Wichita Bishop Carroll 55, Wichita West 33

GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=Anderson County 44, Fredonia 36Andover Central 70, Hutchinson 48BV Northwest 46, BV Southwest 32Baldwin 42, Tonganoxie 31Beloit 51, Phillipsburg 49Bennington 51, Marion 39Berean Academy 61, Wichita Classical 16Bucklin 44, Pawnee Heights 36Cambridge, Neb. 51, Norton 32Central Plains 63, Ellinwood 15Centralia 63, Wetmore 27Cheney 69, Wichita Independent 20Cherryvale 70, Erie 37Clay Center 54, Concordia 25Clearwater 56, Halstead 52Clifton-Clyde 58, Blue Valley 33Colby 41, Hoxie 37Derby 51, Salina South 20Dodge City 89, Ulysses 17Ellsworth 48, Larned 31Emporia 55, Manhattan 28Fairfield 54, Chase 29Galena 54, Baxter Springs 27Garden Plain 55, Kingman 29Goddard 32, Andover 31Golden Plains 60, Wichita County 33Goodland 43, Scott City 40Hanover 63, Linn 43Haven 51, Sedgwick 35Hays 47, Pratt 44Hiawatha 43, Riverside 29Highland Park 61, KC Sumner 38Hill City 34, Quinter 31Hillsboro 30, Hutchinson Trinity 13Junction City 32, Topeka West 30Kiowa County 52, Meade 40Labette County 41, Fort Scott 37Lakeside 62, Logan/Palco 22Lansing 79, KC Schlagle 15Lawrence 56, Olathe West 52Macksville 62, Cunningham 17Maize 51, Wichita Campus 29Marmaton Valley 29, Uniontown 23Mission Valley 39, Northern Heights 32Nickerson 52, Andale 48Northeast-Arma 35, Pleasanton 31Norwich 67, Caldwell 6Osborne 67, Thunder Ridge 39Pike Valley 34, Tescott 15Pittsburg 42, Chanute 35Pittsburg Colgan 73, Iola 16Pretty Prairie 90, Udall 12Rawlins County 52, Northern Valley 32Red Cloud, Neb. 41, Rock Hills 25Rock Creek 40, Riley County 34Sabetha 40, Nemaha Central 28Shawnee Heights 45, Bonner Springs 33Silver Lake 60, Rossville 31Smith Center 74, Stockton 34Smoky Valley 47, Hoisington 30South Central 62, Minneola 27South Gray 47, Sublette 18Southwestern Hts. 44, Stanton County 35Spring Hill 44, Paola 36St. Paul 66, Wichita Southeast 18Sylvan-Lucas 41, Lincoln 16Topeka 45, Washburn Rural 39Topeka Seaman 46, Topeka Hayden 38Valley Heights 54, Washington County 23Victoria 70, Plainville 35Wamego 81, St. Mary's 49Wichita Bishop Carroll 55, Wichita West 33Wichita Trinity 55, Douglass 42Winfield 33, Rose Hill 23Yates Center 35, Oswego 15

Girls high school basketball results

Barstow, Mo. 65, Bishop Seabury Academy 49

Wichita Bishop Carroll 61, Wichita West 33

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Andale 74, Nickerson 21Anderson County 72, Fredonia 36Andover 61, Goddard 37Attica 61, South Haven 30BV West 79, St. Thomas Aquinas 64Barstow, Mo. 65, Bishop Seabury Academy 49Beloit 52, Phillipsburg 45Berean Academy 34, Wichita Classical 31Bucklin 77, Pawnee Heights 51Burlington 67, Eureka 19Burrton 69, Argonia 40Central Heights 38, West Franklin 27Cheney 59, Wichita Independent 36Clay Center 56, Concordia 53Clearwater 60, Halstead 30Clifton-Clyde 51, Blue Valley 40Dodge City 64, Ulysses 21Ellinwood 65, Central Plains 26Ellsworth 69, Larned 49Emporia 55, Manhattan 28Erie 56, Cherryvale 48Fairfield 37, Chase 36Fort Scott 44, Labette County 41Galena 59, Baxter Springs 33Hanover 81, Linn 24Haven 46, Sedgwick 30Hays 56, Pratt 45Hill City 62, Quinter 42Hillsboro 63, Hutchinson Trinity 36Hodgeman County 48, Spearville 27Hoxie 62, Colby 44Jayhawk Linn 52, Crest 45Kingman 53, Garden Plain 48Lakeside 58, Logan 47Lakeside 58, Logan/Palco 47Lansing 56, KC Schlagle 51Lyndon 56, Council Grove 41Macksville 52, Cunningham 51Maize 80, Wichita Campus 56Marmaton Valley 47, Uniontown 36Meade 61, Kiowa County 38Nemaha Central 77, Sabetha 46Northeast-Arma 57, Pleasanton 28Northern Valley 81, Rawlins County 49Norton 56, Cambridge, Neb. 32Norwich 48, Caldwell 33Osborne 46, Thunder Ridge 19Paola 50, Spring Hill 42Pittsburg 67, Chanute 52Plainville 59, Victoria 45Pleasant Ridge 46, Oskaloosa 45Red Cloud, Neb. 57, Rock Hills 22Rock Creek 68, Riley County 64Rose Hill 86, Winfield 45Scott City 61, Goodland 34Smoky Valley 67, Hoisington 55South Central 54, Minneola 34South Gray 77, Sublette 56Southwestern Hts. 66, Stanton County 32St. Mary's 53, Wamego 41Tonganoxie 52, Baldwin 35Valley Heights 58, Washington County 31Washburn Rural 56, Topeka 51Wichita Bishop Carroll 61, Wichita West 33Wichita Collegiate 59, Augusta 28Wichita Heights 50, Wichita South 22Wichita Trinity 58, Douglass 35Yates Center 44, Oswego 19POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Stockton vs. Smith Center, ccd.

Tuesday night boys high school basketball results

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A short-handed Kansas State fought one of the nation’s top-ranked teams down to the end, but No. 14/16 Texas exerted its control with a big 18-2 run to start the second half en route to a 70-57 win in the Wildcats’ Big 12 home opener before 6,833 fans at Bramlage Coliseum on Tuesday night.

Down head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber&nbsp;and seven players due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the pesky Wildcats (8-5, 0-2 Big 12) with their eight players, including seven on scholarship, looked primed to spark the upset, scoring the game’s first 7 points and leading 35-29 at the half after connecting on 50 percent (14-of-28) from the field, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from 3-point range.

However, it was a different story in the second half, as the nation’s top-ranked defense (51.9 ppg.) held the Wildcats to just 22 points on 22.2 percent (6-of-27) shooting, including 0-of-9 from 3-point range, while the Longhorn offense scored the first 8 points out of halftime en route to an 18-2 run that built a double-digit lead (47-37) with just over 12 minutes to play.

K-State got to within 6 points on 4 occasions down the stretch, including 63-57 after a layup by sophomore&nbsp;Selton Miguel&nbsp;with 2:42 to play. However, the stingy defense would allow any further rally as Texas scored the game’s final 7 points en route to the double-digit victory.

It marked the first time this season that the Wildcats lost when leading at the half (8-0).

Sophomore&nbsp;Nijel Pack&nbsp;collected his fourth career 20-point game with a game-high 21 points, including 15 in the opening half where the Wildcats built as much as a 9-point lead. He finished 6-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line to go with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. He has now scored 15 or more points in 8 of 10 games played this season.

Miguel added a near double-double with 13 points on 6-of-13 field goals and a game-high 8 rebounds, while fellow sophomore&nbsp;Ish Massoud&nbsp;chipped in 9 points.

The Longhorns (12-2, 2-0 Big 12) got a big night from Utah transfer&nbsp;Timmy Allen, who posted double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while three others (Marcus Carr,&nbsp;Courtney Ramey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dylan Disu) also scored in double figures, including a game-high 19 by Carr, the transfer from Minnesota.

