LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Zeke Mayo scored 24 points, including a pair of clinching free throws with 3.1 seconds left, and No. 11 Kansas rallied to beat UCF 91-87 on Tuesday night to avoid its first back-to-back losses in Allen Fieldhouse in 36 years.

Hunter Dickinson added 24 points and Flory Bidunga had 10 points and 11 boards for the Jayhawks (15-5, 6-3 Big 12), who were coming off a double-overtime loss to sixth-ranked Houston.

The Knights (13-7, 4-5), who got 34 points from Keyshawn Hall and 19 from Darius Johnson, led by nine early in the second half before the Jayhawks used a 12-2 run to take their first lead since midway through the first half.

The Jayhawks were clinging to an 87-86 lead when KJ Adams, back after missing three games to a shoulder injury, made a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds left. Kansas fouled Johnson at the other end and he made one of two foul shots, and Mayo then went to the line for the clinching free throws.

Kansas has not lost consecutive games at the Phog since dropping four straight under Roy Williams in 1989.

UCF lost to the Jayhawks by 51 points at home a couple of weeks ago. So the fact that the Knights were able to take Kansas to the wire in Allen Fieldhouse speaks volumes about their resiliency.

Kansas played without Dajuan Harris Jr., who hurt his ankle in practice. The Jayhawks could have used his experience, especially when their guards got into foul trouble. He's played in 159 games and had started the last 98 of them.

Adams only scored 12 points, but his free throws in the final seconds were crucial.

Kansas got 29 points from its bench. UCF got two.

UCF plays BYU on Saturday. Kansas heads to Baylor the same day.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738121990712.png" alt="Photo Kansas athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Zeke Mayo scored 24 points, including a pair of clinching free throws with 3.1 seconds left, and No. 11 Kansas rallied to beat UCF 91-87 on Tuesday night to avoid its first back-to-back losses in Allen Fieldhouse in 36 years.Hunter Dickinson added 24 points and Flory Bidunga had 10 points and 11 boards for the Jayhawks (15-5, 6-3 Big 12), who were coming off a double-overtime loss to sixth-ranked Houston.The Knights (13-7, 4-5), who got 34 points from Keyshawn Hall and 19 from Darius Johnson, led by nine early in the second half before the Jayhawks used a 12-2 run to take their first lead since midway through the first half.The Jayhawks were clinging to an 87-86 lead when KJ Adams, back after missing three games to a shoulder injury, made a pair of free throws with 4.6 seconds left. Kansas fouled Johnson at the other end and he made one of two foul shots, and Mayo then went to the line for the clinching free throws.Kansas has not lost consecutive games at the Phog since dropping four straight under Roy Williams in 1989.<h2>Takeaways</h2>UCF lost to the Jayhawks by 51 points at home a couple of weeks ago. So the fact that the Knights were able to take Kansas to the wire in Allen Fieldhouse speaks volumes about their resiliency.Kansas played without Dajuan Harris Jr., who hurt his ankle in practice. The Jayhawks could have used his experience, especially when their guards got into foul trouble. He's played in 159 games and had started the last 98 of them.<h2>Key moment</h2>Adams only scored 12 points, but his free throws in the final seconds were crucial.<h2>Key stat</h2>Kansas got 29 points from its bench. UCF got two.<h2>Up next</h2>UCF plays BYU on Saturday. Kansas heads to Baylor the same day.

🏀 Zeke Mayo scores 24 as No. 11 Jayhawks rally past UCF

LAWRENCE, Kan. -&nbsp;Kansas Athletics once again excelled in the classroom, as 81 student-athletes were named to the Fall 2024 Academic All-Big 12 Team, the conference announced this week.

The 81 honorees represent football, volleyball, soccer, and cross country. Of those recognized, 76 KU student-athletes earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors, which requires maintaining a 3.20 or higher grade point average (GPA) and participating in at least 20 percent of their team’s contests. Five student-athletes Tori Wingrove (women’s cross country), Tanner Talley (men’s cross country), Dylan Downing (football), Luke Hosford (football), and Caroline Castans (soccer) all earned a 4.0 GPA in the fall semester.

The football program contributed 37 Academic All-Big 12 selections, which tied for the most in the conference with Iowa State. Kansas Cross Country had 22 honorees, with 20 of those student-athletes earning first team recognition. Volleyball posted 10 total selections, with all 10 placing on the first team. Soccer also delivered an impressive showing, with 10 student-athletes recognized overall.

Kansas' success in earning academic honors in the Big 12 reflects its strong commitment to supporting student-athletes both on and off the field. KU student-athletes achieved a combined 3.45 GPA during the Fall 2024 semester, setting a new program record. Impressively, Jayhawk student-athletes have now set or tied a program GPA record in each of the last four semesters.

LAWRENCE, Kan. -&nbsp;Kansas Athletics once again excelled in the classroom, as 81 student-athletes were named to the Fall 2024 Academic All-Big 12 Team, the conference announced this week.The 81 honorees represent football, volleyball, soccer, and cross country. Of those recognized, 76 KU student-athletes earned Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors, which requires maintaining a 3.20 or higher grade point average (GPA) and participating in at least 20 percent of their team’s contests. Five student-athletes Tori Wingrove (women’s cross country), Tanner Talley (men’s cross country), Dylan Downing (football), Luke Hosford (football), and Caroline Castans (soccer) all earned a 4.0 GPA in the fall semester.The football program contributed 37 Academic All-Big 12 selections, which tied for the most in the conference with Iowa State. Kansas Cross Country had 22 honorees, with 20 of those student-athletes earning first team recognition. Volleyball posted 10 total selections, with all 10 placing on the first team. Soccer also delivered an impressive showing, with 10 student-athletes recognized overall.Kansas' success in earning academic honors in the Big 12 reflects its strong commitment to supporting student-athletes both on and off the field. KU student-athletes achieved a combined 3.45 GPA during the Fall 2024 semester, setting a new program record. Impressively, Jayhawk student-athletes have now set or tied a program GPA record in each of the last four semesters.

