preview Page 127 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

No. 2 Auburn not taking Monmouth lightly
Auburn coach Bruce Pearl is cautioning his team not to overlook visiting Monmouth when they clash on Monday night, in what will be the Tigers' final nonconference game of the regular season.,The No. 2 Tigers (11-1) have won four in a row following their lone setback against host Duke on Dec. 4. They...

No. 17 Cincinnati kicks off Big 12 play vs. struggling Kansas State
Big 12 Conference play begins Monday as No. 17 Cincinnati travels to Manhattan, Kan., to face Kansas State, and neither team resides where most people thought they'd be at this point.,Cincinnati (10-1), which was picked sixth in the preseason coaches' poll, is tied with No. 3 Iowa State for the best...

UNC closes nonconference schedule vs. in-state foe Campbell
With something significant from which to build, North Carolina will see if it can sustain the momentum following a holiday break.,The Tar Heels are back in action for their final nonconference game Sunday night when in-state opponent Campbell visits Chapel Hill, N.C.,This will be the first meeting b...

Western Kentucky, Michigan each eye 10th win of season
Reaching 10 victories before the New Year is an achievement worth aiming for, and both Western Kentucky and Michigan will have a chance at it when they meet Sunday night in Ann Arbor.,Western Kentucky (9-3) earned a 91-71 home win over Division II Kentucky Wesleyan on Dec. 21 and comes in averaging ...

After rough trip, Blackhawks try to continue home success vs. Stars
The Chicago Blackhawks will try to snap a three-game losing streak when they host the Dallas Stars on Sunday night.,After winning three in a row at home, the Blackhawks went in the other direction on the road, allowing 16 goals during the 0-3 trip. Their next five games will be on home ice.,Tyler Be...

LSU freshmen to get further development vs. Mississippi Valley State
One of the most important aspects of LSU's early-season success has been the development of its freshmen., ,The young players figure to get significant playing time when the Tigers (10-2) play their final nonconference game against Mississippi Valley State (2-10) on Sunday in Baton Rouge, La., ,Reds...

Deep, balanced Indiana faces high-scoring Winthrop
Winthrop and Indiana each were merry in advance of a short Christmas break after both earned victories before the holiday.,Before their respective conferences resume play next week, the programs will aim to keep that positive feeling intact when they clash on the Hoosiers' home floor Sunday in Bloom...

Timberwolves meet Spurs as optimism begins to grow
As the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to search for the best way to build a game plan around Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle, they get another chance to unleash the duo in a home matchup against the improving San Antonio Spurs on Sunday at Minneapolis.,The Timberwolves have been treading water th...

Facing Toledo, No. 21 Purdue out to halt rare 2-game skid
No. 21 Purdue aims to apply the brakes on a two-game skid when it hosts Toledo on Sunday in a nonconference game in West Lafayette, Ind. ,The Boilermakers (8-4) are returning home after coming up short in a pair of neutral-court contests against Southeastern Conference opponents. They dropped a 70-6...

Scuffling Magic seek better outcome, season sweep of Nets
The Orlando Magic won the first three meetings this season over the Brooklyn Nets by producing plenty of offense and getting big performances by Franz Wagner.,The Magic are a little over three weeks removed from Wagner tearing his right oblique, and their offense is scuffling.,Orlando hopes to redis...

No. 9 Oregon thriving on defense as it hosts Weber State
Oregon has played defense to coach Dana Altman's liking heading into the ninth-ranked Ducks' game Sunday at Eugene, Ore., against a Weber State team that has struggled with its offensive execution.,The Ducks (11-1) and Wildcats (6-7) will play their last nonconference games before competing in their...

Sabres strive to continue momentum, take on Blues
The Buffalo Sabres ranked among the NHL's most disappointing teams this season while sinking into the Eastern Conference cellar, but they might have established a turning point following a particularly dreadful stretch.,Buffalo will shoot for a third straight win when it visits the St. Louis Blues o...

Northwestern hopes hot streak continues vs. Northeastern
After three losses this year by a combined eight points, Northwestern has found the finishing touch, winning three straight games, all against power conference teams.,Northwestern (9-3) tries to extend its streak Sunday in Evanston, Ill., when it takes on Northeastern (8-4) in the final nonconferenc...

Suddenly defensive Alabama looks to keep rolling against South Dakota State
No. 5 Alabama has a reputation as 3-point gunners, but it's defense and rebounding that have become a focus as the Tide welcome South Dakota State to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to end the 2024 calendar year.,Alabama (10-2) is frequently thought of as an offensive 3-point shooting free-for-all program, but Na...

No. 4 Arizona State bids to continue stunning season vs. No. 5 Texas in Peach Bowl
They weren't expected to win their conference. They certainly weren't expected to qualify for the College Football Playoff.,Nonetheless, the fourth-seeded Arizona State Sun Devils (11-2) have a chance to earn perhaps the biggest win in program history when they battle fifth-seeded Texas (12-2) in a ...

No. 6 Florida focused amid unbeaten start, ready for Stetson
As a legitimate national championship contender, No. 6 Florida knows better than to throw a parade over its undefeated start in nonconference play.,That's why the Gators (12-0) aren't overlooking Sunday's game against Stetson in Gainesville, Fla., in the team's final tune-up before diving into its S...

Break came at good time for Kraken, who face Canucks next
The Seattle Kraken shouldn't have been surprised by a lump of coal in their stockings.,The Kraken entered the NHL's holiday break saddled with a five-game losing streak, tied with San Jose for the longest in the league. Seattle opens the unofficial second half of the season on Saturday afternoon at ...

Healthy for a change, 76ers optimistic entering meeting with Jazz
The Philadelphia 76ers will strive to continue their improved play of late when they visit Salt Lake City to take on the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.,Philadelphia has had a few days off since picking up an impressive 118-114 win over the host Boston Celtics on Christmas Day. That was the Sixers' eig...

Senators, Jets look to keep rolling in return from holiday break
Two of the NHL's hottest teams face off when the Ottawa Senators battle the host Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night.,The Senators saw their six-game win streak come to an end in their most recent outing, when they fell 3-1 to the host Edmonton Oilers on Sunday, but their biggest worry following the los...

Surging Penguins visit floundering Islanders
The Pittsburgh Penguins spent the four weeks leading into the NHL's holiday break providing some evidence that the most bountiful era in team history might not be over yet.,The New York Islanders did not receive nearly the same amount of encouragement regarding their ability to extend the franchise'...