<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/UMKC-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/09-Kansas-City.pdf">POSTGAME NOTES</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/mens-basketball-vs-kansas-city/">GALLERY</a>

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) —&nbsp;Kevin McCullar Jr. had a career-high 25 points, KJ Adams scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, and second-ranked Kansas beat Kansas City in an 88-69 victory Tuesday night.

Hunter Dickinson added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Jayhawks (8-1), who appeared to be caught looking ahead — or behind — in a pitfall-type game between their win over No. 5 UConn last week and their game against bitter rival Missouri on Saturday.

Cameron Faas and Khristion Courseault scored 18 points apiece to lead the Roos (6-3), who trailed by eight with three-and-a-half minutes left before the Jayhawks scored 10-straight points to put the game away.

The Jayhawks initially looked as if they carried the momentum from their win over the Huskies into Tuesday night. They opened on a 14-4 run, followed with a 15-3 charge fueled by easy transition buckets, and they eventually built a 31-11 lead.

Undaunted, the Roos responded by outscoring their mighty neighbor to the west 19-14 heading into the break, then kept coming in the second half.

The Jayhawks pushed the lead to 75-57 with just under five minutes left, but the Roos scored 10 unanswered points on just three trips down the floor, forcing Kansas coach Bill Self to call two timeouts in rapid succession.

Kansas scored 10 consecutive points out of the last timeout to lock up the win. Freshman Johnny Furphy tabbed 10 points, all of which came in the second half to help the Jayhawks in its Tuesday night victory.

UP NEXT Kansas City plays Lindenwood, which moved up to Division I last year, on Saturday.

Kansas welcomes the Missouri Tigers back to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701834950433.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Athletics.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of Kansas Athletics<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/UMKC-game-book.pdf">BOX SCORE</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/09-Kansas-City.pdf">POSTGAME NOTES</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://kuathletics.com/mens-basketball-vs-kansas-city/">GALLERY</a>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) —&nbsp;Kevin McCullar Jr. had a career-high 25 points, KJ Adams scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half, and second-ranked Kansas beat Kansas City in an 88-69 victory Tuesday night.Hunter Dickinson added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Jayhawks (8-1), who appeared to be caught looking ahead — or behind — in a pitfall-type game between their win over No. 5 UConn last week and their game against bitter rival Missouri on Saturday.Cameron Faas and Khristion Courseault scored 18 points apiece to lead the Roos (6-3), who trailed by eight with three-and-a-half minutes left before the Jayhawks scored 10-straight points to put the game away.The Jayhawks initially looked as if they carried the momentum from their win over the Huskies into Tuesday night. They opened on a 14-4 run, followed with a 15-3 charge fueled by easy transition buckets, and they eventually built a 31-11 lead.Undaunted, the Roos responded by outscoring their mighty neighbor to the west 19-14 heading into the break, then kept coming in the second half.The Jayhawks pushed the lead to 75-57 with just under five minutes left, but the Roos scored 10 unanswered points on just three trips down the floor, forcing Kansas coach Bill Self to call two timeouts in rapid succession.Kansas scored 10 consecutive points out of the last timeout to lock up the win. Freshman Johnny Furphy tabbed 10 points, all of which came in the second half to help the Jayhawks in its Tuesday night victory.UP NEXT Kansas City plays Lindenwood, which moved up to Division I last year, on Saturday.Kansas welcomes the Missouri Tigers back to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.

🏀 MBB: No. 2 Kansas defeats Kansas City on Tuesday

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 26 points, Tylor Perry hit a step-back 3-pointer to cap the scoring with 3.9 seconds left and Kansas State beat Villanova 72-71 in overtime Tuesday night in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle.

Kansas State (7-2) has won four games in the row, the last three in OT.

Jordan Longino kicked it out to Eric Dixon for a wide-open 3-pointer to give Villanova a four-point lead with 1:20 to play. David N'Guessar made a layup on the other end 32 seconds later before Longino missed a contested pull-up jumper with 25 seconds remaining. Tylor Perry — who had been 1 of 9 from behind the arc to that point — hit a step-back 3 to make it 72-71.

Longino, who led Villanova with 16 points, tried to get to the basket but time expired before he got off a shot. TJ Bamba scored 15 points and Burton added 12 points and 11 rebounds — his second double-double this season. Dixon finished with 11 points and Hakim Hart 10.

Kaluma made 10 of 13 from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists for Kansas State and Cam Carter scored 10 of his 16 in the second half. Perry had 10 points, on 4-of-12 shooting, with six assists for Kansas State.

Burton hit two free throws early in overtime to make it 65-63 and give Villanova (6-4) its first lead since midway through the first half.

Jerome Tang is 9-0 in overtime games as Kansas State's head coach.

Villanova's Justin Moore left the game in the first half with an apparent knee injury and did not return. The 6-foot-5 guard went into the game second on the team in scoring (14.4 per game) and first in total assists (22) this season.

It was just the second all-time meeting between the schools, the last coming in 1940.

Villanova returns home for a matchup against UCLA on Saturday. Kansas State hits the road to take on LSU on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701831046519.png" alt="photo K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>photo K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Arthur Kaluma scored 26 points, Tylor Perry hit a step-back 3-pointer to cap the scoring with 3.9 seconds left and Kansas State beat Villanova 72-71 in overtime Tuesday night in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle.Kansas State (7-2) has won four games in the row, the last three in OT.Jordan Longino kicked it out to Eric Dixon for a wide-open 3-pointer to give Villanova a four-point lead with 1:20 to play. David N'Guessar made a layup on the other end 32 seconds later before Longino missed a contested pull-up jumper with 25 seconds remaining. Tylor Perry — who had been 1 of 9 from behind the arc to that point — hit a step-back 3 to make it 72-71.Longino, who led Villanova with 16 points, tried to get to the basket but time expired before he got off a shot. TJ Bamba scored 15 points and Burton added 12 points and 11 rebounds — his second double-double this season. Dixon finished with 11 points and Hakim Hart 10.Kaluma made 10 of 13 from the field, grabbed nine rebounds and had four assists for Kansas State and Cam Carter scored 10 of his 16 in the second half. Perry had 10 points, on 4-of-12 shooting, with six assists for Kansas State.Burton hit two free throws early in overtime to make it 65-63 and give Villanova (6-4) its first lead since midway through the first half.Jerome Tang is 9-0 in overtime games as Kansas State's head coach.Villanova's Justin Moore left the game in the first half with an apparent knee injury and did not return. The 6-foot-5 guard went into the game second on the team in scoring (14.4 per game) and first in total assists (22) this season.It was just the second all-time meeting between the schools, the last coming in 1940.Villanova returns home for a matchup against UCLA on Saturday. Kansas State hits the road to take on LSU on Saturday.

Tylor Perry's 3 with 3.9 left in OT helps K-State beat Villanova 

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

After falling in a sweep at the hands of Hesston to open their seasons on Friday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will stay on the road for a Tuesday doubleheader with the Smoky Valley Vikings.

This will be the second of three road games before the winter break, all three of which will come in the first two weeks.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (0-1) vs. Smoky Valley (1-0)

Following a slow start that saw them held to under 40 points on Friday, the Lady Trojans will look to unpack the fireworks this evening, but will have their work cut out for them against a stout Smoky Valley unit.

The Lady Vikings handled their business on Friday in a 45-16 win over a struggling Abilene program, and will be eager to avenge a 48-46 loss at the hands of Southeast last season.

With several new pieces slotting into the varsity rotation, there may be a bit of a learning curve for the Lady Trojans this season, but it’s a challenge the team is eager to overcome as the December schedule rolls on.

“We never really got into a good flow offensively on Friday and we’re still figuring out how we’re going to work this new offense in and get people in the right spots,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We had 19 turnovers which can’t happen and we need to get our posts more involved.”

In order to slow the Smoky Valley advance, SES will need to be more fearless in attacking the basket, despite once again being the undersized squad on the floor.

“We need to be willing to take it to the hole and not settle for the three-point shot,” Smith said. “We have to be a little more gritty on the court and we really need to get after it.”

Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 PM on the campus of Smoky Valley High School.

Boys Game: #9 SE of Saline (0-1) vs. Smoky Valley (0-1)

In the boy’s game, two teams eager to gain a foothold will collide after the Trojans dropped their game with Hesston 49-32, and the Vikings fell to Abilene 79-42.

Southeast has dominated the series as of late, winning the last seven straight across the last four seasons.

In order to get back to .500, Southeast will need a return to the high-energy brand of basketball they’ve become known for in the last several years.

Offensively we were good early when we were fresh but as we got more fatigued we got stagnant and when you’re just standing around it makes things easy for the defense,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We need to rebound better, we gave up 15 offensive boards and we weren’t getting on the floor after 50/50 balls. We just need to be better on hustle plays.”

Thanks to one key hired gun, this year’s Vikings will pack a little more firepower than in years past, and should provide Southeast with another tall task defensively.

“They have a two-headed monster with the Blanchatt kid and the transfer from Lyons,” Flax said. “Those two accounted for most of their scoring in game one. They’re long, they’re athletic and they can create their own shots so we’ll have our hands full with those two.”

Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 5:30 PM

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After falling in a sweep at the hands of Hesston to open their seasons on Friday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will stay on the road for a Tuesday doubleheader with the Smoky Valley Vikings.This will be the second of three road games before the winter break, all three of which will come in the first two weeks.Girls Game: SE of Saline (0-1) vs. Smoky Valley (1-0)Following a slow start that saw them held to under 40 points on Friday, the Lady Trojans will look to unpack the fireworks this evening, but will have their work cut out for them against a stout Smoky Valley unit.The Lady Vikings handled their business on Friday in a 45-16 win over a struggling Abilene program, and will be eager to avenge a 48-46 loss at the hands of Southeast last season.With several new pieces slotting into the varsity rotation, there may be a bit of a learning curve for the Lady Trojans this season, but it’s a challenge the team is eager to overcome as the December schedule rolls on.“We never really got into a good flow offensively on Friday and we’re still figuring out how we’re going to work this new offense in and get people in the right spots,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We had 19 turnovers which can’t happen and we need to get our posts more involved.”In order to slow the Smoky Valley advance, SES will need to be more fearless in attacking the basket, despite once again being the undersized squad on the floor.“We need to be willing to take it to the hole and not settle for the three-point shot,” Smith said. “We have to be a little more gritty on the court and we really need to get after it.”Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 PM on the campus of Smoky Valley High School.Boys Game: #9 SE of Saline (0-1) vs. Smoky Valley (0-1)In the boy’s game, two teams eager to gain a foothold will collide after the Trojans dropped their game with Hesston 49-32, and the Vikings fell to Abilene 79-42.Southeast has dominated the series as of late, winning the last seven straight across the last four seasons.In order to get back to .500, Southeast will need a return to the high-energy brand of basketball they’ve become known for in the last several years.Offensively we were good early when we were fresh but as we got more fatigued we got stagnant and when you’re just standing around it makes things easy for the defense,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We need to rebound better, we gave up 15 offensive boards and we weren’t getting on the floor after 50/50 balls. We just need to be better on hustle plays.”Thanks to one key hired gun, this year’s Vikings will pack a little more firepower than in years past, and should provide Southeast with another tall task defensively.“They have a two-headed monster with the Blanchatt kid and the transfer from Lyons,” Flax said. “Those two accounted for most of their scoring in game one. They’re long, they’re athletic and they can create their own shots so we’ll have our hands full with those two.”Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 5:30 PM

SES Hoops Head to Smoky Valley in Search of a Bounce Back

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;This morning, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that QB Patrick Mahomes was named the team’s nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide.

One of the NFL’s highest individual honors, it recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. Mahomes is joined by 31 other candidates – one from each NFL team – who were also announced today.

“The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community could not ask for a better leader on the field and representative off of it, which is why we are honored to once again announce Patrick Mahomes as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Patrick, along with his family and his foundation, truly exemplifies the characteristics that this award represents. Since his career began in 2017, he has demonstrated an ever-increasing commitment to bettering the communities around him. Patrick uses his platform to help those in need, and we feel that he is more than deserving of this high honor. We believe Patrick and his family will continue to impact and empower communities across the country for years to come.”

“It’s such an honor to be nominated again by the Chiefs as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Mahomes said. “As a dad of two, it means the world to me to be able to provide opportunities and support to underserved youth, and my family and I are so humbled to be in the running for an award that means so much to the Chiefs organization and to our community. It’s crazy to see the way 15 and the Mahomies has grown and continues to make more and more of a difference for kids here in Kansas City, across Texas and beyond. We know there is still so much work to be done, and we’re so grateful and humbled by the support that Chiefs Kingdom gives us and the foundation. It’s truly an honor to represent my foundation, Chiefs Kingdom, my family as well as the Payton family and Hunt family.”

For the fourth year in a row, all 32 team winners will be highlighted as finalists and recognized for their important work during the weekend leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally the Thursday before Super Bowl LVIII on CBS.

All 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $55,000 in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide. Along with the other 31 nominees, Mahomes will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

Since entering the league as the Chiefs 10th&nbsp;overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mahomes has made a significant impact both on and off the field. In 2019, he established his foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, which has placed an emphasis on improving the lives of children with a continued focus on supporting health, wellness, and various communities in need of resources. To date, over $4 million in grants and programs have been distributed by the foundation, and the impact felt by the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has been acknowledged locally as the&nbsp;Kansas City Business Journal&nbsp;ranked it among Kansas City’s Biggest Charitable Trusts and Foundations by grant volume.

Patrick and 15 and the Mahomies Foundation have cultivated many impactful moments, kicking off the 2023-24 NFL season with an announcement of a national partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Touchdowns

mean even more for Mahomes this year as he has pledged to donate $1,500 for every touchdown in the regular season to Boys and Girls Clubs of America in addition to his $1.625 million donation. His commitment will support facility improvements to Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities in communities personal to Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, including Greater Kansas City and Lubbock, Tyler, and Whitehouse, Texas.

Prior to the start of the 2023-24 NFL season, Mahomes partnered with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes of 10 children who have life-threatening illnesses. Patrick took time to meet with each child, gave them gifts, played football, and created an unforgettable experience with each of them. 15 and the Mahomies has also focused on combating illiteracy issues for youth through the “Read for 15” program. This program was created to encourage children to adopt a good habit of reading. The program challenges students to read for at least 15 minutes a day for 15 weeks. With over 19,500 students pledging to participate in the program, 15 and the Mahomies has seen a 12 percent increase in reading scores of participating schools. Earlier this year, Mahomes hosted a Read for 15 Rally where nearly 2,400 elementary students from 16 schools heard from Mahomes himself on the importance of reading outside of school.

To continue Mahomes’ goal of encouraging volunteerism amongst youth, 15 and the Mahomies has developed the “Volunteer for 15” program. Between May 1 and August 31 of this year, youth participating in the “Volunteer for 15” program completed nearly 23,000 volunteer hours in the local community. The program far exceeded its goal of 15,000 hours this year with an 86 percent increase in involvement.

The Foundation has also continued to activate its “15 for 15” programing. To date, the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has awarded nearly 175 charitable grants which provide critical support of some of the most impactful programs in the country. This support has included backpack giveaways, free vision screenings and the donation of glasses for kids, football equipment and coaching clinics for youth football leagues, supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the HBCU Legacy Bowl and the Black College Football Hall of Fame, providing scholarships for children of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs, the building of the all-inclusive 15 and the Mahomies Playground at MLK park, the building of the first all-inclusive soccer field, and so much more.

As a father of two young children himself, another area of focus for 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has been supporting a healthier lifestyle for area youth. In 2022, 15 and the Mahomies distributed over 15,000 meals through partnerships with food banks and partnered with OneSight Vision Clinic to provide free eye exams and glasses to more than 100 children in the Kansas City area. At the start of the 2021 season and the 58th&nbsp;anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Mahomes and his foundation re-dedicated Kansas City’s Martin Luther King Jr. Park thanks to a $1 million donation by 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. With this donation, a playground was brought to life with the intention of celebrating Dr. King and creating an inclusive and accessible area for children of all abilities. Prior to the 2020 general election, Mahomes was a vocal leader partnering with RISE to Vote, encouraging the players and coaches to register and actively participate in the general election. Leading into Election Day itself, he teamed with the Hunt Family Foundation via an Inspire Change grant to turn GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium into the largest polling center in the history of the Kansas City Election Board, serving more than 2,100 voters.

This season, Mahomes continues his on-field success at a record-setting pace, leading the club to an 8-4 record, sitting atop the AFC West. He’s completed 301 of his 444 pass attempts for 3,127 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Through 12 games, he is top five across the league in completions (301, 2nd) and touchdowns (22, T-5th), and top 10 in completion percentage (67.8%, 8th) and passing yards (3,127, 8th). The seventh-year QB has led his team to five-consecutive home AFC Championship Games, three Super Bowl appearances with two victories, earned two NFL MVPs (2018, 2022) and two Super Bowl MVPs (2019, 2022). Mahomes became the first player in the 21st&nbsp;century to win both the league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP in the same year (2022). For his career, Mahomes owns a 72-20 (.783) record in his 92 starts, completing 2,286 of his 3,437 attempts for 27,368 yards, 214 touchdowns and just 59 interceptions, giving him a 104.3 passer rating. With 66 multi-touchdown pass games, Mahomes has the most-such games in a player’s first seven seasons. Since 2018 when he officially took over the starting QB role, he leads the league in yards (27,084), touchdowns (214), 25+ yard completions (230), first down throws (1,341) and redzone TDs (148). With only 58 interceptions since 2018, he owns a +156 TD/INT ratio, the highest mark of any QB in that span. Mahomes has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times (2018-22) and following his 2018 and 2022 seasons, Mahomes was named AP First-Team All-Pro.