Kansas Earns 81 Academic All-Big 12 Selections and Sets New GPA Records for Fall 2024 Semester

LAWRENCE, KAN. –&nbsp;Kansas’ Jared Casey was named Second Team Academic All-America as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday. The team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.

Casey, from Plainville, Kansas, earns his first CSC Academic All-America honor with a 3.91 GPA in Sport Management at KU. Casey becomes the 15th Jayhawk in program history to earn the Academic All-America distinction, including the fifth in the past three seasons, joining Mason Fairchild (2023), Jalon Daniels (2022), Sam Burt (2022) and Earl Bostick Jr (2002).

Casey recently finished his senior season as a Jayhawk, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2024. Casey was fifth on the team with 18 receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns as a senior. He was previously named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, and he was on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.

To qualify for the Academic All-America teams, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50, be at least a sophomore athletically and academically with a year in residence at the school and appear in 90 percent of all contests. Upon being named Academic All-District, individuals are placed on the All-America ballot.

LAWRENCE, KAN. –&nbsp;Kansas’ Jared Casey was named Second Team Academic All-America as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC) on Tuesday. The team recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.Casey, from Plainville, Kansas, earns his first CSC Academic All-America honor with a 3.91 GPA in Sport Management at KU. Casey becomes the 15th Jayhawk in program history to earn the Academic All-America distinction, including the fifth in the past three seasons, joining Mason Fairchild (2023), Jalon Daniels (2022), Sam Burt (2022) and Earl Bostick Jr (2002).Casey recently finished his senior season as a Jayhawk, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2024. Casey was fifth on the team with 18 receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns as a senior. He was previously named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, and he was on the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List.To qualify for the Academic All-America teams, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50, be at least a sophomore athletically and academically with a year in residence at the school and appear in 90 percent of all contests. Upon being named Academic All-District, individuals are placed on the All-America ballot.

Jared Casey Named to CSC Academic All-America Team

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State senior offensive lineman&nbsp;Easton Kilty&nbsp;and senior defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott&nbsp;were honored for their work in the classroom on Tuesday as the duo was named to the 2024 Academic All-America football team as selected by the College Sports Communicators.

Kilty was named to the first team and Mott was named to the second team, and both players were honored for the first time in their careers. It is the seventh time in school history that the Wildcats had two players earn Academic All-America status in the same season, including the second-straight year after Cooper Beebe and Ben Sinnott were named to the first team in 2023.

A transfer from North Dakota, Kilty holds a 4.00 GPA in communication studies. He was an All-Big 12 Second Team honoree by the league’s coaches in addition to picking up votes for the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award. The Stratford, Wisconsin, native started all 13 games at left tackle, helping lead an offensive line unit that aided the Wildcats in setting school records in rushing yards per carry (6.08) and offensive yards per play (6.57) as they finished second and 13th nationally in those two categories, respectively. Protecting the quarterback’s blind side, Kilty helped K-State surrender only 13 sacks on the season – its fewest since 2000 – while the Wildcats’ 1.00 sacks allowed per game average ranked 10th in the nation.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;Kansas State senior offensive lineman&nbsp;Easton Kilty&nbsp;and senior defensive end&nbsp;Brendan Mott&nbsp;were honored for their work in the classroom on Tuesday as the duo was named to the 2024 Academic All-America football team as selected by the College Sports Communicators.Kilty was named to the first team and Mott was named to the second team, and both players were honored for the first time in their careers. It is the seventh time in school history that the Wildcats had two players earn Academic All-America status in the same season, including the second-straight year after Cooper Beebe and Ben Sinnott were named to the first team in 2023.A transfer from North Dakota, Kilty holds a 4.00 GPA in communication studies. He was an All-Big 12 Second Team honoree by the league’s coaches in addition to picking up votes for the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award. The Stratford, Wisconsin, native started all 13 games at left tackle, helping lead an offensive line unit that aided the Wildcats in setting school records in rushing yards per carry (6.08) and offensive yards per play (6.57) as they finished second and 13th nationally in those two categories, respectively. Protecting the quarterback’s blind side, Kilty helped K-State surrender only 13 sacks on the season – its fewest since 2000 – while the Wildcats’ 1.00 sacks allowed per game average ranked 10th in the nation.

K-State’s Kilty, Mott Earn Academic All-America Honors

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, I have no injuries to mention to you. I think we came out of the game pretty clean as far as those go – unless something pops up here, which we’ll let you know down the road. Listen, we sure appreciate the support that we had yesterday and throughout the night there and really even to the celebration after the game, everybody stayed and – that was obviously a Chiefs fan, so it was a great event. When I say all of this, we understand that we have a big challenge ahead of us coming up with the Eagles, but we sure appreciate everybody involved in helping us get to that point. It always starts with the Hunt family and the great job in which they do of supporting and giving us opportunities to be successful. (President) Mark Donovan who doesn’t get a whole lot of credit from anybody, but he’s the President of the organization and really does a ton for the organization in so many different ways and helps bring this community in to be a part of what we do. Then, (General Manager) Brett Veach for the great job that he and his crew do with bringing players in and then the coaches and players. I mentioned this last night and it takes everybody to get to this point. I say this because we’re 19 games into this thing (the season) and it’s not about one person or one player or one coach, it’s about everybody. It’s everybody coming together and there’s no more important game than the one we’re going to play in that we need that joint effort. Then, the other team that we’re playing, the Eagles, they’re there for a reason, and it’s because they’re a good football team, so we’ve got to make sure that we keep everything together and work and get a nice plan together for this group. Anyways, with that, time’s yours.”

Q: You run a lot of different plays out of the same formation. Are those plays usually worked on in training camp or is it a week-to-week install?