K-State had 8 available players (Miguel, Pack, Massoud, senior&nbsp;Mike McGuirl, junior&nbsp;Carlton Linguard, Jr., fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith, senior walk-on&nbsp;Drew Honas&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;Luke Kasubke), including 7 scholarship players, for tonight’s game.

In addition to Weber, the Wildcats were without sophomore&nbsp;Davion Bradford, sophomore&nbsp;Jordan Brooks, freshman&nbsp;Maximus Edwards, junior&nbsp;Kaosi Ezeagu, sophomore&nbsp;Trey Harris, freshman&nbsp;Logan Landers&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

In Weber’s place, assistant coach&nbsp;Shane Southwell&nbsp;assumed head coaching responsibilities.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– A short-handed Kansas State fought one of the nation’s top-ranked teams down to the end, but No. 14/16 Texas exerted its control with a big 18-2 run to start the second half en route to a 70-57 win in the Wildcats’ Big 12 home opener before 6,833 fans at Bramlage Coliseum on Tuesday night.Down head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber&nbsp;and seven players due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the pesky Wildcats (8-5, 0-2 Big 12) with their eight players, including seven on scholarship, looked primed to spark the upset, scoring the game’s first 7 points and leading 35-29 at the half after connecting on 50 percent (14-of-28) from the field, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from 3-point range.However, it was a different story in the second half, as the nation’s top-ranked defense (51.9 ppg.) held the Wildcats to just 22 points on 22.2 percent (6-of-27) shooting, including 0-of-9 from 3-point range, while the Longhorn offense scored the first 8 points out of halftime en route to an 18-2 run that built a double-digit lead (47-37) with just over 12 minutes to play.K-State got to within 6 points on 4 occasions down the stretch, including 63-57 after a layup by sophomore&nbsp;Selton Miguel&nbsp;with 2:42 to play. However, the stingy defense would allow any further rally as Texas scored the game’s final 7 points en route to the double-digit victory.It marked the first time this season that the Wildcats lost when leading at the half (8-0).Sophomore&nbsp;Nijel Pack&nbsp;collected his fourth career 20-point game with a game-high 21 points, including 15 in the opening half where the Wildcats built as much as a 9-point lead. He finished 6-of-12 from the field, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line to go with 5 rebounds and 3 assists. He has now scored 15 or more points in 8 of 10 games played this season.Miguel added a near double-double with 13 points on 6-of-13 field goals and a game-high 8 rebounds, while fellow sophomore&nbsp;Ish Massoud&nbsp;chipped in 9 points.The Longhorns (12-2, 2-0 Big 12) got a big night from Utah transfer&nbsp;Timmy Allen, who posted double-double with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while three others (Marcus Carr,&nbsp;Courtney Ramey&nbsp;and&nbsp;Dylan Disu) also scored in double figures, including a game-high 19 by Carr, the transfer from Minnesota.K-State had 8 available players (Miguel, Pack, Massoud, senior&nbsp;Mike McGuirl, junior&nbsp;Carlton Linguard, Jr., fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith, senior walk-on&nbsp;Drew Honas&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;Luke Kasubke), including 7 scholarship players, for tonight’s game.In addition to Weber, the Wildcats were without sophomore&nbsp;Davion Bradford, sophomore&nbsp;Jordan Brooks, freshman&nbsp;Maximus Edwards, junior&nbsp;Kaosi Ezeagu, sophomore&nbsp;Trey Harris, freshman&nbsp;Logan Landers&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.In Weber’s place, assistant coach&nbsp;Shane Southwell&nbsp;assumed head coaching responsibilities.

Wildcat basketball team falls to Texas

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State&nbsp;men’s basketball head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber, along with sophomore&nbsp;Davion Bradford, sophomore&nbsp;Jordan Brooks, freshman&nbsp;Maximus Edwards, junior&nbsp;Kaosi Ezeagu, sophomore&nbsp;Trey Harris, freshman&nbsp;Logan Landers&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Markquis Nowell,&nbsp;will miss tonight’s game with&nbsp;Texas due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

K-State will have 8 available players (senior&nbsp;Mike McGuirl, sophomore&nbsp;Selton Miguel, junior&nbsp;Carlton Linguard, Jr., fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith, senior&nbsp;Drew Honas, sophomore&nbsp;Luke Kasubke, sophomore&nbsp;Nijel Pack&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;Ish Massoud), including 7 scholarship players, for Tuesday night’s game at Bramlage Coliseum.

In Weber’s place, assistant coach&nbsp;Shane Southwell&nbsp;will assume head coaching responsibilities.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State&nbsp;men’s basketball head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber, along with sophomore&nbsp;Davion Bradford, sophomore&nbsp;Jordan Brooks, freshman&nbsp;Maximus Edwards, junior&nbsp;Kaosi Ezeagu, sophomore&nbsp;Trey Harris, freshman&nbsp;Logan Landers&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Markquis Nowell,&nbsp;will miss tonight’s game with&nbsp;Texas due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols.K-State will have 8 available players (senior&nbsp;Mike McGuirl, sophomore&nbsp;Selton Miguel, junior&nbsp;Carlton Linguard, Jr., fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith, senior&nbsp;Drew Honas, sophomore&nbsp;Luke Kasubke, sophomore&nbsp;Nijel Pack&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;Ish Massoud), including 7 scholarship players, for Tuesday night’s game at Bramlage Coliseum.In Weber’s place, assistant coach&nbsp;Shane Southwell&nbsp;will assume head coaching responsibilities.

Head Coach Bruce Weber and Seven Players Sidelined for Tuesday night’s Game with Texas

HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback Skylar Thompson will return from an ankle injury to start for Kansas State in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday night. LSU interim coach Brad Davis won’t say who will start at QB for the Tigers. Myles Brennan is injured and Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&amp;M. Freshman Garrett Nussmeier was listed first on a depth chart released this week but it’s unclear if he’ll play because one more game would burn his redshirt year.

HOUSTON (AP) — Quarterback Skylar Thompson will return from an ankle injury to start for Kansas State in the Texas Bowl on Tuesday night. LSU interim coach Brad Davis won’t say who will start at QB for the Tigers. Myles Brennan is injured and Max Johnson transferred to Texas A&amp;M. Freshman Garrett Nussmeier was listed first on a depth chart released this week but it’s unclear if he’ll play because one more game would burn his redshirt year.

Thompson will lead Kansas State in the Texas Bowl

Kansas State fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith&nbsp;was honored as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday (January 3) after his historic performance on Saturday night against Oklahoma.

Smith, a transfer from Missouri, became the first Wildcat since assists became an official NCAA stat in 1976-77 to post a game of at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. He set career-high in points (25), rebounds (16) and assists (5), while suffering zero turnovers in nearly 39 minutes of action. His 16 rebounds were the most by a player in a conference game since&nbsp;Michael Beasley&nbsp;collected 17 against Missouri on Feb. 16, 2008.

Smith is the first Wildcat to earn the weekly honor since&nbsp;Dean Wade&nbsp;won the accolade for the second time on Feb. 8, 2016, and the first K-State player to be selected for a Big 12 weekly honor since the 2019-20 season. Overall, it marks the school’s 32nd Newcomer of the Week honor since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including the seventh under head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber. It is the second career weekly honor for Smith, who was named the SEC Player of the Week on Dec. 7, 2020, while playing at Missouri.

A 6-foot-4, 225-pound guard from Edwardsville, Illinois, Smith had a near double-double of 11 points and 8 rebounds in the first half, while he scored 12 of his 14 second-half points during a pivotal stretch, in which, the Wildcats battled back from a 14-point deficit to tie the game at 65-all with 1:03 to play. He finished 7-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 from the free throw line.

The double-double was the fifth of Smith’s career, including his fourth in the last 8 games.

The Big 12’s current rebounding leader at 8.6 per game, Smith is averaging a near double-double through his 12-game Wildcat career with 10.7 points per game on 45.4 percent (44-of-97) shooting, including 41.9 percent (13-of-31) from 3-point range. He is tied for second on the team in steals (14), third in scoring, double-digit scoring games (7) and field goals made (44) and fourth in assists (23) while averaging 27.6 minutes per game.

