Weekly Update January 15, 2024

Basketball – NBA: NBA Headlines. Many games went into OT. Ball returns and his tat is allowed.

Basketball – NCAAM: So many upsets this week. Lots of movement in the Top 25.

Football – NCAAF: Washington vs Michigan National Championship.

Football – NFL: Wild card games and some were wild and some were not.

Golf: Murray won Sony.

Olympic Sports: FIG clears BLR Gym. 10k WR goes down. Ski WC.

Basketball – NBA:

• This week in the NBA: The Bulls/Hornets game went into OT to start the week. But the Bulls scored the first 8 points in OT to take the W. The same night, the Pacers upset the Celtics after what felt like 100 reviews in the final minutes. Wednesday had 3 games go into OT! The Celtics then went to OT with the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Tatum put up 45 points for the BOS team. That helped them win in OT and stay undefeated at home. The 76ers and Hawks played a high scoring game and went into OT. The Hawks got the win by 7. Then the Rockets/Bulls game also went into OT for a crazy OT night. The Bulls had a bad final Q to end up in OT but they ultimately got the win. The Spurs had a good week. They won 2 of their 3 games. The first win of the week was against the Pistons so not a big surprise there but Wemby got his first triple-double of his NBA career. The 2^nd win was they destroyed the Hornets when LaMelo Ball made his return. The Spurs won 135-99. On Thursday, Cavalier star Mitchell put up 45 points to get their win over the Nets in Paris. The Bucks came out hot in their game against the Celtics 135-102. The Bucks scored 24 straight points. The Thunder killed the Trail Blazers by 62 points. That ties the 5^th largest in NBA history. The biggest is 73. Rounding out the week, the Kings took the Bucks into OT and it came down to the wire. Damian Lillard throw up a 3 pointer at the buzzer to end OT and sunk it. Bucks win by 1.

• The NBA is now allowing LaMelo Ball’s LF tattoo after it was previously banned. The initials are short for his middle name but also the closing line that he runs, LaFrance. He used to wear a bandage until he went out with an ankle sprain. He returned to the court on Friday and scored a game-high 28 points although they lost to the Spurs. That tattoo was not covered.

Basketball – NCAAM:

• NCAAM: There were no ranked teams in action on Monday. But Tuesday was a doozy. Nebraska dominated #1 Purdue in both halves. This was only the second loss for Purdue. They lost by 16. We then had a ranked matchup in the Big 12 between #18 BYU and #14 Baylor. Baylor won by 9 and now BYU is winless in the Big 12. Boise State beat #17 Colorado St after a strong 1H.

• #2 Houston took their first loss of the season to Iowa State. They tried to mount a comeback but fell 4 points short. They would then lose again on Saturday to TCU. TCU got the ball on a missed free throw with a defensive rebound by Micah Peavy. Emanuel Miller got a layup with 6 seconds to beat Houston by 1. That was TCU’s 2^nd Top 10 win this week. They also beat #9 Oklahoma by 9 on Thursday. It was a crazy week. Wednesday, UCF had a great comeback or rather took advantage of a Kansas’ low scoring 2H. They upset the #3 Jayhawks by 5. #5 Tennessee also lost by 5 to Mississippi St. #11 Marquette was sitting pretty, winning by 7 at halftime. But Butler went on an 11-0 run to take the win. VTech put up 53 points in the 1H and still only had the lead by 9 and they added to that lead to beat #21 Clemson by 15.

• Thursday only had one upset #23 Gonzaga lost by 1 to Santa Clara in a close one. #9 Oklahoma had a rough week, after losing to unranked TCU, they also lost to #3 Kansas by 12. KU bounced back nicely. Texas A&M had no wins in the SEC before their big OT upset of #6 Kentucky. It was a close game and went back and forth. The Aggies lead by 1 at halftime with an impressive performance by G Taylor who put up 31 alone. OT was all Aggies though. The Wildcats only scored 3 points in OT. Washington State put up a great game to narrowly beat #8 Arizona. That’s the Wildcats 4^th loss of the season. New Mexico killed #19 San Diego St by 18 points. To wrap up the day, West Virginia upset #25 Texas by 3 after a slow first half. After a crazy week, Sunday only saw one upset. Maryland had two players over 20 points each to upset #10 Illinois after the Fighting Illini had a slow 2H.