REID:&nbsp;“Some of them (plays) we’ve worked on before (but) you always add a little wrinkle here and there to them as you go, and you feel the comfort of how the play’s being executed in practice. We’ve experimented with those all the way back to the offseason and into (training) camp. I would tell you that (Offensive Line) Coach (Andy) Heck does a great job with the run game and putting that together. I’ve always mentioned that he gets everybody involved, but he also comes up with some pretty good things there so my hat goes off to him.”

Q: On the thought process during the time out before the third-and-nine play call.

REID:&nbsp;“On that, Jesse (Newell), we go through, and we look at this before the game, like if it comes down to a third down or fourth down and the game’s on the line. We talk to quarterbacks about it, the coaches talk about it and that was kind of our number one option there as a go-to play for this game and it was just a matter of hoping that they’d be in the right coverage for that play, so it worked out okay that way. (Offensive Coordinator) Matt (Nagy) spends endless time going through all of that with the guys. You start on Tuesdays and you kind of refine it down until you get to the game. We just brought the guys over (to) calm the storm just a little bit and talk to them about – make sure (that) everybody was right on their assignments.”

Q:&nbsp;A lot of competitors seem to need extra stuff to motivate them, but you seem to focus on the moment in process. Is that true? How does that motivate you?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think all the guys want to do well. I take that for – maybe for granted. Guys don’t want to be embarrassed out there, so as coaches it’s our responsibility to teach them and put them in the best positions for them to be successful. This is their living that their working at and so you hope they can hang on for awhile and take advantage of that part. Then, (General Manager) Brett Veach does a great job at bringing guys in that kind of have that attitude – that ‘want to’ attitude – and I think that’s very important. It’s an important part of the process. We’re fortunate to have a bunch of guys that feel that way and at the same time, they feed off of each other, which is also important.”

Q:&nbsp;Does the journey and the process fulfill you as much as anything else about the job?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean, I like to teach. I think if you’re going to be a coach, you have to be a teacher first. There is a lot that goes into that, it’s not just knowing your stuff, but how it’s presented and the trust that you have in the guys and then the work that goes into each play. I mean, the detail and work that these coaches put in, I think, is important. When we see success, we enjoy that – I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing the guys go out and do something good. I’m happy for them because I know the time and the effort that went into it. There’s an aptitude part of that, you know?”

Q:&nbsp;What do you feel Xavier Worthy has improved at the most in the second half of the season?

REID:&nbsp;“I was actually talking to his (Xavier Worthy’s) mom about that after the game. I mean, the kid every week has just gotten better and better and better, and he’s really put together a nice half of the season (in) the second half here. Not that he didn’t have good plays in the first half, but you can see he was learning in the first half and that the quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) was kind of learning where he was going to be and how he was going to get there and then against all these different coverages that teams throw at you. It looks like they’re on the same page and they’ll have a big challenge this week or this next – in two weeks with the Eagles. Their secondary – they have a real good secondary there too.”

Q:&nbsp;What makes Patrick Mahomes different in close games and what allows him to have success in the fourth quarter?

REID:&nbsp;“Phenomenal player, had a phenomenal night last night. There’s no change in him (Patrick Mahomes) as you go. He comes in competitive; he’s going to finish competitive right down to the end. The pressure part of it when things can dilate you a little bit when things are tight, don’t do that to him. He kind of flourishes in those moments when they’re the toughest and he’s just – he’s wired that way. I’m sure growing up in a locker room with his dad (Patrick Mahomes Sr.) was a big part of that or at least a part of it, but some if it is just innate that’s given to you. He’s one of those guys, the tighter the situation, the looser he plays.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you explain the parity in the league after winning so many close games?

REID:&nbsp;“I think it’s a little bit of what I was saying there just with Pat (Mahomes) that, I think the guys, they kind of thrive on that. I look at (Leo) Chenal and he goes out (in) the Texans game and goes, ‘I’m going to block the field goal.’ He tells (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub that. Toub goes, ‘Let’s go, let’s go. We can get the’ – he (Leo Chenal) goes, ‘No, it’s done.’ I mean, that’s kind of the attitude that these guys have and it’s not just him, it’s all these guys. When given an opportunity, they’ve stepped up in those situations and as a coach, you love that part, and you know that’s a rare thing. These games could’ve gone either way and no different than last night and guys, they take so much pride in stepping up and they don’t shrink in those situations.”

Q:&nbsp;In what other ways are the Eagles different than when you saw them in the Super Bowl two years ago?

REID:&nbsp;“Well, those receivers are – been in the offense now for a while and they have good tight ends, they have good receivers, I mean real good receivers and they have a running back (Eagles RB Saquon Barkley) that arguably is one of the best in the history of the game. Their offensive line, for all those guys to work, their offensive line has to be good, too. Then, their quarterback (Eagles QB Jalen Hurts) is dialing it up right now so whatever injuries he had early in the season, I mean, he’s playing like crazy right now. That’s a heck of an offense and another huge challenge for us.”

Q:&nbsp;How does the trust in the defense build and how important is it in big moments?

REID:&nbsp;“Listen, (Defensive Backs Coach) Dave (Merritt), (Safeties Coach) Donald (D’Alesio), (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) – I mean, all of these coaches – (Linebackers Coach) Brendan (Daly), I mean, they’re all in with (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags. They know the scheme like the back of their hand. Spags has confidence in them and then the players have confidence in their coaches and Spags. That and they want to learn the system, that’s a tough system, Matt (Derrick). You have to really – you have to stay focused during the meetings, you have to detail it at practice, you have to detail the walkthroughs that you do (and) meetings on the field. Then, most of all, you have to execute it on game day, but there’s that trust, that whole foundation that you’ve built with the trust and these guys, they’ve got that. Then, likewise, I have the confidence in Spags and in certain situations, I just know he’s going to – I don’t even run over to him and go, ‘Hey, let’s not do that or this.’ I have enough confidence in him and been around him long enough to know he’s going to make the right call for the right time.”