Each Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee is eligible for the WPMOY Challenge, a contest on X (formerly Twitter), which gives fans the opportunity to show support for their favorite nominee and offers players a chance to secure an additional donation for their charity. Fans vote by using the hashtag #WPMOYChallenge and the player’s name or X handle between Dec. 5 and Jan. 8. New this year, fans can also cast votes by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/honors/man-of-the-year/" target="_blank">NFL.com/ManOfTheYear</a>. The player who receives the most hashtag mentions and online votes wins an additional $35,000 for their charity. The runner-up receives $10,000 and third-place will receive $5,000 for their charity, all courtesy of Nationwide. You can vote, find hashtag information and official rules at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/honors/man-of-the-year/" target="_blank">NFL.com/ManOfTheYear</a>.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.&nbsp;–&nbsp;This morning, the Kansas City Chiefs announced that QB Patrick Mahomes was named the team’s nominee for the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide.One of the NFL’s highest individual honors, it recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. Mahomes is joined by 31 other candidates – one from each NFL team – who were also announced today.“The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community could not ask for a better leader on the field and representative off of it, which is why we are honored to once again announce Patrick Mahomes as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “Patrick, along with his family and his foundation, truly exemplifies the characteristics that this award represents. Since his career began in 2017, he has demonstrated an ever-increasing commitment to bettering the communities around him. Patrick uses his platform to help those in need, and we feel that he is more than deserving of this high honor. We believe Patrick and his family will continue to impact and empower communities across the country for years to come.”“It’s such an honor to be nominated again by the Chiefs as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Mahomes said. “As a dad of two, it means the world to me to be able to provide opportunities and support to underserved youth, and my family and I are so humbled to be in the running for an award that means so much to the Chiefs organization and to our community. It’s crazy to see the way 15 and the Mahomies has grown and continues to make more and more of a difference for kids here in Kansas City, across Texas and beyond. We know there is still so much work to be done, and we’re so grateful and humbled by the support that Chiefs Kingdom gives us and the foundation. It’s truly an honor to represent my foundation, Chiefs Kingdom, my family as well as the Payton family and Hunt family.”For the fourth year in a row, all 32 team winners will be highlighted as finalists and recognized for their important work during the weekend leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally the Thursday before Super Bowl LVIII on CBS.All 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $55,000 in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide. Along with the other 31 nominees, Mahomes will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.Since entering the league as the Chiefs 10th&nbsp;overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mahomes has made a significant impact both on and off the field. In 2019, he established his foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, which has placed an emphasis on improving the lives of children with a continued focus on supporting health, wellness, and various communities in need of resources. To date, over $4 million in grants and programs have been distributed by the foundation, and the impact felt by the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has been acknowledged locally as the&nbsp;Kansas City Business Journal&nbsp;ranked it among Kansas City’s Biggest Charitable Trusts and Foundations by grant volume.Patrick and 15 and the Mahomies Foundation have cultivated many impactful moments, kicking off the 2023-24 NFL season with an announcement of a national partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Touchdownsmean even more for Mahomes this year as he has pledged to donate $1,500 for every touchdown in the regular season to Boys and Girls Clubs of America in addition to his $1.625 million donation. His commitment will support facility improvements to Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities in communities personal to Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, including Greater Kansas City and Lubbock, Tyler, and Whitehouse, Texas.Prior to the start of the 2023-24 NFL season, Mahomes partnered with Make-A-Wish to grant wishes of 10 children who have life-threatening illnesses. Patrick took time to meet with each child, gave them gifts, played football, and created an unforgettable experience with each of them. 15 and the Mahomies has also focused on combating illiteracy issues for youth through the “Read for 15” program. This program was created to encourage children to adopt a good habit of reading. The program challenges students to read for at least 15 minutes a day for 15 weeks. With over 19,500 students pledging to participate in the program, 15 and the Mahomies has seen a 12 percent increase in reading scores of participating schools. Earlier this year, Mahomes hosted a Read for 15 Rally where nearly 2,400 elementary students from 16 schools heard from Mahomes himself on the importance of reading outside of school.To continue Mahomes’ goal of encouraging volunteerism amongst youth, 15 and the Mahomies has developed the “Volunteer for 15” program. Between May 1 and August 31 of this year, youth participating in the “Volunteer for 15” program completed nearly 23,000 volunteer hours in the local community. The program far exceeded its goal of 15,000 hours this year with an 86 percent increase in involvement.The Foundation has also continued to activate its “15 for 15” programing. To date, the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has awarded nearly 175 charitable grants which provide critical support of some of the most impactful programs in the country. This support has included backpack giveaways, free vision screenings and the donation of glasses for kids, football equipment and coaching clinics for youth football leagues, supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities through the HBCU Legacy Bowl and the Black College Football Hall of Fame, providing scholarships for children of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs, the building of the all-inclusive 15 and the Mahomies Playground at MLK park, the building of the first all-inclusive soccer field, and so much more.As a father of two young children himself, another area of focus for 15 and the Mahomies Foundation has been supporting a healthier lifestyle for area youth. In 2022, 15 and the Mahomies distributed over 15,000 meals through partnerships with food banks and partnered with OneSight Vision Clinic to provide free eye exams and glasses to more than 100 children in the Kansas City area. At the start of the 2021 season and the 58th&nbsp;anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Mahomes and his foundation re-dedicated Kansas City’s Martin Luther King Jr. Park thanks to a $1 million donation by 15 and the Mahomies Foundation. With this donation, a playground was brought to life with the intention of celebrating Dr. King and creating an inclusive and accessible area for children of all abilities. Prior to the 2020 general election, Mahomes was a vocal leader partnering with RISE to Vote, encouraging the players and coaches to register and actively participate in the general election. Leading into Election Day itself, he teamed with the Hunt Family Foundation via an Inspire Change grant to turn GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium into the largest polling center in the history of the Kansas City Election Board, serving more than 2,100 voters.This season, Mahomes continues his on-field success at a record-setting pace, leading the club to an 8-4 record, sitting atop the AFC West. He’s completed 301 of his 444 pass attempts for 3,127 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Through 12 games, he is top five across the league in completions (301, 2nd) and touchdowns (22, T-5th), and top 10 in completion percentage (67.8%, 8th) and passing yards (3,127, 8th). The seventh-year QB has led his team to five-consecutive home AFC Championship Games, three Super Bowl appearances with two victories, earned two NFL MVPs (2018, 2022) and two Super Bowl MVPs (2019, 2022). Mahomes became the first player in the 21st&nbsp;century to win both the league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP in the same year (2022). For his career, Mahomes owns a 72-20 (.783) record in his 92 starts, completing 2,286 of his 3,437 attempts for 27,368 yards, 214 touchdowns and just 59 interceptions, giving him a 104.3 passer rating. With 66 multi-touchdown pass games, Mahomes has the most-such games in a player’s first seven seasons. Since 2018 when he officially took over the starting QB role, he leads the league in yards (27,084), touchdowns (214), 25+ yard completions (230), first down throws (1,341) and redzone TDs (148). With only 58 interceptions since 2018, he owns a +156 TD/INT ratio, the highest mark of any QB in that span. Mahomes has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times (2018-22) and following his 2018 and 2022 seasons, Mahomes was named AP First-Team All-Pro.Each Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee is eligible for the WPMOY Challenge, a contest on X (formerly Twitter), which gives fans the opportunity to show support for their favorite nominee and offers players a chance to secure an additional donation for their charity. Fans vote by using the hashtag #WPMOYChallenge and the player’s name or X handle between Dec. 5 and Jan. 8. New this year, fans can also cast votes by visiting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/honors/man-of-the-year/" target="_blank">NFL.com/ManOfTheYear</a>. The player who receives the most hashtag mentions and online votes wins an additional $35,000 for their charity. The runner-up receives $10,000 and third-place will receive $5,000 for their charity, all courtesy of Nationwide. You can vote, find hashtag information and official rules at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nfl.com/honors/man-of-the-year/" target="_blank">NFL.com/ManOfTheYear</a>.

Patrick Mahomes Named Chiefs Nominee For Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Tuesday that Kansas Volleyball's London Davis, Camryn Turner, Ayah Elnady and Reagan Cooper were named to the Midwest All-Region First Team for their outstanding seasons.

This marks the second-consecutive year that Kansas has received four All-Region accolades. Last season, middle blocker Lauren Dooley, opposite Anezka Szabo and outside hitter Elnady were all named Midwest All-Region, while setter Turner was named Midwest All-Region honorable mention.

Davis, a Second Team All-Big 12 selection, was a force for the Jayhawks all year long, averaging 2.74 kills and 3.10 points per set. The junior opposite from Galena, Ohio reached a new career-high when she knocked down 28 kills against K-State, which was the most kills by a player from Kansas since 2009. Davis ended the year with 304 kills, 76 total blocks and 344.5 points. This is Davis' first career All-Region accolade.

Turner, the Big 12 Setter of the Year and First Team All-Big 12 selection, led the conference in assists per set for the majority of the season, ending at the top with a 10.67 average. The Topeka native was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week back in September, as well as the lone Preseason All-Big 12 selection for the Jayhawks. Turner also posted the second most digs per set on the team with 2.95 and recorded 84 kills and 58 total blocks for a well-rounded season stat line.

Elnady was one of three Jayhawks to be named First Team All-Big 12 this season, as she was vital in Kansas' attack. Elnady finished second on the team in both kills (3.44) and points (4.17) per set and recorded double-digit kills on 20 different occasions this season, including two 20-plus kill performances vs. Big 12 foes Iowa State and UCF. The Cairo, Egypt native also led the Jayhawks in service aces with 26 total on the year and averaged a solid 2.26 digs per set.

This marks Cooper's second time being recognized by the AVCA this season, as she was named the Division I National Player of the Week back on Nov. 21, making her the first Kansas player to do so since Kelsie Payne back in 2016. 

The graduate out of Rowlett, Texas was named First Team All-Big 12, and led the Jayhawks with 3.86 kills and 4.17 points per set as well as hitting an impressive .346 on the year. Cooper tied the program record for most kills in a single match when she knocked down 29 in the Jayhawks' last match, marking the fifth time she surpassed 20-plus kills in a match this season. This is the outside hitter's first career AVCA All-Region recognition.

The Jayhawks concluded the year with a 24-6, 14-4 conference record, finishing second in the Big 12 and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they fell in a tight five-set match to Penn State on Dec. 1.

