 4 of 10 shooting in the first half as Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) built a 33-19 halftime lead.Milos Uzan added 12 points and eight assists, and Kingston Flemings finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, which won their 18th straight at home.P.J. Haggerty scored 23 points to lead Kansas State (10-15, 1-11). Haggerty surpassed 2,000 points in his collegiate career in the first half, becoming the fifth current Division I player to achieve the milestone.Nate Johnson had 12 points and 10 rebounds, and Taj Manning added 10 points for Kansas State. The Wildcats shot 35% from the field, 8 of 26 (31%) from 3-point range, and made 16 of 25 (64%) from the free-throw line.The Wildcats raced to a 15-6 lead about 8 ½ minutes into the game on a 3-pointer by Haggerty, but Houston responded to finish the half on a 27-4 run. Sharp had nine points and Uzan added seven points in the spurt. Kansas State shot 1 for 15 from the floor to end the half.Kansas State got no closer than 10 points in the second half.The Wildcats have lost six consecutive games overall and have lost six straight on the road. Kansas State dropped to 0-6 against ranked teams this season.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: Hosts Baylor on Tuesday.Houston: Plays Monday at No. 5 Iowa State, the first of three straight games against Top-10 opponents.

🏀 Sharp scores 23 as Houston downs Kansas State 

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 18 points and No. 5 Iowa State shook off a slow start to defeat No. 9 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak.

The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), coming off Tuesday’s 62-55 loss at TCU, began a five-game stretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this game in the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes.

Iowa State led 37-27 at halftime, then went on a 20-7 run in the opening 5 1/2 minutes of the second half, a stretch in which the Cyclones made six consecutive 3-pointers.

Their defense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3) to 31.6% shooting from the field in the second half, including 1 of 8 in 3-pointers. The Jayhawks shot 37.3% for the game while committing 13 turnovers, 10 in the first half.

Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman each had 11 points for Iowa State.

Melvin Council Jr. led the Jayhawks with 15 points. Flory Bidunga had 11.

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson started after missing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-kansas-t25-score-f9889466ae45491d08e069cb241100f3">Monday’s 82-78 win over top-ranked Arizona</a>. He had 10 points in 24 minutes.

Kansas’ winning streak started with an 84-63 victory over Iowa State on Jan. 13 and included wins over BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.

The Cyclones made just one of their first 10 shots to open the game but because of their defense were down only 6-2 in that stretch. Once the offense got going, Iowa State went on a 20-2 run over a span of five minutes later in the first half to take a 36-22 lead with 1:37 to play.

Saturday’s game was the seventh top-10 game in the series between the Cyclones and Jayhawks, with the teams splitting the previous six.

Kansas: Visits Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

Iowa State: Hosts No. 3 Houston on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1771130071773.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. *14) attempts to get by Iowa State's Nate Heise (0) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, February 14, 2026 in Ames, Iowa (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. *14) attempts to get by Iowa State's Nate Heise (0) in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game on Saturday, February 14, 2026 in Ames, Iowa (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>AMES, Iowa (AP) — Milan Momcilovic scored 18 points and No. 5 Iowa State shook off a slow start to defeat No. 9 Kansas 74-56 on Saturday, snapping the Jayhawks’ eight-game winning streak.The Cyclones (22-3, 9-3 Big 12), coming off Tuesday’s 62-55 loss at TCU, began a five-game stretch in which they play four ranked teams by taking control of this game in the first half despite struggling to make shots in the opening minutes.Iowa State led 37-27 at halftime, then went on a 20-7 run in the opening 5 1/2 minutes of the second half, a stretch in which the Cyclones made six consecutive 3-pointers.Their defense held Kansas (19-6, 9-3) to 31.6% shooting from the field in the second half, including 1 of 8 in 3-pointers. The Jayhawks shot 37.3% for the game while committing 13 turnovers, 10 in the first half.Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Blake Buchanan and Jamarion Bateman each had 11 points for Iowa State.Melvin Council Jr. led the Jayhawks with 15 points. Flory Bidunga had 11.Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson started after missing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-kansas-t25-score-f9889466ae45491d08e069cb241100f3">Monday’s 82-78 win over top-ranked Arizona</a>. He had 10 points in 24 minutes.Kansas’ winning streak started with an 84-63 victory over Iowa State on Jan. 13 and included wins over BYU, Texas Tech and Arizona.The Cyclones made just one of their first 10 shots to open the game but because of their defense were down only 6-2 in that stretch. Once the offense got going, Iowa State went on a 20-2 run over a span of five minutes later in the first half to take a 36-22 lead with 1:37 to play.Saturday’s game was the seventh top-10 game in the series between the Cyclones and Jayhawks, with the teams splitting the previous six.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Visits Oklahoma State on Wednesday.Iowa State: Hosts No. 3 Houston on Monday.___

🏀 Iowa State snaps KU's 8 game winning streak

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced Friday the addition of three staff members who will be responsible for managing the department’s revenue sharing contracts as well as focusing on third-party NIL efforts.

Julie Owen, who previously served as senior associate athletics director at K-State, returned in July as the department’s new executive director of cap management and revenue sharing. Brett Foltz, who has served on the Ahearn Fund staff in a fundraising role, has been named associate athletics director for NIL initiatives and strategic revenue, while an assistant director of NIL position is currently posted for hire.

“As college athletics evolves, we must be proactive,” Taylor said. “Housing all our NIL initiatives inside the department allows us to streamline our messaging so that our fans know the best way to support our teams and student-athletes is directly through our department. It also allows us to leverage opportunities for student-athletes to earn true, third-party NIL with businesses. The above-the-cap NIL space must be a focus of ours moving forward, and we know these staff advancements will put us in a position to help our student-athletes.”

Owen’s role works primarily with the revenue sharing piece of the department, which includes coordinating with coaches and general managers on allocation and distribution of those funds, as well as navigating the actual contract construction and redlining processes. She also coordinates third-party NIL deal submission in NIL Go with Learfield, external entities and student-athletes while serving as the liaison to the College Sports Commission on pending NIL Go submissions.

Foltz will lead the department’s third-party NIL efforts which have become a crucial piece of recruiting and retaining student-athletes. His main responsibilities are to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward local, regional, and national third parties on leads for NIL and business development opportunities while also working with K-State Sports Properties and the athletics department on other strategic revenue and business development opportunities.

The role of assistant director of NIL will assist Foltz and also work closely with K-State Sports Properties (Learfield) on the fulfillment of NIL brand partnerships.

Those wishing to continue to support K-State's revenue sharing and NIL initiatives have various options to do so. The Ahearn Fund recently launched the "Fighting Ever Fighting" campaign built upon philanthropic gifts to the Ahearn Excellence Fund. These gifts will earn donor priority points, Ahearn Fund member benefits and may be tax deductible. Beyond revenue sharing, the Ahearn Fund will continue its traditional focus of proving resources to student athletes for success in competition and in the classroom.&nbsp;

In addition, K-State will soon launch Cats+, a new subscription-based service that will provide fans a direct path to support Wildcat student-athletes while also seeing benefits in return. The service, available on a monthly or yearly plan, will include behind-the-scenes access; special features highlighting K-State student-athletes and coaches via videos, podcast and special K-State Sports Extra articles written by D. Scott Fritchen; early access to digital and product-based items; exclusive digital content; classic game replays and enter-to-win sweepstakes for experiences and products.

Businesses interested in direct third-party NIL deals with Wildcat student-athletes can also reach out to Foltz for assistance via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bfoltz@kstatesports.com">bfoltz@kstatesports.com</a>.