Q: How quickly did you turn the page from the game last night to the Eagles?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Chris Jones) was off by a couple hours, but I’ve been watching it for a while here. I try to get back on it – listen, it’s about the game, right? It’s about how you perform in the game and the Eagles didn’t get there because they’re not a good team, the Eagles got there because they’re the best team in the NFC. They’re a great football team. As coaches, we’ve got to dig in and get going and make sure that we can feed the players a good gameplan for them. Most of that work, Matt (Derrick) gets done this week. I know it's a two-week period before the game but once you get down to New Orleans it’s a bit chaotic, so you want to make sure you take care of business now.”

Q: What kind of energy do you get from the new guys who haven’t been through this before?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s a great question Todd (Leabo). I mean I love that part; I went around all those guys, man. I was so happy for them. Just seeing Kareem (Hunt) standing there going, ‘Wow, this is unbelievable,’ or D.J. (Humphries) jumping up and down, who’s been in this league a while and been through a few things or DeAndre (Hopkins), he had a smile on his face, it was a mile wide. I mean all those things, (Samaje) Perine goes and helps seals the game for us – a new addition. All that stuff is great, that’s why you do this, that’s why you do this as a coach. To get to see those guys that have achieved like they’ve achieved here.”

Q: Did getting guys healthy and opening up the playbook lead to you guys scoring the most points you’ve scored all season?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, sure. It was a good day to get over 30 (points). You knew you were going to somewhere do that and there was no better time than against that team because they’ve got an explosive offense. You knew you were going to have to go for it for – whatever term you want to use but there’s certain situations where you just have to cut it loose a little bit. I think we’re at that point where guys are back healthy and they’ve been able to practice fast with Pat (Mahomes) and then you cut it loose a little bit, yes.”

Q: On Kareem Hunt coming back this season.

REID:&nbsp;“He (Kareem Hunt) called me, Vahe (Gregorian). I mean, he just said he wanted to be there, I knew he had changed. I had spent some time with him at Pat’s (Mahomes) wedding. He’s got a good heart, even when he went through his deal, he’s got a good heart. I had confidence that he could jump in and help us. I knew he wanted to redeem himself amongst the community and kind of get that part that people can change and ‘I’m changed’ is what he’s saying, so I think that’s been a positive.”

Q: On the long review on fourth down.