K-State (8-4, 0-1 Big 12) returns home Tuesday night to face nationally-ranked&nbsp;Texas (11-2, 1-0 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT. It will be Dollar Night at Bramlage Coliseum, as all general admission tickets are priced at just $1, while all general admission parking is free.&nbsp;Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;

Kansas State fifth-year senior&nbsp;Mark Smith&nbsp;was honored as the Phillips 66 Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Monday (January 3) after his historic performance on Saturday night against Oklahoma.Smith, a transfer from Missouri, became the first Wildcat since assists became an official NCAA stat in 1976-77 to post a game of at least 25 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists. He set career-high in points (25), rebounds (16) and assists (5), while suffering zero turnovers in nearly 39 minutes of action. His 16 rebounds were the most by a player in a conference game since&nbsp;Michael Beasley&nbsp;collected 17 against Missouri on Feb. 16, 2008.Smith is the first Wildcat to earn the weekly honor since&nbsp;Dean Wade&nbsp;won the accolade for the second time on Feb. 8, 2016, and the first K-State player to be selected for a Big 12 weekly honor since the 2019-20 season. Overall, it marks the school’s 32nd Newcomer of the Week honor since the inception of the Big 12 in 1997, including the seventh under head coach&nbsp;Bruce Weber. It is the second career weekly honor for Smith, who was named the SEC Player of the Week on Dec. 7, 2020, while playing at Missouri.A 6-foot-4, 225-pound guard from Edwardsville, Illinois, Smith had a near double-double of 11 points and 8 rebounds in the first half, while he scored 12 of his 14 second-half points during a pivotal stretch, in which, the Wildcats battled back from a 14-point deficit to tie the game at 65-all with 1:03 to play. He finished 7-of-13 from the field, including 3-of-4 from 3-point range, and 8-of-9 from the free throw line.The double-double was the fifth of Smith’s career, including his fourth in the last 8 games.The Big 12’s current rebounding leader at 8.6 per game, Smith is averaging a near double-double through his 12-game Wildcat career with 10.7 points per game on 45.4 percent (44-of-97) shooting, including 41.9 percent (13-of-31) from 3-point range. He is tied for second on the team in steals (14), third in scoring, double-digit scoring games (7) and field goals made (44) and fourth in assists (23) while averaging 27.6 minutes per game.K-State (8-4, 0-1 Big 12) returns home Tuesday night to face nationally-ranked&nbsp;Texas (11-2, 1-0 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT. It will be Dollar Night at Bramlage Coliseum, as all general admission tickets are priced at just $1, while all general admission parking is free.&nbsp;Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;

Smith Named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week

The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Denver Broncos this Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT in Denver. The NFL just released the Week 18 schedule Sunday night.&nbsp;

The Chiefs - Broncos game will be part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Philadelphia will host Dallas Saturday evening.

The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Denver Broncos this Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. CT in Denver. The NFL just released the Week 18 schedule Sunday night.&nbsp;The Chiefs - Broncos game will be part of a doubleheader on Saturday. Philadelphia will host Dallas Saturday evening.

Chiefs game moves from Sunday to Saturday this week

East and West teams for the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl All Star football game have been announced.

Selected for the West team were Keghan McConnell of Junction City High School, Colt Sell of Chapman High School and Colby Klieman of Manhattan High School.

The game will be played July 23rd in Pittsburg, Kansas.

East and West teams for the 2022 Kansas Shrine Bowl All Star football game have been announced.Selected for the West team were Keghan McConnell of Junction City High School, Colt Sell of Chapman High School and Colby Klieman of Manhattan High School.The game will be played July 23rd in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Three area players are selected for the Kansas Shrine Bowl

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Elijah Harkless sank a go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds remaining, scoring 21 points to spark Oklahoma to a 71-69 victory over Kansas State in a Big 12 Conference opener. The basket by Harkless came after Kansas State battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the score at 65 on Ismael Massoud’s 3-pointer with 63 seconds left. Umoja Gibson added 19 points, going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final 17 seconds. Harkless was 4 of 4 from distance and grabbed seven rebounds for the Sooners (11-2). Mark Smith scored 14 of his career-high 25 points in the second half for the Wildcats (8-4), who trailed 33-22 at intermission.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Elijah Harkless sank a go-ahead jumper with 35 seconds remaining, scoring 21 points to spark Oklahoma to a 71-69 victory over Kansas State in a Big 12 Conference opener. The basket by Harkless came after Kansas State battled back from an 11-point halftime deficit to tie the score at 65 on Ismael Massoud’s 3-pointer with 63 seconds left. Umoja Gibson added 19 points, going 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the final 17 seconds. Harkless was 4 of 4 from distance and grabbed seven rebounds for the Sooners (11-2). Mark Smith scored 14 of his career-high 25 points in the second half for the Wildcats (8-4), who trailed 33-22 at intermission.

K-State men fall to Oklahoma 71-69

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Ayoka Lee continued to show why she is one of the best post players in the country scoring 32 points and 10 rebounds and helped Kansas State upset No. 10 Baylor 68-59. Kansas State led by 14 in the fourth quarter, but the Bears cut the lead to four in the final minute. The Wildcats held off the Bears nailing five free throws down the stretch.  It’s the first time the Wildcats have beat the Lady Bears in 36 tries dating back to 2004.  Kansas State beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 2012.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Ayoka Lee continued to show why she is one of the best post players in the country scoring 32 points and 10 rebounds and helped Kansas State upset No. 10 Baylor 68-59. Kansas State led by 14 in the fourth quarter, but the Bears cut the lead to four in the final minute. The Wildcats held off the Bears nailing five free throws down the stretch. It’s the first time the Wildcats have beat the Lady Bears in 36 tries dating back to 2004. Kansas State beat a ranked opponent for the first time since 2012.

K-State women defeat No. 10 Baylor

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Rookie Ja’Marr Chase had a franchise-record and NFL rookie record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs. Kansas City’s eight-game winning streak was snapped and it fell behind Tennessee for the top seed in the AFC.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Evan McPherson kicked a 20-yard field goal as time ran out, and the Cincinnati Bengals earned their first AFC North title and postseason appearance in six years with a wild 34-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Rookie Ja’Marr Chase had a franchise-record and NFL rookie record 266 yards receiving and three touchdowns on 11 catches for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow threw for 466 yards and four scores while outdueling Patrick Mahomes, and the Bengals rallied from three 14-point deficits against the AFC West champs. Kansas City’s eight-game winning streak was snapped and it fell behind Tennessee for the top seed in the AFC.

Bengals rally past Chiefs 34-31

Kansas State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee ‘78]

Oklahoma: Head Coach: Porter Moser [Creighton ‘90]

At Lloyd Noble Center: Oklahoma leads 27-11

Last Meeting: W, 62-57 [2/23/21 in Manhattan, Kan.]

