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Balanced attack lifts No. 5 UConn over No. 13 Illinois
Solo Ball scored 15 points to lead a balanced attack as No. 5 UConn held on for a 74-61 nonconference victory over No. 13 Illinois on Friday afternoon at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Malachi Smith notched 14 points and nine assists off the bench and Alex Karaban added 12 points as the Huskies (6-1), who had their full squad available for the first time this season, limited Illinois to 31.7% shooting. Kylan Boswell piled up a game-high 15 points, but he was the only player for the Illini (6-2) to make a field goal between the 4:50 mark of the first half and the 6:18 mark of the second half. Tomislav Ivisic added 11 points and 10 rebounds but Andrej Stojakovic, the team's top scorer at 18.5 points per game, finished with 3 points on 1-for-7 shooting. Ball drilled a 3-pointer on the game's first possession to give the Huskies a lead they'd never relinquish. That inspired UConn to can seven of its first nine shots - including three NBA-length 3-pointers - to build a 17-12 lead. When Ball swished a 3-pointer while getting fouled and added the free throw at the 12:05 mark, he owned 11 points and UConn held a 23-12 lead. Illinois shaved its deficit to six, but the Huskies reeled off seven points in 51 seconds to restore order. Silas DeMary Jr. sank two free throws, Ball swished a pullup jumper and Jaylin Stewart cashed a 3-pointer to make it 35-22 at the 8:04 mark. Illinois finally figured out a way to slow down the Huskies - in part by bringing in freshman Brandon Lee to hound Ball - but the Illini missed 15 straight shots from the field and 13 consecutive 3-point attempts over an extended stretch bridging the two halves. After the Illini pulled within 46-38 on two Zvominir Ivisic free throws, UConn went on an 11-2 spree capped by Jayden Ross' open 3-pointer that gave the Huskies a 57-40 lead with 13:32 to play. The Illini finally made their first second-half shot from the field when Boswell sank a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer with 12:40 to go. The Huskies responded by stretching their lead to 64-43 on Eric Reibe's turnaround in the lane. Illinois went on a 16-2 run to get as close as 66-59 on Ivisic's 3-pointer with 2:56 to go, but UConn gained breathing room when Smith threw up a 30-footer just because Jake Davis reached in. Smith banked it home and sank the accompanying free throw to regain a double-digit lead.
NFL legend Jason Kelce refuses to apologize to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
NFL legend Jason Kelce has made his opinion of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones very clear. To be more specific, the Philadelphia Eagles icon shared his brutally honest view on how Jones’ big move before the NFL trade deadline transformed the Cowboys into a much more formidable team. Kelce had a lot to say about Jones and the Cowboys on a recent episode of his “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. Jason Kelce praised Jones for bringing in Quinnen Williams in a blockbuster trade deal, but the legendary center is adamant that he will not be apologizing for his take on the Cowboys and their 83-year-old owner. For what it's worth, Jones had an outrageous claim himself recently. “New Heights” released a new episode on Wednesday, and as usual, the brothers discussed developments in the NFL. One of the topics they covered was that the Cowboys have gone undefeated since the trade deadline, when Jones pulled the trigger on a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets for All-Pro defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. However, when asked if he believes he owes Jones an apology, Kelce was confused. “Do we owe Jerry an apology? Who owes Jerry an apology? What do I have to apologize for?” Kelce asked. “They [expletive] sucked! What are we talking about? Their defense was horrendous. “So good job! What do we owe an apology for? Hey, your car doesn't work. Oh, I went and got it fixed. Oh, we owe you an apology for saying your car [expletive] broke down and didn't work on the side of the road? I don't owe [expletive] an apology.” The Cowboys have gone 3-0 since Williams’ arrival, including Sunday’s massive comeback victory against Jason's former team, the Eagles, and their Thanksgiving win over Travis' Chiefs. While Kelce has refused to apologize to Jones, he admitted that the Cowboys owner deserves praise for his decision to bring in an elite-caliber player in Williams. “We owe Jerry Jones a clap of approval,” Kelce said. “I'll say this, and I'll stand on this, and I think the guys will back me. When Jerry said we were gonna make a trade, I think everybody's expecting an edge player to replace Micah [Parsons]. When they said it was Quinnen, immediately, I thought this is better for that defense. “Because for years, they have lacked the raw, man strength, big power in the heart of that defense. They have lacked that type of presence, and Quinnen brings that. I just think for moving forward, this is a great piece to build around. I think it's a great move by Jerry. “I don't think I owe him a [expletive] apology, but I'll say great [expletive] job.”