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid QuotesJanuary 27, 2025OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“Alright, I have no injuries to mention to you. I think we came out of the game pretty clean as far as those go – unless something pops up here, which we’ll let you know down the road. Listen, we sure appreciate the support that we had yesterday and throughout the night there and really even to the celebration after the game, everybody stayed and – that was obviously a Chiefs fan, so it was a great event. When I say all of this, we understand that we have a big challenge ahead of us coming up with the Eagles, but we sure appreciate everybody involved in helping us get to that point. It always starts with the Hunt family and the great job in which they do of supporting and giving us opportunities to be successful. (President) Mark Donovan who doesn’t get a whole lot of credit from anybody, but he’s the President of the organization and really does a ton for the organization in so many different ways and helps bring this community in to be a part of what we do. Then, (General Manager) Brett Veach for the great job that he and his crew do with bringing players in and then the coaches and players. I mentioned this last night and it takes everybody to get to this point. I say this because we’re 19 games into this thing (the season) and it’s not about one person or one player or one coach, it’s about everybody. It’s everybody coming together and there’s no more important game than the one we’re going to play in that we need that joint effort. Then, the other team that we’re playing, the Eagles, they’re there for a reason, and it’s because they’re a good football team, so we’ve got to make sure that we keep everything together and work and get a nice plan together for this group. Anyways, with that, time’s yours.”Q: You run a lot of different plays out of the same formation. Are those plays usually worked on in training camp or is it a week-to-week install?REID:&nbsp;“Some of them (plays) we’ve worked on before (but) you always add a little wrinkle here and there to them as you go, and you feel the comfort of how the play’s being executed in practice. We’ve experimented with those all the way back to the offseason and into (training) camp. I would tell you that (Offensive Line) Coach (Andy) Heck does a great job with the run game and putting that together. I’ve always mentioned that he gets everybody involved, but he also comes up with some pretty good things there so my hat goes off to him.”Q: On the thought process during the time out before the third-and-nine play call.REID:&nbsp;“On that, Jesse (Newell), we go through, and we look at this before the game, like if it comes down to a third down or fourth down and the game’s on the line. We talk to quarterbacks about it, the coaches talk about it and that was kind of our number one option there as a go-to play for this game and it was just a matter of hoping that they’d be in the right coverage for that play, so it worked out okay that way. (Offensive Coordinator) Matt (Nagy) spends endless time going through all of that with the guys. You start on Tuesdays and you kind of refine it down until you get to the game. We just brought the guys over (to) calm the storm just a little bit and talk to them about – make sure (that) everybody was right on their assignments.”Q:&nbsp;A lot of competitors seem to need extra stuff to motivate them, but you seem to focus on the moment in process. Is that true? How does that motivate you?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, I think all the guys want to do well. I take that for – maybe for granted. Guys don’t want to be embarrassed out there, so as coaches it’s our responsibility to teach them and put them in the best positions for them to be successful. This is their living that their working at and so you hope they can hang on for awhile and take advantage of that part. Then, (General Manager) Brett Veach does a great job at bringing guys in that kind of have that attitude – that ‘want to’ attitude – and I think that’s very important. It’s an important part of the process. We’re fortunate to have a bunch of guys that feel that way and at the same time, they feed off of each other, which is also important.”Q:&nbsp;Does the journey and the process fulfill you as much as anything else about the job?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I mean, I like to teach. I think if you’re going to be a coach, you have to be a teacher first. There is a lot that goes into that, it’s not just knowing your stuff, but how it’s presented and the trust that you have in the guys and then the work that goes into each play. I mean, the detail and work that these coaches put in, I think, is important. When we see success, we enjoy that – I enjoy that. I enjoy seeing the guys go out and do something good. I’m happy for them because I know the time and the effort that went into it. There’s an aptitude part of that, you know?”Q:&nbsp;What do you feel Xavier Worthy has improved at the most in the second half of the season?REID:&nbsp;“I was actually talking to his (Xavier Worthy’s) mom about that after the game. I mean, the kid every week has just gotten better and better and better, and he’s really put together a nice half of the season (in) the second half here. Not that he didn’t have good plays in the first half, but you can see he was learning in the first half and that the quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) was kind of learning where he was going to be and how he was going to get there and then against all these different coverages that teams throw at you. It looks like they’re on the same page and they’ll have a big challenge this week or this next – in two weeks with the Eagles. Their secondary – they have a real good secondary there too.”Q:&nbsp;What makes Patrick Mahomes different in close games and what allows him to have success in the fourth quarter?REID:&nbsp;“Phenomenal player, had a phenomenal night last night. There’s no change in him (Patrick Mahomes) as you go. He comes in competitive; he’s going to finish competitive right down to the end. The pressure part of it when things can dilate you a little bit when things are tight, don’t do that to him. He kind of flourishes in those moments when they’re the toughest and he’s just – he’s wired that way. I’m sure growing up in a locker room with his dad (Patrick Mahomes Sr.) was a big part of that or at least a part of it, but some if it is just innate that’s given to you. He’s one of those guys, the tighter the situation, the looser he plays.”Q:&nbsp;How do you explain the parity in the league after winning so many close games?REID:&nbsp;“I think it’s a little bit of what I was saying there just with Pat (Mahomes) that, I think the guys, they kind of thrive on that. I look at (Leo) Chenal and he goes out (in) the Texans game and goes, ‘I’m going to block the field goal.’ He tells (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub that. Toub goes, ‘Let’s go, let’s go. We can get the’ – he (Leo Chenal) goes, ‘No, it’s done.’ I mean, that’s kind of the attitude that these guys have and it’s not just him, it’s all these guys. When given an opportunity, they’ve stepped up in those situations and as a coach, you love that part, and you know that’s a rare thing. These games could’ve gone either way and no different than last night and guys, they take so much pride in stepping up and they don’t shrink in those situations.”Q:&nbsp;In what other ways are the Eagles different than when you saw them in the Super Bowl two years ago?REID:&nbsp;“Well, those receivers are – been in the offense now for a while and they have good tight ends, they have good receivers, I mean real good receivers and they have a running back (Eagles RB Saquon Barkley) that arguably is one of the best in the history of the game. Their offensive line, for all those guys to work, their offensive line has to be good, too. Then, their quarterback (Eagles QB Jalen Hurts) is dialing it up right now so whatever injuries he had early in the season, I mean, he’s playing like crazy right now. That’s a heck of an offense and another huge challenge for us.”Q:&nbsp;How does the trust in the defense build and how important is it in big moments?REID:&nbsp;“Listen, (Defensive Backs Coach) Dave (Merritt), (Safeties Coach) Donald (D’Alesio), (Defensive Line Coach) Joe (Cullen) – I mean, all of these coaches – (Linebackers Coach) Brendan (Daly), I mean, they’re all in with (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags. They know the scheme like the back of their hand. Spags has confidence in them and then the players have confidence in their coaches and Spags. That and they want to learn the system, that’s a tough system, Matt (Derrick). You have to really – you have to stay focused during the meetings, you have to detail it at practice, you have to detail the walkthroughs that you do (and) meetings on the field. Then, most of all, you have to execute it on game day, but there’s that trust, that whole foundation that you’ve built with the trust and these guys, they’ve got that. Then, likewise, I have the confidence in Spags and in certain situations, I just know he’s going to – I don’t even run over to him and go, ‘Hey, let’s not do that or this.’ I have enough confidence in him and been around him long enough to know he’s going to make the right call for the right time.”Q: How quickly did you turn the page from the game last night to the Eagles?REID:&nbsp;“He (Chris Jones) was off by a couple hours, but I’ve been watching it for a while here. I try to get back on it – listen, it’s about the game, right? It’s about how you perform in the game and the Eagles didn’t get there because they’re not a good team, the Eagles got there because they’re the best team in the NFC. They’re a great football team. As coaches, we’ve got to dig in and get going and make sure that we can feed the players a good gameplan for them. Most of that work, Matt (Derrick) gets done this week. I know it's a two-week period before the game but once you get down to New Orleans it’s a bit chaotic, so you want to make sure you take care of business now.”Q: What kind of energy do you get from the new guys who haven’t been through this before?REID:&nbsp;“That’s a great question Todd (Leabo). I mean I love that part; I went around all those guys, man. I was so happy for them. Just seeing Kareem (Hunt) standing there going, ‘Wow, this is unbelievable,’ or D.J. (Humphries) jumping up and down, who’s been in this league a while and been through a few things or DeAndre (Hopkins), he had a smile on his face, it was a mile wide. I mean all those things, (Samaje) Perine goes and helps seals the game for us – a new addition. All that stuff is great, that’s why you do this, that’s why you do this as a coach. To get to see those guys that have achieved like they’ve achieved here.”Q: Did getting guys healthy and opening up the playbook lead to you guys scoring the most points you’ve scored all season?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, sure. It was a good day to get over 30 (points). You knew you were going to somewhere do that and there was no better time than against that team because they’ve got an explosive offense. You knew you were going to have to go for it for – whatever term you want to use but there’s certain situations where you just have to cut it loose a little bit. I think we’re at that point where guys are back healthy and they’ve been able to practice fast with Pat (Mahomes) and then you cut it loose a little bit, yes.”Q: On Kareem Hunt coming back this season.REID:&nbsp;“He (Kareem Hunt) called me, Vahe (Gregorian). I mean, he just said he wanted to be there, I knew he had changed. I had spent some time with him at Pat’s (Mahomes) wedding. He’s got a good heart, even when he went through his deal, he’s got a good heart. I had confidence that he could jump in and help us. I knew he wanted to redeem himself amongst the community and kind of get that part that people can change and ‘I’m changed’ is what he’s saying, so I think that’s been a positive.”Q: On the long review on fourth down.