MANHATTAN, Kan. –&nbsp;K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced Friday the addition of three staff members who will be responsible for managing the department’s revenue sharing contracts as well as focusing on third-party NIL efforts.Julie Owen, who previously served as senior associate athletics director at K-State, returned in July as the department’s new executive director of cap management and revenue sharing. Brett Foltz, who has served on the Ahearn Fund staff in a fundraising role, has been named associate athletics director for NIL initiatives and strategic revenue, while an assistant director of NIL position is currently posted for hire.“As college athletics evolves, we must be proactive,” Taylor said. “Housing all our NIL initiatives inside the department allows us to streamline our messaging so that our fans know the best way to support our teams and student-athletes is directly through our department. It also allows us to leverage opportunities for student-athletes to earn true, third-party NIL with businesses. The above-the-cap NIL space must be a focus of ours moving forward, and we know these staff advancements will put us in a position to help our student-athletes.”Owen’s role works primarily with the revenue sharing piece of the department, which includes coordinating with coaches and general managers on allocation and distribution of those funds, as well as navigating the actual contract construction and redlining processes. She also coordinates third-party NIL deal submission in NIL Go with Learfield, external entities and student-athletes while serving as the liaison to the College Sports Commission on pending NIL Go submissions.Foltz will lead the department’s third-party NIL efforts which have become a crucial piece of recruiting and retaining student-athletes. His main responsibilities are to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward local, regional, and national third parties on leads for NIL and business development opportunities while also working with K-State Sports Properties and the athletics department on other strategic revenue and business development opportunities.The role of assistant director of NIL will assist Foltz and also work closely with K-State Sports Properties (Learfield) on the fulfillment of NIL brand partnerships.Those wishing to continue to support K-State's revenue sharing and NIL initiatives have various options to do so. The Ahearn Fund recently launched the "Fighting Ever Fighting" campaign built upon philanthropic gifts to the Ahearn Excellence Fund. These gifts will earn donor priority points, Ahearn Fund member benefits and may be tax deductible. Beyond revenue sharing, the Ahearn Fund will continue its traditional focus of proving resources to student athletes for success in competition and in the classroom.&nbsp;In addition, K-State will soon launch Cats+, a new subscription-based service that will provide fans a direct path to support Wildcat student-athletes while also seeing benefits in return. The service, available on a monthly or yearly plan, will include behind-the-scenes access; special features highlighting K-State student-athletes and coaches via videos, podcast and special K-State Sports Extra articles written by D. Scott Fritchen; early access to digital and product-based items; exclusive digital content; classic game replays and enter-to-win sweepstakes for experiences and products.Businesses interested in direct third-party NIL deals with Wildcat student-athletes can also reach out to Foltz for assistance via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:bfoltz@kstatesports.com">bfoltz@kstatesports.com</a>.

K-State Announces New Staff Hires to Enhance NIL Efforts 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jizzle James scored 24 points, Baba Miller had a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Cincinnati rolled past Kansas State 91-62 on Wednesday night.

Miller also recorded six assists and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/2021790579873460443">four blocked shots</a>. He has 11 double-doubles this season and is one of three players nationally with the stat line of at least 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game.

James buried 6 of 8 3-pointers and Jalen Celestine, who scored 18 points, made 4 of 6 3s. The Bearcats hit on 16 of 28 3-pointers.

Sencire Harris scored 12 points, and Day Day Thomas added 10 for Cincinnati (13-12, 5-7 Big 12).

Needing 31 points to reach 2,000 for his career, K-State’s P.J. Haggerty scored 24. With seven more points, he will join Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, Indiana’s Tucker DeVries and Oklahoma’s Nijel Pack as the only active Division I players with 2,000 points.

Celestine, Miller and James all hit two 3-pointers as Cincinnati opened the game with 6 of 8 3s, building a 30-11 lead in the first eight minutes. The Bearcats led 53-31 at halftime after shooting 57% from the floor and making 9 of 14 3-pointers.

A 10-0 run helped Cincinnati stretch the lead to 28 points early in the second half, and the margin peaked at 32 when Jordi Rodriguez hit a 3 with about 3 minutes remaining.

The Bearcats won on the road for the first time this season after being 0-6 in true road games.

The Wildcats (10-14, 1-10) have lost five straight.

Kansas State: The Wildcats hit the road to play No. 3 Houston on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770894686819.png" alt="Kansas State guard P.J. Haggerty (4) drives to the basket against Cincinnati's Halvine Dzellat (65) Thursday, February 11, 2026 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State guard P.J. Haggerty (4) drives to the basket against Cincinnati's Halvine Dzellat (65) Thursday, February 11, 2026 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Jizzle James scored 24 points, Baba Miller had a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double, and Cincinnati rolled past Kansas State 91-62 on Wednesday night.Miller also recorded six assists and&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GoBearcatsMBB/status/2021790579873460443">four blocked shots</a>. He has 11 double-doubles this season and is one of three players nationally with the stat line of at least 13 points, 10 rebounds and three assists per game.James buried 6 of 8 3-pointers and Jalen Celestine, who scored 18 points, made 4 of 6 3s. The Bearcats hit on 16 of 28 3-pointers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770867020069.png" alt="Photo University of Cincinnati Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo University of Cincinnati Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Sencire Harris scored 12 points, and Day Day Thomas added 10 for Cincinnati (13-12, 5-7 Big 12).Needing 31 points to reach 2,000 for his career, K-State’s P.J. Haggerty scored 24. With seven more points, he will join Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, Indiana’s Tucker DeVries and Oklahoma’s Nijel Pack as the only active Division I players with 2,000 points.Celestine, Miller and James all hit two 3-pointers as Cincinnati opened the game with 6 of 8 3s, building a 30-11 lead in the first eight minutes. The Bearcats led 53-31 at halftime after shooting 57% from the floor and making 9 of 14 3-pointers.A 10-0 run helped Cincinnati stretch the lead to 28 points early in the second half, and the margin peaked at 32 when Jordi Rodriguez hit a 3 with about 3 minutes remaining.The Bearcats won on the road for the first time this season after being 0-6 in true road games.The Wildcats (10-14, 1-10) have lost five straight.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: The Wildcats hit the road to play No. 3 Houston on Saturday.

🏀 James and Miller lead the way as Cincinnati dumps Kansas State 

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Coming off successful performance in the Panini Senior Bowl, Kansas State offensive lineman&nbsp;Sam Hecht&nbsp;and safety&nbsp;VJ Payne&nbsp;have earned invitations to the 2026 NFL Combine, the National Football League announced Wednesday.

Hecht and Payne were two of 319 total prospects invited to this year’s event, which will take place February 23 through March 2, at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the fourth-straight season K-State has sent multiple players to the NFL Combine and the sixth-straight year at least one Wildcat has been showcased in the annual event.

A native of Shawnee, Kansas, Hecht was a two-time All-Big 12 honoree who picked up first-team accolades as a senior. He started each of the final 25 games at center and played in 42 career contests. As a senior, Hecht anchored an offensive line that saw the Wildcats rank 10th&nbsp;in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.08). The offensive line also paved the way for a school-record 472 rushing yards at Utah, breaking a school record that stood for 71 years.

Payne, a product of Gainesville, Georgia, played in 52 career games to rank 11th in school history, while he started 42 total games with a streak of 41 starts to close out his career. A two-time All-Big 12 pick, he had 207 career tackles with 10.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 14 passes defended – including four interceptions – four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;Coming off successful performance in the Panini Senior Bowl, Kansas State offensive lineman&nbsp;Sam Hecht&nbsp;and safety&nbsp;VJ Payne&nbsp;have earned invitations to the 2026 NFL Combine, the National Football League announced Wednesday.Hecht and Payne were two of 319 total prospects invited to this year’s event, which will take place February 23 through March 2, at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the fourth-straight season K-State has sent multiple players to the NFL Combine and the sixth-straight year at least one Wildcat has been showcased in the annual event.A native of Shawnee, Kansas, Hecht was a two-time All-Big 12 honoree who picked up first-team accolades as a senior. He started each of the final 25 games at center and played in 42 career contests. As a senior, Hecht anchored an offensive line that saw the Wildcats rank 10th&nbsp;in the nation in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.08). The offensive line also paved the way for a school-record 472 rushing yards at Utah, breaking a school record that stood for 71 years.Payne, a product of Gainesville, Georgia, played in 52 career games to rank 11th in school history, while he started 42 total games with a streak of 41 starts to close out his career. A two-time All-Big 12 pick, he had 207 career tackles with 10.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 14 passes defended – including four interceptions – four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.

