LUBBOCK, Texas—

No. 12/11 K-State (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) begins a stretch of consecutive road games on Saturday with a trip to Lubbock, Texas to take on Texas Tech (12-12, 1-10 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT before an expected sellout crowd at United Supermarkets Arena. The Wildcats won the first meeting with the Red Raiders, 68-58, at home on Jan. 21, but face an 8-game losing streak in Lubbock. The last K-State win on the road in the series came in a 60-56 victory on Feb. 25, 2014. KEY STORYLINES

LAST 10 MEETINGS [3-7] Date&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Rank&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Result&nbsp;&nbsp; Score&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Location 2/10/2018&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 47-66&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan 1/5/2019&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/11&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 57-63&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lubbock 1/22/2019&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/14&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; W&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 58-45&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan 1/14/2020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/23&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 63-77&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan 2/19/2020&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/—&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 62-69&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lubbock 1/5/2021&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/18&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 71-82&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lubbock 2/6/2021&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/13&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 62-73&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan 1/15/2022&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/19&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; W&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 62-51&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan 2/28/2022&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/12&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; L&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 68-73&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lubbock 1/21/2023&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; —/—&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; W&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 68-58&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Manhattan&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; LAST MEETING:&nbsp;13/15 K-STATE 68, TEXAS TECH 58

LAST MEETING IN LUBBOCK: 12/12 TECH 73, K-STATE 68 [Feb. 28, 2022]

LAST TIME OUT: 12/11 K-STATE 82, 17/19 TCU 61

UP NEXT: AT OKLAHOMA (12-12, 2-9 Big 12) &nbsp;

🏀 MBB: K-State Travels to Texas Tech Saturday

Belle Plaine, Minn. 61, Conway Springs 44

Bishop Seabury Academy 70, Cair Paravel 50

Heritage Christian 70, Maranatha Academy 44

Kapaun Mount Carmel 74, Wichita Bishop Carroll 48

Lakeside 58, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 53

Maize South 51, Andover Central 49

Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 37

South Barber 43, Hutchinson Central Christian 34

Friday's ScoresThe Associated Press<h2>BOYS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Abilene 65, Wamego 57, 4OTAnderson County 61, Iola 52Andover 57, Goddard 37Arkansas City 56, Valley Center 33Axtell 64, Washington County 32BV North 60, Blue Valley 40BV Northwest 63, BV West 44BV Southwest 73, Bishop Miege 69Belle Plaine, Minn. 61, Conway Springs 44Bennington 54, Remington 51Bishop Seabury Academy 70, Cair Paravel 50Buhler 54, Augusta 40Burlington 66, Prairie View 25Caldwell 58, West Elk 46Centralia 53, Valley Heights 46Cheney 73, Wichita Trinity 45Circle 33, Mulvane 23Clifton-Clyde 60, Onaga 36Colby 44, Dodge City 39Concordia 60, Chapman 50DeSoto 62, Lansing 33Derby 67, Newton 54Ellsworth 45, Republic County 25Emporia 67, Topeka 51Eudora 57, Paola 28Eureka 43, Bluestem 22Fairfield 57, Pretty Prairie 52Fredonia 71, Humboldt 67Frontenac 61, Baxter Springs 33Galena 51, Pittsburg Colgan 43Garden City 56, Great Bend 47Girard 46, Riverton 32Goddard-Eisenhower 45, Salina Central 44Goessel 54, Herington 52Hanover 64, Doniphan West 39Haven 65, Smoky Valley 35Hays 76, Liberal 36Hays-TMP-Marian 55, Phillipsburg 46Heritage Christian 70, Maranatha Academy 44Hesston 67, Larned 18Highland Park 87, Kansas Central, Mo. 73Hillsboro 64, Halstead 31Hoisington 65, Lyons 52Holcomb 47, Scott City 40Holton 57, Hiawatha 42Hugoton 77, Syracuse 56Hutchinson 62, Maize 49Independence 42, Coffeyville 36KC Piper 77, KC Turner 44Kapaun Mount Carmel 74, Wichita Bishop Carroll 48Kingman 59, Garden Plain 53La Crosse 51, Central Plains 48Labette County 36, Chanute 34Lakeside 58, Glasco/Miltonvale-Southern Cloud 53Lakin 53, Elkhart 37Lawrence 63, Olathe Northwest 46Leavenworth 59, Basehor-Linwood 53Linn 55, Wetmore 41Logan/Palco 47, Weskan 35Macksville 80, Bucklin 52Maize South 51, Andover Central 49Manhattan 46, Junction City 45Marysville 52, Clay Center 43McLouth 53, Oskaloosa 43McPherson 97, Winfield 29Meade 78, Ashland 36Metro Academy 52, Tonganoxie 39Mill Valley 58, SM East 47Minneola 60, Spearville 52Ness City 62, Otis-Bison 58Northeast-Arma 61, Chetopa 23Northern Valley 67, Triplains-Brewster 37Norton 47, Smith Center 28Norwich 49, Attica 34Oakley 64, Ellis 61Olathe North 61, SM North 41Olathe South 51, Olathe East 44Olathe West 71, Gardner-Edgerton 53Osage City 57, Olpe 54Osborne 59, Stockton 22Ottawa 68, Bonner Springs 64Pawnee Heights 64, Ingalls 52Perry-Lecompton 58, Nemaha Central 46Pike Valley 76, Natoma 28Pratt 83, Nickerson 55Pratt Skyline 65, Cunningham 64Royal Valley 55, Baldwin 48Russell 63, Trego 28SM South 77, Lawrence Free State 9Sabetha 70, Jefferson West 32Salina Sacred Heart 71, Council Grove 44Santa Fe Trail 78, Osawatomie 47Silver Lake 58, Rossville 41Solomon 48, Wakefield 37South Barber 43, Hutchinson Central Christian 34South Central 56, Satanta 41South Gray 65, Southwestern Hts. 34Southeast 64, Uniontown 32Southeast Saline 46, Minneapolis 15Spring Hill 61, Louisburg 58St. James Academy 70, St. Thomas Aquinas 64St. John's Beloit-Tipton 57, Chase 17St. Mary's 68, Rock Creek 60Stafford 66, Burrton 26Sterling 52, Berean Academy 43Sylvan-Lucas 61, Wilson 46Topeka Seaman 48, Topeka West 40Troy 82, Frankfort 48Ulysses 60, Cimarron 51Valley Falls 56, Atchison County 48Victoria 51, St. John 39Wabaunsee 52, Riley County 37Washburn Rural 43, Topeka Hayden 39Wellington 59, El Dorado 44Wellsville 74, West Franklin 44Wichita Campus 66, Salina South 54Wichita Collegiate 62, Rose Hill 48Wichita County 56, Sublette 53Wichita Heights 83, Wichita Southeast 66Wichita Northwest 51, Wichita East 43<h2>GIRLS PREP BASKETBALL=</h2>Andale 41, Clearwater 37Anderson County 52, Iola 22Andover 57, Goddard 37Atchison County 43, Valley Falls 24BV West 39, BV Northwest 36Baldwin 49, Royal Valley 36Belle Plaine, Minn. 36, Conway Springs 33Berean Academy 50, Sterling 11Blue Valley 44, BV North 33Bonner Springs 52, Ottawa 45Buhler 47, Augusta 39Burlingame 53, Cornerstone Family 16Burrton 41, Stafford 28Cair Paravel 56, Bishop Seabury Academy 9Canton-Galva 49, Rural Vista 46Central Plains 56, La Crosse 19Centralia 53, Valley Heights 46Chapman 48, Concordia 35Cheney 69, Wichita Trinity 33Cimarron 46, Ulysses 30Circle 31, Mulvane 23Clay Center 47, Marysville 38Clifton-Clyde 51, Onaga 33Colby 43, Dodge City 25Derby 67, Newton 17Ellinwood 53, Kinsley 16Ellsworth 43, Republic County 22Emporia 37, Topeka 31Eureka 43, Bluestem 41Flinthills 51, Argonia 33Frankfort 61, Troy 31Frontenac 70, Baxter Springs 17Garden City 49, Great Bend 40, OTGoddard-Eisenhower 50, Salina Central 49Goessel 33, Herington 26Greeley County 56, Deerfield 19Hanover 62, Doniphan West 53, OTHaven 53, Smoky Valley 34Heritage Christian 42, Maranatha Academy 25Hesston 60, Larned 26Hiawatha 49, Holton 33Hillsboro 35, Halstead 32Hodgeman County 64, Kiowa County 31Holcomb 66, Scott City 44Hutchinson 32, Maize 28Hutchinson Central Christian 56, South Barber 28Inman 45, Sedgwick 38KC Piper 60, KC Turner 30Kingman 35, Garden Plain 33Labette County 36, Chanute 34Lakeside 48, Miltonvale 21Lakin 54, Elkhart 32Liberal 55, Hays 38Linn 72, Wetmore 14Little River 71, Elyria Christian 42Maize South 55, Andover Central 52, OTManhattan 44, Junction City 27McLouth 62, Oskaloosa 48McPherson 70, Winfield 17Mission Valley 63, Marais des Cygnes Valley 24Nemaha Central 54, Perry-Lecompton 27Ness City 41, Otis-Bison 18Olathe North 49, SM North 35Olathe Northwest 61, Lawrence 39Osage City 50, Olpe 37Paola 28, Eudora 23Pawnee Heights 47, Ingalls 41Phillipsburg 60, Hays-TMP-Marian 47Pike Valley 33, Natoma 27Pittsburg Colgan 80, Galena 23Pratt 42, Nickerson 26Pretty Prairie 48, Fairfield 35Quinter 49, Rawlins County 46Remington 52, Bennington 44Riley County 37, Wabaunsee 27Riverton 42, Girard 39SM West 61, SM Northwest 53Sabetha 53, Jefferson West 32Salina Sacred Heart 53, Council Grove 26Salina South 55, Wichita Campus 19Santa Fe Trail 74, Osawatomie 13Silver Lake 76, Rossville 61Smith Center 59, Norton 49South Gray 55, Southwestern Hts. 37Southeast Saline 55, Minneapolis 49Spearville 48, Minneola 42St. Francis 56, Wallace County 39St. John 58, Victoria 32St. John's Beloit-Tipton 69, Chase 18St. Mary's 43, Rock Creek 28St. Thomas Aquinas 57, St. James Academy 41Sylvan-Lucas 49, Wilson 27Tescott 49, Thunder Ridge 27Topeka Seaman 60, Topeka West 28Trego 50, Russell 18Uniontown 38, Southeast 23Valley Center 36, Arkansas City 35Wamego 74, Abilene 25Washburn Rural 55, Topeka Hayden 29Washington County 47, Axtell 37Wellington 60, El Dorado 39Weskan 40, Logan/Palco 32West Elk 64, Caldwell 24Wichita Bishop Carroll 61, Kapaun Mount Carmel 32Wichita Collegiate 35, Rose Hill 34, OTWichita County 57, Sublette 25Wichita East 53, Wichita Northwest 48Wichita Heights 40, Wichita Southeast 32

🏀 High School Scores from Friday Night

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributor

With the sun starting to set on the 2022-23 season, the Abilene and Wamego boys’ basketball teams will meet on Friday night for a rematch of a good game from early January.