Chiefs Quotes: 1-27-25

SEWARD, Neb. - Several Kansas Wesleyan men's track and field athletes punched their tickets to the NAIA Indoor National Championships in March hitting national qualifying marks on Saturday at the Concordia Classic.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43ded15d-840b-4dc8-b503-fceb3fbaf967?elinkdata=17934">Julian Avila</a> won the 1000m and hit the NAIA Automatic qualifying time with a 2:28.30.

The 4x800m relay team also hit the NAIA Automatic time with a second place finish. The group of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5998b50d-eabb-4b59-915d-a5a5ff7afb35?elinkdata=17934">Triston Cottone</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3c3f910b-95a1-412b-b67a-410a744d2581?elinkdata=17934">Wyatt Johnson</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3c65210a-90e4-48ea-ac1c-59056f2a1d3f?elinkdata=17934">Ty Davidson</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/63e3ad3b-3695-4eac-87fa-b9ced409a444?elinkdata=17934">Julian Avila</a> finished with a time of 7:52.08.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d496db8-54f2-428a-a472-705a2657c37e?elinkdata=17934">Triston Cottone</a> placed fifth in the 600m with a time of 1:24.59, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55774bbf-9e56-4c85-9670-cbd86a3bcc40?elinkdata=17934">Wyatt Johnson</a> was sixth in 1:24.69 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/20f115cc-5fce-4a93-889e-6f24d9a9ae5d?elinkdata=17934">Nate Chavez</a> was 10th in 1:26.34.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d0bf4c7-73c5-42b6-bc59-38c44a3adf7b?elinkdata=17934">Keegan Lott</a> finished sixth in the seeded section of the shot put with a mark of 15.21m.

Also in the 1000m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e499690f-28ca-4b10-9e80-d48c95120cdf?elinkdata=17934">Ty Davidson</a> placed sixth in 2:34.56, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/54dd94a8-77ad-48cc-8dfc-283679bd5968?elinkdata=17934">Ian Doss</a> was eighth in 2;38.23 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f8e0c813-5018-4b7c-ae0f-d727d79e48a3?elinkdata=17934">Austin Schaeffer</a> was 14th in 2:51.41.

In the 5000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d0bfd70b-35c1-4f8e-a938-d767aac1de9b?elinkdata=17934">Cisco Alvarez</a> placed seventh in 16:46.63.

KWU had two teams in the 4x400m relay. The group of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/32743b47-bcca-4f21-bca1-dbe8b52c34bd?elinkdata=17934">Trevor Peal</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/97590c15-3a5c-4f5a-8773-2d55ff182d7d?elinkdata=17934">Andrew Smith</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8723ee23-3c1b-4a47-a9ba-45a2e70c1606?elinkdata=17934">Nate Chavez</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d818fa9d-73ee-4742-9021-02f64bb3135d?elinkdata=17934">Nicolas Martinez</a> was seventh with a time of 3:33.97 and the group of Sidney Washingon, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aa8821ac-30b0-4e53-a8f7-07618880f815?elinkdata=17934">Ian Doss</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/db439ddd-18df-4acd-834b-bd3c1992f17f?elinkdata=17934">Giovanni Rios</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f719320b-bda7-4389-9dc3-a0ea58c22cdf?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> was ninth in 3:40.19.

In the unseeded section of the weight throw, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9b711eb5-143f-4c5f-beff-12c798da4e48?elinkdata=17934">Keegan Lott</a> finished seventh with a mark of 14.99m, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d2aea62-c52e-4be3-8311-c03dd4852b58?elinkdata=17934">Austin Baird</a> finished 42nd with a mark of 10.31m.

In the 3000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0ffa3cdd-24ee-460e-b96b-602e6ff641e3?elinkdata=17934">Evan Pearce</a> was 10th in 8:56.84, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/19037570-40ab-465f-b8fb-65f4e3082d95?elinkdata=17934">Tytus Reed</a> was 23rd in 9:24.54 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0ce1b2fe-2b00-4362-bb4a-b0180ab15226?elinkdata=17934">Brodie Bradshaw</a> was 34th in 10:02.20.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b22fea36-4b04-459d-97dd-e49230ba49b2?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> finished 11th in the triple jump with a mark of 12.64m.

In the 60m preliminaries <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/20f5ee3d-a2d7-4fef-b5a7-5ae548a75db9?elinkdata=17934">Zamari Burrell</a> placed 12th with a time of 7.11 seconds, DeJaylon Beal was 29th in 7.34, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b730ba06-d24e-412f-8c09-62da617c13a6?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 38th in 7.42, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8105da87-889f-40fd-8907-77ffa3000de0?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 44th in 7.53, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/811b1ac8-5bab-44ec-89f7-6d9a93bc3c51?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 53rd in 7.63 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/64bdeaa3-6dc9-4647-8bb7-645ed5fcc72c?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> was 57th in 7.67.