   K-State’s Hecht, Payne Invited to NFL Combine

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had a double-double and No. 9 Kansas defeated top-ranked and previously unbeaten Arizona 82-78 on Monday night.

Arizona (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) entered Allen Fieldhouse with the second-longest winning streak in Division I men’s basketball. The loss ended a 23-game run for the Wildcats, second to Miami (Ohio), which has won 24 straight.

Kansas (19-5, 9-2) played without freshman guard Darryn Peterson,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Farticle%2Fkansas-darryn-peterson-out-5966d6858bfe475b09471c82a6d58759&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csportsdesk%40ap.org%7C8b6e0747c4cc41a69f6b08de685bd103%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C639062940723389660%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kPMhkI4JnYgnGY6SmAjT2F3C3gAORicDYmpc3CZ4Rkw%3D&amp;reserved=0">who was a late scratch</a>&nbsp;with flu-like symptoms. Peterson has missed 11 games with a combination of hamstring, calf and ankle issues.

Arizona held a three-point lead at halftime and led by as many as 11 before Kansas took its first lead of the game at the 9:32 mark in the second half.

Bidunga put the Jayhawks ahead with a layup, which capped a personal seven-point run. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added 10 rebounds.

Arizona closed within one point with 34 seconds left in the game, but senior guard Melvin Council Jr. shot 3 of 4 from the line in the final minute and 10 of 11 in the game to help seal the victory for Kansas. He finished with 23 points. Tre White also added a pair of late free throws.

Four Kansas players scored double digits. Bryson Tiller finished with 18 points and Jamari McDowell added 10.

Freshman guard Brayden Burries led Arizona with 25 points. Motiejus Krivas scored 14 and Ivan Kharchenkov 13.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770724529380.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) is hugged by Kansas head coach Bill Self, right, as they celebrate after their team's upset over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) is hugged by Kansas head coach Bill Self, right, as they celebrate after their team's upset over Arizona in an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had a double-double and No. 9 Kansas defeated top-ranked and previously unbeaten Arizona 82-78 on Monday night.Arizona (23-1, 10-1 Big 12) entered Allen Fieldhouse with the second-longest winning streak in Division I men’s basketball. The loss ended a 23-game run for the Wildcats, second to Miami (Ohio), which has won 24 straight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770724586756.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) reacts after scoring during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) reacts after scoring during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arizona, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas (19-5, 9-2) played without freshman guard Darryn Peterson,&nbsp;<a href="https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapnews.com%2Farticle%2Fkansas-darryn-peterson-out-5966d6858bfe475b09471c82a6d58759&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csportsdesk%40ap.org%7C8b6e0747c4cc41a69f6b08de685bd103%7Ce442e1abfd6b4ba3abf3b020eb50df37%7C1%7C0%7C639062940723389660%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=kPMhkI4JnYgnGY6SmAjT2F3C3gAORicDYmpc3CZ4Rkw%3D&amp;reserved=0">who was a late scratch</a>&nbsp;with flu-like symptoms. Peterson has missed 11 games with a combination of hamstring, calf and ankle issues.Arizona held a three-point lead at halftime and led by as many as 11 before Kansas took its first lead of the game at the 9:32 mark in the second half.Bidunga put the Jayhawks ahead with a layup, which capped a personal seven-point run. He finished with 23 points on 8-for-11 shooting and added 10 rebounds.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Goodnight 🤧 <a href="https://t.co/JqEcn92QzS">pic.twitter.com/JqEcn92QzS</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/2021102449600118911?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/Ubk9RJoRCv">pic.twitter.com/Ubk9RJoRCv</a>&mdash; Kansas Jayhawks (@KUAthletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUAthletics/status/2021089411702612300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 10, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Arizona closed within one point with 34 seconds left in the game, but senior guard Melvin Council Jr. shot 3 of 4 from the line in the final minute and 10 of 11 in the game to help seal the victory for Kansas. He finished with 23 points. Tre White also added a pair of late free throws.Four Kansas players scored double digits. Bryson Tiller finished with 18 points and Jamari McDowell added 10.Freshman guard Brayden Burries led Arizona with 25 points. Motiejus Krivas scored 14 and Ivan Kharchenkov 13.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: At Iowa State on Saturday.Arizona: Hosts Texas Tech on Saturday.

🏀 No Peterson, no problem; KU knocks off No. 1 Arizona

RILEY COUNTY —A member of the Kansas State University men's basketball staff is under investigation for alleged violent crimes.

Just before 1:30a.m. Monday, 29-year-old Mark Vital was booked into the Riley County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;domestic battery; knowing rude physical contact with family member or dating relationship, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. 

On Monday afternoon, K-State Athletics released a statement on the arrest.

"We are aware of Mark Vital's arrest on Sunday night. He has been removed from all team responsibilities until the judicial process runs its course."

Just after 3a.m. Monday, Vital met the requirement of a $2,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

He is in his first season as a graduate student manager at K-State, according to his online bio. Vital was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and a member of Baylor’s 2021 National Championship team where K-State head coach Jerome Tang was an assistant.&nbsp; Vital is working towards a master’s in counseling and student development at K-State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770655588483.png" alt="Vital photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Vital photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —A member of the Kansas State University men's basketball staff is under investigation for alleged violent crimes.Just before 1:30a.m. Monday, 29-year-old Mark Vital was booked into the Riley County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;domestic battery; knowing rude physical contact with family member or dating relationship, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report. On Monday afternoon, K-State Athletics released a statement on the arrest."We are aware of Mark Vital's arrest on Sunday night. He has been removed from all team responsibilities until the judicial process runs its course."Just after 3a.m. Monday, Vital met the requirement of a $2,000 bond and is no longer in custody.He is in his first season as a graduate student manager at K-State, according to his online bio. Vital was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and a member of Baylor’s 2021 National Championship team where K-State head coach Jerome Tang was an assistant.&nbsp; Vital is working towards a master’s in counseling and student development at K-State.

K-State statement on arrest of basketball staffer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The “Dark Side” defense carried Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks to a Lombardi Trophy.

Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Byron Murphy and the rest of Mike Macdonald’s ferocious unit pummeled Drake Maye, and the Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl.

“We never waver, man. We believe in each other. We love each other, and now we’re world champions," Macdonald said.

Darnold&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020686171668709673">threw a touchdown pass</a>&nbsp;to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a Super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries.

“To do this with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. “So proud of our guys, our defense. I mean, I can’t say enough great things about our defense, our special teams.”

Walker became the first running back to win the Super Bowl MVP award since Hall of Famer Terrell Davis did it with Denver 28 years ago.

Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020693977473908778">snagging Maye’s pass in the air</a>&nbsp;after Witherspoon hit his arm and running it back 45 yards for a pick-6.

"We went through a lot, but we believed," Witherspoon said. "All of you all doubters out there who said all that other stuff, you all don’t know what’s going on in this building. We’re one of one over here.”

Seattle won its first Super Bowl a dozen years ago behind its “Legion of Boom” defense, then was denied a repeat when New England's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8">Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson</a>&nbsp;at the goal line. The Seahawks hadn't been back to the Super Bowl since.

Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 NFL draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.

Labeled a bust, dumped by two teams and considered expendable by two others, Darnold proved his doubters wrong while helping the Seahawks go 17-3.

After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games. He wasn’t particularly sharp against a solid Patriots defense but protected the ball and made enough plays, finishing 19 of 38 for 202 yards.

“I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could have been a little bit better on offense, but I don’t care about that right now,” Darnold said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, man. I’m just so happy for the guys in the locker room and the coaches that put in so much effort throughout the whole season.”

The Seahawks sacked Maye six times, including two apiece by Hall and Murphy.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020684418369912865">Hall’s strip-sack</a>&nbsp;late in the third quarter set up a short field and Darnold connected with Barner on 16-yard scoring toss to make it 19-0.