The Red Raiders come into this contest at 10-6 while the Cowboys enter at 8-8, trying to avoid falling below .500 for the first time all season after losing four of their last five.

In general, we have had an issue with our confidence since the SIT,” Abilene head coach Erik Graefe said. “In particular, we haven’t rebounded the ball very well. We need to access our mojo again, and just remember why we love to play.”

On the other side of this matchup the Raiders are fresh off a bounce-back win over Chapman after falling to Eudora and Rock Creek in back-to-back games.

To sweep the season series with Abilene, Wamego will need to continue operating at an efficient level on offense, and work to overcome a pair of Cowboys who hurt them the last time these two met.

“We played well over there in the first half, and then really struggled with turnovers in the second half,” Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. “They've had a tough stretch of their schedule but I think their team has plenty of offensive firepower to beat anyone. Cottone and Timbrook hurt us last time, we need to have good close-outs defensively and defeat the first dribble.”

That respect has been echoed by Abilene, who is preparing for another battle as they look to make a late-season push.

As always, I’m impressed with how well Wamego plays,” Graefe said. “They are well-coached and have really competitive kids. We shot the ball well late and will have to have a similar night on Friday to win.”

Tip-off between the Cowboys and Raiders is set for 7:30 pm at Wamego High School following the girls’ game at 6:00.

For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long stay tuned to the Salina and Little Apple Posts, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports. 

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorWith the sun starting to set on the 2022-23 season, the Abilene and Wamego boys’ basketball teams will meet on Friday night for a rematch of a good game from early January.The Red Raiders come into this contest at 10-6 while the Cowboys enter at 8-8, trying to avoid falling below .500 for the first time all season after losing four of their last five.In general, we have had an issue with our confidence since the SIT,” Abilene head coach Erik Graefe said. “In particular, we haven’t rebounded the ball very well. We need to access our mojo again, and just remember why we love to play.”On the other side of this matchup the Raiders are fresh off a bounce-back win over Chapman after falling to Eudora and Rock Creek in back-to-back games.To sweep the season series with Abilene, Wamego will need to continue operating at an efficient level on offense, and work to overcome a pair of Cowboys who hurt them the last time these two met.“We played well over there in the first half, and then really struggled with turnovers in the second half,” Raider head coach Troy Hemphill said. “They've had a tough stretch of their schedule but I think their team has plenty of offensive firepower to beat anyone. Cottone and Timbrook hurt us last time, we need to have good close-outs defensively and defeat the first dribble.”That respect has been echoed by Abilene, who is preparing for another battle as they look to make a late-season push.As always, I’m impressed with how well Wamego plays,” Graefe said. “They are well-coached and have really competitive kids. We shot the ball well late and will have to have a similar night on Friday to win.”Tip-off between the Cowboys and Raiders is set for 7:30 pm at Wamego High School following the girls’ game at 6:00.For continuing coverage of all four teams all season long stay tuned to the Salina and Little Apple Posts, and follow us on Twitter @spostsports.

Raiders return home looking for series sweep of Abilene

With the regular season winding to a close, both in league and overall the Wamego and Abilene girls’ basketball teams will meet for one of two final Friday games this year.

The Lady Raiders enter this contest at 15-1 overall, ranked as the #1 team in Class 4A while Abilene comes in at 2-13.

These two met back in early January in what would go down as a dominant 42-17 win for Wamego, but the Lady Raiders are well aware that Abilene has improved considerably since that contest.

We didn't shoot the ball very well in that game,” Raider head coach Brian McIntosh said. “We executed pretty well, but didn't finish. For a team that is 2-13, they are still playing hard and trying to get better. Dannefer is one of the best players in the league. We'll need to be assignment correct on her tomorrow night.”

Since that first meeting, Abilene is just 1-6 but has taken much better care of the basketball than they did during the first half of the season, closing the gap to their opponents on average.

“We’re still just trying to compete and get better every day,” Abilene head coach Shawn Herrman said.

To continue working towards their peak and to defend a top seed at sub-state, the Lady Raiders continue to put the focus on being the best version of themselves that they can be with every passing game.

“We have to continue being us and playing up to our standards,” McIntosh said. “We have players continuing to improve and strive to reach their full potential which in turn makes our team better. Our group feels good right now and has been playing with a lot of energy &amp; confidence.”

Meanwhile, to pull out a season-defining upset, the Cowgirls will need to string together 32 minutes of nearly flawless basketball if they are to knock off #1 and snap a four-game losing streak.

“Wamego is really good in all aspects of the game,” Herrman said. “They apply defensive pressure non-stop, they can shoot it from the outside and are extremely quick at getting to the rim. We have to defend the perimeter and try to limit their ability to make a bunch of threes.”

Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Cowgirls is scheduled for 6:00 at Wamego High School, with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30.

For continuing coverage of all four teams down the home stretch of the season stay tuned to the Salina and Little Apple Posts.

By TYLER HENRY Little Apple Post contributorWith the regular season winding to a close, both in league and overall the Wamego and Abilene girls’ basketball teams will meet for one of two final Friday games this year.The Lady Raiders enter this contest at 15-1 overall, ranked as the #1 team in Class 4A while Abilene comes in at 2-13.These two met back in early January in what would go down as a dominant 42-17 win for Wamego, but the Lady Raiders are well aware that Abilene has improved considerably since that contest.We didn't shoot the ball very well in that game,” Raider head coach Brian McIntosh said. “We executed pretty well, but didn't finish. For a team that is 2-13, they are still playing hard and trying to get better. Dannefer is one of the best players in the league. We'll need to be assignment correct on her tomorrow night.”Since that first meeting, Abilene is just 1-6 but has taken much better care of the basketball than they did during the first half of the season, closing the gap to their opponents on average.“We’re still just trying to compete and get better every day,” Abilene head coach Shawn Herrman said.To continue working towards their peak and to defend a top seed at sub-state, the Lady Raiders continue to put the focus on being the best version of themselves that they can be with every passing game.“We have to continue being us and playing up to our standards,” McIntosh said. “We have players continuing to improve and strive to reach their full potential which in turn makes our team better. Our group feels good right now and has been playing with a lot of energy &amp; confidence.”Meanwhile, to pull out a season-defining upset, the Cowgirls will need to string together 32 minutes of nearly flawless basketball if they are to knock off #1 and snap a four-game losing streak.“Wamego is really good in all aspects of the game,” Herrman said. “They apply defensive pressure non-stop, they can shoot it from the outside and are extremely quick at getting to the rim. We have to defend the perimeter and try to limit their ability to make a bunch of threes.”Tip-off between the Lady Raiders and Cowgirls is scheduled for 6:00 at Wamego High School, with the boys’ game to follow at 7:30.For continuing coverage of all four teams down the home stretch of the season stay tuned to the Salina and Little Apple Posts.

#1 Lady Raiders host Cowgirls seeking seventh straight win

PHOENIX (AP) — Joe Thomas gave fans of the new version of the Cleveland Browns something they could finally celebrate.

The
 six-time All-Pro offensive lineman will join lockdown cornerback 
Darrelle Revis as inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their 
first try, becoming the first Browns Hall of Famer from the team’s 
inglorious expansion era.

“It’s really special for me because the 
franchise has endured some really tough times,” Thomas said. “But those 
fans are so loyal and passionate, and they still show up and it still is
 their identity that they’re Browns fans. It’s great for all of Browns 
Nation.”

Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have had 
two playoff berths, one playoff win and the worst record in the league —
 including an 0-16 season in Thomas' last year in the NFL.

Thomas 
and Revis join a new class of Hall of Famers announced Thursday that 
also includes return finalists DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas and Ronde 
Barber. Senior candidates Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley, along 
with coaching candidate Don Coryell also got voted into the Hall and 
will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer.

“I didn’t set out 
to be a Hall of Famer,” Barber said. “I was trying to make the team. I 
was trying to get on the field. All you can do is take your opportunity 
and run with it. And we all took our opportunities and ran with it.”

The
 headliners of the class are Joe Thomas and Revis — the two first-round 
picks from the 2007 draft who took far different journeys to this 
ultimate honor.

Revis bounced around teams seeking his best opportunities to win and thrive financially, while Thomas never moved.

Picked
 third in the draft by Cleveland, Thomas stepped in as an immediate 
starter and never moved until a torn triceps ended his final season in 
2017.

Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps before that injury as
 one of the only dependable parts on one of the NFL’s sorriest 
franchises.

Thomas was a Pro Bowler in all 10 healthy seasons, a 
first-team All-Pro six times and a second-team selection two other 
years. But he never even made it to the playoffs a single time with the 
Browns.

Revis was always moving, whether it was following top 
receivers from one side of the field to the other as the game’s top 
lockdown cornerback of his era.

Revis’ best stretch came in New 
York with the Jets, where he was a first-team All-Pro from 2009-11 and 
finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009 when he 
repeatedly shut down top receivers by sending them to “Revis Island.”

“I
 was probably the most nervous of anybody on the field,” Revis said. 
“You look at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself: ‘It’s either me
 or him.' I had to stand up to the challenge. I took that responsibility
 to take on that assignment and shut them down.”

Revis spent one 
year in New England, helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl in the 2014
 season, and also played for Tampa Bay and Kansas City, along with a 
second stint with the Jets.

Ware, Barber and Zach Thomas all had 
longer waits before getting voted into the Hall. Ware was also a 
finalist last year, while Barber got in on his third time at this stage 
and Thomas on his fourth try.

Ware was a four-time All-Pro in 
Dallas and then helped Denver win a Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He 
led the NFL in sacks twice and finished with 138 1/2 sacks in his 
career.

Barber was a key cog to the Tampa-2 defensive scheme as a 
cornerback for the Buccaneers. He was a three-time All-Pro, led the NFL 
with 10 interceptions in 2001 and won a Super Bowl the next season.

Zach
 Thomas was a five-time All-Pro who spent 12 of his 13 seasons with 
Miami before finishing with one year in Dallas. He won Defensive Rookie 
of the Year in 1996, had at least 100 tackles in his first 11 seasons.

Coryell
 didn’t have the team success comparable to other coaches to get voted 
into the Hall, winning 111 regular-season games for the Cardinals and 
Chargers and never reaching a Super Bowl.

But his impact on the 
game with his famous “Air Coryell” offense in San Diego was transcendent
 as he took advantage of rule changes that opened up the passing game in
 the late 1970s and put together an offense that still influences the 
game today.

Howley was a five-time All-Pro in 15 seasons with 
Chicago and Dallas with his biggest claim being the only player from a 
losing team ever picked as Super Bowl MVP. Howley won MVP after 
intercepting two passes in Super Bowl V when Dallas lost to Baltimore 
16-13. He ended up on the winning side the following season when he two 
takeaways in a 24-3 win over Miami.

Klecko was a mainstay on the 
Jets famed “New York Sack Exchange,” earning Pro Bowl honors at nose 
tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end in a 12-year career that 
ended with one season on the Indianapolis Colts.

Klecko was an 
All-Pro twice, including in 1981 when he unofficially led the NFL with 
20 1/2 sacks and finished second to Lawrence Taylor in the Defensive 
Player of the Year voting.

Riley’s 65 career interceptions in 15 
seasons with Cincinnati rank fifth highest in NFL history and second to 
Dick “Night Train” Lane’s 68 for players who were exclusively 
cornerbacks.