• UConn is now at the top spot as #1 for the first time since 2009! They overtook Purdue after the crazy upset week I just went over. Gonzaga has dropped out along with 4 other schools which means 5 schools were newcomers this week. TCU broke in at #19.
• Bronny James made his first start for USC but it wasn’t the dream start you want. USC led at halftime but ultimately gave up the W. He also went 0-for-7 with 3 of those being 3-pointers.
• Michigan PG Dug McDaniel was suspended for the next 6 road games. He will be able to play at home games and no other guidance was given.

Football – NCAAF:

• Michigan’s last national championship was in 1997 and Washington’s was 1991. Michigan has won 12 national championships (but only 3 since WWII) and Washington has 2. The top two teams faced off in Houston in the final year of the Final 4 CFP. It took 8 plays for Michigan to score the first TD of the game. Washington retaliated with a FG but then Michigan put up another TD. After the next series of a Washington 3 and out and Michigan tacking on a FG and then Washington going for it on 4^th down and failing to get it, it looked like the game was going to get out of hand. But Washington pulled within a score before halftime and we went into the locker room 17-10. But the 2H didn’t go any better for the Huskies. First play of the game, Penix threw an INT. Michigan only managed to get a FG off of that turnover. Washington got a FG then we had a lot of punts. It was 20-13 going into the 4Q but Michigan looked in control even though they were only up by one score. And eventually they broke through. It was like they decided to turn on another gear, JJ McCarthy completed a 41 yard pass and they ran it in for a TD 4 plays later. Another INT and Michigan TD would seal the game. The Wolverines won 34-13.

• The GOAT of college football coaching, Nick Saban has retired after 17 seasons with Alabama. He has been in the coaching game since 1973 and a HC since 1990. He was the HC at Toledo, Michigan St, LSU, Miami Dolphins (NFL) and then Alabama. His overall record is 292-71-1, 7 national championships (6 with Bama and 1 with LSU). He is a legendary coach that has transcended different eras of college football and he has remolded many HCs now.

• So after Saban left Alabama, one of the biggest coaching jobs in the nation opened. It was filled in less than 3 days. Washington’s HC DeBoer is moving to Tuscaloosa and now Arizona’s HC Jedd Fish is moving to Seattle. Let the coaching carousel begin!

Football – NFL:

• Wild card games
  • Both of Saturday’s games were blow outs. The first one, the Texans destroyed the Browns 45-14. The great run of Joe Flacco officially came to an end after the threw back-to-back pick 6s. The second game was closer but not by much. The Chiefs have struggled recently but they were in good form. The Dolphins struggled on offensive, only putting up one TD. The Chiefs scored 26 points.

• • Sunday was both NFC Wild Card game day. The Packers put up 20 points in the 2Q to be up 27-7 on the Cowboys. But it was the Jags that came back from exactly that score so it was not impossible. But the Cowboys defense did not have an answer for Love and the Packers. The Packers piled on in the 2H to win 48-32. That score looks way better than it actually was. This is the first loss for the Cowboys at home all season. That was in direct contrast to the Sunday night game. That game came down to the final 2 minutes. The Lions were favored and they drew first blood, putting up a TD on the first drive. Detroit booed Rams QB Matthew Stafford after all their years together. The biggest lead that any team had was the Lions by 11 but the Rams always managed to comeback. DET was up 21-17 at half. 2H was a whole bunch of FGs. With 8 minutes left, the Rams kicked a FG to pull within 1. The Lions then went 3 & out and punted it back to LA. But that would be the closest they would get. I had to go back and re-watch the ending because our local weather interrupted it. But they went 48 yards in 6 plays and punted with 4:07 left. The Lions kneeled it to take their first playoff wins in 32 years.
  • The Steelers game was moved from Sunday to Monday for weather.

• There were some shakeups in the NFL this week. The Pats and Bill Belichick have parted ways as have the Seahawks and Pete Carroll.

Golf:

• Grayson Murray has been sober for 8 months and is getting married in April. He also can add a 2024 PGA Tour winner to his great comeback year. The last time he won a PGA Tour title was in 2017 at the Barbasol Championship. The Sony Open went into a 3-man playoff with An Byeong-hun, Keagan Bradley and Grayson Murray. Murray won after sinking a 40-foot birdie putt in the first playoff hole.