K-STATE OPENS BIG 12 PLAY AT OKLAHOMA ON NEW YEAR’S DAY

COACHESKansas State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee ‘78]Record at K-State: 178-133/10th YearCareer Record: 491-288/24th Yearvs. Oklahoma: 12-6 [12-6 at K-State]Oklahoma: Head Coach: Porter Moser [Creighton ‘90]Record at Oklahoma: 10-2/1st YearCareer Record: 303-243/18th Yearvs. K-State: 1-0 [0-0 at Oklahoma]SERIES HISTORYOverall: Oklahoma leads 110-103Current Streak: K-State, 1In Norman: Oklahoma leads 65-28At Lloyd Noble Center: Oklahoma leads 27-11Last Meeting: W, 62-57 [2/23/21 in Manhattan, Kan.]Weber vs. Moser: 2-1 [0-0 on the road]PROJECTED STARTING LINEUPKansas State (8-3, 0-0 Big 12)G: #1 Markquis NowellG: #13 Mark SmithG: #24 Nijel PackF: #25 Ismael [Ish] MassoudF: #20 Kaosi EzeaguOklahoma (10-2, 0-0 Big 12)G: #0 Jordan GoldwireG: #2 Umoja GibsonG: #55 Elijah HarklessF: #1 Jalen HillF: #35 Tanner GrovesK-STATE OPENS BIG 12 PLAY AT OKLAHOMA ON NEW YEAR’S DAY<ul>
 <li>Kansas State (8-3) opens up Big 12 play on Saturday, as the Wildcats travel to Norman, Okla., to face the Oklahoma Sooners (10-2) at 7 p.m., CT at the Lloyd Noble Center. The game will air nationally on ESPNU.</li><li>K-State has been an extended holiday break, as the Wildcats saw their game against North Florida (4-9) on Dec. 29 get cancelled due to COVID-19 issues within the Ospreys’ program. It marked the second time that the squad has faced such an issue, as their original opponent on Dec. 29 - Morgan State - were also forced to cancel due to COVID-19.</li><li>K-State does enter the New Year with some momentum, having won 6 of its last 7 games with the only loss in that span coming by 1-point to Marquette on Dec. 8. The Wildcats have also started the year with consecutive road victories at Wichita State and Nebraska for the first time since the 2017-18 season, holding both squads to less than 60 points.</li>
 </ul>

K-State opens Big 12 play at Oklahoma Saturday

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans’ program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Christian Braun scored 22 points, Ochai Agbaji added 16 and sixth-ranked Kansas rolled to a 88-61 victory over Nevada. The Jayhawks were supposed to play Harvard before an outbreak forced the Crimson to cancel the trip early this week. The Wolf Pack stepped in when their Mountain West opener against San Jose State had to be postponed because of positive tests within the Spartans’ program. Desmond Cambridge Jr. and Grant Sherfield led the Wolf Pack with 16 points apiece. Kansas built a 39-17 halftime lead and went on a 12-0 run early in the second half.

KU cruises past Nevada

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/ksu-football-team-to-honor-losses-suffered-in-devastating-wildfires/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas State 
University football team will wear a special decal on their helmets 
during the Jan. 4 bowl game to express empathy for people who suffered 
losses from wildfires that scorched more than 400,000 acres in central 
Kansas.

The Wildcats are scheduled to play Louisiana State University in the TaxAct Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the many Kansans who were affected
 by the recent storms and wildfires,” said Gene Taylor, director of 
athletics at Kansas State in Manhattan. “This helmet sticker is a small 
department-wide gesture that will let all K-Staters and those effected 
by this storm know that we are with them as they rebuild their lives and
 their livelihoods.”

On Tuesday, K-State officials said the decal would be affixed to the back of players’ helmets.

Winds that topped 100 miles per hour on Dec. 15 spread <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/20/ball-of-rolling-fire-and-smoke-wildfires-rip-through-north-central-kansas/">brush fires that destroyed</a> homes, vehicles, barns, equipment and was responsible for killing livestock and pets.

Damage stretched from smaller fires in Finney, Scott and Gove counties and included the four-county fire infiltrating parts of Ellis, Rooks, Russell and Osborne counties.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said farmers or ranchers in need of immediate mental health assistance could contact the Kansas Suicide Prevention Line at 785-841-2345. In addition, Kansas&nbsp;Recovery Resources can be found through the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fagriculture.ks.gov%2fnews-events%2fkansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021%3ffbclid%3dIwAR10UvqmCjpLL7JY1zYSOaQQrrdnxPE5AKC33Ji9Z-cpXxY9d_gxyGXT1wg&amp;redir_log=019837287941046">here</a>.

Donations can also be made through the Kansas&nbsp;Livestock Association&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.kla.org%2fnews-center%2fnews-releases%2fnews%2fdetails%2f28680%2fklf-initiates-relief-effort-for-storm-victims%3ffbclid%3dIwAR0xRyPkIV7uCO6BhF54x6uegPaZ_pF0hqm2gFTowj19XXG6ptc8DadsViQ&amp;redir_log=075535717831208">here. </a>HitchPin is working to coordinate assistance through <a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hitchpin.com%2fdecember-15&amp;redir_log=905083650617244">this form.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640795500898.png" alt="The image from video shot from an airplane illustrates the scope of Dec. 15 wildfires that burned about 400,000 acres in Kansas. On Jan. 4, the Kansas State Wildcats will wear special wildfire stickers on their helmets during the bowl game against LSU. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The image from video shot from an airplane illustrates the scope of Dec. 15 wildfires that burned about 400,000 acres in Kansas. On Jan. 4, the Kansas State Wildcats will wear special wildfire stickers on their helmets during the bowl game against LSU. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/ksu-football-team-to-honor-losses-suffered-in-devastating-wildfires/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas State 
University football team will wear a special decal on their helmets 
during the Jan. 4 bowl game to express empathy for people who suffered 
losses from wildfires that scorched more than 400,000 acres in central 
Kansas.The Wildcats are scheduled to play Louisiana State University in the TaxAct Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium in Houston.“Our thoughts and prayers are with the many Kansans who were affected
 by the recent storms and wildfires,” said Gene Taylor, director of 
athletics at Kansas State in Manhattan. “This helmet sticker is a small 
department-wide gesture that will let all K-Staters and those effected 
by this storm know that we are with them as they rebuild their lives and
 their livelihoods.”On Tuesday, K-State officials said the decal would be affixed to the back of players’ helmets.Winds that topped 100 miles per hour on Dec. 15 spread <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/20/ball-of-rolling-fire-and-smoke-wildfires-rip-through-north-central-kansas/">brush fires that destroyed</a> homes, vehicles, barns, equipment and was responsible for killing livestock and pets.Damage stretched from smaller fires in Finney, Scott and Gove counties and included the four-county fire infiltrating parts of Ellis, Rooks, Russell and Osborne counties.U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said farmers or ranchers in need of immediate mental health assistance could contact the Kansas Suicide Prevention Line at 785-841-2345. In addition, Kansas&nbsp;Recovery Resources can be found through the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fagriculture.ks.gov%2fnews-events%2fkansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021%3ffbclid%3dIwAR10UvqmCjpLL7JY1zYSOaQQrrdnxPE5AKC33Ji9Z-cpXxY9d_gxyGXT1wg&amp;redir_log=019837287941046">here</a>.Donations can also be made through the Kansas&nbsp;Livestock Association&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.kla.org%2fnews-center%2fnews-releases%2fnews%2fdetails%2f28680%2fklf-initiates-relief-effort-for-storm-victims%3ffbclid%3dIwAR0xRyPkIV7uCO6BhF54x6uegPaZ_pF0hqm2gFTowj19XXG6ptc8DadsViQ&amp;redir_log=075535717831208">here. </a>HitchPin is working to coordinate assistance through <a target="_blank" href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=KS01JM&amp;crop=15450.66065470.5582443.8067403&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hitchpin.com%2fdecember-15&amp;redir_log=905083650617244">this form.</a>

KSU football team to honor losses suffered in devastating wildfires

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State’s men’s basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled.

The game will not be rescheduled. Ticket purchasers for Wednesday’s canceled game will receive additional information from the K-State Athletics Ticket Office via email.

The Wildcats’ next home game will be with No. 17/18 Texas (10-2) at 6 p.m., on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.&nbsp;Tickets start at just $1 for Dollar Night in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;

K-State will open Big 12 play at Oklahoma (10-2) on Saturday night at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Due to COVID-19 related issues within the North Florida program, Kansas State’s men’s basketball game scheduled for tonight (December 29) against the Ospreys has been canceled.The game will not be rescheduled. Ticket purchasers for Wednesday’s canceled game will receive additional information from the K-State Athletics Ticket Office via email.The Wildcats’ next home game will be with No. 17/18 Texas (10-2) at 6 p.m., on Tuesday, January 4, 2022.&nbsp;Tickets start at just $1 for Dollar Night in Bramlage Coliseum. Tickets can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;K-State will open Big 12 play at Oklahoma (10-2) on Saturday night at 7 p.m., CT on ESPNU.