PHOENIX (AP) — Joe Thomas gave fans of the new version of the Cleveland Browns something they could finally celebrate.The
 six-time All-Pro offensive lineman will join lockdown cornerback 
Darrelle Revis as inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on their 
first try, becoming the first Browns Hall of Famer from the team’s 
inglorious expansion era.“It’s really special for me because the 
franchise has endured some really tough times,” Thomas said. “But those 
fans are so loyal and passionate, and they still show up and it still is
 their identity that they’re Browns fans. It’s great for all of Browns 
Nation.”Since returning to the NFL in 1999, the Browns have had 
two playoff berths, one playoff win and the worst record in the league —
 including an 0-16 season in Thomas' last year in the NFL.Thomas 
and Revis join a new class of Hall of Famers announced Thursday that 
also includes return finalists DeMarcus Ware, Zach Thomas and Ronde 
Barber. Senior candidates Joe Klecko, Chuck Howley and Ken Riley, along 
with coaching candidate Don Coryell also got voted into the Hall and 
will be inducted in Canton, Ohio, this summer.“I didn’t set out 
to be a Hall of Famer,” Barber said. “I was trying to make the team. I 
was trying to get on the field. All you can do is take your opportunity 
and run with it. And we all took our opportunities and ran with it.”The
 headliners of the class are Joe Thomas and Revis — the two first-round 
picks from the 2007 draft who took far different journeys to this 
ultimate honor.Revis bounced around teams seeking his best opportunities to win and thrive financially, while Thomas never moved.Picked
 third in the draft by Cleveland, Thomas stepped in as an immediate 
starter and never moved until a torn triceps ended his final season in 
2017.Thomas played 10,363 consecutive snaps before that injury as
 one of the only dependable parts on one of the NFL’s sorriest 
franchises.Thomas was a Pro Bowler in all 10 healthy seasons, a 
first-team All-Pro six times and a second-team selection two other 
years. But he never even made it to the playoffs a single time with the 
Browns.Revis was always moving, whether it was following top 
receivers from one side of the field to the other as the game’s top 
lockdown cornerback of his era.Revis’ best stretch came in New 
York with the Jets, where he was a first-team All-Pro from 2009-11 and 
finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2009 when he 
repeatedly shut down top receivers by sending them to “Revis Island.”“I
 was probably the most nervous of anybody on the field,” Revis said. 
“You look at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself: ‘It’s either me
 or him.' I had to stand up to the challenge. I took that responsibility
 to take on that assignment and shut them down.”Revis spent one 
year in New England, helping the Patriots win the Super Bowl in the 2014
 season, and also played for Tampa Bay and Kansas City, along with a 
second stint with the Jets.Ware, Barber and Zach Thomas all had 
longer waits before getting voted into the Hall. Ware was also a 
finalist last year, while Barber got in on his third time at this stage 
and Thomas on his fourth try.Ware was a four-time All-Pro in 
Dallas and then helped Denver win a Super Bowl in the 2015 season. He 
led the NFL in sacks twice and finished with 138 1/2 sacks in his 
career.Barber was a key cog to the Tampa-2 defensive scheme as a 
cornerback for the Buccaneers. He was a three-time All-Pro, led the NFL 
with 10 interceptions in 2001 and won a Super Bowl the next season.Zach
 Thomas was a five-time All-Pro who spent 12 of his 13 seasons with 
Miami before finishing with one year in Dallas. He won Defensive Rookie 
of the Year in 1996, had at least 100 tackles in his first 11 seasons.Coryell
 didn’t have the team success comparable to other coaches to get voted 
into the Hall, winning 111 regular-season games for the Cardinals and 
Chargers and never reaching a Super Bowl.But his impact on the 
game with his famous “Air Coryell” offense in San Diego was transcendent
 as he took advantage of rule changes that opened up the passing game in
 the late 1970s and put together an offense that still influences the 
game today.Howley was a five-time All-Pro in 15 seasons with 
Chicago and Dallas with his biggest claim being the only player from a 
losing team ever picked as Super Bowl MVP. Howley won MVP after 
intercepting two passes in Super Bowl V when Dallas lost to Baltimore 
16-13. He ended up on the winning side the following season when he two 
takeaways in a 24-3 win over Miami.Klecko was a mainstay on the 
Jets famed “New York Sack Exchange,” earning Pro Bowl honors at nose 
tackle, defensive tackle and defensive end in a 12-year career that 
ended with one season on the Indianapolis Colts.Klecko was an 
All-Pro twice, including in 1981 when he unofficially led the NFL with 
20 1/2 sacks and finished second to Lawrence Taylor in the Defensive 
Player of the Year voting.Riley’s 65 career interceptions in 15 
seasons with Cincinnati rank fifth highest in NFL history and second to 
Dick “Night Train” Lane’s 68 for players who were exclusively 
cornerbacks.

🏈 Thomas, Revis, Ware headline new Pro Football Hall of Fame class

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/10/behold-the-kansas-city-chiefs-elite-quarterback-and-the-other-one-too/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>

As they prep for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs have a phenomenon at quarterback.

He threw for thousands of yards in high school, earning scholarship offers from <a target="_blank" href="https://247sports.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-61358/high-school-140610/">universities that would compete on the national stage</a>. His talents <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">playing baseball and basketball</a> in high school still earn mentions when the news media profile him. In college, he set records for passing at his school, once <a target="_blank" href="https://samfordsports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-oladokun/7026">throwing for six touchdowns in a single game</a>. During his senior year in college, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">caught two touchdowns</a> while on the roster as quarterback.

Of course, you know who I’m writing about.&nbsp;

This freak athlete? It’s not Patrick Mahomes, the All-Pro, MVP, celebrity quarterback for the Chiefs.

It’s <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Oladokun">Chris Oladokun</a>, the team’s practice team quarterback, who doesn’t<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/depth-chart/"> even get mentioned on depth charts for the position</a>. Three quarterbacks would need to be injured for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/sports/chris-oladokun-hopes-his-6-year-college-journey-leads-to-the-nfl">him</a> to become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/">QB1 for the Chiefs</a> — if even then.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-QB-SouthDakotaState">Oladokun</a>,
 a coveted high school recruit from Florida who has earned a tenuous 
connection with an NFL team, illustrates two things to me. First, 
players require extraordinary talents to simply make a spot on a 
professional roster, whether baseball or hockey, soccer or basketball.

Oladokun’s status also demonstrates 
the absurd separation between the back-up to a back-up to a back-up, and
 Mahomes, the star destined for the Hall of Fame.&nbsp;

How can Mahomes be that much better than other quarterbacks, who themselves are almost inconceivably skilled?

To answer this, consider the 
separation between Mahomes and his fellow quarterbacks. To be clear, 
these next few comparisons don’t measure him next to practice squad 
rookies like Oladokun. Instead, we are setting Mahomes next to fellow 
first-string NFL quarterbacks.

The statistical website fivethirtyeight.com <a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/quarterbacks/">awards Mahomes an ELO score of 280</a>
 for his overall performance. The next highest ELO score belongs to his 
Super Bowl opponent, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, with 247. That 
positions Mahomes 10% better than Hurts, the next best quarterback. (If 
you prefer the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/seasontype/2/sort/qbr">QBR rating</a>, Mahomes is still top of the chart.)

Are you comfortable saying that you are 10% better at your job than anyone else in the world? Not me.

Next, we might compare Hurts to the 
Raiders starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham: He scores a 77, showing 
that even among these NFL quarterbacks, the performance gap is enormous.
 And all these quarterbacks, when compared to us fans who struggle to 
throw a spiral, are complete athletic anomalies.

In addition to Mahomes’ overall 
quarterbacking scores, consider other specific skills that set him 
apart. In advance of last week’s AFC championship game against the 
Bengals, fans worried that Mahomes would struggle because of an ankle 
injury. Behold his ability to pass from the pocket: <a target="_blank" href="https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-bengals-lou-anarumo/">His stats on that skill were best in the league</a>, in addition to his precocious ability to improvise when chaos develops.

There’s more. This year Mahomes set a record for the most yards by a quarterback in NFL league history.

And more. Football experts are wowed 
by his ability to play with and recover from injury earned from his game
 Jan. 29, and a quick recovery from a gruesome knee injury earlier in 
his career.

For these reasons, as we watch the 
Super Bowl, our eyes will be on Mahomes because of his elite resume, 
those statistics, and his celebrity.

This superstar separation makes 
sports more fun to watch, regardless of the era. In basketball, it was 
former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain <a target="_blank" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1977443-is-wilt-chamberlains-100-point-game-overhyped">improbably scoring 100 points</a> in a game during a dominant career. It was Wayne Gretzky <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeywriters.com/wayne-gretzky-the-great-ones-10-most-unbreakable-records/">shattering records</a> for goal scoring and assists in hockey.

Whether they become hero or villain 
in your life as a fan, it’s fun to have the one-name wonders: Jordan in 
basketball, Pele in soccer, Ruth in baseball.

This spotlight on the superstars 
might seem to contradict my point at the start: that even the 
benchwarmers are fascinatingly talented. But it’s just the opposite.

The pyramid of sports — from the 
recreational youth sports at the bottom to the international 
professional leagues at the top — distinguishes anyone who makes it 
anywhere near
 the top level. And that ruthless competitive structure makes it absurd 
that anyone could be that much better than their peers — other 
professionals who make hundreds of millions of dollars themselves.

The last few months have been a 
showcase of all-time greatness, in addition to Mahomes. (Of course, you 
can argue that Tom Brady accomplished more before his retirement last 
week as an NFL quarterback than Mahomes has.)&nbsp;

Did you know that <a target="_blank" href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mikaela-shiffrin-is-the-greatest-and-she-has-time-to-become-even-greater/">Michaela Shiffrin</a>
 is on the brink of becoming the consensus best downhill skier ever by 
shattering the record for World Cups earned by a single skier? The 
soccer <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-argentina-lionel-messi-qatar-87afd31ddd4f8a22baec67f2d7ad73d9">World Cup in Qatar</a> served as Lionel Messi’s coronation as a generational talent, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/lionel-messi-cements-his-goat-status-with-a-little-help-from-his-friends">if not the best ever</a>, in the world’s most popular and competitive sport.

We would expect to see increasingly 
better performances by stronger and faster athletes because of better 
coaching, technology, nutrition and specialization. Athletes today are 
undoubtedly better than they have ever been.

What’s still surprising is how some 
can elevate themselves above contemporaries who have the same advantages
 and who strive to be included in the same record books.

So, as you sit down to watch the 
Chiefs and Eagles in the Super Bowl — or even as you watch a 12-year-old
 dribble around his opponents on a middle school basketball court — it’s
 OK to pinch yourself and ask the question.

<a target="_blank" href="https://journalism.ku.edu/eric-thomas">Eric Thomas</a> directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas.