In the mile, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b8208680-15b1-49ad-9865-045afbc0c154?elinkdata=17934">Austin Schaeffer</a> was 12th in 4:29.37, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cbbca13e-061e-4280-980c-64c937c2ec26?elinkdata=17934">Nicolas Martinez</a> was 20th in 4:37.83, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/36005b1a-cc64-4324-b701-d4ca9c2f218f?elinkdata=17934">Tim Parish</a> was 26th in 4:40.83, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d19bc00-8902-4595-b385-34dfe8858739?elinkdata=17934">Will Childers</a> was 43rd in 5:05.05 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51360637-9d46-43ea-a63e-a099e86ec466?elinkdata=17934">Jack Horacek</a> was 46th in 5:10.60.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/528a9daa-e90d-4d75-a797-e7d7e11306dc?elinkdata=17934">Riley Garcia</a> was 14th in the 60m hurdles with a time of 11.37 seconds.

In the long jump, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6bfe23a8-82eb-4d2c-be07-75c0628de11d?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 14th with a marak of 6.29m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a7a2cad3-1506-4650-b765-903d9b071c78?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 24th with a mark of 5.97m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c58ceece-267e-430e-8e1d-769f9ca86e3d?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 27th with a mark of 5.69m.

DeJaylon Beal finished 15th in the 200m with a time of 23.89 seconds, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a1667cb5-634f-4064-8283-dfc82accae2a?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 20th in 24.21, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac6163c8-a041-44a3-a337-fb0f85e1f25f?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 31st in 24.72 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d854ff4-4270-43f8-ae98-d48bec59c743?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 33rd in 24.84.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33232031-c5b9-41e8-974f-8b833b5b72f2?elinkdata=17934">Riley Garcia</a> was 21st in the 400m with a time of 53.70 seconds, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f62da2b6-9229-4eb7-9b54-4472863a99d2?elinkdata=17934">Trevor Peal</a> was 23rd in 53.86, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5eba8c26-1e7f-4cbf-9059-e8eb7f130121?elinkdata=17934">Andrew Smith</a> was 25th in 54.25, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c994c443-2a9f-4fbf-a052-296593087f98?elinkdata=17934">Cayden Purcell</a> was 30th in 55.76, DeJaylon Beal was 34th in 56.37 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/679c2789-1ac4-4f1f-a659-2e5bd8478e5e?elinkdata=17934">Sidney Washington</a> was 35th in 56.43.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6bba5c11-6e84-477c-a5cd-4f18970ffaf7?elinkdata=17934">Will Childers</a> was 23rd in the 800m with a time of 2:22.40 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/07f44dd4-c1c0-4a0f-83a8-d81f5ff82dbf?elinkdata=17934">Remington Wiseman</a> was 24th in 2:57.79.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d199fb9e-b85c-456f-afbe-e67aab25c195?elinkdata=17934">Keyon Baccus</a> was 25th with a mark of 12.05m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9c01f9aa-9b91-4825-a74b-5cb4ab3eb832?elinkdata=17934">Austin Baird</a> was 41st with a mark of 9.44m in the unseeded section of the shot put.