K-State announces men's basketball game cancellation

John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.

The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.

Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.

But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.

Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.

“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”

He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.

“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.

Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.

“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”

When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.

“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.

For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.

“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”

“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”

Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.

Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.

Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.

With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.

“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”

“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”

And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.

Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.

Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.

The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.

In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”

Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.

The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.

Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.

“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”

Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.

Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1640439615693.jpeg" alt="John Madden in 2007 wikicommons" />
 <figcaption>John Madden in 2007 wikicommons</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOSH DUBOW, AP Pro Football WriterJohn Madden, the Hall of Fame coach turned broadcaster whose exuberant calls combined with simple explanations provided a weekly soundtrack to NFL games for three decades, died Tuesday morning, the league said. He was 85.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Raiders Family is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary John Madden. Statement » <a href="https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6">https://t.co/9Drm7UNvf6</a> <a href="https://t.co/HA0GDGPN46">pic.twitter.com/HA0GDGPN46</a>&mdash; Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) <a href="https://twitter.com/Raiders/status/1475992603254423553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The NFL said he died unexpectedly and did not detail a cause.Madden gained fame in a decade-long stint as the coach of the renegade Oakland Raiders, making it to seven AFC title games and winning the Super Bowl following the 1976 season. He compiled a 103-32-7 regular-season record, and his .759 winning percentage is the best among NFL coaches with more than 100 games.But it was his work after prematurely retiring as coach at age 42 that made Madden truly a household name. He educated a football nation with his use of the telestrator on broadcasts; entertained millions with his interjections of “Boom!” and “Doink!” throughout games; was an omnipresent pitchman selling restaurants, hardware stores and beer; became the face of “Madden NFL Football,” one of the most successful sports video games of all-time; and was a best-selling author.Most of all, he was the preeminent television sports analyst for most of his three decades calling games, winning an unprecedented 16 Emmy Awards for outstanding sports analyst/personality, and covering 11 Super Bowls for four networks from 1979-2009.“People always ask, are you a coach or a broadcaster or a video game guy?” he said when was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “I’m a coach, always been a coach.”He started his broadcasting career at CBS after leaving coaching in great part because of his fear of flying. He and Pat Summerall became the network’s top announcing duo. Madden then helped give Fox credibility as a major network when he moved there in 1994, and went on to call prime-time games at ABC and NBC before retiring following Pittsburgh’s thrilling 27-23 win over Arizona in the 2009 Super Bowl.“I am not aware of anyone who has made a more meaningful impact on the National Football League than John Madden, and I know of no one who loved the game more,” Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.Burly and a little unkempt, Madden earned a place in America’s heart with a likable, unpretentious style that was refreshing in a sports world of spiraling salaries and prima donna stars. He rode from game to game in his own bus because he suffered from claustrophobia and had stopped flying. For a time, Madden gave out a “turducken” — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey — to the outstanding player in the Thanksgiving game that he called.“Nobody loved football more than Coach. He was football,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He was an incredible sounding board to me and so many others. There will never be another John Madden, and we will forever be indebted to him for all he did to make football and the NFL what it is today.”When he finally retired from the broadcast booth, leaving NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” colleagues universally praised Madden’s passion for the sport, his preparation, and his ability to explain an often-complicated game in down-to-earth terms.“No one has made the sport more interesting, more relevant and more enjoyable to watch and listen to than John,” play-by-play announcer Al Michaels said at the time.For anyone who heard Madden exclaim “Boom!” while breaking down a play, his love of the game was obvious.“For me, TV is really an extension of coaching,” Madden wrote in “Hey, Wait a Minute! (I Wrote a Book!).”“My knowledge of football has come from coaching. And on TV, all I’m trying to do is pass on some of that knowledge to viewers.”Madden was raised in Daly City, California. He played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Cal Poly in 1957-58 and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the school.Madden was chosen to the all-conference team and was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, but a knee injury ended his hopes of a pro playing career. Instead, Madden got into coaching, first at Hancock Junior College and then as defensive coordinator at San Diego State.Al Davis brought him to the Raiders as a linebackers coach in 1967, and Oakland went to the Super Bowl in his first year in the pros. He replaced John Rauch as head coach after the 1968 season at age 32, beginning a remarkable 10-year run.With his demonstrative demeanor on the sideline and disheveled look, Madden was the ideal coach for the collection of castoffs and misfits that made up those Raiders teams.“Sometimes guys were disciplinarians in things that didn’t make any difference. I was a disciplinarian in jumping offsides; I hated that,” Madden once said. “Being in bad position and missing tackles, those things. I wasn’t, ‘Your hair has to be combed.’”The Raiders responded.“I always thought his strong suit was his style of coaching,” quarterback Ken Stabler once said. “John just had a great knack for letting us be what we wanted to be, on the field and off the field. ... How do you repay him for being that way? You win for him.”And boy, did they ever. Many years, the only problem was the playoffs.Madden went 12-1-1 in his first season, losing the AFL title game 17-7 to Kansas City. That pattern repeated itself during his tenure; the Raiders won the division title in seven of his first eight seasons, but went 1-6 in conference title games during that span.Still, Madden’s Raiders played in some of the sport’s most memorable games of the 1970s, games that helped change rules in the NFL. There was the “Holy Roller” in 1978, when Stabler purposely fumbled forward before being sacked on the final play. The ball rolled and was batted to the end zone before Dave Casper recovered it for the winning touchdown against San Diego.The most famous of those games went against the Raiders in the 1972 playoffs at Pittsburgh. With the Raiders leading 7-6 and 22 seconds left, the Steelers had a fourth-and-10 from their 40. Terry Bradshaw’s desperation pass deflected off either Oakland’s Jack Tatum or Pittsburgh’s Frenchy Fuqua to Franco Harris, who caught it at his shoe tops and ran in for a TD.In those days, a pass that bounced off an offensive player directly to a teammate was illegal, and the debate continues to this day over which player it hit. The catch, of course, was dubbed the “Immaculate Reception.”Oakland finally broke through with a loaded team in 1976 that had Stabler at quarterback; Fred Biletnikoff and Cliff Branch at receiver; tight end Dave Casper; Hall of Fame offensive linemen Gene Upshaw and Art Shell; and a defense that included Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Tatum, John Matuszak, Otis Sistrunk and George Atkinson.The Raiders went 13-1, losing only a blowout at New England in Week 4. They paid the Patriots back with a 24-21 win in their first playoff game and got over the AFC title game hump with a 24-7 win over the hated Steelers, who were crippled by injuries.Oakland won it all with a 32-14 Super Bowl romp against Minnesota.“Players loved playing for him,” Shell said. “He made it fun for us in camp and fun for us in the regular season. All he asked is that we be on time and play like hell when it was time to play.”Madden battled an ulcer the following season, when the Raiders once again lost in the AFC title game. He retired from coaching at age 42 after a 9-7 season in 1978.Survivors include his wife, Virginia, and two sons, Joseph and Michael. John and Virginia Madden’s 62nd wedding anniversary was two days before his death.___

John Madden, Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster has died

TaxAct Texas Bowl K-State vs. LSU

CATS, TIGERS TUSSLE IN FINAL BOWL GAME OF 2021

Kansas State is back in the bowl scene after a one-year hiatus as the Wildcats were rewarded for their seven-win regular season with their 23rd bowl berth all-time and will take on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. The game is slated for an 8 p.m., kickoff on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Wildcats and Tigers will meet for just the second time ever and the first in 41 seasons, as K-State fell at LSU, 21-0, to open the 1980 season.

K-State is in the Texas Bowl for the third time, having played in the inaugural game in 2006 and topping Texas A&amp;M, 33-28, in 2016. It is the eighth time the Wildcats will play a bowl game in the state of Texas, while they are playing an SEC opponent in a bowl for a fifth time.&nbsp;&nbsp; The TaxAct Texas Bowl is the second bowl game under head coach Chris Klieman, making him the first coach in school history to lead his team to two bowl games in his first three season at the helm. He is also the first coach in K-State history to guide the Wildcats to at least seven wins twice in his first three seasons.