By ERIC THOMAS <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/10/behold-the-kansas-city-chiefs-elite-quarterback-and-the-other-one-too/">Courtesy Kansas Reflector</a>As they prep for the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs have a phenomenon at quarterback.He threw for thousands of yards in high school, earning scholarship offers from <a target="_blank" href="https://247sports.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-61358/high-school-140610/">universities that would compete on the national stage</a>. His talents <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">playing baseball and basketball</a> in high school still earn mentions when the news media profile him. In college, he set records for passing at his school, once <a target="_blank" href="https://samfordsports.com/sports/football/roster/chris-oladokun/7026">throwing for six touchdowns in a single game</a>. During his senior year in college, he threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.profootballnetwork.com/betting-on-himself-has-paid-off-for-south-dakota-state-qb-chris-oladokun-as-he-prepares-for-the-2022-nfl-draft/">caught two touchdowns</a> while on the roster as quarterback.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675895209824.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes answers a question during an NFL football Super Bowl media availability in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. The Chiefs will play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes answers a question during an NFL football Super Bowl media availability in Scottsdale, Ariz., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023. The Chiefs will play against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57 on Sunday. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)</figcaption>
 </figure>Of course, you know who I’m writing about.&nbsp;This freak athlete? It’s not Patrick Mahomes, the All-Pro, MVP, celebrity quarterback for the Chiefs.It’s <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Oladokun">Chris Oladokun</a>, the team’s practice team quarterback, who doesn’t<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/KC/kansas-city-chiefs/depth-chart/"> even get mentioned on depth charts for the position</a>. Three quarterbacks would need to be injured for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fox13news.com/sports/chris-oladokun-hopes-his-6-year-college-journey-leads-to-the-nfl">him</a> to become <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/">QB1 for the Chiefs</a> — if even then.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfldraftbuzz.com/Player/Chris-Oladokun-QB-SouthDakotaState">Oladokun</a>,
 a coveted high school recruit from Florida who has earned a tenuous 
connection with an NFL team, illustrates two things to me. First, 
players require extraordinary talents to simply make a spot on a 
professional roster, whether baseball or hockey, soccer or basketball.Oladokun’s status also demonstrates 
the absurd separation between the back-up to a back-up to a back-up, and
 Mahomes, the star destined for the Hall of Fame.&nbsp;How can Mahomes be that much better than other quarterbacks, who themselves are almost inconceivably skilled?To answer this, consider the 
separation between Mahomes and his fellow quarterbacks. To be clear, 
these next few comparisons don’t measure him next to practice squad 
rookies like Oladokun. Instead, we are setting Mahomes next to fellow 
first-string NFL quarterbacks.The statistical website fivethirtyeight.com <a target="_blank" href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2022-nfl-predictions/quarterbacks/">awards Mahomes an ELO score of 280</a>
 for his overall performance. The next highest ELO score belongs to his 
Super Bowl opponent, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, with 247. That 
positions Mahomes 10% better than Hurts, the next best quarterback. (If 
you prefer the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/seasontype/2/sort/qbr">QBR rating</a>, Mahomes is still top of the chart.)Are you comfortable saying that you are 10% better at your job than anyone else in the world? Not me.Next, we might compare Hurts to the 
Raiders starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham: He scores a 77, showing 
that even among these NFL quarterbacks, the performance gap is enormous.
 And all these quarterbacks, when compared to us fans who struggle to 
throw a spiral, are complete athletic anomalies.In addition to Mahomes’ overall 
quarterbacking scores, consider other specific skills that set him 
apart. In advance of last week’s AFC championship game against the 
Bengals, fans worried that Mahomes would struggle because of an ankle 
injury. Behold his ability to pass from the pocket: <a target="_blank" href="https://touchdownwire.usatoday.com/lists/patrick-mahomes-chiefs-bengals-lou-anarumo/">His stats on that skill were best in the league</a>, in addition to his precocious ability to improvise when chaos develops.There’s more. This year Mahomes set a record for the most yards by a quarterback in NFL league history.And more. Football experts are wowed 
by his ability to play with and recover from injury earned from his game
 Jan. 29, and a quick recovery from a gruesome knee injury earlier in 
his career.For these reasons, as we watch the 
Super Bowl, our eyes will be on Mahomes because of his elite resume, 
those statistics, and his celebrity.This superstar separation makes 
sports more fun to watch, regardless of the era. In basketball, it was 
former Jayhawk Wilt Chamberlain <a target="_blank" href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1977443-is-wilt-chamberlains-100-point-game-overhyped">improbably scoring 100 points</a> in a game during a dominant career. It was Wayne Gretzky <a target="_blank" href="https://thehockeywriters.com/wayne-gretzky-the-great-ones-10-most-unbreakable-records/">shattering records</a> for goal scoring and assists in hockey.Whether they become hero or villain 
in your life as a fan, it’s fun to have the one-name wonders: Jordan in 
basketball, Pele in soccer, Ruth in baseball.This spotlight on the superstars 
might seem to contradict my point at the start: that even the 
benchwarmers are fascinatingly talented. But it’s just the opposite.The pyramid of sports — from the 
recreational youth sports at the bottom to the international 
professional leagues at the top — distinguishes anyone who makes it 
anywhere near
 the top level. And that ruthless competitive structure makes it absurd 
that anyone could be that much better than their peers — other 
professionals who make hundreds of millions of dollars themselves.The last few months have been a 
showcase of all-time greatness, in addition to Mahomes. (Of course, you 
can argue that Tom Brady accomplished more before his retirement last 
week as an NFL quarterback than Mahomes has.)&nbsp;Did you know that <a target="_blank" href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/mikaela-shiffrin-is-the-greatest-and-she-has-time-to-become-even-greater/">Michaela Shiffrin</a>
 is on the brink of becoming the consensus best downhill skier ever by 
shattering the record for World Cups earned by a single skier? The 
soccer <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-argentina-lionel-messi-qatar-87afd31ddd4f8a22baec67f2d7ad73d9">World Cup in Qatar</a> served as Lionel Messi’s coronation as a generational talent, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/lionel-messi-cements-his-goat-status-with-a-little-help-from-his-friends">if not the best ever</a>, in the world’s most popular and competitive sport.We would expect to see increasingly 
better performances by stronger and faster athletes because of better 
coaching, technology, nutrition and specialization. Athletes today are 
undoubtedly better than they have ever been.What’s still surprising is how some 
can elevate themselves above contemporaries who have the same advantages
 and who strive to be included in the same record books.So, as you sit down to watch the 
Chiefs and Eagles in the Super Bowl — or even as you watch a 12-year-old
 dribble around his opponents on a middle school basketball court — it’s
 OK to pinch yourself and ask the question.How did they get to be that good?<a target="_blank" href="https://journalism.ku.edu/eric-thomas">Eric Thomas</a> directs the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and teaches visual journalism and photojournalism at the University of Kansas.

🏈 Behold the K.C. Chiefs’ elite quarterback — and the other one too

PHOENIX (AP) — Patrick Mahomes dominated the voting for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award. Now, he’ll try to break the MVP curse.

Mahomes, who also won in 2018, easily outdistanced Jalen Hurts, receiving 48 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. He earned 490 points to 193 for Hurts, who got one first-place vote, 26 seconds, 11 thirds and 10 fourths.

Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (16-3) face Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Mahomes thanked the Chiefs organization and his teammates in a video at NFL Honors on Thursday night.

“I would never be standing here without y’all,” Mahomes said. “Every day we’ve given everything we have together to win the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl. Let’s continue to go for that dream this weekend.”

The last nine MVPs to play in the Super Bowl that season are 0-9. Kurt Warner was the last to win both the MVP award and Super Bowl following the 1999 season.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen received the other first-place vote, finishing third with 151 points. Bengals QB Joe Burrow placed fourth and Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson came in fifth.

The 27-year-old Mahomes is the third player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).

Mahomes was the 2018 NFL MVP in his first full season as a starter.

The Chiefs lost the AFC championship game that season but Mahomes led them to a Super Bowl victory over San Francisco the following season.

In the second-closest race Thursday, Brian Daboll won AP Coach of the Year after leading the New York Giants to their first playoff appearance in six years.

Daboll received 16 first-place votes and 123 total points to outpace 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who got 12 votes for first and 100 points.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson finished third with 75 points, including five first-place votes.

“It’s a tremendous honor,” Daboll said. "You don’t think about that when you take a job. You think about leading a team and building the culture.

DeMeco Ryans, who spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator of the 49ers, was named AP Assistant Coach of the Year. He is now the head coach of the Texans.

Nick Bosa made it a landslide for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. San Francisco’s All-Pro defensive end received 46 first-place votes after leading the NFL with 18 ½ sacks in the regular season.

Bosa and the 49ers lost to the Eagles 31-7 in the NFC title game. He joked that he's ready to start the season now.

“One weekend in Las Vegas is enough for me,” Bosa said.

Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, started every game for the Jets. He had two interceptions and allowed just 33 catches on 73 targets.

Jets receiver Garrett Wilson edged out Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker for the AP Offensive Rookie of the year award.

“This means everything.,” Wilson said. “You put in a lot of work to end up in this point and to see it come to fruition, it’s awesome.”

Wilson and Gardner are the third teammates to win the offensive and defensive rookie awards in the same season. Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore did it with the Saints in 2017 and Detroit’s Mel Farr and Lem Barney did it in 1967.

“I was more happy for Garrett,” Gardner said.

Justin Jefferson ran away with the AP Offensive Player of the Year award. Minnesota’s All-Pro wide receiver got 35 first-place votes and earned 192 points, outdistancing runner up Mahomes by a significant margin.

“It means a lot, especially where I come from, this doesn’t happen,” Jefferson said. “I was always doubted, wasn’t highly recruited. Having this award is amazing.”

Geno Smith, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth after becoming a full-time starter for the first time since 2014, is the AP Comeback Player of the Year. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback threw for 4,282 yards, 30 TDs and led Seattle to an NFC wild-card berth.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was the Walter Payton Man of the Year. The prestigious award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

PHOENIX (AP) — Patrick Mahomes dominated the voting for the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award. Now, he’ll try to break the MVP curse.Mahomes, who also won in 2018, easily outdistanced Jalen Hurts, receiving 48 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. He earned 490 points to 193 for Hurts, who got one first-place vote, 26 seconds, 11 thirds and 10 fourths.Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (16-3) face Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles (16-3) in the Super Bowl on Sunday.Mahomes thanked the Chiefs organization and his teammates in a video at NFL Honors on Thursday night.“I would never be standing here without y’all,” Mahomes said. “Every day we’ve given everything we have together to win the ultimate goal, the Super Bowl. Let’s continue to go for that dream this weekend.”The last nine MVPs to play in the Super Bowl that season are 0-9. Kurt Warner was the last to win both the MVP award and Super Bowl following the 1999 season.Bills quarterback Josh Allen received the other first-place vote, finishing third with 151 points. Bengals QB Joe Burrow placed fourth and Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson came in fifth.The 27-year-old Mahomes is the third player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).Mahomes was the 2018 NFL MVP in his first full season as a starter.The Chiefs lost the AFC championship game that season but Mahomes led them to a Super Bowl victory over San Francisco the following season.In the second-closest race Thursday, Brian Daboll won AP Coach of the Year after leading the New York Giants to their first playoff appearance in six years.Daboll received 16 first-place votes and 123 total points to outpace 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, who got 12 votes for first and 100 points.Jaguars coach Doug Pederson finished third with 75 points, including five first-place votes.“It’s a tremendous honor,” Daboll said. "You don’t think about that when you take a job. You think about leading a team and building the culture.Other awards announced Thursday:DeMeco Ryans, who spent the past two seasons as the defensive coordinator of the 49ers, was named AP Assistant Coach of the Year. He is now the head coach of the Texans.Nick Bosa made it a landslide for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. San Francisco’s All-Pro defensive end received 46 first-place votes after leading the NFL with 18 ½ sacks in the regular season.Bosa and the 49ers lost to the Eagles 31-7 in the NFC title game. He joked that he's ready to start the season now.“One weekend in Las Vegas is enough for me,” Bosa said.Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick in the draft, started every game for the Jets. He had two interceptions and allowed just 33 catches on 73 targets.Jets receiver Garrett Wilson edged out Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker for the AP Offensive Rookie of the year award.“This means everything.,” Wilson said. “You put in a lot of work to end up in this point and to see it come to fruition, it’s awesome.”Wilson and Gardner are the third teammates to win the offensive and defensive rookie awards in the same season. Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore did it with the Saints in 2017 and Detroit’s Mel Farr and Lem Barney did it in 1967.“I was more happy for Garrett,” Gardner said.Justin Jefferson ran away with the AP Offensive Player of the Year award. Minnesota’s All-Pro wide receiver got 35 first-place votes and earned 192 points, outdistancing runner up Mahomes by a significant margin.“It means a lot, especially where I come from, this doesn’t happen,” Jefferson said. “I was always doubted, wasn’t highly recruited. Having this award is amazing.”Geno Smith, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth after becoming a full-time starter for the first time since 2014, is the AP Comeback Player of the Year. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback threw for 4,282 yards, 30 TDs and led Seattle to an NFC wild-card berth.Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was the Walter Payton Man of the Year. The prestigious award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