<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020691306520187315">Julian Love’s interception</a>&nbsp;set up another field goal that made it 22-7 with 5:35 left.

The Patriots (17-4) punted on the first eight drives, excluding a kneel-down to end the first half.

“Just reminding them that we’re 307 days into what hopefully is a long, successful relationship and program, and it's OK to be disappointed,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said.

Down 19-0, Maye and the Patriots' offense finally got going. He hit Mack Hollins over the middle in traffic for 24 yards and then lofted a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Hollins down the left side to cut the deficit to 19-7.

Tom Brady once led Bill Belichick’s Patriots to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit against Atlanta for a 34-28 overtime victory.

But Maye, who was runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-awards-1f6a4d94a8ffcdd5844855c5d4ba510a">AP NFL MVP award</a>&nbsp;in the closest race in two decades, didn’t come close. He had a chance to narrow the gap, but his ill-advised pass into triple coverage was picked by Love and the Patriots trailed by 15 when they got the ball back with 5:35 left. Maye said after the game that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-drake-maye-patriots-seahawks-62ba2fa92f77cdff8f9660945355d909">had a pain-relieving injection in his right shoulder</a>, which he injured in the AFC championship win at Denver, but said it didn't affect his play.

Then came Nwosu’s touchdown, a fitting way to cap an overwhelming effort by the NFL’s stingiest defense.

“Definitely hurts. They played better than us tonight,” Maye said.

Maye’s 7-yard TD pass to Rhamondre Stevenson late in the game only made the margin smaller.

The Seahawks took a 3-0 lead on Myers’ 33-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. Myers connected from 39 and 41 yards to extend the lead to 9-0 at halftime. He was good from 41 on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter to make it 12-0.

Cornerback Christian Gonzalez made two outstanding plays to prevent potential touchdowns in the second quarter. He raced back and leaped in the air to slap away a deep pass to Rashid Shaheed that could have been a 76-yard TD.

On Seattle’s last drive in the first half, Gonzalez knocked down a pass to All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that would have been a 23-yard TD.

Rylie Mills&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020657001202884987">pushed left guard Jared Wilson into Maye</a>&nbsp;and took both of them down on one of Seattle’s sacks.

Bad Bunny headlined a visually stunning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bad-bunny-super-bowl-2026-halftime-show-review-fbcd3dff50a4c6b0548bfa4712677eb0">halftime performance</a>&nbsp;that also featured appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist entirely in Spanish.

The Patriots failed to win the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl, which would have set an NFL record. They’re tied with the Steelers with six championships.

Vrabel, the AP NFL Coach of the Year, was aiming to become the fifth person to win a Super Bowl as a player and head coach and the first to do both with the same team.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770608029498.png" alt="Photo Seattle Seahawks" />
 <figcaption>Photo Seattle Seahawks</figcaption>
 </figure>SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The “Dark Side” defense carried Sam Darnold and the Seattle Seahawks to a Lombardi Trophy.Devon Witherspoon, Derick Hall, Byron Murphy and the rest of Mike Macdonald’s ferocious unit pummeled Drake Maye, and the Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to win the franchise’s second Super Bowl.“We never waver, man. We believe in each other. We love each other, and now we’re world champions," Macdonald said.Darnold&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020686171668709673">threw a touchdown pass</a>&nbsp;to AJ Barner, Kenneth Walker III ran for 135 yards and Jason Myers set a Super Bowl record by making all five of his field-goal tries.“To do this with this team, I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Darnold said. “So proud of our guys, our defense. I mean, I can’t say enough great things about our defense, our special teams.”Walker became the first running back to win the Super Bowl MVP award since Hall of Famer Terrell Davis did it with Denver 28 years ago.Uchenna Nwosu punctuated a punishing defensive performance by&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020693977473908778">snagging Maye’s pass in the air</a>&nbsp;after Witherspoon hit his arm and running it back 45 yards for a pick-6."We went through a lot, but we believed," Witherspoon said. "All of you all doubters out there who said all that other stuff, you all don’t know what’s going on in this building. We’re one of one over here.”Seattle won its first Super Bowl a dozen years ago behind its “Legion of Boom” defense, then was denied a repeat when New England's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8">Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson</a>&nbsp;at the goal line. The Seahawks hadn't been back to the Super Bowl since.Darnold become the first quarterback in the 2018 NFL draft class to win a Super Bowl, ahead of Josh Allen, Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.Labeled a bust, dumped by two teams and considered expendable by two others, Darnold proved his doubters wrong while helping the Seahawks go 17-3.After leading the NFL with 20 turnovers in the regular season, Darnold didn’t have any in three playoff games. He wasn’t particularly sharp against a solid Patriots defense but protected the ball and made enough plays, finishing 19 of 38 for 202 yards.“I know we won the Super Bowl, but we could have been a little bit better on offense, but I don’t care about that right now,” Darnold said. “It’s an unbelievable feeling, man. I’m just so happy for the guys in the locker room and the coaches that put in so much effort throughout the whole season.”The Seahawks sacked Maye six times, including two apiece by Hall and Murphy.&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020684418369912865">Hall’s strip-sack</a>&nbsp;late in the third quarter set up a short field and Darnold connected with Barner on 16-yard scoring toss to make it 19-0.<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020691306520187315">Julian Love’s interception</a>&nbsp;set up another field goal that made it 22-7 with 5:35 left.The Patriots (17-4) punted on the first eight drives, excluding a kneel-down to end the first half.“Just reminding them that we’re 307 days into what hopefully is a long, successful relationship and program, and it's OK to be disappointed,” New England coach Mike Vrabel said.Down 19-0, Maye and the Patriots' offense finally got going. He hit Mack Hollins over the middle in traffic for 24 yards and then lofted a perfect 35-yard TD pass to Hollins down the left side to cut the deficit to 19-7.Tom Brady once led Bill Belichick’s Patriots to the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history, when New England rallied from a 28-3 deficit against Atlanta for a 34-28 overtime victory.But Maye, who was runner-up to Matthew Stafford for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-mvp-awards-1f6a4d94a8ffcdd5844855c5d4ba510a">AP NFL MVP award</a>&nbsp;in the closest race in two decades, didn’t come close. He had a chance to narrow the gap, but his ill-advised pass into triple coverage was picked by Love and the Patriots trailed by 15 when they got the ball back with 5:35 left. Maye said after the game that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-drake-maye-patriots-seahawks-62ba2fa92f77cdff8f9660945355d909">had a pain-relieving injection in his right shoulder</a>, which he injured in the AFC championship win at Denver, but said it didn't affect his play.Then came Nwosu’s touchdown, a fitting way to cap an overwhelming effort by the NFL’s stingiest defense.“Definitely hurts. They played better than us tonight,” Maye said.Maye’s 7-yard TD pass to Rhamondre Stevenson late in the game only made the margin smaller.The Seahawks took a 3-0 lead on Myers’ 33-yard field goal on the game’s opening drive. Myers connected from 39 and 41 yards to extend the lead to 9-0 at halftime. He was good from 41 on Seattle’s first drive of the third quarter to make it 12-0.<h2>Patriots player of the game</h2>Cornerback Christian Gonzalez made two outstanding plays to prevent potential touchdowns in the second quarter. He raced back and leaped in the air to slap away a deep pass to Rashid Shaheed that could have been a 76-yard TD.On Seattle’s last drive in the first half, Gonzalez knocked down a pass to All-Pro wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that would have been a 23-yard TD.<h2>Mills gets a two-for-one sack</h2>Rylie Mills&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2020657001202884987">pushed left guard Jared Wilson into Maye</a>&nbsp;and took both of them down on one of Seattle’s sacks.<h2>Bad Bunny shines at halftime</h2>Bad Bunny headlined a visually stunning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bad-bunny-super-bowl-2026-halftime-show-review-fbcd3dff50a4c6b0548bfa4712677eb0">halftime performance</a>&nbsp;that also featured appearances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin. The Grammy-winning Puerto Rican artist entirely in Spanish.<h2>Patriots denied a record 7th title</h2>The Patriots failed to win the franchise’s seventh Super Bowl, which would have set an NFL record. They’re tied with the Steelers with six championships.Vrabel, the AP NFL Coach of the Year, was aiming to become the fifth person to win a Super Bowl as a player and head coach and the first to do both with the same team.