Olympic Sports:

• The International Gymnastics Federation gave 30 athletes neutral status to BLR athletes, meaning they would compete in the Olympics, if they qualify.
• KEN Agnes Ngetich not only broke the 10km WR, she broke it by 28 seconds and is the first woman to run under 29 minutes. The old record was from two years ago and she ran it in ESP.
• SUI Lara Gut-Behrami took the WC title this weekend after Mikalea Shiffrin skipped. This event was in the Super-G, Gut-Behrami’s specialty. AUT Cornelia Huetter won the same event on Friday in the weekend and then finished 3^rd to Gut-Behrami. On the guy’s side, AUT Manuel Feller beat all the NOR skiers to take the WC slalom title in SUI.

What to watch this week

Basketball – NBA:

• Mon 1/15
  • Spurs at Hawks @ 2:30pm on TNT
  • Warriors at Grizzlies @ 5pm on TNT
• Tues 1/16
  • Nuggets at 76ers @ 6:30pm on TNT
  • Thunder at Clippers @ 9pm on TNT
• Wed 1/17
  • Bucks at Cavaliers @ 6:30pm on ESPN
  • Mavericks at Lakers @ 7:30pm on ABC
• Thurs 1/18
  • Bulls at Raptors @ 6:30pm on TNT
  • Grizzlies at Timberwolves @ 9pm on TNT
• Fri 1/19
  • Nuggets at Celtics @ 6:30pm on ESPN
  • Mavericks at Warriors @ 9pm on ESPN

Basketball – NCAAM:

• Mon 1/15
  • Villanova at 17. Marquette @ 2pm on FOX
• Tues 1/16
  • 2. Purdue at Indiana @ 6pm on Peacock
  • Florida at 6. Tennessee @ 6pm on ESPN
  • 19. TCU at Cincinnati @ 6pm on ESPN+
  • 9. Baylor at Kansas St @ 7pm on ESPN+
  • Saint Louis at 21. Dayton @ 7pm on CBSSN
  • 3. Kansas at Oklahoma St @ 8pm on ESPN
  • 11. Wisconsin at Penn St @ 8pm on BTN
  • 24. Iowa St at 20. BYU @ 8pm on ESPN+
  • 16. Utah St at New Mexico @ 9:30pm on FS1
• Wed 1/17
  • 18. Creighton at 1. UConn @ 6pm on FS1
  • Mississippi St at 8. Kentucky @ 6pm on ESPN2
  • 22. Ole Miss at LSU @ 6pm on SEC
  • West Virginia at 15. Oklahoma @ 7pm on ESPN+
  • Louisville at 4. UNC @ 8pm on ACC
  • 25. Texas Tech at 5. Houston @ 8pm on ESPNU
  • 13. Auburn at Vanderbilt @ 8pm on SEC
  • USC at 12. Arizona @ 9pm on ESPN
• Thurs 1/18
  • South Florida at 10. Memphis @ 6pm
  • Wichita St at 23. FAU @ 6pm
  • 14. Illinois at Michigan @ 7:30pm on FS1
• Fri 1/19
  • Indiana at 11. Wisconsin @ 7:30pm on FS1
• Sat 1/20
  • 9. Baylor at Texas @ 11am on ESPN
  • 17. Marquette at St. John’s @ 11am
  • 18. Creighton at Seton Hall @ 11am
  • Rhode Island at 21. Dayton @ 11:30am on USA
  • 15. Oklahoma at Cincinnati @ 12pm on ESPN+
  • 2. Purdue at Iowa @ 1pm on FS1
  • UCF at 5. Houston @ 1pm on ESPN+
  • Alabama at 6. Tennessee @ 1pm on ESPN2
  • 24. Iowa St at 19. TCU @ 1pm on ESPNU
  • 4. UNC at Boston College @ 1:15pm on CW
  • 3. Kansas at West Virginia @ 3pm on ESPN+
  • UCLA at 12. Arizona @ 3pm on ESPN2
  • Fresno St at 16. Utah St @ 3pm
  • Georgia at 8. Kentucky @ 5pm on SEC
  • 20. BYU at 25. Texas Tech @ 5pm on ESPN2
  • 1. UConn at Villanova @ 7pm on FOX
  • Pitt at 7. Duke @ 7pm on ACC
  • 22. Ole Miss at 13. Auburn @ 7:30pm on SEC
• Sun 1/21
  • 10. Memphis at Tulane @ 12pm on ESPN2
  • Rutgers at 14. Illinois @ 12pm on BTN
  • 23. FAU at UTSA @ 2pm on ESPN+