🏈 Patrick Mahomes wins 2nd MVP award ahead of Super Bowl

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas and Oklahoma are heading to the Southeastern Conference in 2024, a year earlier than originally planned, after Big 12 officials cleared the way Thursday for the storied programs to exit their league.

Texas and Oklahoma will leave behind the $50 million each school would have received over the next two seasons under the Big 12′s media contracts.

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak said the league would only agree to an early departure “if it was in our best interest.”

“By reaching this agreement, we are now able to accelerate our new beginning as a 12-team league and move forward in earnest with our initiatives and future planning,” Yormak said in a statement announcing the agreement.

BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston are joining the Big 12 prior to the 2023 football season, giving the league a temporary membership of 14 schools.

The agreement must still be approved the Texas and Oklahoma boards of regents, but that is considered a formality.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement that the schools will become full members of the conference on July 1, 2024.

“We are continuing our preparation for this membership transition, and we look forward to welcoming the conference’s new members and moving into our future as a 16-team league,” Sankey said.

The moves by Texas and Oklahoma have been in the works since 2021, when the SEC invited the Big 12’s marquee programs to join what is already the strongest football conference in the country.

Oklahoma and Texas have combined for 10 national championships as determined by The Associated Press, but none since the Longhorns’ 2005 season championship. TCU, which made it the College Football Playoff championship game last season, joined Oklahoma as the only Big 12 teams to make the playoff.

Big 12 officials were initially stunned by the departure. Former Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby even accused ESPN of trying to “destabilize” the league to help Texas and Oklahoma leave early.

Thursday’s announcement was much more cordial. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec, who is also the chairman of the Big 12 Board of Directors, called the agreement “fair to all parties,” and said it could not have happened without collaboration with the league’s broadcast partners ESPN and Fox.

Money has been a driving factor in the shifting landscape of college athletics realignment. The SEC reported a revenue distribution of $49.9 million per school for the 2021-2022 school year, exceeding by more than $7 million what the Big 12 distributed to its members for the same period.

Adding Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC’s broadcast portfolio is expected to only increase the league’s payout. They will land in their new league just in time for a new $3 billion deal with ESPN that gives the network the broadcast rights to all the conference’s football games.

The additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF will boost the Big 12′s national footprint and push the league into new media markets.

Texas and Oklahoma haven’t already left for the SEC because both schools have been tied to the Big 12 and its other members through a grant of media rights through the 2024-25 school year. That deal ran concurrently with the conference’s television contracts with Fox and ESPN.

“We have always been committed to fulfilling our contractual obligations to the Big 12. The collegiate athletics landscape has continued to evolve rapidly, and working together to accelerate our exit produced benefits for all parties,” Texas President Jay Hartzell said. “The Big 12 has been a respected partner for nearly three decades, and we look forward to a final season of spirited competition with our friends and rivals.”

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas and Oklahoma are heading to the Southeastern Conference in 2024, a year earlier than originally planned, after Big 12 officials cleared the way Thursday for the storied programs to exit their league.Texas and Oklahoma will leave behind the $50 million each school would have received over the next two seasons under the Big 12′s media contracts.Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormak said the league would only agree to an early departure “if it was in our best interest.”“By reaching this agreement, we are now able to accelerate our new beginning as a 12-team league and move forward in earnest with our initiatives and future planning,” Yormak said in a statement announcing the agreement.BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston are joining the Big 12 prior to the 2023 football season, giving the league a temporary membership of 14 schools.The agreement must still be approved the Texas and Oklahoma boards of regents, but that is considered a formality.SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement that the schools will become full members of the conference on July 1, 2024.“We are continuing our preparation for this membership transition, and we look forward to welcoming the conference’s new members and moving into our future as a 16-team league,” Sankey said.The moves by Texas and Oklahoma have been in the works since 2021, when the SEC invited the Big 12’s marquee programs to join what is already the strongest football conference in the country.Oklahoma and Texas have combined for 10 national championships as determined by The Associated Press, but none since the Longhorns’ 2005 season championship. TCU, which made it the College Football Playoff championship game last season, joined Oklahoma as the only Big 12 teams to make the playoff.Big 12 officials were initially stunned by the departure. Former Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby even accused ESPN of trying to “destabilize” the league to help Texas and Oklahoma leave early.Thursday’s announcement was much more cordial. Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec, who is also the chairman of the Big 12 Board of Directors, called the agreement “fair to all parties,” and said it could not have happened without collaboration with the league’s broadcast partners ESPN and Fox.Money has been a driving factor in the shifting landscape of college athletics realignment. The SEC reported a revenue distribution of $49.9 million per school for the 2021-2022 school year, exceeding by more than $7 million what the Big 12 distributed to its members for the same period.Adding Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC’s broadcast portfolio is expected to only increase the league’s payout. They will land in their new league just in time for a new $3 billion deal with ESPN that gives the network the broadcast rights to all the conference’s football games.The additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF will boost the Big 12′s national footprint and push the league into new media markets.Texas and Oklahoma haven’t already left for the SEC because both schools have been tied to the Big 12 and its other members through a grant of media rights through the 2024-25 school year. That deal ran concurrently with the conference’s television contracts with Fox and ESPN.“We have always been committed to fulfilling our contractual obligations to the Big 12. The collegiate athletics landscape has continued to evolve rapidly, and working together to accelerate our exit produced benefits for all parties,” Texas President Jay Hartzell said. “The Big 12 has been a respected partner for nearly three decades, and we look forward to a final season of spirited competition with our friends and rivals.”

Moves by Texas, Oklahoma from Big 12 to SEC bumped to 2024

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes says he's “definitely in a 
better spot” when it comes to his ailing right ankle than he was for the
 AFC championship game, and the All-Pro quarterback doesn't expect to be
 limited by it when he leads the Kansas City Chiefs against the 
Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.

Mahomes said before 
Wednesday's practice at Arizona State's facility that he continues to 
get treatment on the ankle, which he hurt in the divisional round 
against Jacksonville, and that will probably continue up until Sunday's 
kickoff.

“You won't know exactly how it is until you get to game 
day,” he said. “I mean, I definitely move around better than I was 
moving last week or two weeks ago. So it's just trying to continue to 
get the treatment and the rehab and get it as close to 100% and then 
rely on some adrenaline to let me do a little bit extra when I'm on the 
field.”

Mahomes hurt the ankle when a Jaguars pass rusher landed 
on it late in the first quarter. X-rays taken during the game came back 
negative, and he returned in the second half to lead Kansas City to the 
27-20 victory.

He spent the next week getting treatment on the 
ankle, and Mahomes credited trainers Rick Burkholder and Julie Frymyer 
with getting him in shape to play for the AFC title. And while he was 
clearly hobbled by the high ankle sprain, and several times limped away 
from a hit, Mahomes was there against Cincinnati when the Chiefs needed 
him at the end.

It was Mahomes who sprinted on his ankle in the 
closing seconds, then took a late hit along the sideline, that got 
Kansas City in range of Harrison Butker's 45-yard field goal that 
punched its ticket back to the Super Bowl.

“He's been doing really
 well with his ankle,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “We had a 
fast practice a couple days ago and he moved well. He can really do just
 about everything — at least everything in the game plan we asked him to
 do.”

Reid said everyone planned to work as the Chiefs ramped up with a more intense practice.

That
 includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, who missed practice last week with 
swelling in his knee, and fellow wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who 
likewise skipped all the workouts in Kansas City with a sprained ankle. 
It also includes cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who cleared the concussion 
protocol this week and returned to practice.

All three of those 
players, along with linebacker Willie Gay Jr., were hurt in the AFC 
championship game. Gay came away with a relatively minor shoulder injury
 and practiced last week along with this week.

The Chiefs also are
 keeping a close eye on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was 
activated off injured reserve when wide receiver Mecole Hardman went on 
the list with a pelvis injury this week. The 2020 first-round pick has 
been out since November with a high ankle sprain, but there's a chance 
Edwards-Helaire could be active for the Super Bowl.

If active, he would give the Chiefs a change-of-pace back behind Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675049407857.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signals teammates during the first half of the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signals teammates during the first half of the NFL AFC Championship playoff football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes says he's “definitely in a 
better spot” when it comes to his ailing right ankle than he was for the
 AFC championship game, and the All-Pro quarterback doesn't expect to be
 limited by it when he leads the Kansas City Chiefs against the 
Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl.Mahomes said before 
Wednesday's practice at Arizona State's facility that he continues to 
get treatment on the ankle, which he hurt in the divisional round 
against Jacksonville, and that will probably continue up until Sunday's 
kickoff.“You won't know exactly how it is until you get to game 
day,” he said. “I mean, I definitely move around better than I was 
moving last week or two weeks ago. So it's just trying to continue to 
get the treatment and the rehab and get it as close to 100% and then 
rely on some adrenaline to let me do a little bit extra when I'm on the 
field.”Mahomes hurt the ankle when a Jaguars pass rusher landed 
on it late in the first quarter. X-rays taken during the game came back 
negative, and he returned in the second half to lead Kansas City to the 
27-20 victory.He spent the next week getting treatment on the 
ankle, and Mahomes credited trainers Rick Burkholder and Julie Frymyer 
with getting him in shape to play for the AFC title. And while he was 
clearly hobbled by the high ankle sprain, and several times limped away 
from a hit, Mahomes was there against Cincinnati when the Chiefs needed 
him at the end.It was Mahomes who sprinted on his ankle in the 
closing seconds, then took a late hit along the sideline, that got 
Kansas City in range of Harrison Butker's 45-yard field goal that 
punched its ticket back to the Super Bowl.“He's been doing really
 well with his ankle,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday. “We had a 
fast practice a couple days ago and he moved well. He can really do just
 about everything — at least everything in the game plan we asked him to
 do.”Reid said everyone planned to work as the Chiefs ramped up with a more intense practice.That
 includes JuJu Smith-Schuster, who missed practice last week with 
swelling in his knee, and fellow wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who 
likewise skipped all the workouts in Kansas City with a sprained ankle. 
It also includes cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who cleared the concussion 
protocol this week and returned to practice.All three of those 
players, along with linebacker Willie Gay Jr., were hurt in the AFC 
championship game. Gay came away with a relatively minor shoulder injury
 and practiced last week along with this week.The Chiefs also are
 keeping a close eye on running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was 
activated off injured reserve when wide receiver Mecole Hardman went on 
the list with a pelvis injury this week. The 2020 first-round pick has 
been out since November with a high ankle sprain, but there's a chance 
Edwards-Helaire could be active for the Super Bowl.If active, he would give the Chiefs a change-of-pace back behind Isiah Pacheco and Jerick McKinnon.