LAWRENCE, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Tuesday that Kansas Volleyball's London Davis, Camryn Turner, Ayah Elnady and Reagan Cooper were named to the Midwest All-Region First Team for their outstanding seasons.This marks the second-consecutive year that Kansas has received four All-Region accolades. Last season, middle blocker Lauren Dooley, opposite Anezka Szabo and outside hitter Elnady were all named Midwest All-Region, while setter Turner was named Midwest All-Region honorable mention.Davis, a Second Team All-Big 12 selection, was a force for the Jayhawks all year long, averaging 2.74 kills and 3.10 points per set. The junior opposite from Galena, Ohio reached a new career-high when she knocked down 28 kills against K-State, which was the most kills by a player from Kansas since 2009. Davis ended the year with 304 kills, 76 total blocks and 344.5 points. This is Davis' first career All-Region accolade.Turner, the Big 12 Setter of the Year and First Team All-Big 12 selection, led the conference in assists per set for the majority of the season, ending at the top with a 10.67 average. The Topeka native was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week back in September, as well as the lone Preseason All-Big 12 selection for the Jayhawks. Turner also posted the second most digs per set on the team with 2.95 and recorded 84 kills and 58 total blocks for a well-rounded season stat line.Elnady was one of three Jayhawks to be named First Team All-Big 12 this season, as she was vital in Kansas' attack. Elnady finished second on the team in both kills (3.44) and points (4.17) per set and recorded double-digit kills on 20 different occasions this season, including two 20-plus kill performances vs. Big 12 foes Iowa State and UCF. The Cairo, Egypt native also led the Jayhawks in service aces with 26 total on the year and averaged a solid 2.26 digs per set.This marks Cooper's second time being recognized by the AVCA this season, as she was named the Division I National Player of the Week back on Nov. 21, making her the first Kansas player to do so since Kelsie Payne back in 2016. The graduate out of Rowlett, Texas was named First Team All-Big 12, and led the Jayhawks with 3.86 kills and 4.17 points per set as well as hitting an impressive .346 on the year. Cooper tied the program record for most kills in a single match when she knocked down 29 in the Jayhawks' last match, marking the fifth time she surpassed 20-plus kills in a match this season. This is the outside hitter's first career AVCA All-Region recognition.The Jayhawks concluded the year with a 24-6, 14-4 conference record, finishing second in the Big 12 and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they fell in a tight five-set match to Penn State on Dec. 1.

KU VB: Four Jayhawks Named AVCA Midwest All-Region

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Very much like last night on the report that I gave you. I thought Green Bay played a good game, better than what we did. They made fewer mistakes than what we did and that includes myself in the mix here. It starts with some of the calls I can help our guys with, in particular down (in) the redzone. Some of our execution down there, whether it’s penalties, sacks, whatever it might be. I can help them with that part and do a better job there. Defensively, our objective is to get off the field as soon as you possibly can and they (the Packers) were able to use the clock in a couple of different ways by not getting off the field and then letting it (the play clock) get down to that five second area. They shortened the game that way and opportunities that way, we can do a better job in both those areas. We did some good things on special teams, but we gave up a fairly big kickoff return so we can tighten that part up likewise. We’re very close, and as you guys know in this league, it’s a week-to-week thing. I know the 49ers are doing a great job right now, but they went through a period where they lost three games and everybody thought it was over. I understand that’s how it’s perceived outside our building, inside the building here though we understand that we understand we’ve got to get better. I was able to the talk to the team after the game and tell them that, the margin between winning and losing in this thing is small just to start with. If you start messing around with some of these things that I just talked about then you can fall behind in a game and it’s tough to get yourself back into that position. At the same time (we’re) very close, so you take care of that, and then you end up on the long end of the stick there with a win. With that time’s yours – I don’t have anything injury-wise for you right now, we’ll get that to you later.”

Q:&nbsp;On the miscommunication in the play where Patrick Mahomes threw the interception.

REID:&nbsp;“Those things happen – even between good receivers, good quarterbacks that have these great reputations and so on, those things will happen every once in a while. You learn from it, you move on, that’s what we’ve got to do there. Both guys, the quarterback and the receiver are good players so I don’t think it’s a drastic thing there, they just have to make sure they clean that part up, and they will.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you expect Nick Bolton to be back this week?

REID:&nbsp;“He practiced last week, and I know he’s chomping at the bit to get back in there and play, so we’ll see how it goes for this week. He will be a week better though; I know that. We’ll just see how it works out these next couple of days.”

Q: How do you feel like Jack Cochrane did stepping in after Drue Tranquill got hurt?&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“Jack (Cochrane) rotates in during the week and will spot Drue (Tranquill) that’s a part of what we do, very very smart – he’s very smart. I thought he did a decent job in there; he made a couple nice plays for us. I know everybody has confidence in Jack. It’s too bad about Drue, he’s been doing a phenomenal job for us and just took a knee to the head, you probably saw that. Fast recovery for him we hope. It was a good experience for Jack to get in there and get some extensive play time, but Jack – he’s not just a throw-in there, he does a pretty good job.”&nbsp;

Q: On the Packers saying they picked up on a hand gesture for a Chiefs play call.&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“Those things get by. I mean normally you see it (but) you don’t know what’s coming but you see something. I’d say that’s – I’m not sure they’ve seen that same one before but that’s how that works.”&nbsp;

Q: On Bryan Cook’s injury.&nbsp;

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Bryan Cook) had work done on that ankle before, and so that’s what they are&nbsp; going through right now before anything is put out there. I don’t want to give you anything either way on that because I don’t know because of the work he’s had done on that ankle. So, I’m just going to save that for later till I can give it to you – the facts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q: Your team word this season is ‘United.’ What does that mean to you and your team when you are going through a tough stretch?&nbsp;

REID: “We’re up and down right now, we just have to get a little more consistent and in order to do that, everybody has to stick together. I’ve seen guys helping each other out, I haven’t felt like anybody has turned their back on each other. It’s no more important to be united together than now.”&nbsp;

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Very much like last night on the report that I gave you. I thought Green Bay played a good game, better than what we did. They made fewer mistakes than what we did and that includes myself in the mix here. It starts with some of the calls I can help our guys with, in particular down (in) the redzone. Some of our execution down there, whether it’s penalties, sacks, whatever it might be. I can help them with that part and do a better job there. Defensively, our objective is to get off the field as soon as you possibly can and they (the Packers) were able to use the clock in a couple of different ways by not getting off the field and then letting it (the play clock) get down to that five second area. They shortened the game that way and opportunities that way, we can do a better job in both those areas. We did some good things on special teams, but we gave up a fairly big kickoff return so we can tighten that part up likewise. We’re very close, and as you guys know in this league, it’s a week-to-week thing. I know the 49ers are doing a great job right now, but they went through a period where they lost three games and everybody thought it was over. I understand that’s how it’s perceived outside our building, inside the building here though we understand that we understand we’ve got to get better. I was able to the talk to the team after the game and tell them that, the margin between winning and losing in this thing is small just to start with. If you start messing around with some of these things that I just talked about then you can fall behind in a game and it’s tough to get yourself back into that position. At the same time (we’re) very close, so you take care of that, and then you end up on the long end of the stick there with a win. With that time’s yours – I don’t have anything injury-wise for you right now, we’ll get that to you later.”Q:&nbsp;On the miscommunication in the play where Patrick Mahomes threw the interception.REID:&nbsp;“Those things happen – even between good receivers, good quarterbacks that have these great reputations and so on, those things will happen every once in a while. You learn from it, you move on, that’s what we’ve got to do there. Both guys, the quarterback and the receiver are good players so I don’t think it’s a drastic thing there, they just have to make sure they clean that part up, and they will.”Q:&nbsp;Do you expect Nick Bolton to be back this week?REID:&nbsp;“He practiced last week, and I know he’s chomping at the bit to get back in there and play, so we’ll see how it goes for this week. He will be a week better though; I know that. We’ll just see how it works out these next couple of days.”Q: How do you feel like Jack Cochrane did stepping in after Drue Tranquill got hurt?&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Jack (Cochrane) rotates in during the week and will spot Drue (Tranquill) that’s a part of what we do, very very smart – he’s very smart. I thought he did a decent job in there; he made a couple nice plays for us. I know everybody has confidence in Jack. It’s too bad about Drue, he’s been doing a phenomenal job for us and just took a knee to the head, you probably saw that. Fast recovery for him we hope. It was a good experience for Jack to get in there and get some extensive play time, but Jack – he’s not just a throw-in there, he does a pretty good job.”&nbsp;Q: On the Packers saying they picked up on a hand gesture for a Chiefs play call.&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“Those things get by. I mean normally you see it (but) you don’t know what’s coming but you see something. I’d say that’s – I’m not sure they’ve seen that same one before but that’s how that works.”&nbsp;Q: On Bryan Cook’s injury.&nbsp;REID:&nbsp;“He’s (Bryan Cook) had work done on that ankle before, and so that’s what they are&nbsp; going through right now before anything is put out there. I don’t want to give you anything either way on that because I don’t know because of the work he’s had done on that ankle. So, I’m just going to save that for later till I can give it to you – the facts.&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: Your team word this season is ‘United.’ What does that mean to you and your team when you are going through a tough stretch?&nbsp;REID: “We’re up and down right now, we just have to get a little more consistent and in order to do that, everybody has to stick together. I’ve seen guys helping each other out, I haven’t felt like anybody has turned their back on each other. It’s no more important to be united together than now.”&nbsp;

Chiefs Quotes: 12-4-23

Kansas Wesleyan Coachs&nbsp;Show&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Chiefs Kingdom Show&nbsp; 7 p.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Southeast of Saline Trojans Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:40 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans VS Smoky Valley Lady Vikings Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m. at Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg. (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)

Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Smoky Valley Vikings Basketball&nbsp; 7:30pm&nbsp; at Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)

Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Sacred Heart Knights VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Kansas Wesleyan Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:30 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Kansas Wesleyan VS Ottawa University WBB&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Kansas Wesleyan VS Ottawa University&nbsp; MBB&nbsp; 8 p.m. at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Minneapolis Lady Lions VS Bennington Lady Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 6pm&nbsp; at Minneapolis High School, Minneapolis, Ks (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post) 

Minneapolis Lions VS Bennington Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 7:30pm at Minneapolis High School, Minneapolis, Ks&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Rossville Lady Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 3 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Sacred Heart Knights VS Rossville Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 4:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post) 

Southeast of Saline Trojans Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:40 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans VS Beloit Lady Trojans Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m at Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum, Ks&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)

Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Beloit Trojans Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum Ks&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)

Bishop Ward Lady Cyclones VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Bishop Ward Cyclones VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Salina Central Lady Mustangs VS Salina South Cougars Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, Ks. (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Salina Central Mustangs VS Salina South Cougars Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