🏈Seahawks ride their defense to a Super Bowl title, pounding the Patriots

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks and No. 11 Kansas beat Utah 71-59 on Saturday to take a seven-game winning streak into its Monday night home showdown with top-ranked Arizona.

Trey White added 16 points for Kansas (18-5, 8-2 Big 12). Darryn Peterson had 14. and Melvin Council 11.

Keanu Dawes led Utah (9-14, 1-9) with 20 points. Terrence Brown added 16. and Don McHenry had 12. The Utes have list five straight.

The Jayhawks led 38-31 at halftime and didn't take a double-digit lead until Council hit a short jumper midway through the second half. That was part of a 10-0 run, capped by a thunderous dunk by Peterson that made it 60-44.

Utah: Hosts No. 8 Houston on Tuesday night.

Kansas: Hosts No. 1 Arizona on Monday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770501860007.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Flory Bidunga had 17 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocks and No. 11 Kansas beat Utah 71-59 on Saturday to take a seven-game winning streak into its Monday night home showdown with top-ranked Arizona.Trey White added 16 points for Kansas (18-5, 8-2 Big 12). Darryn Peterson had 14. and Melvin Council 11.Keanu Dawes led Utah (9-14, 1-9) with 20 points. Terrence Brown added 16. and Don McHenry had 12. The Utes have list five straight.The Jayhawks led 38-31 at halftime and didn't take a double-digit lead until Council hit a short jumper midway through the second half. That was part of a 10-0 run, capped by a thunderous dunk by Peterson that made it 60-44.<h2>Up next</h2>Utah: Hosts No. 8 Houston on Tuesday night.Kansas: Hosts No. 1 Arizona on Monday night.

🏀 Flory Bidunga's 17 points, 10 rebounds lift KU over Utah 

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Xavier Edmonds scored a career-high 26 points and his six unanswered points down the stretch lifted TCU over Kansas State 84-82 on Saturday.

Edmonds made the tying and go-ahead free throws for an 83-82 lead with six seconds left, capping a rally from a five-point deficit in the final minute and a half. He had two free throws with 1:10 remaining and his dunk with 35 seconds left had made it a one-point game.

An alley-oop dunk by Khamari McGriff gave Kansas State an 82-77 lead with 1 1/2 minutes to go. The Wildcats, who did not score again, had turnovers on their three remaining possessions.

Micah Robinson made one of two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin.

Edmonds made nine of 10 shots, seven of 13 free throws and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fifth consecutive double-double. Robinson scored 16 points, David Punch 14 and Jayden Pierre 10 for the Horned Frogs (14-9, 4-6 Big 12).

PJ Haggerty scored 30, Marcus Johnson 15, Nate Johnson 13 with 11 rebounds, and David Castillo 11 for K-State (10-13, 1-10).

Marcus Johnson connected on his first four 3-point attempts and the Wildcats jumped out to a 29-14 lead. Later in the half, TCU rallied with a 15-2 run and K-State led 46-42 at halftime.

Eight consecutive points from Haggerty turned a three-point K-State lead into a 64-53 advantage eight minutes into the second half. The Wildcats still had a double-digit lead — 78-68 — with 5 1/2 minutes remaining.

TCU has a four-game winning streak in the series.

TCU: The Horned Frogs host No. 7 Iowa State on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770502128873.png" alt="K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Xavier Edmonds scored a career-high 26 points and his six unanswered points down the stretch lifted TCU over Kansas State 84-82 on Saturday.Edmonds made the tying and go-ahead free throws for an 83-82 lead with six seconds left, capping a rally from a five-point deficit in the final minute and a half. He had two free throws with 1:10 remaining and his dunk with 35 seconds left had made it a one-point game.An alley-oop dunk by Khamari McGriff gave Kansas State an 82-77 lead with 1 1/2 minutes to go. The Wildcats, who did not score again, had turnovers on their three remaining possessions.Micah Robinson made one of two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin.Edmonds made nine of 10 shots, seven of 13 free throws and grabbed 10 rebounds for his fifth consecutive double-double. Robinson scored 16 points, David Punch 14 and Jayden Pierre 10 for the Horned Frogs (14-9, 4-6 Big 12).PJ Haggerty scored 30, Marcus Johnson 15, Nate Johnson 13 with 11 rebounds, and David Castillo 11 for K-State (10-13, 1-10).Marcus Johnson connected on his first four 3-point attempts and the Wildcats jumped out to a 29-14 lead. Later in the half, TCU rallied with a 15-2 run and K-State led 46-42 at halftime.Eight consecutive points from Haggerty turned a three-point K-State lead into a 64-53 advantage eight minutes into the second half. The Wildcats still had a double-digit lead — 78-68 — with 5 1/2 minutes remaining.TCU has a four-game winning streak in the series.<h2>Up next</h2>TCU: The Horned Frogs host No. 7 Iowa State on Tuesday.

🏀 Haggerty scored 30 for K-State in a loss at TCU

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson scored 19 points, including two 3-pointers in the final 1:20 for his only field goals of the second half, and the 11th-ranked Jayhawks overcame a late nine-point deficit to beat No. 13 Texas Tech 64-61 on Monday night.

Peterson, who played a season-high 35 minutes, hit a 3 from the right corner with 1:20 left to tie the game at 61. His next one, with 44 seconds remaining, put the Jayhawks (17-5, 7-2 Big 12) ahead to stay in their sixth consecutive win.

The Red Raiders (16-6, 6-3), playing without starting point guard Christian Anderson, had a 59-50 lead with 6:05 to go after a jumper by LeJuan Watts. But they made only one of their last 12 shots while Kansas closed on a 14-2 run.

Melvin Council Jr. had 16 points, Flory Bidunga scored 14 and Bryson Tiller grabbed 10 rebounds for Kansas.

Watts had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Texas Tech, which beat Kansas in each of the previous two seasons under coach Grant McCasland after never before winning consecutive games in the 53-game series. The Red Raiders had been 11-0 at home this season.

Donovan Atwell had 12 points on four 3s for Texas Tech, including bookend 3s during an 11-0 run early in the second half for a six-point lead.

Anderson, who averages 19.6 points per game and leads the Big 12 with 7.5 assists, missed the game because of illness. He was in uniform and was riding a stationary bicycle early in the second half, but never played.

Texas Tech visits West Virginia on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1770119610569.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Darryn Peterson looks to pass the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Darryn Peterson looks to pass the ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice)</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson scored 19 points, including two 3-pointers in the final 1:20 for his only field goals of the second half, and the 11th-ranked Jayhawks overcame a late nine-point deficit to beat No. 13 Texas Tech 64-61 on Monday night.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Nice with it <a href="https://t.co/ZwTWvG212F">pic.twitter.com/ZwTWvG212F</a>&mdash; Kansas Men’s Basketball (@KUHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/KUHoops/status/2018561094818890202?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Peterson, who played a season-high 35 minutes, hit a 3 from the right corner with 1:20 left to tie the game at 61. His next one, with 44 seconds remaining, put the Jayhawks (17-5, 7-2 Big 12) ahead to stay in their sixth consecutive win.The Red Raiders (16-6, 6-3), playing without starting point guard Christian Anderson, had a 59-50 lead with 6:05 to go after a jumper by LeJuan Watts. But they made only one of their last 12 shots while Kansas closed on a 14-2 run.Melvin Council Jr. had 16 points, Flory Bidunga scored 14 and Bryson Tiller grabbed 10 rebounds for Kansas.Watts had 19 points and 12 rebounds to lead Texas Tech, which beat Kansas in each of the previous two seasons under coach Grant McCasland after never before winning consecutive games in the 53-game series. The Red Raiders had been 11-0 at home this season.Donovan Atwell had 12 points on four 3s for Texas Tech, including bookend 3s during an 11-0 run early in the second half for a six-point lead.Anderson, who averages 19.6 points per game and leads the Big 12 with 7.5 assists, missed the game because of illness. He was in uniform and was riding a stationary bicycle early in the second half, but never played.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas hosts Utah on Saturday.Texas Tech visits West Virginia on Sunday.