Mahomes says ankle will be ready for Super Bowl

PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Jones claims to have very little memory of a 
relatively benign game in 2017, when the Kansas City Chiefs welcomed the
 Philadelphia Eagles to Arrowhead Stadium for the second game of the 
regular season.

The 
veteran Philadelphia center spent the afternoon lining up alongside 
Isaac Seumalo, who Jones proceeded to whip from start to finish. Then a 
relatively unknown second-year defensive tackle, Jones piled up three 
sacks that day.

“(Seumalo) played a guy early on that nobody knew 
about then that was, you know, the best defensive tackle in the NFL," 
Kelce recalled. "I mean, I sure remember going into that game and we 
didn't really talk much about Chris, to be honest with you. We didn't 
have much of a plan for him because we thought it wasn't going to be 
much of a big deal.

“And man," Kelce said, "Isaac had a hard outing.”

You can bet the Eagles will have a better plan for dealing with Jones in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

In
 five-plus years since that game in Kansas City, the affable pass rusher
 has grown to rival the Rams' Aaron Donald as just what Kelce said: the 
NFL's best defensive tackle. He's gone to the past four Pro Bowls, was 
voted second-team All-Pro three times and, this year, earned first-team 
honors along with being a finalist for AP Defensive Player of the Year.

He will learn whether he takes home that hardware at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.

“He's
 so good, man. He makes it so hard on you,” said Bengals quarterback Joe
 Burrow, who was sacked twice by Jones in the AFC title game. “He's so 
big and strong. Physical. He really understands what you're trying to do
 to him up front.”

In truth, nobody has quite figured out what to do with him.

Jones
 had 15 1/2 sacks this season, despite facing constant double teams, 
matching the 2018 season for the best of his career. He trailed only the
 49ers' Nick Bosa, the Browns' Myles Garrett and the Eagles' Haason 
Reddick for the NFL lead.

Jones also was a big reason why the 
Chiefs, one of the league's worst at rushing the passer last season, 
suddenly became one of the best. They had 55 sacks in the regular season
 to trail only their Super Bowl opponent for the league lead.

“He 
opens up a lot of opportunities for a lot of those guys inside, 
especially when he's causing so much attention to come his way,” said 
Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark, who has 2 1/2 sacks in this 
postseason. “We speak on it and harp on it a lot with the interior guys,
 you know, like, ‘Is Chris getting double-teamed?’"

That's usually the best approach; Jones seems to end up near the quarterback anyway.

"He's
 a game-wrecking-type force up front," Bengals offensive coordinator 
Brian Callahan said. “You have to be aware of where he lines up. He 
lines up at end, up the shade and the three (technique). He's an 
extremely disruptive player, so you do everything you can to minimize 
him, but he's going to have one at some point.”

The task for the Eagles — and what the Bengals failed to do — is limit Jones to just one big play.

“He's a fantastic player,” Callahan said, “and he's not fun to have to get ready for.”

He's
 fun to have in the locker room, though. Jones is among the most 
light-hearted Chiefs, constantly trying to get guys to smile. He once 
showed up at practice shortly before Christmas in an ugly sweater with a
 stitched picture of Jesus carrying the label “Birthday Boy." His own 
smile seems to stretch from one end of the room to the other.

On the field, though, that good-natured goof suddenly becomes a colossus.

All
 of that explains why the Chiefs lavished on the 28-year-old Jones an 
$80 million, four-year deal a couple of years ago, which included a 
$1.25 million bonus when Jones hit 10 sacks this season. His salary cap 
hit is tops among defensive tackles, edging Donald and DeForest Buckner,
 yet somehow seems like a bargain given his production. And with one 
year left on the contract after Sunday, there's a good chance the Chiefs
 will begin talking about an extension soon.

If they haven't started those discussions already.

In
 the meantime, Jones will try to capture a second Super Bowl ring when 
the Chiefs take on the Eagles on Sunday. He knows that much of their 
success will depend on whether he can pressure Philadelphia quarterback 
Jalen Hurts, whose uncanny ability to shred defenses with his arm and 
legs make him difficult to defend.

“Every week is a challenge for 
me, especially when you’re playing in the Super Bowl. It's the best of 
the best,” Jones said Wednesday. “So we’re very fortunate. We’re excited
 about it. Jason Kelce and that amazing offensive line — we got to see 
what type of pressure we can bring against it.”

PHOENIX (AP) — Chris Jones claims to have very little memory of a 
relatively benign game in 2017, when the Kansas City Chiefs welcomed the
 Philadelphia Eagles to Arrowhead Stadium for the second game of the 
regular season.Jason Kelce remembers it quite well.The 
veteran Philadelphia center spent the afternoon lining up alongside 
Isaac Seumalo, who Jones proceeded to whip from start to finish. Then a 
relatively unknown second-year defensive tackle, Jones piled up three 
sacks that day.“(Seumalo) played a guy early on that nobody knew 
about then that was, you know, the best defensive tackle in the NFL," 
Kelce recalled. "I mean, I sure remember going into that game and we 
didn't really talk much about Chris, to be honest with you. We didn't 
have much of a plan for him because we thought it wasn't going to be 
much of a big deal.“And man," Kelce said, "Isaac had a hard outing.”You can bet the Eagles will have a better plan for dealing with Jones in the Super Bowl on Sunday.In
 five-plus years since that game in Kansas City, the affable pass rusher
 has grown to rival the Rams' Aaron Donald as just what Kelce said: the 
NFL's best defensive tackle. He's gone to the past four Pro Bowls, was 
voted second-team All-Pro three times and, this year, earned first-team 
honors along with being a finalist for AP Defensive Player of the Year.He will learn whether he takes home that hardware at the NFL Honors on Thursday night.“He's
 so good, man. He makes it so hard on you,” said Bengals quarterback Joe
 Burrow, who was sacked twice by Jones in the AFC title game. “He's so 
big and strong. Physical. He really understands what you're trying to do
 to him up front.”In truth, nobody has quite figured out what to do with him.Jones
 had 15 1/2 sacks this season, despite facing constant double teams, 
matching the 2018 season for the best of his career. He trailed only the
 49ers' Nick Bosa, the Browns' Myles Garrett and the Eagles' Haason 
Reddick for the NFL lead.Jones also was a big reason why the 
Chiefs, one of the league's worst at rushing the passer last season, 
suddenly became one of the best. They had 55 sacks in the regular season
 to trail only their Super Bowl opponent for the league lead.“He 
opens up a lot of opportunities for a lot of those guys inside, 
especially when he's causing so much attention to come his way,” said 
Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark, who has 2 1/2 sacks in this 
postseason. “We speak on it and harp on it a lot with the interior guys,
 you know, like, ‘Is Chris getting double-teamed?’"That's usually the best approach; Jones seems to end up near the quarterback anyway."He's
 a game-wrecking-type force up front," Bengals offensive coordinator 
Brian Callahan said. “You have to be aware of where he lines up. He 
lines up at end, up the shade and the three (technique). He's an 
extremely disruptive player, so you do everything you can to minimize 
him, but he's going to have one at some point.”The task for the Eagles — and what the Bengals failed to do — is limit Jones to just one big play.“He's a fantastic player,” Callahan said, “and he's not fun to have to get ready for.”He's
 fun to have in the locker room, though. Jones is among the most 
light-hearted Chiefs, constantly trying to get guys to smile. He once 
showed up at practice shortly before Christmas in an ugly sweater with a
 stitched picture of Jesus carrying the label “Birthday Boy." His own 
smile seems to stretch from one end of the room to the other.On the field, though, that good-natured goof suddenly becomes a colossus.All
 of that explains why the Chiefs lavished on the 28-year-old Jones an 
$80 million, four-year deal a couple of years ago, which included a 
$1.25 million bonus when Jones hit 10 sacks this season. His salary cap 
hit is tops among defensive tackles, edging Donald and DeForest Buckner,
 yet somehow seems like a bargain given his production. And with one 
year left on the contract after Sunday, there's a good chance the Chiefs
 will begin talking about an extension soon.If they haven't started those discussions already.In
 the meantime, Jones will try to capture a second Super Bowl ring when 
the Chiefs take on the Eagles on Sunday. He knows that much of their 
success will depend on whether he can pressure Philadelphia quarterback 
Jalen Hurts, whose uncanny ability to shred defenses with his arm and 
legs make him difficult to defend.“Every week is a challenge for 
me, especially when you’re playing in the Super Bowl. It's the best of 
the best,” Jones said Wednesday. “So we’re very fortunate. We’re excited
 about it. Jason Kelce and that amazing offensive line — we got to see 
what type of pressure we can bring against it.”