MRN &nbsp;Nascar Live &nbsp;8 a.m. &nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Bishop Ward Cyclones Basketball&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Sacred Heart Knights VS Bishop Ward Cyclones Basketball, 3:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Rossville Lady Bulldogs VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)

Rossville Bulldogs VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 3:30 p.m. at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks. (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Kansas Wesleyan Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 4:30 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Kansas Wesleyan VS University of Saint Mary WBB&nbsp; 5 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena Kansas Wesleyan University Salina (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

Kansas Wesleyan VS University of Saint Mary&nbsp; MBB&nbsp; 7 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, Ks (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)

PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters&nbsp; 9 a.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KIINA.COM</a>)

Kansas City Chiefs VS Buffalo Bills&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at GEHA Field Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen Live on KINA</a> and KSKG)&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591971280271.jpeg" alt="KINA New logo Blue Black" />
 <figcaption>KINA New logo Blue Black</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Monday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Coachs&nbsp;Show&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Chiefs Kingdom Show&nbsp; 7 p.m.&nbsp; &nbsp;(Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)<h2>Tuesday</h2>Southeast of Saline Trojans Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:40 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans VS Smoky Valley Lady Vikings Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m. at Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg. (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Smoky Valley Vikings Basketball&nbsp; 7:30pm&nbsp; at Smoky Valley High School, Lindsborg, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Sacred Heart Knights VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)<h2>Wednesday</h2>Kansas Wesleyan Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:30 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Kansas Wesleyan VS Ottawa University WBB&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Kansas Wesleyan VS Ottawa University&nbsp; MBB&nbsp; 8 p.m. at Ottawa University, Ottawa, Ks.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)<h2>Thursday</h2>Minneapolis Lady Lions VS Bennington Lady Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 6pm&nbsp; at Minneapolis High School, Minneapolis, Ks (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post) Minneapolis Lions VS Bennington Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 7:30pm at Minneapolis High School, Minneapolis, Ks&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)<h2>Friday&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Rossville Lady Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 3 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Sacred Heart Knights VS Rossville Bulldogs Basketball&nbsp; 4:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post) Southeast of Saline Trojans Pregame Show&nbsp; 5:40 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Southeast of Saline Lady Trojans VS Beloit Lady Trojans Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m at Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum, Ks&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)Southeast of Saline Trojans VS Beloit Trojans Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Southeast of Saline High School, Gypsum Ks&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>&nbsp;and video coverage on Salina Post)Bishop Ward Lady Cyclones VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Bishop Ward Cyclones VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Salina Central Lady Mustangs VS Salina South Cougars Basketball&nbsp; 6 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, Ks. (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Salina Central Mustangs VS Salina South Cougars Basketball&nbsp; 7:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena, Kansas Wesleyan University, Salina, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)<h2>Saturday&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>MRN &nbsp;Nascar Live &nbsp;8 a.m. &nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>) Sacred Heart Lady Knights VS Bishop Ward Cyclones Basketball&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks.&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Sacred Heart Knights VS Bishop Ward Cyclones Basketball, 3:30 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks&nbsp; (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Rossville Lady Bulldogs VS Chapman Lady Irish Basketball&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Rossville Bulldogs VS Chapman Irish Basketball&nbsp; 3:30 p.m. at Chapman High School, Chapman, Ks. (Audio and Video Coverage on Salina Post)Kansas Wesleyan Basketball Pregame Show&nbsp; 4:30 p.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Kansas Wesleyan VS University of Saint Mary WBB&nbsp; 5 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena Kansas Wesleyan University Salina (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)Kansas Wesleyan VS University of Saint Mary&nbsp; MBB&nbsp; 7 p.m.&nbsp; at Mabee Arena Kansas Wesleyan University Salina, Ks (Listen on KINA and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kina.com/" target="_blank">910kina.com</a>)<h2>Sunday</h2>PRN&nbsp; The Pit Reporters&nbsp; 9 a.m.&nbsp; (Listen on KINA 910AM/107.5FM and&nbsp;<a href="http://910kiina.com/" target="_blank">910KIINA.COM</a>) Kansas City Chiefs VS Buffalo Bills&nbsp; 2 p.m.&nbsp; at GEHA Field Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City (<a href="http://910kina.com">Listen Live on KINA</a> and KSKG)&nbsp;&nbsp;

KINA Weekly Sports Schedule

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love showed the Kansas City Chiefs just how much he's learned since the last time he faced them.

Love connected with Christian Watson on two of his three touchdown passes and the resurgent Green Bay Packers won their third straight game, 27-19 over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.

This marked the first time Love had faced the Chiefs since a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-green-bay-packers-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-41a4bb9e3cfea38526e3d0ab0190638a">13-7 loss</a>&nbsp;at Kansas City two years ago in his first career start, after a positive COVID-19 test sidelined Aaron Rodgers.

“Obviously I've had this game circled for a long time,” Love said. “This was my first start and I obviously didn't play how I wanted to the first game. To be able to see these guys and get the victory is huge.”

The Packers scored touchdowns on three of their first four drives and never trailed, with their defense making two big stops in the last 5 1/2 minutes. Green Bay knocked down Mahomes' pass into the end zone on the game’s final play.

Since losing four straight earlier this season, the Packers have won four of five to creep into playoff position.

“They're coming together,” Packers cach Matt LaFleur said. “They're working. They're getting better. They're playing faster, playing more confident.”

The Packers (6-6) improved their December record to 16-0 under LaFleur. The only team ever to win more consecutive December games was the San Diego Chargers with 18 straight from 2006-09, before their move to Los Angeles.

Love went 25 of 36 for 267 yards. Tight end Ben Sims had a 1-yard catch for his first career touchdown, and Love added TD passes of 9 and 12 yards to Watson.

Mahomes was 21 of 33 for 210 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (8-4), who lost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-packers-2a1a9e791afbf7a3cb86ec458b1aae67">in front of pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;for the first time. Kansas City had won its previous four games Swift had attended since beginning her relationship with tight end Travis Kelce.

Kansas City still leads the AFC West but fell behind three other teams for the top seed in the conference.

“The Packers I thought did a great job tonight,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "They got after us, and it’s a good football team. We’ve got to be able to start faster on both sides of the ball. We’ve got to make sure we take care of that. Whether it was the penalties on offense or whether we weren’t getting off the field on the defensive side, those are things that cost us. We’ve got to learn from that and get better as we go forward.”

Isiah Pacheco rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown before getting ejected for punching Keisean Nixon during a scuffle on the game’s final series. Noah Gray had a 2-yard TD catch early in the fourth quarter that got Kansas City within two.

Mahomes had a couple of late chances to tie the game or take the lead.

Kansas City had a first down just beyond midfield when Nixon picked off Mahomes' pass intended for Skyy Moore with 5:14 left. The turnover set up a 48-yard field goal by Anders Carlson that made it 27-19.

Kansas City got the ball back at its own 30 with 1:09 left and no timeouts remaining.

Mahomes had a 10-yard run and got hit by Jonathan Owens while going out of bounds, leading to a personal foul that put the ball at Green Bay’s 45. Rashee Rice then appeared to fumble, with Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine returning it for a game-clinching touchdown, but replays showed Rice was down before the ball came loose.

The Chiefs argued in vain for a pass interference call on a long incompletion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the final minute. The Chiefs had the ball at Kansas City’s 33 on the game’s final play, when Mahomes threw into a crowd, and there was plenty of contact before the ball fell to the ground.

Chiefs: LB Drue Tranquill left with a concussion in the first quarter. S Bryan Cook was carted off the field with an ankle injury in the third quarter. RB Jerick McKinnon (groin) didn't play.

Packers: Watson injured his hamstring while running for a first down late in the fourth quarter. CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder) missed a fourth consecutive game. RB Aaron Jones (knee) and TE Josiah Deguara (hip) were out for a second straight game.

Packers: At the New York Giants on Monday, Dec. 11.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701665740964.jpeg" alt="Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)." />
 <figcaption>Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023 in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke).</figcaption>
 </figure>GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordan Love showed the Kansas City Chiefs just how much he's learned since the last time he faced them.Love connected with Christian Watson on two of his three touchdown passes and the resurgent Green Bay Packers won their third straight game, 27-19 over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.This marked the first time Love had faced the Chiefs since a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-green-bay-packers-kansas-city-kansas-city-chiefs-41a4bb9e3cfea38526e3d0ab0190638a">13-7 loss</a>&nbsp;at Kansas City two years ago in his first career start, after a positive COVID-19 test sidelined Aaron Rodgers.“Obviously I've had this game circled for a long time,” Love said. “This was my first start and I obviously didn't play how I wanted to the first game. To be able to see these guys and get the victory is huge.”The Packers scored touchdowns on three of their first four drives and never trailed, with their defense making two big stops in the last 5 1/2 minutes. Green Bay knocked down Mahomes' pass into the end zone on the game’s final play.Since losing four straight earlier this season, the Packers have won four of five to creep into playoff position.“They're coming together,” Packers cach Matt LaFleur said. “They're working. They're getting better. They're playing faster, playing more confident.”The Packers (6-6) improved their December record to 16-0 under LaFleur. The only team ever to win more consecutive December games was the San Diego Chargers with 18 straight from 2006-09, before their move to Los Angeles.Love went 25 of 36 for 267 yards. Tight end Ben Sims had a 1-yard catch for his first career touchdown, and Love added TD passes of 9 and 12 yards to Watson.Mahomes was 21 of 33 for 210 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (8-4), who lost&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-packers-2a1a9e791afbf7a3cb86ec458b1aae67">in front of pop superstar Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;for the first time. Kansas City had won its previous four games Swift had attended since beginning her relationship with tight end Travis Kelce.Kansas City still leads the AFC West but fell behind three other teams for the top seed in the conference.“The Packers I thought did a great job tonight,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "They got after us, and it’s a good football team. We’ve got to be able to start faster on both sides of the ball. We’ve got to make sure we take care of that. Whether it was the penalties on offense or whether we weren’t getting off the field on the defensive side, those are things that cost us. We’ve got to learn from that and get better as we go forward.”Isiah Pacheco rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown before getting ejected for punching Keisean Nixon during a scuffle on the game’s final series. Noah Gray had a 2-yard TD catch early in the fourth quarter that got Kansas City within two.Mahomes had a couple of late chances to tie the game or take the lead.Kansas City had a first down just beyond midfield when Nixon picked off Mahomes' pass intended for Skyy Moore with 5:14 left. The turnover set up a 48-yard field goal by Anders Carlson that made it 27-19.Kansas City got the ball back at its own 30 with 1:09 left and no timeouts remaining.Mahomes had a 10-yard run and got hit by Jonathan Owens while going out of bounds, leading to a personal foul that put the ball at Green Bay’s 45. Rashee Rice then appeared to fumble, with Green Bay’s Corey Ballentine returning it for a game-clinching touchdown, but replays showed Rice was down before the ball came loose.Kansas City couldn’t capitalize.The Chiefs argued in vain for a pass interference call on a long incompletion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the final minute. The Chiefs had the ball at Kansas City’s 33 on the game’s final play, when Mahomes threw into a crowd, and there was plenty of contact before the ball fell to the ground.INJURY REPORTChiefs: LB Drue Tranquill left with a concussion in the first quarter. S Bryan Cook was carted off the field with an ankle injury in the third quarter. RB Jerick McKinnon (groin) didn't play.Packers: Watson injured his hamstring while running for a first down late in the fourth quarter. CB Jaire Alexander (shoulder) missed a fourth consecutive game. RB Aaron Jones (knee) and TE Josiah Deguara (hip) were out for a second straight game.UP NEXTChiefs: Host Buffalo next Sunday.Packers: At the New York Giants on Monday, Dec. 11.