🏀 Darryn Peterson hits two late 3s as KU wins at Texas Tech

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joshua Jefferson scored 19 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 8 Iowa beat Kansas State 95-61 on Sunday.

The Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) got 18 points from Milan Momcilovic, 16 from Tamin Lipsey, 13 from Killyan Toure and 11 from Nate Heise en route to their fourth consecutive win.

They handed the Wildcats (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) their worst loss under coach Jerome Tang, who was hired ahead of the 2023 season.

Iowa State used two big runs in the first half to build a 29-point lead at the break. The second was a suffocating 25-4 run that covered nearly five minutes.

The Cyclones held the Wildcats to a season-low 21 points in the first half. The Wildcats shot just 31% from the field and matched their largest halftime deficit of the season. It swelled to 39 points in the second half.

P.J. Haggerty led Kansas State with 23 points and nine rebounds. Since transferring from Memphis, Haggerty has scored in double digits in all 22 of Kansas State’s games this season.

David Castillo added 11 points, including a 4-of-10 performance beyond the arc, for the Wildcats.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/2/1769989774899.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Joshua Jefferson scored 19 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 8 Iowa beat Kansas State 95-61 on Sunday.The Cyclones (20-2, 7-2 Big 12 Conference) got 18 points from Milan Momcilovic, 16 from Tamin Lipsey, 13 from Killyan Toure and 11 from Nate Heise en route to their fourth consecutive win.They handed the Wildcats (10-12, 1-8 Big 12) their worst loss under coach Jerome Tang, who was hired ahead of the 2023 season.Iowa State used two big runs in the first half to build a 29-point lead at the break. The second was a suffocating 25-4 run that covered nearly five minutes.The Cyclones held the Wildcats to a season-low 21 points in the first half. The Wildcats shot just 31% from the field and matched their largest halftime deficit of the season. It swelled to 39 points in the second half.P.J. Haggerty led Kansas State with 23 points and nine rebounds. Since transferring from Memphis, Haggerty has scored in double digits in all 22 of Kansas State’s games this season.David Castillo added 11 points, including a 4-of-10 performance beyond the arc, for the Wildcats.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas State: Visits TCU on Saturday.Iowa State: Hosts Baylor on Saturday.

🏀 K-State suffers 34-point loss to No. 8 Iowa State

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Darryn Peterson scored 18 points in 20 minutes and No. 14 Kansas beat No. 13 BYU 90-82 on Saturday in the 1,000th game played at historic Allen Fieldhouse.

Bryson Tiller had career-high 21 points and seven rebounds for Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12).

Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go. Kansas outscored the Cougars 8-4 in the final minute to withstand the late rally.

Richie Saunders scored a career-high 33 for BYU (17-4, 5-3). His six three-pointers tied a career-high.

Kansas carried a 20-point lead into halftime, shooting 64.3% from the field. That included 18 points from Peterson and the Jayhawks made 9 of 12 from beyond the arc.

BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 23.6 points, went without a shot until the 11:24 mark in the first half. Dybantsa scored his first basket with 7:22 left in the period, ending a 13-0 run by the Jayhawks with a 3-pointer. He finished with 17 points.

Excitement about the matchup between top prospects Peterson and Dybantsa fizzled when Peterson exited the game a little more than 3 1/2 minutes into the second half. He missed Kansas’ previous game with an ankle sprain and has been limited to just 11 appearances, battling hamstring and calf injuries.

Kansas: Plays Monday at No.11 Texas Tech.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769912256749.jpeg" alt="Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against BYU, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas guard Darryn Peterson (22) reacts after scoring a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against BYU, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Darryn Peterson scored 18 points in 20 minutes and No. 14 Kansas beat No. 13 BYU 90-82 on Saturday in the 1,000th game played at historic Allen Fieldhouse.Bryson Tiller had career-high 21 points and seven rebounds for Kansas (16-5, 6-2 Big 12).Although the Jayhawks led by as many as 21 points, BYU stayed within striking distance in the second half, cutting the lead to six as the clock ticked under two minutes to go. Kansas outscored the Cougars 8-4 in the final minute to withstand the late rally.Richie Saunders scored a career-high 33 for BYU (17-4, 5-3). His six three-pointers tied a career-high.Kansas carried a 20-point lead into halftime, shooting 64.3% from the field. That included 18 points from Peterson and the Jayhawks made 9 of 12 from beyond the arc.BYU freshman AJ Dybantsa, who entered the game averaging a nation-leading 23.6 points, went without a shot until the 11:24 mark in the first half. Dybantsa scored his first basket with 7:22 left in the period, ending a 13-0 run by the Jayhawks with a 3-pointer. He finished with 17 points.Excitement about the matchup between top prospects Peterson and Dybantsa fizzled when Peterson exited the game a little more than 3 1/2 minutes into the second half. He missed Kansas’ previous game with an ankle sprain and has been limited to just 11 appearances, battling hamstring and calf injuries.<h2>Up next</h2>Kansas: Plays Monday at No.11 Texas Tech.BYU: Visits Oklahoma State on Wednesday.

🏀 Bryson Tiller scores 21 as KU beats BYU 

Season tickets for the seven-game 2026 home campaign will go on sale on Tuesday, February 3.

NEW ORDERS: Tickets will go on sale online only to the public beginning at 5 p.m., next Tuesday, February 3, with a pick-your-own seat map with availability from last season's inventory. Phone and in-person orders will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4.

SEASON TICKET RENEWALS: Fans who had season tickets last season have until the priority deadline of Friday, April 24, to keep their seat locations for next season.Season tickets continue to be the most affordable option for fans starting at just $35.71 per game. For the first time in three seasons, season ticket prices are increasing throughout the stadium. With a seven-game home schedule, the per-game price for most areas of the stadium is cheaper than the previous two years. 

Price increases support K-State Athletics in this new era of college athletics, helping cover the rising costs of goods and staffing and also reflect the overall increase in value in individual game tickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KSUSeason tickets for the seven-game 2026 home campaign will go on sale on Tuesday, February 3.NEW ORDERS: Tickets will go on sale online only to the public beginning at 5 p.m., next Tuesday, February 3, with a pick-your-own seat map with availability from last season's inventory. Phone and in-person orders will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, February 4.SEASON TICKET RENEWALS: Fans who had season tickets last season have until the priority deadline of Friday, April 24, to keep their seat locations for next season.Season tickets continue to be the most affordable option for fans starting at just $35.71 per game. For the first time in three seasons, season ticket prices are increasing throughout the stadium. With a seven-game home schedule, the per-game price for most areas of the stadium is cheaper than the previous two years. Price increases support K-State Athletics in this new era of college athletics, helping cover the rising costs of goods and staffing and also reflect the overall increase in value in individual game tickets.&nbsp;&nbsp;

K-State football tickets are about to go on sale

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Honor Huff scored 17 points and Treysen Eaglestaff scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds and West Virginia beat Kansas State 59-54 on Tuesday night.

Brenen Lorient scored 10 points for West Virginia (14-7, 5-3 Big 12), which has won three of four and six of its last nine games. It was the third fewest points scored this season for Kansas State.

P.J. Haggerty scored 16 points, David Castillo scored 15 points and Nate Johnson 13 for Kansas State (10-11, 1-7). The Wildcats have lost seven of their last eight.

West Virginia led 57-54 with 22 seconds left before the Jayhawks intentionally fouled Huff. He missed the front end of a one-and-one and Kansas State took possession.

Lorient blocked Haggerty's layup attempt with 14 seconds left. Kansas State maintained possession but Haggerty's 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left was off the mark.

Taj Manning fouled Huff and he made both foul shots with eight seconds left to seal the win.