Basketball – NCAAW: (only reporting ranked vs ranked)

• Fri 1/19
  • 5. UCLA at 3. Colorado @ 7pm on PAC12
  • 6. USC at 20. Utah @ 8pm
• Sun 1/21
  • 2. Iowa at 18. Ohio St @ 11am on Peacock/NBC
  • 13. Louisville at 23. UNC @ 1pm on ACC
  • 6. USC at 3. Colorado @ 2pm on PAC12

Football-NFL:

• Mon 1/15
  • AFC Wild Card: Steelers at Bills @ 3:3-pm on CBS
  • NFC Wild Card: Eagles at Bucs @ 7:15pm on ESPN & ABC
• Sat 1/20
  • AFC: Texans at TBD @ 3:30pm on ESPN and ABC
    • AFC: Chiefs or winner of Steelers/Bills or Ravens
  • NFC: Packers at 49ers @ 7:15pm on FOX
• Sun 1/21
  • NFC: TBD at Lions @ 2pm on NBC
    • NFC: Winner of Eagles/Bucs
  • AFC: TBD at TBD @ 5:30pm on CBS

Golf:

• Thurs 1/18
  • Amex – Round 1 @ 12pm on Golf Channel
• Fri 1/19
  • Amex – Round 2 @ 3pm on Golf Channel
• Sat 1/20
  • Amex – Round 3 @ 3pm on Golf Channel
• Sun 1/21
  • Amex – Final Round @ 3pm on Golf Channel

Hockey:

• Tues 1/16
  • Kings at Stars @ 7pm on hulu
• Wed 1/17
  • Blackhawks at Sabres @ 6:30pm on TNT
• Thurs 1/18
  • Wild at Lightning @ 6pm on hulu
  • Predators at Kings @ 9pm on hulu

Olympic Sports:

• Fri 1/19
  • NCAAW Gymnastics: Florida vs Auburn @ 5pm on SEC
  • NCAAW Gymnastics: Arkansas v Alabama @ 6:30pm on SEC
  • NCAAW Gymnastics: Kentucky vs LSU @ 8pm on SEC
• Sat 1/20
  • Skiing: FIS World Cup @ 4pm on NBC
• Sun 1/21
  • NCAAW Gymnastics: Pitt vs Clemson @ 3pm on ACC

Soccer:

• Sat 1/20
  • Premier League: Arsenal vs Crystal Palace @ 6:30am on USA
  • Premier League: Teams TBA @ 11:30am on NBC
• Sun 1/21
  • Premier League: Sheffield United vs West Ham @ 8am on USA
  • Premier League: Bournemouth vs Liverpool @ 10:30am on USA
  • CONMEBOL Olympic Qualifiers: ARG vs PAR @ 4:55pm on FS1
  • Liga: Santos Laguna vs Monterrey @ 8pm on FS1

Tennis:

• Mon 1/15
  • Australian Open – Round 1
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 11am on ESPN2
    • @ 10:30pm on ESPN2
• Tues 1/16
  • Australian Open – Round 1
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 11am on ESPN2
  • Australian Open – Round 2 @ 8pm on ESPN2
• Wed 1/17
  • Australian Open – Round 2
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 11am on ESPN2
    • @ 8pm on ESPN2
• Thurs 1/18
  • Australian Open – Round 2
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 10am on ESPN2
  • Australian Open – Round 3 @ 8pm on ESPN
• Fri 1/19
  • Australian Open – Round 3
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 10am on ESPN2
    • @ 8pm on ESPN2
• Sat 1/20
  • Australian Open – Round 3
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 6am on ESPN2
  • Australian Open – Week 1 Highlights @ 12pm on ABC
  • Australian Open – Round of 16 @ 8pm on ESPN
• Sun 1/21
  • Australian Open – Round of 16
    • @ 2am on ESPN2
    • @ 6am on ESPN2
    • @ 8pm on ESPN2