Chiefs freeze up in Green Bay, lose ground in AFC with loss to Packers

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the first time in school history, K-State Nation is headed to Florida for a bowl game, as Kansas State officials announced Sunday afternoon that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will take place on Tuesday, December 28 at 4:45 p.m. (CT) and will air on ESPN.

K-State will be playing in the state of Florida for just the seventh time ever and the first since a 28-24 victory at Miami on September 24, 2011."We are thrilled to represent the Big 12 Conference in the Pop-Tarts Bowl," said K-State head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/chris-klieman/1976">Chris Klieman</a>, the first head coach in school history to lead his team to four bowl games in his first five seasons. "I am proud of our team, especially our seniors, and our staff for keeping their heads down and grinding through this season. We appreciate Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan and his staff for their interest in us and look forward to heading to Orlando for the first time in school history and preparing for a great opponent in NC State."

The Wildcats finished No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25, a year after ranking No. 9 in the final poll. It marks the first time since 2011 and 2012 they finished ranked in the BCS or CFP Top 25. K-State, which finished with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Big 12 action to tie for fourth in the conference, is among the nation's leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as the Wildcats are tied for 16th&nbsp;nationally and rank fourth in the Big 12 with 24. K-State will also be one of just 16 Power 5 teams to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the last 14 years.

"We are excited to be selected to play in the Pop Tarts Bowl," said Athletics Director&nbsp;Gene Taylor. "It will be a phenomenal opportunity for our fans and program as we travel to the state of Florida for the first time in our rich bowl history. We look forward to showcasing our football team and Kansas State University in Orlando, and I know our fans will continue to uphold their national reputation for traveling to bowl games when we head to the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Congratulations to our players and coaching staff for another great season as I know they are excited to end the year in this terrific bowl game."

Kansas State's eight-win regular season makes the Wildcats the only current Big 12 team with a three-year streak of winning at least eight games, while they are one of only 11 Power 5 teams to claim that feat. K-State's four losses in 2023 were by a combined 21 points as its 5.25 average margin of defeat this season is the smallest among three- and four-loss Power 5 teams.

Additionally, K-State enters bowl season as one of just 11 Power 5 teams ranked in the top 30 in both scoring offense (37.8 points per game) and scoring defense (21.2 points per game), as the Wildcats rank second in the Big 12 in each of those categories. Kansas State opened the 2023 campaign with a pair of home wins over SEMO and Troy – the latter being an 11-win Sun Belt Conference Champion – by a combined score of 87-13. The Wildcats closed non-conference play with a 30-27 loss at Missouri on an SEC-record 61-yard field goal, which propelled the Tigers throughout the season as they finished ninth in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. Missouri will face Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.

The Wildcats opened Big 12 play with a 44-31 home victory over UCF but dropped a 29-21 Friday-night contest at Oklahoma State, a team that went on to play for the Big 12 Championship. Sitting at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, K-State won five of its final seven games, which included a road win at Texas Tech (38-21), back-to-back blowouts of TCU (41-3) and Houston (41-0), a 34-point victory over Baylor (59-25) and a come-from-behind 31-27 victory at then-No. 25 Kansas, the Wildcats' 15th-straight victory over its in-state rival. The first of just two losses over the final half of the season was at Texas, a game in which K-State battled back from a 27-7 deficit to force overtime before eventually falling to the playoff-bound Longhorns, 33-30. The other loss was a 42-35 home setback to Iowa State in a snowy battle in the final regular-season game. K-State and NC State will meet on the gridiron for the first time ever, while it will be the Wildcats' first game against a current ACC member since a 52-13 home victory over Miami. 

The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl will be the first time ever the Wildcats will play a bowl game against a team in the ACC at the time of the game. K-State did defeat current ACC member Syracuse, 35-18, in the 1997 Fiesta Bowl and lost to the Orange in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl and 2010 Pinstripe Bowl when it was a member of the Big East, while the Wildcats lost another Big East-turned-ACC member Boston College in the 1994 Aloha Bowl.NC State finished the regular season with a 9-3 overall record and 6-2 ACC record to finish third in the conference. 

The Wolfpack enters the Pop-Tarts Bowl on a five-game winning streak, including a 24-17 win over Clemson, which finished at No. 23 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25.Tickets in the official K-State sections are available now online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame">www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame</a>&nbsp;and via phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Remaining tickets in the official K-State sections are priced by the bowl beginning at $45 and up to $170. Tickets in some sections were sold out through pre-orders. All Ahearn Fund members and fans who pre-ordered tickets will receive communication with information regarding their requests by the end of the day. K-State students will receive information regarding student tickets via email today.

The K-State Alumni Association will also provide official travel packages to the bowl game. Visit the Alumni Association's official bowl travel page –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesportstours.com/">www.k-statesportstours.com</a>&nbsp;– for travel package information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701640343070.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– For the first time in school history, K-State Nation is headed to Florida for a bowl game, as Kansas State officials announced Sunday afternoon that the Wildcats have accepted an invitation to play No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game will take place on Tuesday, December 28 at 4:45 p.m. (CT) and will air on ESPN.K-State will be playing in the state of Florida for just the seventh time ever and the first since a 28-24 victory at Miami on September 24, 2011."We are thrilled to represent the Big 12 Conference in the Pop-Tarts Bowl," said K-State head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/chris-klieman/1976">Chris Klieman</a>, the first head coach in school history to lead his team to four bowl games in his first five seasons. "I am proud of our team, especially our seniors, and our staff for keeping their heads down and grinding through this season. We appreciate Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan and his staff for their interest in us and look forward to heading to Orlando for the first time in school history and preparing for a great opponent in NC State."The Wildcats finished No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25, a year after ranking No. 9 in the final poll. It marks the first time since 2011 and 2012 they finished ranked in the BCS or CFP Top 25. K-State, which finished with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Big 12 action to tie for fourth in the conference, is among the nation's leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as the Wildcats are tied for 16th&nbsp;nationally and rank fourth in the Big 12 with 24. K-State will also be one of just 16 Power 5 teams to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the last 14 years."We are excited to be selected to play in the Pop Tarts Bowl," said Athletics Director&nbsp;Gene Taylor. "It will be a phenomenal opportunity for our fans and program as we travel to the state of Florida for the first time in our rich bowl history. We look forward to showcasing our football team and Kansas State University in Orlando, and I know our fans will continue to uphold their national reputation for traveling to bowl games when we head to the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Congratulations to our players and coaching staff for another great season as I know they are excited to end the year in this terrific bowl game."Kansas State's eight-win regular season makes the Wildcats the only current Big 12 team with a three-year streak of winning at least eight games, while they are one of only 11 Power 5 teams to claim that feat. K-State's four losses in 2023 were by a combined 21 points as its 5.25 average margin of defeat this season is the smallest among three- and four-loss Power 5 teams.Additionally, K-State enters bowl season as one of just 11 Power 5 teams ranked in the top 30 in both scoring offense (37.8 points per game) and scoring defense (21.2 points per game), as the Wildcats rank second in the Big 12 in each of those categories. Kansas State opened the 2023 campaign with a pair of home wins over SEMO and Troy – the latter being an 11-win Sun Belt Conference Champion – by a combined score of 87-13. The Wildcats closed non-conference play with a 30-27 loss at Missouri on an SEC-record 61-yard field goal, which propelled the Tigers throughout the season as they finished ninth in the final College Football Playoff Top 25. Missouri will face Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.The Wildcats opened Big 12 play with a 44-31 home victory over UCF but dropped a 29-21 Friday-night contest at Oklahoma State, a team that went on to play for the Big 12 Championship. Sitting at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, K-State won five of its final seven games, which included a road win at Texas Tech (38-21), back-to-back blowouts of TCU (41-3) and Houston (41-0), a 34-point victory over Baylor (59-25) and a come-from-behind 31-27 victory at then-No. 25 Kansas, the Wildcats' 15th-straight victory over its in-state rival. The first of just two losses over the final half of the season was at Texas, a game in which K-State battled back from a 27-7 deficit to force overtime before eventually falling to the playoff-bound Longhorns, 33-30. The other loss was a 42-35 home setback to Iowa State in a snowy battle in the final regular-season game. K-State and NC State will meet on the gridiron for the first time ever, while it will be the Wildcats' first game against a current ACC member since a 52-13 home victory over Miami. The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl will be the first time ever the Wildcats will play a bowl game against a team in the ACC at the time of the game. K-State did defeat current ACC member Syracuse, 35-18, in the 1997 Fiesta Bowl and lost to the Orange in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl and 2010 Pinstripe Bowl when it was a member of the Big East, while the Wildcats lost another Big East-turned-ACC member Boston College in the 1994 Aloha Bowl.NC State finished the regular season with a 9-3 overall record and 6-2 ACC record to finish third in the conference. The Wolfpack enters the Pop-Tarts Bowl on a five-game winning streak, including a 24-17 win over Clemson, which finished at No. 23 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25.Tickets in the official K-State sections are available now online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame">www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame</a>&nbsp;and via phone beginning at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Remaining tickets in the official K-State sections are priced by the bowl beginning at $45 and up to $170. Tickets in some sections were sold out through pre-orders. All Ahearn Fund members and fans who pre-ordered tickets will receive communication with information regarding their requests by the end of the day. K-State students will receive information regarding student tickets via email today.The K-State Alumni Association will also provide official travel packages to the bowl game. Visit the Alumni Association's official bowl travel page –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesportstours.com/">www.k-statesportstours.com</a>&nbsp;– for travel package information.