Chiefs' Jones sets sack standard for Kansas City defense

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Five Wildcats scored in double figures, including a game-high 18 points from senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>, as No. 12/11 Kansas State snapped a 2-game losing streak with a near wire-to-wire 82-61 victory over No. 19/17 TCU on Tuesday night before a crowd of 8,667 at Bramlage Coliseum. Nowell also dished out a game-high 7 assists, giving him 187 for the season, which broke the K-State single-season school record of 186 set by&nbsp;Steve Henson&nbsp;in 1987-88. His total ranks third nationally in Division I. In addition, his 18 points helped him eclipse 1,700 in his college career, which spans 119 games at Little Rock and K-State. The win helped K-State (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) keep pace in the Big 12 race, moving into a tie with No. 9/8 Kansas for third place, just one game back of No. 5/5 Texas and a half-game back of No. 11/13 Iowa State. The 19-5 start ties the 2012-13 and 2018-19 teams for the second-best in the last 50 seasons. The team also secured its fifth Top 25 victory of the season, which is the second-most in a single-season and most since posting 6 in 2014-15. The Wildcats had five or more players score in double figures for the fourth time this season and the second time in Big 12 play. Nowell was joined in double figures by seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>, who each scored 14 points, while senior reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene</a>&nbsp;nearly registered a double-double with season-highs in both points (13) and rebounds (9) to go with 10 points from junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/david-n-guessan/9670">David N'Guessan</a>. Leading 36-30 at the half, K-State took control of the game with an impressive second-half performance, as the Wildcats scored 46 points after halftime on 61.5 percent (16-of-26) shooting with 26 coming in the paint. Despite the impressive offensive effort, the game was still in the balance with under 5 minutes to play after TCU cut the deficit to 65-59 after a 6-0 run to force a timeout by head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a>. The timeout seemed to ignite K-State, as a pair of free throws from sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/cam-carter/9658">Cam Carter</a>&nbsp;started a streak of 15 consecutive points, as the Wildcats ended the game on a 17-2 run to snap a 3-game losing streak to the Horned Frogs at Bramlage Coliseum and a 3-game skid in Big 12 play. Five different players contributed to the run, including 5 points from Johnson, 4 from Greene and Nowell and 2 from Carter and Sills. The Wildcats frustrated the Horned Frogs into 19 turnovers, including 13 in the first half, converting those into 15 points, while holding the nation's top-ranked fast-break team (20.7 ppg.) to just 10 fast-break points. After giving 20 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds in the first meeting on Jan. 14, they allowed just 3 second-chance points on 6 offensive rebounds in the rematch. For the game, K-State connected on 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from the field, including 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from 3-point range, while hitting on 82.6 percent (19-of-23) from the free throw line. Forty of the 82 points came in the paint, while the Wildcats had 19 assists on their 28 made field goals with 5 players dishing out at least 2 assists. It was the ninth game of 80 or more points this season, which is the most since posting 11 in 2017-18. TCU (17-7, 6-5 Big 12), which played without Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year&nbsp;Mike Miles, Jr., for the fourth game in a row, was led by 16 points from senior&nbsp;Damion Baugh. Baugh, who went 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line, also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal in 36 minutes. He was joined in double figures by junior&nbsp;Micah Peavy&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;JaKobe Coles, who each had 11 points, and a near double-double by senior&nbsp;Emanuel Miller&nbsp;with 10 points and a team-high 9 rebounds. IN THEIR WORDS Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a> On the game... "I first want to thank our fans. I was really upset last game more because like, our fans did such a great job and I felt as a coach I didn't have my team ready and so today to see our guys put that kind of effort out for 40 minutes, it showed how much they really appreciated our fans and what they bring to the table for us. Because this doesn't happen everywhere, right? Like, we can't take this thing for granted. And so secondly, I say this all the time, wins and losses, but I really, really, I'm so blessed by God to be the head coach here at Kansas State and I don't take it lightly and to be able to work with these young men every day in this great environment with such wonderful people. I'm extremely blessed. Very, very thankful to (Director of Athletics) Gene Taylor and President [Richard] Linton for giving me this opportunity." On the intensity at practice leading up to this game… "I'm really glad that they got the point. I am probably by nature a jackal, like I don't mind being the bad guy and I could do it every single day and it wouldn't bother me one bit. But it wouldn't be very fun for them, and my staff wouldn't like me very much. So, you hope that you have older guys and guys who understand the importance of, like that drive comes from within the locker room rather than from the coaching staff. But I just really felt like they needed that from me and so everybody up and down the hallway and the offices and in the locker room and in the gym and in the film room. Everybody was on eggshells these last few days on purpose because there needed to be a heightened sense of urgency. And so yes, we did circle the wagon rebounding. We did a lot of things that maybe you might not do on a quick turnaround, but the message had to be sent and the guys received it. And now the hope is that on Thursday when we come back that I'm not the one that has to drive it. The players are the ones that drive it." On&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;breaking the single season assist record… "Well man anytime you do like an all-time record, like the most in the history. That's a really big deal. And Steve Henson is a really big deal around here and the guys that Steve Henson played with were really good players, right? And so, it says two things. First of all, 'Quis was blessed with vision, and he has a willingness to pass the ball. And secondly, he has some really good players around him too, because they're putting it in the hole. So, it says a lot about him and a lot about our team. And so, it's a great honor. I'm proud of the kid. That young fella, he took the last loss really hard, and I was proud of how he responded today." On&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene's</a>&nbsp;performance… "We tell everybody that at some point in time during the season everybody on the team is going to have an opportunity to help us win a game. Tykei came to my office, and he said 'Coach, man, is there anything that I could do to help us.' He said, 'Coach, whether you want me to play defense on the other team's best player and not let them touch the ball, whatever it is, I just want to be able to help contribute to our team winning. I told him I said, 'We're just trying to figure it out. Like we're working through some things it's not something you're not doing it's just, we're just trying to figure out how to like, get the most out of each guy. And all I asked him I said, 'Just to stay ready for me, just to stay ready and if you stay ready opportunities gonna come.' And tonight, his opportunity came and he was ready." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a> On breaking the single season assist record… "It's a blessing to be mentioned with those guys passing him, Steve Henson, is a blessing. It just shows how unselfish I am, and he was at K-State. When you have a group of guys like we have here it's easy to get assists and it's easy to make plays for others. I give credit to my teammates for finishing, from last year and this year for helping me break that record. I couldn't have done it without them." On guys like Tykei and Desi stepping up… "It's big time when we have guys contribute to the scoring load. They're going to key in on me and Keyontae [Johnson] for the most part so we have guys like Tykei and Desi who could finish and help us out. It's always good. Like Desi said, these guys have been putting in work since the summer. Tykei has been in the gym every morning shooting 500 threes since the summertime. Desi has been working at 7 in the morning. When you trust your work and when you stay ready, good things happen and that's what they've been doing." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene</a> On his performance… "It means a lot to have a game like this. I wanted to come in and help the team right away, especially after the two losses. So, I just came in and did whatever I had to do to get the win." On what part of his game gets him going… "When the ball goes in the basket, when I dunk the ball or when I finish the tough layup, especially from people like 'Quis and Desi, it means a lot. And that just boosts me up a lot to just keep falling." BEYOND THE BOXSCORE Team Notes

WHAT'S NEXT K-State begins a 2-game road swing on Saturday when the Wildcats travel to Lubbock, Texas to take on Texas Tech (12-11, 1-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675854339445.jpeg" alt="Kansas State guard Tykei Greene (4) dunks the ball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. TCU on February 7, 2023 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State guard Tykei Greene (4) dunks the ball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. TCU on February 7, 2023 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Five Wildcats scored in double figures, including a game-high 18 points from senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>, as No. 12/11 Kansas State snapped a 2-game losing streak with a near wire-to-wire 82-61 victory over No. 19/17 TCU on Tuesday night before a crowd of 8,667 at Bramlage Coliseum. Nowell also dished out a game-high 7 assists, giving him 187 for the season, which broke the K-State single-season school record of 186 set by&nbsp;Steve Henson&nbsp;in 1987-88. His total ranks third nationally in Division I. In addition, his 18 points helped him eclipse 1,700 in his college career, which spans 119 games at Little Rock and K-State. The win helped K-State (19-5, 7-4 Big 12) keep pace in the Big 12 race, moving into a tie with No. 9/8 Kansas for third place, just one game back of No. 5/5 Texas and a half-game back of No. 11/13 Iowa State. The 19-5 start ties the 2012-13 and 2018-19 teams for the second-best in the last 50 seasons. The team also secured its fifth Top 25 victory of the season, which is the second-most in a single-season and most since posting 6 in 2014-15. The Wildcats had five or more players score in double figures for the fourth time this season and the second time in Big 12 play. Nowell was joined in double figures by seniors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>, who each scored 14 points, while senior reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene</a>&nbsp;nearly registered a double-double with season-highs in both points (13) and rebounds (9) to go with 10 points from junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/david-n-guessan/9670">David N'Guessan</a>. Leading 36-30 at the half, K-State took control of the game with an impressive second-half performance, as the Wildcats scored 46 points after halftime on 61.5 percent (16-of-26) shooting with 26 coming in the paint. Despite the impressive offensive effort, the game was still in the balance with under 5 minutes to play after TCU cut the deficit to 65-59 after a 6-0 run to force a timeout by head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a>. The timeout seemed to ignite K-State, as a pair of free throws from sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/cam-carter/9658">Cam Carter</a>&nbsp;started a streak of 15 consecutive points, as the Wildcats ended the game on a 17-2 run to snap a 3-game losing streak to the Horned Frogs at Bramlage Coliseum and a 3-game skid in Big 12 play. Five different players contributed to the run, including 5 points from Johnson, 4 from Greene and Nowell and 2 from Carter and Sills. The Wildcats frustrated the Horned Frogs into 19 turnovers, including 13 in the first half, converting those into 15 points, while holding the nation's top-ranked fast-break team (20.7 ppg.) to just 10 fast-break points. After giving 20 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds in the first meeting on Jan. 14, they allowed just 3 second-chance points on 6 offensive rebounds in the rematch. For the game, K-State connected on 45.9 percent (28-of-61) from the field, including 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from 3-point range, while hitting on 82.6 percent (19-of-23) from the free throw line. Forty of the 82 points came in the paint, while the Wildcats had 19 assists on their 28 made field goals with 5 players dishing out at least 2 assists. It was the ninth game of 80 or more points this season, which is the most since posting 11 in 2017-18. TCU (17-7, 6-5 Big 12), which played without Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year&nbsp;Mike Miles, Jr., for the fourth game in a row, was led by 16 points from senior&nbsp;Damion Baugh. Baugh, who went 6-of-10 from the field and 4-of-6 from the line, also had 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal in 36 minutes. He was joined in double figures by junior&nbsp;Micah Peavy&nbsp;and sophomore&nbsp;JaKobe Coles, who each had 11 points, and a near double-double by senior&nbsp;Emanuel Miller&nbsp;with 10 points and a team-high 9 rebounds. IN THEIR WORDS Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jerome-tang/1856">Jerome Tang</a> On the game... "I first want to thank our fans. I was really upset last game more because like, our fans did such a great job and I felt as a coach I didn't have my team ready and so today to see our guys put that kind of effort out for 40 minutes, it showed how much they really appreciated our fans and what they bring to the table for us. Because this doesn't happen everywhere, right? Like, we can't take this thing for granted. And so secondly, I say this all the time, wins and losses, but I really, really, I'm so blessed by God to be the head coach here at Kansas State and I don't take it lightly and to be able to work with these young men every day in this great environment with such wonderful people. I'm extremely blessed. Very, very thankful to (Director of Athletics) Gene Taylor and President [Richard] Linton for giving me this opportunity." On the intensity at practice leading up to this game… "I'm really glad that they got the point. I am probably by nature a jackal, like I don't mind being the bad guy and I could do it every single day and it wouldn't bother me one bit. But it wouldn't be very fun for them, and my staff wouldn't like me very much. So, you hope that you have older guys and guys who understand the importance of, like that drive comes from within the locker room rather than from the coaching staff. But I just really felt like they needed that from me and so everybody up and down the hallway and the offices and in the locker room and in the gym and in the film room. Everybody was on eggshells these last few days on purpose because there needed to be a heightened sense of urgency. And so yes, we did circle the wagon rebounding. We did a lot of things that maybe you might not do on a quick turnaround, but the message had to be sent and the guys received it. And now the hope is that on Thursday when we come back that I'm not the one that has to drive it. The players are the ones that drive it." On&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;breaking the single season assist record… "Well man anytime you do like an all-time record, like the most in the history. That's a really big deal. And Steve Henson is a really big deal around here and the guys that Steve Henson played with were really good players, right? And so, it says two things. First of all, 'Quis was blessed with vision, and he has a willingness to pass the ball. And secondly, he has some really good players around him too, because they're putting it in the hole. So, it says a lot about him and a lot about our team. And so, it's a great honor. I'm proud of the kid. That young fella, he took the last loss really hard, and I was proud of how he responded today." On&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene's</a>&nbsp;performance… "We tell everybody that at some point in time during the season everybody on the team is going to have an opportunity to help us win a game. Tykei came to my office, and he said 'Coach, man, is there anything that I could do to help us.' He said, 'Coach, whether you want me to play defense on the other team's best player and not let them touch the ball, whatever it is, I just want to be able to help contribute to our team winning. I told him I said, 'We're just trying to figure it out. Like we're working through some things it's not something you're not doing it's just, we're just trying to figure out how to like, get the most out of each guy. And all I asked him I said, 'Just to stay ready for me, just to stay ready and if you stay ready opportunities gonna come.' And tonight, his opportunity came and he was ready." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a> On breaking the single season assist record… "It's a blessing to be mentioned with those guys passing him, Steve Henson, is a blessing. It just shows how unselfish I am, and he was at K-State. When you have a group of guys like we have here it's easy to get assists and it's easy to make plays for others. I give credit to my teammates for finishing, from last year and this year for helping me break that record. I couldn't have done it without them." On guys like Tykei and Desi stepping up… "It's big time when we have guys contribute to the scoring load. They're going to key in on me and Keyontae [Johnson] for the most part so we have guys like Tykei and Desi who could finish and help us out. It's always good. Like Desi said, these guys have been putting in work since the summer. Tykei has been in the gym every morning shooting 500 threes since the summertime. Desi has been working at 7 in the morning. When you trust your work and when you stay ready, good things happen and that's what they've been doing." Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene</a> On his performance… "It means a lot to have a game like this. I wanted to come in and help the team right away, especially after the two losses. So, I just came in and did whatever I had to do to get the win." On what part of his game gets him going… "When the ball goes in the basket, when I dunk the ball or when I finish the tough layup, especially from people like 'Quis and Desi, it means a lot. And that just boosts me up a lot to just keep falling." BEYOND THE BOXSCORE Team Notes<ul>
 <li>K-State improves to 19-5 overall, including 7-4 in Big 12 play… The 19-5 start represents the second-best in the last 50 seasons, tying the 2012-13 and 2018-19 teams, with only the 1972-73 and 2009-10 teams (20-4) having a better mark in that span.</li><li>The win snaps a 2-game losing streak and a 3-game skid in Big 12 play.</li><li>K-State earned its fifth Top 25 victory of the season, all coming in the last 12 games… It is the most Top 25 victories in a single season since tying the school-record with 6 in 2014-15.</li><li>K-State evens the season series with TCU, while snapping a 3-game losing streak to the Horned Frogs at home… The Wildcats now lead the all-time series, 21-11, including 18-9 in the Big 12 era.</li><li>K-State scored its 82 points on 45.9 percent shooting (28-of-61), including 36.8 percent (7-of-19) from 3-point range, and connected on 82.6 percent (19-of-23) from the free throw line.</li><li>K-State now has 9 games of 80 or more points this season, which is the most since posting 11 in 2017-18.</li><li>K-State held a 40-28 advantage in rebounding, including 13 offensive rebounds, which resulted in 11 second-chance points… The Wildcats are now 11-1 when winning the rebounding battle.</li><li>K-State scored 40 of its 82 points in the paint, which marks the 9th game with at least 40 paint points.</li><li>K-State had 19 assists on its 28 made field goals, as 5 players had at least 2 assists.</li><li>K-State got 29 points from its bench, which is the fourth-most this season.</li><li>K-State led 36-30 at half while despite shooting 34.3 percent (12-of-35) from the field… Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;led all scorers with 10 points in all playing all but 30 seconds in the first half… The Wildcats forced the Horned Frogs into 13 turnovers.</li><li>K-State is now 12-2 this season when leading at the half.</li>
 </ul> Player Notes<ul>
 <li>Five Wildcats scored in double figures led by senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>, who led all scorers with 18 points… It marks the fourth time this season with 5 or more players in double figures.</li><li>Nowell scored his game-high 18 points on 7-of-17 field goals, including 3-of-7 from 3-point range, and 1-of-2 free throws… He added a game-high 7 assists to go with 2 steals and a block in 39 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 87 career games, including 40 at K-State and 21</li><li>With his 7 assists, Nowell set the school single season record with his current total of 187… It breaks the mark of 186 set by&nbsp;Steve Henson&nbsp;in 1987-88.</li><li>Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;scored 14 points on 4-of-8 field goals, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range, and 4-of-6 free throws to go with 7 rebounds and 2 assists in 25 minutes… He has 62 career double-digit scoring games, including all 24 games in 2022-23.</li><li>Johnson now has at least 5 rebounds in 20 of 24 games.</li><li>Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/desi-sills/9686">Desi Sills</a>&nbsp;had a solid all-around effort, scoring 14 points on 4-of-9 field goals, including 1-of-3 from 3-point range, and 5-of-5 free throws to go with 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals in 33 minutes off the bench… He has now scored in double figures in 60 career games, including 10 times at K-State… His 6 rebounds and 4 assists were both highs in a Big 12 game.</li><li>Senior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/tykei-greene/9733">Tykei Greene</a>&nbsp;had a near double-double with season-highs in both points (13) and rebounds (9)… He went 6-of-11 from the field with 4 dunks.</li><li>Junior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/david-n-guessan/9670">David N'Guessan</a>&nbsp;scored 10 points on 4-of-4 field goals and 2-of-2 free throws to go with 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 26 minutes… He has now scored in double figures in 9 career games, including 5 at K-State… He has now gone perfect from the field on 4 or more made field goals in 4 games.</li>
 </ul> WHAT'S NEXT K-State begins a 2-game road swing on Saturday when the Wildcats travel to Lubbock, Texas to take on Texas Tech (12-11, 1-9 Big 12) at 6 p.m., CT on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