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Arch Manning has defining performance of college career in win over Texas A&M
In the biggest game of his college football career so far, Texas quarterback Arch Manning grew into the superstar he was touted to be with the nation watching. No. 16 Texas (9-3) earned a huge rivalry win over No. 3 Texas A M (11-1) in Austin on Friday in large part thanks to the second-half play of Manning. Manning was only 8-of-21 for 51 yards in the first half, and the Longhorns trailed the Aggies 10-3 at the break. Texas had an opportunity to kick a field goal and cut the A M lead to four at the break, but an intentional grounding penalty incurred by Manning took that opportunity away. Arch Manning lights up the scoreboard in second half But with the help of a Texas defense that rattled TAMU QB Marcel Reed in the second half, Manning and the 'Horns scored 24 second-half points in a winning effort. Texas' first drive of the second half netted three points, but a strike from Manning to Ryan Wingo on the next UT possession gave the Longhorns the lead and gave Manning some confidence. After another defensive stop, Manning led a six-play, 83-yard TD drive to put the Longhorns up by 10. After Texas A M responded, Manning did as well, running away from the Aggie defense on a 35-yard scoring sprint that ultimately served as the deciding blow. In the end, it was Reed — the more experienced and consistent of the two quarterbacks — that made the back-breaking mistake, throwing an interception deep in Texas territory on a drive that looked poised to end with points. The victory was a team effort for Texas, which will await Saturday's slate of games and beg for several playoff contenders to lose to have a shot at the 12-team playoff field. But it was Manning who would be the face of it. Manning went 14-of-29 for 179 yards and a touchdown through the air and added 53 yards and a score on the ground. The win serves as the biggest moment of Manning's young UT career. Going into Saturday, Manning's sophomore season was marred by inconsistent play. A career day against Arkansas was contrasted by middling performances against Ohio State and Georgia. Standout efforts in wins over Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma were overshadowed by no-shows against UTEP, Kentucky and Florida. But Manning rose to his greatest challenge on Saturday, delivering a win in a rivalry game that nobody in the state of Texas — whether they wear burnt orange or maroon — will soon forget.
Eagles' grip on NFC East suddenly in danger of slipping away amid spiral, Cowboys' resurgence
Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles are finding that out right now. Now they are in a position where what looked to be a runaway lead in the NFC East is rapidly shrinking, and it could be in danger of completely slipping away after an ugly 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Friday. Especially after the Dallas Cowboys won again on Thursday, continuing to narrow the gap in the division. Could the Eagles actually lose the division? The odds are still in the Eagles' favor, but given the way both teams are playing right now, nothing should be considered a given. Dallas has rapidly become one of the hottest teams in the NFL with three consecutive wins, and boasts one of the league's best offenses. The Cowboys' much-maligned defense has also been given a massive boost thanks to the trade-deadline addition of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. Dallas really started to get some belief for itself when it rallied to beat the Eagles in a massive NFC East game a week ago. It continued on Thanksgiving with another big win over the Kansas City Chiefs. With Philadelphia's loss on Friday, the gap in the division is now down to just a game-and-a-half with five weeks to go in the season. Hardly insurmountable. Are the Eagles still in the driver's seat? Sure. Would they trade positions with the Cowboys right now? No way. But that doesn't mean anybody in Philadelphia has to be feeling good about any of this given the way the Eagles are playing. Especially when it comes to the team's offense. The Eagles offense has been a struggle for much of the season, and it is getting progressively worse with each game. The passing game has been non-existent. They entered play on Friday with the 23rd-ranked passing offense in the league, and it looked worse than that against the Bears. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has struggled with consistency, the team's best wide receiver — A.J. Brown — seems perpetually miserable with his role and usage, and the play-calling has become shockingly conservative and bland. The running game that carried the Eagles to the Super Bowl a year ago has struggled to build any sort of a rhythm, and Saquon Barkley has been a shell of what he was last season. Even worse, they have almost completely eliminated any designed runs for Hurts, something that was a major X-factor for the offense in recent years. If all of that is not concerning enough, a new issue emerged on Friday — the defense that has helped keep the Eagles afloat this season and lift up the inconsistent offense was completely dominated by the Bears' running game. They were pushed around, bullied and could not get off the field on important third downs. It just looks like a team that has no confidence and nothing going for it. Conversely, the Cowboys all of a sudden look like a team that can do nothing wrong and they are suddenly breathing right down the Eagles' necks. Philadelphia still has games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders (twice) remaining. The Cowboys still have the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chargers, Commanders and New York Giants. The schedules are pretty similar. But the division might not come down to the opponents. It might come down to what the Eagles and Cowboys can do on their own. The Cowboys should be very confident right now, and the Eagles should not be.
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