The Wildcats are one of just 25 Power 5 teams in the nation to advance to at least 10 bowl games in the last 12 seasons and one of four from the Big 12, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have won two of their last three bowl games – which includes the 2016 Texas Bowl – and will be looking for three bowl wins in a four-game span for the first time since 1999-2002.

• Kansas State raced out to a 3-0 start in 2021, highlighted by a season-opening 24-7 win over Stanford at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in addition to an impressive 38-17 victory against Nevada, which finished the year with an 8-4 record and boasts a potential first-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback. Big 12 play began with three losses against teams that were either ranked in the top-25 at the time or were a preseason top-25 team.

• However, K-State was able to right the ship and rattle off four-straight wins, its second-straight season with a four-game winning streak in conference play. The streak began with a gusty 25-24 victory at Texas Tech, a game in which K-State trailed, 24-10, at halftime before pitching a second-half shutout against a Red Raider team that eventually reached the postseason. The Wildcats then came home and throttled TCU, 31-12, as they limited an explosive Horned Frog team that 34.3 points per game entering the contest.

• Kansas State opened the month of November by winning its 13th-straight game against Kansas to retain the Governor’s Cup. The 13-straight wins over KU is tied for the fourth-longest active streak by a team against any one opponent in a series that has been contested each year since at least 2009. K-State then turned around and topped West Virginia – another bowl team this season – 34-17 as the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.

• The Wildcats will enter the TaxAct Texas Bowl on a two-game slide after they dropped the final two regular-season games by two or less scores. The Wildcats held a potent Baylor offense – which led the Bears to a Big 12 Championship and a berth into the Sugar Bowl – to just 20 points after averaging 35.4 points per game entering the contest, as K-State fell, 20-10. The Cats then lost at Texas, 22-17, on a short turnaround as they played the day after Thanksgiving.

• The Wildcats were led during the regular season by a pair of sophomores – one on each side of the ball – as running back and all-purpose player Deuce Vaughn was named a First Team All-American by several publications, while defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the nation’s top pass rushers this season.

• Vaughn enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl ranked eighth in school history in single-season rushing yards with 1,258, while he enters the postseason as one of only two players in the nation with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season. Anudike-Uzomah enters the bowl game ranked first in the nation in forced fumbles (6), while he is ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12 in sacks (11.0) and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss (14.5). A First Team All-Big 12 selection by the league’s coaches, Anudike-Uzomah tied a school record with 4.0 sacks against TCU. He is a half sack shy of tying the school record for sacks, and he enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl tied for the school record in forced fumbles.

• LSU finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in conference play to tie for fifth place in the SEC West. The Tigers won their final two games to get bowl eligible – a 27-14 win against ULM and a 27-24 upset victory over 14th-ranked Texas A&amp;M.

• The Tigers have averaged 27.1 points per game this season while giving up 25.3 per game. Tyrion Davis-Price has rushed for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, while LSU’s quarterback situation is uncertain following the transfer of starter Max Johnson after the regular season.

• On defense, the Tigers are giving up 137.3 yards per game on the ground and 234.9 through the air. Damone Clark, a Second Team All-America pick, leads the way with a SEC-best 135 tackles on the year, including 15.5 for losses, while BJ Ojulari leads the way with 6.0 sacks. Freshmen defensive end Maason Smith and wide receiver Malik Nabers were also named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Offensive guard Ed Ingram and placekicker Cade York were also named second team All-SEC selections.

TaxAct Texas Bowl K-State vs. LSUDate: Tuesday, January 4, 2022Kickoff: 8 p.m.Location: Houston, TexasStadium: NRG Stadium (70,000)Series: LSU Leads, 1-0TV: ESPNCATS, TIGERS TUSSLE IN FINAL BOWL GAME OF 2021Kansas State is back in the bowl scene after a one-year hiatus as the Wildcats were rewarded for their seven-win regular season with their 23rd bowl berth all-time and will take on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl. The game is slated for an 8 p.m., kickoff on Tuesday, January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The Wildcats and Tigers will meet for just the second time ever and the first in 41 seasons, as K-State fell at LSU, 21-0, to open the 1980 season.K-State is in the Texas Bowl for the third time, having played in the inaugural game in 2006 and topping Texas A&amp;M, 33-28, in 2016. It is the eighth time the Wildcats will play a bowl game in the state of Texas, while they are playing an SEC opponent in a bowl for a fifth time.&nbsp;&nbsp; The TaxAct Texas Bowl is the second bowl game under head coach Chris Klieman, making him the first coach in school history to lead his team to two bowl games in his first three season at the helm. He is also the first coach in K-State history to guide the Wildcats to at least seven wins twice in his first three seasons.The Wildcats are one of just 25 Power 5 teams in the nation to advance to at least 10 bowl games in the last 12 seasons and one of four from the Big 12, joining Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. The Wildcats have won two of their last three bowl games – which includes the 2016 Texas Bowl – and will be looking for three bowl wins in a four-game span for the first time since 1999-2002. A LOOK AT K-STATE• Kansas State raced out to a 3-0 start in 2021, highlighted by a season-opening 24-7 win over Stanford at AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in addition to an impressive 38-17 victory against Nevada, which finished the year with an 8-4 record and boasts a potential first-round NFL Draft pick at quarterback. Big 12 play began with three losses against teams that were either ranked in the top-25 at the time or were a preseason top-25 team.• However, K-State was able to right the ship and rattle off four-straight wins, its second-straight season with a four-game winning streak in conference play. The streak began with a gusty 25-24 victory at Texas Tech, a game in which K-State trailed, 24-10, at halftime before pitching a second-half shutout against a Red Raider team that eventually reached the postseason. The Wildcats then came home and throttled TCU, 31-12, as they limited an explosive Horned Frog team that 34.3 points per game entering the contest.• Kansas State opened the month of November by winning its 13th-straight game against Kansas to retain the Governor’s Cup. The 13-straight wins over KU is tied for the fourth-longest active streak by a team against any one opponent in a series that has been contested each year since at least 2009. K-State then turned around and topped West Virginia – another bowl team this season – 34-17 as the Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.• The Wildcats will enter the TaxAct Texas Bowl on a two-game slide after they dropped the final two regular-season games by two or less scores. The Wildcats held a potent Baylor offense – which led the Bears to a Big 12 Championship and a berth into the Sugar Bowl – to just 20 points after averaging 35.4 points per game entering the contest, as K-State fell, 20-10. The Cats then lost at Texas, 22-17, on a short turnaround as they played the day after Thanksgiving.• The Wildcats were led during the regular season by a pair of sophomores – one on each side of the ball – as running back and all-purpose player Deuce Vaughn was named a First Team All-American by several publications, while defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah was one of the nation’s top pass rushers this season.• Vaughn enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl ranked eighth in school history in single-season rushing yards with 1,258, while he enters the postseason as one of only two players in the nation with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards this season. Anudike-Uzomah enters the bowl game ranked first in the nation in forced fumbles (6), while he is ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12 in sacks (11.0) and second in the Big 12 in tackles for loss (14.5). A First Team All-Big 12 selection by the league’s coaches, Anudike-Uzomah tied a school record with 4.0 sacks against TCU. He is a half sack shy of tying the school record for sacks, and he enters the TaxAct Texas Bowl tied for the school record in forced fumbles. A LOOK AT LSU• LSU finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, including a 3-5 mark in conference play to tie for fifth place in the SEC West. The Tigers won their final two games to get bowl eligible – a 27-14 win against ULM and a 27-24 upset victory over 14th-ranked Texas A&amp;M.• The Tigers have averaged 27.1 points per game this season while giving up 25.3 per game. Tyrion Davis-Price has rushed for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, while LSU’s quarterback situation is uncertain following the transfer of starter Max Johnson after the regular season.• On defense, the Tigers are giving up 137.3 yards per game on the ground and 234.9 through the air. Damone Clark, a Second Team All-America pick, leads the way with a SEC-best 135 tackles on the year, including 15.5 for losses, while BJ Ojulari leads the way with 6.0 sacks. Freshmen defensive end Maason Smith and wide receiver Malik Nabers were also named to the Freshman All-SEC team. Offensive guard Ed Ingram and placekicker Cade York were also named second team All-SEC selections.