K-State to play in Pop-Tarts Bowl against NC State

Kansas Wesleyan Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/75c5d9ab-b2e8-491e-83e6-28fed36d4576?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Anthony Monson</a>&nbsp;takes pride in his team's defensive efforts.

Tonight the Coyotes didn't let him down, especially in the second half.

KWU held the Bethany Swedes to 28.6 percent shooting (8 of 28) in the second half and just 27 second-half points as the Coyotes came away with the 73-59 win on Saturday night at Mabee Arena.

"I thought we did a really good job defensively tonight, but offensively we were hit and miss all night," Monson said. "You know sometimes it's going to happen, but tonight the defense came through for us the entire night and I am really happy about that."

Wesleyan held the Swedes scoreless for several long stretches in the game, including a 7-minute stretch in the first half, and two nearly five-minute stretches in the second half.

Monson was also pleased with his team's effort overall, heading into the heart of the KCAC schedule right before the semester break.

"They never seem to be easy no matter what you do, and this one was the same way. You just have to grind them out to the end and we were just able to push that lead out late in the game and that was the difference."

Instead of relying on the outside shot, the Coyotes looked inside and it paid dividends as the Coyotes had 38 points in the paint, compared to 20 for the Swedes, a number that pleased Monson.

"We had 38 points in the paint tonight, and that was the big difference for us, we really were able to control the scoring down there," he said. "And we did a better job in the second half of guarding people and held them to 27 points, after they build some momentum at the end of the first half."

The first half was back and forth until the Coyotes took the lead on a free throw by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/45f08171-3de0-43b3-904c-205595279927?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Caden Hale</a>&nbsp;that broke a 26-all tie with 5:36 left in the half.

The Coyotes built a 34-29 lead just before the half, but Bethany got a buzzer-beating three to end the half.

Wesleyan never gave in, and only allowed Bethany to tie it twice, the last time at 36-all before&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2be80b6a-761e-402a-82e3-3d6857b0e165?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Easton Hunter's</a>&nbsp;3-pointer put the Coyotes up for good with 19 minutes left in the game.

Bethany was within two at 45-43 with 15:26 left when the Coyotes made their move. Five straight points capped by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d0958d9-3082-4457-800f-1d76b4e6efe7?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Cory Kaplan's</a>&nbsp;3-point play made it 50-43 with 11:10 to go and Kaplan's bucket with 7:43 left made it 57-46.

Wesleyan's lead hit a game-high 16 with just under a minute left at 71-55."I am really happy with the guys and their effort and I am just excited for what's next," Monson said.

The Coyotes close out the first semester of games next week, heading to Ottawa on Wednesday, and hosting Saint Mary next Saturday.

Kansas Wesleyan Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/75c5d9ab-b2e8-491e-83e6-28fed36d4576?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Anthony Monson</a>&nbsp;takes pride in his team's defensive efforts.Tonight the Coyotes didn't let him down, especially in the second half.KWU held the Bethany Swedes to 28.6 percent shooting (8 of 28) in the second half and just 27 second-half points as the Coyotes came away with the 73-59 win on Saturday night at Mabee Arena."I thought we did a really good job defensively tonight, but offensively we were hit and miss all night," Monson said. "You know sometimes it's going to happen, but tonight the defense came through for us the entire night and I am really happy about that."Wesleyan held the Swedes scoreless for several long stretches in the game, including a 7-minute stretch in the first half, and two nearly five-minute stretches in the second half.Monson was also pleased with his team's effort overall, heading into the heart of the KCAC schedule right before the semester break."They never seem to be easy no matter what you do, and this one was the same way. You just have to grind them out to the end and we were just able to push that lead out late in the game and that was the difference."Instead of relying on the outside shot, the Coyotes looked inside and it paid dividends as the Coyotes had 38 points in the paint, compared to 20 for the Swedes, a number that pleased Monson."We had 38 points in the paint tonight, and that was the big difference for us, we really were able to control the scoring down there," he said. "And we did a better job in the second half of guarding people and held them to 27 points, after they build some momentum at the end of the first half."The first half was back and forth until the Coyotes took the lead on a free throw by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/45f08171-3de0-43b3-904c-205595279927?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Caden Hale</a>&nbsp;that broke a 26-all tie with 5:36 left in the half. The Coyotes built a 34-29 lead just before the half, but Bethany got a buzzer-beating three to end the half.Wesleyan never gave in, and only allowed Bethany to tie it twice, the last time at 36-all before&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2be80b6a-761e-402a-82e3-3d6857b0e165?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Easton Hunter's</a>&nbsp;3-pointer put the Coyotes up for good with 19 minutes left in the game.Bethany was within two at 45-43 with 15:26 left when the Coyotes made their move. Five straight points capped by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d0958d9-3082-4457-800f-1d76b4e6efe7?elinkdata=3132" target="_blank">Cory Kaplan's</a>&nbsp;3-point play made it 50-43 with 11:10 to go and Kaplan's bucket with 7:43 left made it 57-46.Wesleyan's lead hit a game-high 16 with just under a minute left at 71-55."I am really happy with the guys and their effort and I am just excited for what's next," Monson said.The Coyotes close out the first semester of games next week, heading to Ottawa on Wednesday, and hosting Saint Mary next Saturday.

KWU Men's Basketball picks up 73-59 win over Swedes

Kansas Wesleyan Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/caddb18d-a6b7-44b9-b770-1f1137daf0a9?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Ryan Showman</a>&nbsp;didn't how the third quarter started for his Coyote Women's Basketball team.

But he sure did like how the quarter ended.

After falling behind by 10 points in the third, the Coyotes stormed back to tie it at the end of the third and come away with a 71-66 victory on Saturday night against the Bethany Swedes at Mabee Arena.

"We played a brutal non-conference schedule where we had several games just like this that didn't go our way," Showman said. "But for us to find a way tonight and take that next step, I can't describe it right now other than it's absolutely amazing for us to find a way to close it out. To come back in the third quarter and tie it up and then took control in the fourth quarter."

Leading 33-28 at half time, the Coyotes struggled in the first four minutes of the third, not scoring until the 5:38 mark when&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/455e2ab3-7fc5-4680-b9cb-7e8c6ece616b?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;drove to the bucket and scored to stop Bethany's 10-0 run to start the quarter.

The Swedes got three big 3-pointers from a trio of players to pull out to a 10 point lead, 49-39, with 2:47 left in the quarter.

That's when the Coyotes said 'enough is enough'.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4296a246-3837-4925-af08-417bdba94fd8?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>&nbsp;buried a triple to start Wesleyan's 10-0 run to end the quarter, and freshman&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/72193f70-5ad4-4de0-9653-ab37a781429d?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Odessa Ozuna</a>&nbsp;would score the next seven Coyote points, including getting a steal and a bucket to end the quarter and send the game to the fourth tied at 49.

"Odessa came out in the first quarter and played like a freshman, and I brought her out and I put my arm around her and said 'you're fine'," Showman said. "And every time we put her back in she did great, she made plays, and was a big reason why we were able to come back in the third quarter. She's going to be pretty darn good when it's all said and done."

Adams hit the first bucket of the fourth for the Coyotes giving KWU a 51-49 lead, but Bethany tied it up and took a 54-51 lead with just under seven minutes left in the game.

A three-point play by Ricks tied it up again at 54, and after Bethany scored, Ozuna came through again with a basket to tie it at 56-all, and the freshman would give the Coyotes the lead at 58-56 with 5:43 left.

Bethany took one last lead at 59-58 with five minutes left when the Coyotes took over. A bucket by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/06f3862e-7482-4407-b202-4304cf3eb458?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Skyler Evans</a>&nbsp;put KWU up 60-59, and the Coyotes would not give up the lead the rest of the night.

Leading by two with 20 seconds left,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/04160b51-c8f0-43d4-89c8-a29f7e42c5f2?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Angel Lee</a>&nbsp;blocked a potential game-tying shot by Bethany and grabbed the rebound, and free throws down the stretch sealed it for the Coyotes.

Wesleyan jumped out to a 10-5 lead to open the game, but Bethany came back and closed the first quarter on a 13-2 run that gave the Swedes an 18-12 lead after one.