🏀 MBB: Complete team effort carries K-State past 19 TCU, 82-61

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 18 points and No. 12 Kansas State finished strong, snapping a two-game skid by beating No. 17 TCU 82-61 on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats outscored TCU 17-2 to end the game.

“Coach got on our butts,” Nowell said about the sudden surge. “We just locked in a little bit more. We knew how important this game was. To get this win was big and it gives us momentum.

“You can't give life to TCU because they're a second-half team. They can make a run at any given time. We just knew to stay focused,” he said.

Kansas State (19-5, 7-4 Big 12), which lost to TCU earlier this season, moved within a game of first-place Texas in a crowded conference race. The Wildcats are tied with Kansas, a half-game behind Iowa State.

Keyontae Johnson and Desi Sills each had 14 points for Kansas State, Tykei Greene added 13 and David N'Guessan had 10.

TCU (17-7, 6-5) was led by Damion Baugh with 14 points. Micah Peavy and Jakobe Coles each had 11 and Emanuel Miller had 10.

"Obviously they played well and we didn't," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “You can't make it any more simple than that. Being outrebounded by 12 and 19 turnovers, that doesn't give you much of a chance.”

TCU played without preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles Jr., who missed his third straight game after hyper-extending his knee Jan. 28 against Mississippi.

Nowell, who spent his first three seasons at Arkansas-Little Rock, hit a short jumper in the first half to record his 1,700th career point. He also passed Steve Henson's school record with his 187th assist of the season late in the game.

“Any time you set an all-time record, that's a really big deal,” K-State coach Jerome Tang said. “Steve Henson is a really big deal. The guys Steve Henson played with were really good players. It says two things; Quis is blessed with vision, and there are really good players around him because they're putting it in the hole.”

Johnson again struggled with foul trouble. He picked up two offensive fouls in the first 10 minutes, after collecting two in the first minute-plus Saturday against Texas. He finished the half with five points, but was limited to 10 minutes of action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675854339445.jpeg" alt="Kansas State guard Tykei Greene (4) dunks the ball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. TCU on February 7, 2023 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State guard Tykei Greene (4) dunks the ball in a Big 12 basketball game vs. TCU on February 7, 2023 in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Markquis Nowell scored 18 points and No. 12 Kansas State finished strong, snapping a two-game skid by beating No. 17 TCU 82-61 on Tuesday night.The Wildcats outscored TCU 17-2 to end the game.“Coach got on our butts,” Nowell said about the sudden surge. “We just locked in a little bit more. We knew how important this game was. To get this win was big and it gives us momentum.“You can't give life to TCU because they're a second-half team. They can make a run at any given time. We just knew to stay focused,” he said.Kansas State (19-5, 7-4 Big 12), which lost to TCU earlier this season, moved within a game of first-place Texas in a crowded conference race. The Wildcats are tied with Kansas, a half-game behind Iowa State.Keyontae Johnson and Desi Sills each had 14 points for Kansas State, Tykei Greene added 13 and David N'Guessan had 10.TCU (17-7, 6-5) was led by Damion Baugh with 14 points. Micah Peavy and Jakobe Coles each had 11 and Emanuel Miller had 10."Obviously they played well and we didn't," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. “You can't make it any more simple than that. Being outrebounded by 12 and 19 turnovers, that doesn't give you much of a chance.”TCU played without preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Mike Miles Jr., who missed his third straight game after hyper-extending his knee Jan. 28 against Mississippi.Nowell, who spent his first three seasons at Arkansas-Little Rock, hit a short jumper in the first half to record his 1,700th career point. He also passed Steve Henson's school record with his 187th assist of the season late in the game.“Any time you set an all-time record, that's a really big deal,” K-State coach Jerome Tang said. “Steve Henson is a really big deal. The guys Steve Henson played with were really good players. It says two things; Quis is blessed with vision, and there are really good players around him because they're putting it in the hole.”Johnson again struggled with foul trouble. He picked up two offensive fouls in the first 10 minutes, after collecting two in the first minute-plus Saturday against Texas. He finished the half with five points, but was limited to 10 minutes of action.Holding a two-point lead, Kansas State went on a 13-2 run early in the second half to open up a comfortable lead. TCU closed to 65-59 with 4:49 left, but an alley-oop slam by Greene punctuated an 11-0 run that iced the game.Kansas State blew a halftime lead in its last game, a loss against Texas last Saturday. Tang was tough on his players in the days between the two games, and he's glad his message was received.“I really felt like they needed that from me,” he said. “Everybody was on egg shells (the past two days) on purpose because there needed to be a sense of urgency.”“I'm really glad they got the point. I don't mind being the bad guy, but it wouldn't be very fun for (the players) and my staff wouldn't like me very much. So you hope you have guys who understand so the drive comes from within the locker room, rather than the coaching staff.The Wildcats led 36-30 at halftime. They had six turnovers before the break after having 20 in the first game against the Horned Frogs.THE TAKEAWAYTCU: The Horned Frogs really need to get healthy. Playing without Miles, they've lost two in a row. They miss his scoring (18.1 points per game). But they miss his leadership even more. There is no timetable for his return, but he is expected back sometime before the end of the season.Kansas State: The Wildcats have a home-court advantage at Bramlage Coliseum. They improved to 13-1 at home this season, and they use the enthusiasm of the crowd to gain momentum.UP NEXTTCU: The Horned Frogs will host Baylor on Saturday. They defeated the Bears 88-87 Jan. 4 in Waco.Kansas State: The Wildcats travel to Texas Tech Saturday. They defeated the Red Raiders 66-58 in Manhattan back on Jan. 21.

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