K-State - LSU Texas Bowl preview

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday with their playoff hopes beginning to fade.

Then, they played like a team ready to disappear into the offseason.

Ben Roethlisberger was picked off on a first-half flea flicker that helped Kansas City build a big early lead. Chris Boswell missed a field goal in the swirling wind. Diontae Johnson inexplicably dropped the ball for a fumble to start the second half. Roethlisberger also fumbled in the fourth quarter with the outcome already decided.

All the Chiefs had to do was cruise to a 36-10 victory that wrapped up their sixth consecutive AFC West title and left the Steelers even further behind the AFC North-leading Bengals with two games left in the regular season.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers arrived at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday with their playoff hopes beginning to fade.Then, they played like a team ready to disappear into the offseason.Ben Roethlisberger was picked off on a first-half flea flicker that helped Kansas City build a big early lead. Chris Boswell missed a field goal in the swirling wind. Diontae Johnson inexplicably dropped the ball for a fumble to start the second half. Roethlisberger also fumbled in the fourth quarter with the outcome already decided.All the Chiefs had to do was cruise to a 36-10 victory that wrapped up their sixth consecutive AFC West title and left the Steelers even further behind the AFC North-leading Bengals with two games left in the regular season.

Chiefs roll by the Steelers

&nbsp; MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas State football program will wear a special decal on the back of its helmets when the Wildcats take the field for the TaxAct Texas Bowl in support of Kansans who were affect by last week's wildfires, K-State Athletics officials announced this week. Many K-Staters and fellow Kansans in Western Kansas were dealt a devasting blow on December 15 when fires fueled by 100-plus mile an hour winds burned over 400,000 acres of pasture, destroying homes, vehicles, barns, equipment, pets and killing thousands of head of cattle. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the many Kansans who were affected by the recent storms and wildfires," Athletics Director&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;said. "This helmet sticker is a small department-wide gesture that will let all K-Staters and those effected by this storm know that we are with them as they rebuild their lives and their livelihoods." Fans wishing to donate to the recovery of the wildfires can&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/news-events/kansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021">click here</a>&nbsp;to select how they want their contributions used. Kansas State takes on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston. The game kicks off at 8 p.m., and will be shown on ESPN.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp; MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas State football program will wear a special decal on the back of its helmets when the Wildcats take the field for the TaxAct Texas Bowl in support of Kansans who were affect by last week's wildfires, K-State Athletics officials announced this week. Many K-Staters and fellow Kansans in Western Kansas were dealt a devasting blow on December 15 when fires fueled by 100-plus mile an hour winds burned over 400,000 acres of pasture, destroying homes, vehicles, barns, equipment, pets and killing thousands of head of cattle. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the many Kansans who were affected by the recent storms and wildfires," Athletics Director&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/staff.aspx?staff=1">Gene Taylor</a>&nbsp;said. "This helmet sticker is a small department-wide gesture that will let all K-Staters and those effected by this storm know that we are with them as they rebuild their lives and their livelihoods." Fans wishing to donate to the recovery of the wildfires can&nbsp;<a href="https://agriculture.ks.gov/news-events/kansas-wildfire-recovery-resources-december-2021">click here</a>&nbsp;to select how they want their contributions used. Kansas State takes on LSU in the TaxAct Texas Bowl on January 4, 2022, inside NRG Stadium in Houston. The game kicks off at 8 p.m., and will be shown on ESPN.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Wildcat football team will wear a special decal

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas State men’s basketball team has added a home game with North Florida on Wednesday, December 29 at 7 p.m., CT. The game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

North Florida replaces Morgan State, which was originally scheduled for that date but had to cancel due to COVID-19 related issues within their team.&nbsp;Season ticket holders and current Morgan State single-game ticket purchasers should use their original ticket to scan in for next Wednesday’s game.

The Ospreys (4-9), who had a recent road game at Florida State canceled, have won consecutive games at home over Austin Peay and Trinity Baptist after facing a challenging stretch to open the season, which included road games at Texas Tech, Texas A&amp;M, Grand Canyon, Arizona State, UCLA, Kentucky, FIU, FAU and Florida.

Fans attending the game will be able to enjoy LEGO Night at Bramlage Coliseum, as the first 200 kids will be able to build their own K-State letter ‘K’ out of lavender LEGO bricks to take home. Emmet from the LEGO movies will be in attendance, while an official LEGO Master Builder who will be building a large LEGO Powercat.

Tickets start at just $10 and can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;

Led by former Baylor assistant coach&nbsp;Matthew Driscoll&nbsp;who is in his 13th&nbsp;season at North Florida, the Ospreys are one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranking 11th&nbsp;nationally in 3-point field goals made (133). They are averaging more than 10 3-point field goals per game on 37 percent shooting and have 4 players (Jose Placer,&nbsp;Carter Hendricksen,&nbsp;Jarius Hicklen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Emmanuel Adedoyin) with 23 or more made 3-pointers this season. &nbsp;

It will be a stiff challenge for K-State (8-3), which is allowing 5.9 made 3-pointers per game and ranks fourth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (24.6).

Placer (12.8 ppg.) and Hendricksen (10.2 ppg.) are among 6 players averaging 6 or more points for the Ospreys, who are averaging 69.5 points per game as a team on 42.9 percent shooting.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas State men’s basketball team has added a home game with North Florida on Wednesday, December 29 at 7 p.m., CT. The game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.North Florida replaces Morgan State, which was originally scheduled for that date but had to cancel due to COVID-19 related issues within their team.&nbsp;Season ticket holders and current Morgan State single-game ticket purchasers should use their original ticket to scan in for next Wednesday’s game.The Ospreys (4-9), who had a recent road game at Florida State canceled, have won consecutive games at home over Austin Peay and Trinity Baptist after facing a challenging stretch to open the season, which included road games at Texas Tech, Texas A&amp;M, Grand Canyon, Arizona State, UCLA, Kentucky, FIU, FAU and Florida.Fans attending the game will be able to enjoy LEGO Night at Bramlage Coliseum, as the first 200 kids will be able to build their own K-State letter ‘K’ out of lavender LEGO bricks to take home. Emmet from the LEGO movies will be in attendance, while an official LEGO Master Builder who will be building a large LEGO Powercat.Tickets start at just $10 and can be purchased by visiting k-statesports.com, calling (800) 221.CATS, or by visiting the Bramlage Coliseum ticket office in person from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., CT, Monday through Friday.&nbsp;Led by former Baylor assistant coach&nbsp;Matthew Driscoll&nbsp;who is in his 13th&nbsp;season at North Florida, the Ospreys are one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the country, ranking 11th&nbsp;nationally in 3-point field goals made (133). They are averaging more than 10 3-point field goals per game on 37 percent shooting and have 4 players (Jose Placer,&nbsp;Carter Hendricksen,&nbsp;Jarius Hicklen&nbsp;and&nbsp;Emmanuel Adedoyin) with 23 or more made 3-pointers this season. &nbsp;It will be a stiff challenge for K-State (8-3), which is allowing 5.9 made 3-pointers per game and ranks fourth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage defense (24.6).Placer (12.8 ppg.) and Hendricksen (10.2 ppg.) are among 6 players averaging 6 or more points for the Ospreys, who are averaging 69.5 points per game as a team on 42.9 percent shooting.