The Coyotes bounced back, responding with a 10-0 run capped by a free throw by Evans that made it 22-18 with 5:30 left in the half. 

Bethany came back and took a 25-24 lead with 2:23 left, but a strong finish to the half put the Coyotes up eight at 33-25 just before the half when Emily Green for Bethany hit a 35-foot running three as time expired to make it a 5-point game at the half.

Five Coyotes reached double figures led by Ricks with 15, while&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dbd1c5bc-74a3-400a-bba4-3b25b010bca7?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>&nbsp;had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Coyotes, and had three steals. Ozuna had 13 points and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4804c67c-52df-49aa-9d7a-07ee68d21119?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Jill Stephens</a>&nbsp;added 11. Evans added six rebounds for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes shot 52 percent in the second half and 43.1 percent for the game.

Showman was proud of his team's effort in the game, making the hustle plays count.

"We talked a lot about making winning plays. We dove on the floor after balls a lot tonight, we went after the loose ball on shots a lot tonight. We made free throws to finish possessions. We made winning plays and that was the difference," he said.

The Coyotes are back in action next week with two final games before the semester break. KWU is at Ottawa on Wednesday, then hosts Saint Mary next Saturday.

Kansas Wesleyan Head Coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/caddb18d-a6b7-44b9-b770-1f1137daf0a9?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Ryan Showman</a>&nbsp;didn't how the third quarter started for his Coyote Women's Basketball team.But he sure did like how the quarter ended.After falling behind by 10 points in the third, the Coyotes stormed back to tie it at the end of the third and come away with a 71-66 victory on Saturday night against the Bethany Swedes at Mabee Arena."We played a brutal non-conference schedule where we had several games just like this that didn't go our way," Showman said. "But for us to find a way tonight and take that next step, I can't describe it right now other than it's absolutely amazing for us to find a way to close it out. To come back in the third quarter and tie it up and then took control in the fourth quarter."Leading 33-28 at half time, the Coyotes struggled in the first four minutes of the third, not scoring until the 5:38 mark when&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/455e2ab3-7fc5-4680-b9cb-7e8c6ece616b?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;drove to the bucket and scored to stop Bethany's 10-0 run to start the quarter.The Swedes got three big 3-pointers from a trio of players to pull out to a 10 point lead, 49-39, with 2:47 left in the quarter.That's when the Coyotes said 'enough is enough'.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4296a246-3837-4925-af08-417bdba94fd8?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>&nbsp;buried a triple to start Wesleyan's 10-0 run to end the quarter, and freshman&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/72193f70-5ad4-4de0-9653-ab37a781429d?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Odessa Ozuna</a>&nbsp;would score the next seven Coyote points, including getting a steal and a bucket to end the quarter and send the game to the fourth tied at 49."Odessa came out in the first quarter and played like a freshman, and I brought her out and I put my arm around her and said 'you're fine'," Showman said. "And every time we put her back in she did great, she made plays, and was a big reason why we were able to come back in the third quarter. She's going to be pretty darn good when it's all said and done."Adams hit the first bucket of the fourth for the Coyotes giving KWU a 51-49 lead, but Bethany tied it up and took a 54-51 lead with just under seven minutes left in the game.Back came the Coyotes again.A three-point play by Ricks tied it up again at 54, and after Bethany scored, Ozuna came through again with a basket to tie it at 56-all, and the freshman would give the Coyotes the lead at 58-56 with 5:43 left.Bethany took one last lead at 59-58 with five minutes left when the Coyotes took over. A bucket by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/06f3862e-7482-4407-b202-4304cf3eb458?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Skyler Evans</a>&nbsp;put KWU up 60-59, and the Coyotes would not give up the lead the rest of the night.Leading by two with 20 seconds left,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/04160b51-c8f0-43d4-89c8-a29f7e42c5f2?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Angel Lee</a>&nbsp;blocked a potential game-tying shot by Bethany and grabbed the rebound, and free throws down the stretch sealed it for the Coyotes.Wesleyan jumped out to a 10-5 lead to open the game, but Bethany came back and closed the first quarter on a 13-2 run that gave the Swedes an 18-12 lead after one.The Coyotes bounced back, responding with a 10-0 run capped by a free throw by Evans that made it 22-18 with 5:30 left in the half. Bethany came back and took a 25-24 lead with 2:23 left, but a strong finish to the half put the Coyotes up eight at 33-25 just before the half when Emily Green for Bethany hit a 35-foot running three as time expired to make it a 5-point game at the half.Five Coyotes reached double figures led by Ricks with 15, while&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/dbd1c5bc-74a3-400a-bba4-3b25b010bca7?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>&nbsp;had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Coyotes, and had three steals. Ozuna had 13 points and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/4804c67c-52df-49aa-9d7a-07ee68d21119?elinkdata=3110" target="_blank">Jill Stephens</a>&nbsp;added 11. Evans added six rebounds for the Coyotes. The Coyotes shot 52 percent in the second half and 43.1 percent for the game.Showman was proud of his team's effort in the game, making the hustle plays count."We talked a lot about making winning plays. We dove on the floor after balls a lot tonight, we went after the loose ball on shots a lot tonight. We made free throws to finish possessions. We made winning plays and that was the difference," he said.The Coyotes are back in action next week with two final games before the semester break. KWU is at Ottawa on Wednesday, then hosts Saint Mary next Saturday.

Third quarter rally fuels Coyote win over Swedes 71-66

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Making their second bowl appearance in as many seasons, the Kansas Jayhawks will play the UNLV Rebels in the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday, December 26. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. CT inside Chase Field – the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks — and will air on ESPN.

The bowl appearance will be Kansas’ 14th&nbsp;in program history, as the Jayhawks make their second consecutive bowl game for just the second time in program history. This year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be Kansas’ second appearance in the bowl, after playing in the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, resulting in a 42-21 victory over Minnesota.

Kansas and UNLV will meet for the third time in the series history, as the two teams played in a home-and-home series in 2002 and 2003. Kansas won the most recent meeting in 2003, 46-24, while UNLV won the inaugural matchup in Las Vegas in 2022, 31-20.

The Jayhawks enter the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl with their best regular season record since 2007, finishing 8-4 (5-4 Big 12) in its their third year under head coach Lance Leipold.

Kansas opened the season with a 4-0 start for the second-straight season, rattling off wins against Missouri State (48-17), Illinois (34-23), at Nevada (31-24) and BYU (38-27). Kansas suffered its first lost at No. 3 Texas on Sept. 30, 40-14.

The Jayhawks returned home on Oct. 7 and rushed for 399 yards to defeat UCF, 51-22 for its fifth win. Two weeks later, Kansas defeated No. 6 Oklahoma on Homecoming, 38-33, marking its first win over a top-10 team in Lawrence since 1984, while becoming bowl-eligible for the second consecutive season.

Kansas closed out its regular season with two road wins over its final four games, including a thrilling 28-21 victory over Iowa State in Ames on Nov. 4. Following two-straight losses at home, the Jayhawks completed its regular season with a 49-16 win over Cincinnati on Nov. 25.

The five Big 12 Conference wins for the Jayhawks were the most since the 2007 season, while Kansas reached eight wins for the 15th&nbsp;time in program history.

The Jayhawks will enter the Guaranteed Rate Bowl with the No. 4 total defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 377.6 yards per game. Kansas’ offense averages 33.6 points per game, which enters bowl game ranked 29th&nbsp;nationally.

UNLV enters the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at 9-4 including a 6-2 record in Mountain West Conference play. The Rebels advanced to the Mountain West Championship, falling to Boise State, 44-20, on Dec. 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701636541497.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Making their second bowl appearance in as many seasons, the Kansas Jayhawks will play the UNLV Rebels in the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday, December 26. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. CT inside Chase Field – the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks — and will air on ESPN.The bowl appearance will be Kansas’ 14th&nbsp;in program history, as the Jayhawks make their second consecutive bowl game for just the second time in program history. This year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be Kansas’ second appearance in the bowl, after playing in the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona, resulting in a 42-21 victory over Minnesota.Kansas and UNLV will meet for the third time in the series history, as the two teams played in a home-and-home series in 2002 and 2003. Kansas won the most recent meeting in 2003, 46-24, while UNLV won the inaugural matchup in Las Vegas in 2022, 31-20.The Jayhawks enter the 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl with their best regular season record since 2007, finishing 8-4 (5-4 Big 12) in its their third year under head coach Lance Leipold.Kansas opened the season with a 4-0 start for the second-straight season, rattling off wins against Missouri State (48-17), Illinois (34-23), at Nevada (31-24) and BYU (38-27). Kansas suffered its first lost at No. 3 Texas on Sept. 30, 40-14.The Jayhawks returned home on Oct. 7 and rushed for 399 yards to defeat UCF, 51-22 for its fifth win. Two weeks later, Kansas defeated No. 6 Oklahoma on Homecoming, 38-33, marking its first win over a top-10 team in Lawrence since 1984, while becoming bowl-eligible for the second consecutive season.Kansas closed out its regular season with two road wins over its final four games, including a thrilling 28-21 victory over Iowa State in Ames on Nov. 4. Following two-straight losses at home, the Jayhawks completed its regular season with a 49-16 win over Cincinnati on Nov. 25.The five Big 12 Conference wins for the Jayhawks were the most since the 2007 season, while Kansas reached eight wins for the 15th&nbsp;time in program history.The Jayhawks will enter the Guaranteed Rate Bowl with the No. 4 total defense in the Big 12, allowing an average of 377.6 yards per game. Kansas’ offense averages 33.6 points per game, which enters bowl game ranked 29th&nbsp;nationally.UNLV enters the Guaranteed Rate Bowl at 9-4 including a 6-2 record in Mountain West Conference play. The Rebels advanced to the Mountain West Championship, falling to Boise State, 44-20, on Dec. 2.