Kansas State: Hosts No. 8 Iowa State on Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769569866855.png" alt="Photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Honor Huff scored 17 points and Treysen Eaglestaff scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds and West Virginia beat Kansas State 59-54 on Tuesday night.Brenen Lorient scored 10 points for West Virginia (14-7, 5-3 Big 12), which has won three of four and six of its last nine games. It was the third fewest points scored this season for Kansas State.P.J. Haggerty scored 16 points, David Castillo scored 15 points and Nate Johnson 13 for Kansas State (10-11, 1-7). The Wildcats have lost seven of their last eight.West Virginia led 57-54 with 22 seconds left before the Jayhawks intentionally fouled Huff. He missed the front end of a one-and-one and Kansas State took possession.Lorient blocked Haggerty's layup attempt with 14 seconds left. Kansas State maintained possession but Haggerty's 3-point attempt with 10 seconds left was off the mark.Taj Manning fouled Huff and he made both foul shots with eight seconds left to seal the win.<h2>Up Next</h2>Kansas State: Hosts No. 8 Iowa State on Sunday.West Virginia: Hosts Baylor on Saturday.

🏀 Huff, Eaglestaff help lift West Virginia past Kansas State

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for three touchdowns, the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense came up with a critical fourth-down stop, and Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl, beating the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in an electrifying NFC championship game on Sunday.

Led by second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Darnold — an eight-year veteran playing for his fifth team — the Seahawks (16-3) reached the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history and first in 11 years. Seattle lost that most recent appearance to New England, its opponent in two weeks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

With Los Angeles (14-6) facing fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6, coach Sean McVay elected to go for it and Matthew Stafford’s pass was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2015612455158976655" target="_blank">broken up in the end zone</a>&nbsp;by Devon Witherspoon. The Rams didn’t get the ball back until there were 25 seconds left, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final play.

Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams were undone by critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter. On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead.

Darnold, who flopped in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seahawks-sam-darnold-bye-playoffs-489ae91973a720c23bdbadb54676785e">playoff debut last season</a>&nbsp;with the Minnesota Vikings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seahawks-darnold-injury-74267fccc18bb171a3858acdb3f4e7e1">played through an oblique injury</a>&nbsp;and completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with no turnovers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving — the second-most in a playoff game in franchise history — and a touchdown on 10 catches.

“It’s amazing,” Darnold said. “To be able to do it with these guys in this locker room, though, with this coaching staff, that’s why it means the world to me.”

The Seahawks led 31-20 late in the third quarter on Darnold’s 13-yard TD pass to Cooper Kupp, but the Rams got back into the game when Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLonFOX/status/2015606662904918099" target="_blank">flagged for taunting</a>&nbsp;after breaking up a pass to Nacua on third-and-12, giving Los Angeles a first down.

On the next play, Stafford threw at Woolen again, and Nacua beat him in the corner of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown.

The Rams forced a punt on Seattle’s next possession and went on a 14-play, 84-yard drive that came up empty thanks to Witherspoon’s pass breakup.

Seattle stayed aggressive on its final possession, with Darnold throwing for three first downs to run out most of the clock.

Davante Adams and Kyren Williams had receiving TDs for the Rams, and Kenneth Walker III rushed for a score for the Seahawks.

Rams: WR Jordan Whittington (chest) left in the third quarter. Defensive end Kobie Turner (cramps) also exited in the third.

Seahawks: LB Drake Thomas (shoulder) left in the fourth quarter. FB Brady Russell (hand) was injured in the second half and did not return.

Rams: Stafford turns 38 next month and has to wonder if this was his last, best chance at a second Super Bowl title.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769399039128.png" alt="eattle Seahawks’ Dareke Young (83) celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Xavier Smith during a punt return during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)" />
 <figcaption>eattle Seahawks’ Dareke Young (83) celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Xavier Smith during a punt return during the second half of the NFC Championship NFL football game Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold threw for three touchdowns, the Seahawks’ “Dark Side” defense came up with a critical fourth-down stop, and Seattle advanced to the Super Bowl, beating the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in an electrifying NFC championship game on Sunday.Led by second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Darnold — an eight-year veteran playing for his fifth team — the Seahawks (16-3) reached the fourth Super Bowl in franchise history and first in 11 years. Seattle lost that most recent appearance to New England, its opponent in two weeks at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.With Los Angeles (14-6) facing fourth-and-4 at the Seattle 6, coach Sean McVay elected to go for it and Matthew Stafford’s pass was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/2015612455158976655" target="_blank">broken up in the end zone</a>&nbsp;by Devon Witherspoon. The Rams didn’t get the ball back until there were 25 seconds left, and Puka Nacua was tackled inbounds near midfield on the final play.Stafford threw for 374 yards and three touchdowns, but the Rams were undone by critical errors, including a muffed punt by Xavier Smith in the third quarter. On the next play, Darnold connected with Jake Bobo for a 17-yard touchdown and a 24-13 lead.Darnold, who flopped in his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seahawks-sam-darnold-bye-playoffs-489ae91973a720c23bdbadb54676785e">playoff debut last season</a>&nbsp;with the Minnesota Vikings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/seahawks-darnold-injury-74267fccc18bb171a3858acdb3f4e7e1">played through an oblique injury</a>&nbsp;and completed 25 of 36 passes for 346 yards with no turnovers. Jaxon Smith-Njigba had 153 yards receiving — the second-most in a playoff game in franchise history — and a touchdown on 10 catches.“It’s amazing,” Darnold said. “To be able to do it with these guys in this locker room, though, with this coaching staff, that’s why it means the world to me.”The Seahawks led 31-20 late in the third quarter on Darnold’s 13-yard TD pass to Cooper Kupp, but the Rams got back into the game when Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen was&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFLonFOX/status/2015606662904918099" target="_blank">flagged for taunting</a>&nbsp;after breaking up a pass to Nacua on third-and-12, giving Los Angeles a first down.On the next play, Stafford threw at Woolen again, and Nacua beat him in the corner of the end zone for a 34-yard touchdown.The Rams forced a punt on Seattle’s next possession and went on a 14-play, 84-yard drive that came up empty thanks to Witherspoon’s pass breakup.Seattle stayed aggressive on its final possession, with Darnold throwing for three first downs to run out most of the clock.Davante Adams and Kyren Williams had receiving TDs for the Rams, and Kenneth Walker III rushed for a score for the Seahawks.<h2>Injuries</h2>Rams: WR Jordan Whittington (chest) left in the third quarter. Defensive end Kobie Turner (cramps) also exited in the third.Seahawks: LB Drake Thomas (shoulder) left in the fourth quarter. FB Brady Russell (hand) was injured in the second half and did not return.<h2>Up next</h2>Rams: Stafford turns 38 next month and has to wonder if this was his last, best chance at a second Super Bowl title.

🏈 Sam Darnold and Seahawks advance to Super Bowl with thrilling win over Rams in NFC title game

DENVER (AP) — Drake Maye handled the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriots-broncos-afc-title-game-b1f16622fe4e7d14f4558e40ce5afe7a">sloppy, snowy conditions</a>&nbsp;better than the home team and he scored New England’s only touchdown on a 6-yard keeper, propelling the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game Sunday.

Maye threw for just 86 yards, but ran for 65 and iced the win with a 7-yard keeper on third-and-5 in the waning minutes to send the Patriots (17-3) to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first year as coach.

The Patriots will play the winner of the NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.

“I’m just proud of this team,” said the 23-year-old Maye, who’s the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, behind only Miami’s Dan Marino. “Don’t have many words. Just thankful for this team. Love each and every one of them. It took everybody.”

Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham, starting in place of an injured Bo Nix, with 2:11 remaining for New England’s second takeaway. The first set up the Patriots with a short field and led to Maye’s touchdown scamper that tied it at 7 heading into halftime.