K-State adds a home game

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Nijel Pack and Marquis Nowell each scored 18 points and Selton Miguel added 17 more off the bench as Kansas State rolled to a 74-59 win over McNeese State for its third straight victory. Pack hit 4 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc and the Wildcats collectively knocked down 10 3s. Nowell converted 7 of 8 from the free throw line and dished out 10 assists for his second double-double of the season. Miguel reached double-figure scoring for the fifth time this season and set a season-high.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Nijel Pack and Marquis Nowell each scored 18 points and Selton Miguel added 17 more off the bench as Kansas State rolled to a 74-59 win over McNeese State for its third straight victory. Pack hit 4 of 8 from beyond the 3-point arc and the Wildcats collectively knocked down 10 3s. Nowell converted 7 of 8 from the free throw line and dished out 10 assists for his second double-double of the season. Miguel reached double-figure scoring for the fifth time this season and set a season-high.

K-State defeats McNeese State

BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=Abilene 81, Chapman 24Arkansas City 62, Circle 48Buhler 50, McPherson 49Elyria Christian 68, Rural Vista 39Goessel 46, Peabody-Burns 26Lansing 54, Tonganoxie 51Leavenworth 56, Spring Hill 42Little River 47, Herington 9Ness City 73, Dighton 45Northern Valley 68, Arapahoe, Neb. 40Oakley 71, Oberlin-Decatur 27Solomon 80, Centre 47Wellington 71, Winfield 70, OT

High School boys basketball results

Arapahoe, Neb. 59, Northern Valley 44Chapman 44, Abilene 40Circle 29, Arkansas City 24Elyria Christian 35, Hope 20Elyria Christian 35, Rural Vista 20Lansing 57, Tonganoxie 31Lawrence 76, Lathrop, Mo. 26Little River 49, Herington 24McPherson 63, Buhler 15Ness City 38, Dighton 31Oberlin-Decatur 37, Oakley 25Solomon 44, Centre 31Spring Hill 53, Leavenworth 26Wellington 57, Winfield 34

High School girls basketball results

MANHATTAN, Kan. - K-State’s women’s basketball’s non-conference finale has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues on the opposing team.

K-State Athletics announced Monday afternoon that Tuesday’s game against UIC has been canceled due to Tier 1 personnel in the Flames’ program dealing with “COVID-related issues.”

The Wildcats will return to play in the New Year, tipping off Big 12 play against No. 9 Baylor 1:00 p.m., Jan. 2.

Tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>, calling (800) 221-CATS or in person at the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

MANHATTAN, Kan. - K-State’s women’s basketball’s non-conference finale has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues on the opposing team.K-State Athletics announced Monday afternoon that Tuesday’s game against UIC has been canceled due to Tier 1 personnel in the Flames’ program dealing with “COVID-related issues.”The Wildcats will return to play in the New Year, tipping off Big 12 play against No. 9 Baylor 1:00 p.m., Jan. 2.Tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">kstatesports.com/tickets</a>, calling (800) 221-CATS or in person at the K-State Athletics Ticket Office in Bramlage Coliseum.

KSU women's basketball game canceled

K-State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee ‘78]

McNeese State: John Aiken [Southern Maine ‘08]

K-STATE HOSTS McNEESE STATE BEFORE HOLIDAY BREAK

COACHESK-State: Bruce Weber [Wisconsin-Milwaukee ‘78]Record at K-State: 177-133/10th YearCareer Record: 490-288/24th Yearvs. McNeese State: 0-0 [0-0 at K-State]McNeese State: John Aiken [Southern Maine ‘08]Record at McNeese State: 3-8/1st YearCareer Record: 33-41/3rd Yearvs. K-State: 0-0 [0-0 at McNeese State]SERIES HISTORYOverall: First meetingCurrent Streak: n/aIn Manhattan: First meetingAt Bramlage Coliseum: First meetingLast Meeting: n/aWeber vs. Aiken: First meetingPROJECTED STARTING LINEUPKansas State (7-3)G: #1 Markquis NowellG: #13 Mark SmithG: #24 Nijel PackF: #25 Ismael [Ish] MassoudF: #20 Kaosi EzeaguMcNeese State (3-8)G: #0 Trae EnglishG: #15 Zach ScottF: #5 Myles LewisF: #12 Kellon TaylorC: #35 Brendan Medley-BaconK-STATE HOSTS McNEESE STATE BEFORE HOLIDAY BREAK<ul>
 <li>Kansas State (7-3) makes a quick turnaround on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats play host to first-time opponent and Southland Conference foe McNeese State (3-8) at 7 p.m., CT at Bramlage Coliseum. It will be K-State’s second game in a 3-day span after knocking off Nebraska, 67-58, on Sunday night before a sold-out crowd at Pinnacle Bank Arena.</li><li>The Wildcats have now won 5 of their last 6 games with their only loss in that span coming by 1-point to Marquette on Dec. 8, while they have started the year with consecutive road victories (Wichita State and Nebraska) for the first time since the 2017-18 season. They held both the Shockers and Cornhuskers to less than 60 points in the victories.</li><li>K-State boasts a 5-1 record at Bramlage Coliseum this season, averaging 74.3 points in those contests on 49.1 percent shooting, including 40.9 percent from 3-point range, while holding opponents to 55.7 points on 37.3 percent shooting.</li>
 </ul>OPENING TIP<ul>
 <li>K-State looks to wrap up the calendar year 2021 on a winning note with non-conference home games against McNeese State (3-8) and Morgan State (4-7) before opening Big 12 play at Oklahoma (9-2) on New Year’s Day. The team needs just 2 wins to equal its entire win total (9) from 2020-21.</li><li>The Wildcats’ 3 losses to No. 13/12 Arkansas (64-72), No. 14/15 Illinois (64-72) and Marquette (63-64) have come by a combined 17 points.</li><li>K-State turned to its reliable defense to grind out the 67-58 win at Nebraska on Sunday night, holding the Cornhuskers to 17 points under their scoring average in the first meeting with their old conference rival in more than a decade. The Wildcats held the Huskers to their second-fewest points of the season and their second-lowest field goal percentage (32.8 percent / 19-of-58). They started the game 5-of-10 from 3-point range before missing their final 18 attempts from long range, including all 11 in the second half.</li><li>K-State struggled to find consistency on offense, finishing at 39 percent (23-of-59) from the field, including 23.1 percent (6-of-26) from 3-point range. However, the Wildcats did take advantage of their opportunities in the paint, scoring 34 points, while getting 23 points from its bench and outscoring the Huskers, 22-11, in points off turnovers. The team also made sure to take care of their chances at the free throw line, converting on 15 of 18 attempts.</li><li>K-State also got a big lift from sophomore Nijel Pack, who returned to the starting lineup against Nebraska (12/19/21) after coming off the bench against Green Bay (12/12/21). Pack, who missed consecutive games against Wichita State (12/5/21) and Marquette (12/8/21), posted a team-high 15 points in the victory to go with a career-high 8 rebounds and a season-tying 5 assists and 2 steals in a season-best 34 minutes of action. Pack has now scored in double figures in 7 of his 8 games played this season, as he leads the Wildcats in scoring (14.5 ppg.), double-digit scoring games (7) and 3-point field goals (21).</li><li>K-State continue to hang its hat on defense, where the team ranks among the top-30 in 4 defensive categories, including first in 3-point field goal percentage defense (23.8), 18th in defensive rebounds (29.5), 20th in field goal percentage defense (37.8) and 26th in scoring defense (59.5). The Wildcats have held 5 of 10 opponents under 60 points, including back-to-back opponents (North Dakota and UAlbany) to under 50 points for the first time since December 2015. They are also averaging 17.8 points per game off opponent turnovers.</li><li>McNeese State enters Tuesday’s game with a 3-8 record after having dropped its last 5 contests (Samford, Seattle, Wyoming, Louisiana and UTEP) with 4 of those coming on the road. The Cowboys are averaging 71.7 points per game on 43.1 percent shooting, including 28.6 percent from 3-point range, and have a pair of double-digit scorers in forward Myles Lewis (10.7 ppg.) and center Brendan Medley-Bacon (10.1 ppg.) under first-year head coach John Aiken.</li><li>This will be the first meeting between K-State and McNeese State and just the fourth-ever against a Southland Conference foe after victories over Northwestern State and New Orleans in 1999 and Texas A&amp;M-Corpus Christi in 2003.</li>
 </ul>

Sports