With Nix looking on from a suite following ankle surgery Tuesday in Alabama, Stidham made his first start in more than two years. His first completion since the 2023 regular-season finale was a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/2015518892354117789?s=20" target="_blank">52-yard dart</a>&nbsp;to Marvin Mims Jr. to the New England 7 that set up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/2015519475064541595?s=20" target="_blank">Courtland Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown catch</a>.

That was Stidham’s highlight as he turned the ball over twice and finished 17 of 31 for 133 yards with the TD.

“I was super excited for the opportunity and just hate that we fell short,” Stidham said.

New England, which went 4-13 last year under Jerod Mayo, became the third team in the Super Bowl era to win a conference championship with 10 points or less. Buffalo beat Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC title game, and Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay 9-0 in the 1979 NFC championship game.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a playmaking linebacker for the Patriots, could become the first person in NFL history to also win as a head coach for the same franchise.

“I won’t win it. It’ll be the players that’ll win the game,” Vrabel said. “I promise you, it won’t be me that’ll win it, and I promise you that I’ll do everything I can, and our staff, to have them ready for the game.”

The Broncos (15-4) finished one step shy of fulfilling Sean Payton’s preseason prediction of a trip to Super Bowl 60, and he pointed the finger right at himself.

He said he regretted his call on fourth-and-1 from the New England 14 in the second quarter when a chip-shot field goal before the snow came in would have given Denver a double-digit lead. Stidham’s throw to running back R.J. Harvey was incomplete and the Broncos’ early momentum vanished.

“There’s always regrets,” Payton said. “Yeah, I mean, look, I felt like here we are, fourth-and-1. We felt close enough ... So, yeah, there’ll always be second thoughts.”

The Broncos were left clinging to a 7-0 lead that was short-lived. Elijah Ponder recovered&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Patriots/status/2015532622156636284?s=20" target="_blank">Stidham’s backward pass</a>&nbsp;at the Denver 12, setting up the tying touchdown two plays later.

“I thought I threw it forward and obviously the replay said differently,” Stidham said. “Probably should have just eaten the sack and let (Jeremy) Crawshaw punt the ball and flip the field.”

Both kickers missed two field goals in the frigid conditions with Denver’s Wil Lutz and New England’s Andy Borregales wide on long tries just before the snow came in at halftime. Lutz’s 45-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter was tipped by Leonard Taylor III.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769427461444.jpeg" alt="New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) hands off against the Denver Broncos during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)" />
 <figcaption>New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) hands off against the Denver Broncos during the second half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Drake Maye handled the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/patriots-broncos-afc-title-game-b1f16622fe4e7d14f4558e40ce5afe7a">sloppy, snowy conditions</a>&nbsp;better than the home team and he scored New England’s only touchdown on a 6-yard keeper, propelling the Patriots to their 12th Super Bowl with a 10-7 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game Sunday.Maye threw for just 86 yards, but ran for 65 and iced the win with a 7-yard keeper on third-and-5 in the waning minutes to send the Patriots (17-3) to the Super Bowl in Mike Vrabel’s first year as coach.The Patriots will play the winner of the NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California.“I’m just proud of this team,” said the 23-year-old Maye, who’s the second-youngest starting quarterback to reach the Super Bowl, behind only Miami’s Dan Marino. “Don’t have many words. Just thankful for this team. Love each and every one of them. It took everybody.”Christian Gonzalez intercepted Jarrett Stidham, starting in place of an injured Bo Nix, with 2:11 remaining for New England’s second takeaway. The first set up the Patriots with a short field and led to Maye’s touchdown scamper that tied it at 7 heading into halftime.With Nix looking on from a suite following ankle surgery Tuesday in Alabama, Stidham made his first start in more than two years. His first completion since the 2023 regular-season finale was a&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/2015518892354117789?s=20" target="_blank">52-yard dart</a>&nbsp;to Marvin Mims Jr. to the New England 7 that set up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Broncos/status/2015519475064541595?s=20" target="_blank">Courtland Sutton’s 6-yard touchdown catch</a>.That was Stidham’s highlight as he turned the ball over twice and finished 17 of 31 for 133 yards with the TD.“I was super excited for the opportunity and just hate that we fell short,” Stidham said.New England, which went 4-13 last year under Jerod Mayo, became the third team in the Super Bowl era to win a conference championship with 10 points or less. Buffalo beat Denver 10-7 in the 1991 AFC title game, and Los Angeles beat Tampa Bay 9-0 in the 1979 NFC championship game.Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a playmaking linebacker for the Patriots, could become the first person in NFL history to also win as a head coach for the same franchise.“I won’t win it. It’ll be the players that’ll win the game,” Vrabel said. “I promise you, it won’t be me that’ll win it, and I promise you that I’ll do everything I can, and our staff, to have them ready for the game.”The Broncos (15-4) finished one step shy of fulfilling Sean Payton’s preseason prediction of a trip to Super Bowl 60, and he pointed the finger right at himself.He said he regretted his call on fourth-and-1 from the New England 14 in the second quarter when a chip-shot field goal before the snow came in would have given Denver a double-digit lead. Stidham’s throw to running back R.J. Harvey was incomplete and the Broncos’ early momentum vanished.“There’s always regrets,” Payton said. “Yeah, I mean, look, I felt like here we are, fourth-and-1. We felt close enough ... So, yeah, there’ll always be second thoughts.”The Broncos were left clinging to a 7-0 lead that was short-lived. Elijah Ponder recovered&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/Patriots/status/2015532622156636284?s=20" target="_blank">Stidham’s backward pass</a>&nbsp;at the Denver 12, setting up the tying touchdown two plays later.“I thought I threw it forward and obviously the replay said differently,” Stidham said. “Probably should have just eaten the sack and let (Jeremy) Crawshaw punt the ball and flip the field.”Both kickers missed two field goals in the frigid conditions with Denver’s Wil Lutz and New England’s Andy Borregales wide on long tries just before the snow came in at halftime. Lutz’s 45-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter was tipped by Leonard Taylor III.The Patriots’ victory was their 40th in the playoffs, breaking a tie with the San Francisco 49ers for the most in NFL history.It was sunny at kickoff with a temperature of 26 degrees, but by halftime the snowflakes began falling and grounds crews had to use snowblowers to mark the hashmarks and yard lines by the fourth quarter, when it was 16 degrees.“It was a lot of fun out there,” Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II said. “Snow game, for the conference, to go to the Super Bowl — it doesn’t get any better than that. I felt like I was a little kid out there just playing in the snow.”And the Patriots had the most fun of all.“What an atmosphere out here,” said Maye, in his second NFL season. “Battle of the elements. Love this team. How about the defense? I love each and every one of them.”The Patriots have allowed 26 points across three playoff games. The only team to allow fewer points over three playoff games before a Super Bowl appearance was the 2000 Ravens, who allowed just 16 points.After gaining just 72 yards in the first half, the Patriots opened the second half in swirling snow with a 16-play, 64-yard drive that ate up 9 1/2 minutes and ended with a 23-yard field goal by Borregales that proved the difference.Stidham, who was drafted by the Patriots in 2019, made his first start since the 2023 regular-season finale. The Broncos were the only team in the league that didn’t give their backup QB any snaps or handoffs the last two seasons.The Patriots have averaged 18 points per game in the playoffs, the fewest by any team to make the Super Bowl since the 1979 Rams, who averaged 15.“I’ll take an ugly win before I take a pretty loss,” Diggs said. “Nobody’s satisfied. Happy, but not complacent. We’re blessed to be where we are, but we know there’s more out there for us.”Coming up just short of a trip to the Super Bowl will drive Denver, said Surtain, who suggested: “This is not the last time we’re going to be here. We’re going to just keep on building and getting better.”Nix, who had 11 game-winning drives in his first two NFL seasons, got hurt on Denver’s final drive in overtime against Buffalo last week, and this title game will always be dogged in Denver by the what-ifs.“It (stinks),” linebacker Alex Singleton said. “We’ll remember it for the rest of our lives.”<h2>Injuries</h2>Patriots: LB Robert Spillane (ankle) left in the first quarter.Broncos: WR Pat Bryant left with a hamstring injury in the second quarter.—