SEWARD, Neb. - Several Kansas Wesleyan men's track and field athletes punched their tickets to the NAIA Indoor National Championships in March hitting national qualifying marks on Saturday at the Concordia Classic.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/43ded15d-840b-4dc8-b503-fceb3fbaf967?elinkdata=17934">Julian Avila</a> won the 1000m and hit the NAIA Automatic qualifying time with a 2:28.30.The 4x800m relay team also hit the NAIA Automatic time with a second place finish. The group of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5998b50d-eabb-4b59-915d-a5a5ff7afb35?elinkdata=17934">Triston Cottone</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3c3f910b-95a1-412b-b67a-410a744d2581?elinkdata=17934">Wyatt Johnson</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3c65210a-90e4-48ea-ac1c-59056f2a1d3f?elinkdata=17934">Ty Davidson</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/63e3ad3b-3695-4eac-87fa-b9ced409a444?elinkdata=17934">Julian Avila</a> finished with a time of 7:52.08.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3d496db8-54f2-428a-a472-705a2657c37e?elinkdata=17934">Triston Cottone</a> placed fifth in the 600m with a time of 1:24.59, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55774bbf-9e56-4c85-9670-cbd86a3bcc40?elinkdata=17934">Wyatt Johnson</a> was sixth in 1:24.69 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/20f115cc-5fce-4a93-889e-6f24d9a9ae5d?elinkdata=17934">Nate Chavez</a> was 10th in 1:26.34.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d0bf4c7-73c5-42b6-bc59-38c44a3adf7b?elinkdata=17934">Keegan Lott</a> finished sixth in the seeded section of the shot put with a mark of 15.21m.Also in the 1000m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e499690f-28ca-4b10-9e80-d48c95120cdf?elinkdata=17934">Ty Davidson</a> placed sixth in 2:34.56, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/54dd94a8-77ad-48cc-8dfc-283679bd5968?elinkdata=17934">Ian Doss</a> was eighth in 2;38.23 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f8e0c813-5018-4b7c-ae0f-d727d79e48a3?elinkdata=17934">Austin Schaeffer</a> was 14th in 2:51.41.In the 5000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d0bfd70b-35c1-4f8e-a938-d767aac1de9b?elinkdata=17934">Cisco Alvarez</a> placed seventh in 16:46.63.KWU had two teams in the 4x400m relay. The group of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/32743b47-bcca-4f21-bca1-dbe8b52c34bd?elinkdata=17934">Trevor Peal</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/97590c15-3a5c-4f5a-8773-2d55ff182d7d?elinkdata=17934">Andrew Smith</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8723ee23-3c1b-4a47-a9ba-45a2e70c1606?elinkdata=17934">Nate Chavez</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d818fa9d-73ee-4742-9021-02f64bb3135d?elinkdata=17934">Nicolas Martinez</a> was seventh with a time of 3:33.97 and the group of Sidney Washingon, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aa8821ac-30b0-4e53-a8f7-07618880f815?elinkdata=17934">Ian Doss</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/db439ddd-18df-4acd-834b-bd3c1992f17f?elinkdata=17934">Giovanni Rios</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f719320b-bda7-4389-9dc3-a0ea58c22cdf?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> was ninth in 3:40.19.In the unseeded section of the weight throw, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9b711eb5-143f-4c5f-beff-12c798da4e48?elinkdata=17934">Keegan Lott</a> finished seventh with a mark of 14.99m, and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5d2aea62-c52e-4be3-8311-c03dd4852b58?elinkdata=17934">Austin Baird</a> finished 42nd with a mark of 10.31m.In the 3000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0ffa3cdd-24ee-460e-b96b-602e6ff641e3?elinkdata=17934">Evan Pearce</a> was 10th in 8:56.84, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/19037570-40ab-465f-b8fb-65f4e3082d95?elinkdata=17934">Tytus Reed</a> was 23rd in 9:24.54 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0ce1b2fe-2b00-4362-bb4a-b0180ab15226?elinkdata=17934">Brodie Bradshaw</a> was 34th in 10:02.20.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b22fea36-4b04-459d-97dd-e49230ba49b2?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> finished 11th in the triple jump with a mark of 12.64m.In the 60m preliminaries <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/20f5ee3d-a2d7-4fef-b5a7-5ae548a75db9?elinkdata=17934">Zamari Burrell</a> placed 12th with a time of 7.11 seconds, DeJaylon Beal was 29th in 7.34, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b730ba06-d24e-412f-8c09-62da617c13a6?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 38th in 7.42, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8105da87-889f-40fd-8907-77ffa3000de0?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 44th in 7.53, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/811b1ac8-5bab-44ec-89f7-6d9a93bc3c51?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 53rd in 7.63 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/64bdeaa3-6dc9-4647-8bb7-645ed5fcc72c?elinkdata=17934">Kamal Murphy</a> was 57th in 7.67.In the mile, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b8208680-15b1-49ad-9865-045afbc0c154?elinkdata=17934">Austin Schaeffer</a> was 12th in 4:29.37, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cbbca13e-061e-4280-980c-64c937c2ec26?elinkdata=17934">Nicolas Martinez</a> was 20th in 4:37.83, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/36005b1a-cc64-4324-b701-d4ca9c2f218f?elinkdata=17934">Tim Parish</a> was 26th in 4:40.83, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d19bc00-8902-4595-b385-34dfe8858739?elinkdata=17934">Will Childers</a> was 43rd in 5:05.05 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51360637-9d46-43ea-a63e-a099e86ec466?elinkdata=17934">Jack Horacek</a> was 46th in 5:10.60.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/528a9daa-e90d-4d75-a797-e7d7e11306dc?elinkdata=17934">Riley Garcia</a> was 14th in the 60m hurdles with a time of 11.37 seconds.In the long jump, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6bfe23a8-82eb-4d2c-be07-75c0628de11d?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 14th with a marak of 6.29m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a7a2cad3-1506-4650-b765-903d9b071c78?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 24th with a mark of 5.97m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c58ceece-267e-430e-8e1d-769f9ca86e3d?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 27th with a mark of 5.69m.DeJaylon Beal finished 15th in the 200m with a time of 23.89 seconds, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a1667cb5-634f-4064-8283-dfc82accae2a?elinkdata=17934">Darius Archuleta</a> was 20th in 24.21, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac6163c8-a041-44a3-a337-fb0f85e1f25f?elinkdata=17934">Brennon Allen</a> was 31st in 24.72 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0d854ff4-4270-43f8-ae98-d48bec59c743?elinkdata=17934">James Preston</a> was 33rd in 24.84.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33232031-c5b9-41e8-974f-8b833b5b72f2?elinkdata=17934">Riley Garcia</a> was 21st in the 400m with a time of 53.70 seconds, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f62da2b6-9229-4eb7-9b54-4472863a99d2?elinkdata=17934">Trevor Peal</a> was 23rd in 53.86, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5eba8c26-1e7f-4cbf-9059-e8eb7f130121?elinkdata=17934">Andrew Smith</a> was 25th in 54.25, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c994c443-2a9f-4fbf-a052-296593087f98?elinkdata=17934">Cayden Purcell</a> was 30th in 55.76, DeJaylon Beal was 34th in 56.37 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/679c2789-1ac4-4f1f-a659-2e5bd8478e5e?elinkdata=17934">Sidney Washington</a> was 35th in 56.43.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6bba5c11-6e84-477c-a5cd-4f18970ffaf7?elinkdata=17934">Will Childers</a> was 23rd in the 800m with a time of 2:22.40 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/07f44dd4-c1c0-4a0f-83a8-d81f5ff82dbf?elinkdata=17934">Remington Wiseman</a> was 24th in 2:57.79.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d199fb9e-b85c-456f-afbe-e67aab25c195?elinkdata=17934">Keyon Baccus</a> was 25th with a mark of 12.05m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/9c01f9aa-9b91-4825-a74b-5cb4ab3eb832?elinkdata=17934">Austin Baird</a> was 41st with a mark of 9.44m in the unseeded section of the shot put.

KWU Men's Track has several earn NAIA performances at Concordia Classic

Kansas Wesleyan's women's 4x800m relay team again broke the school record and hit the NAIA Automatic qualifying time to lead a solid group of finishers at the Concordia Classic on Saturday.

The relay team that consisted of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f6dc2704-5d92-41f9-b95d-777e03023ac4?elinkdata=17903">Madisyn Ehrlich</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/42b7782b-18ae-4550-9644-0e6008be7cdc?elinkdata=17903">Hailey Nordhus</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b454c289-88a8-47d3-a4f9-f7774f6761eb?elinkdata=17903">Joni Schroeder</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55f55bdd-8669-4c5f-9d1d-cd4c0ee28df5?elinkdata=17903">Kirstin Hackney</a> also won the event with a time of 9:31.22 which set the new school mark and qualified for the NAIA National Championships.

In the 1000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7636533-eb25-4a21-b84d-339554ba95cf?elinkdata=17903">Madisyn Ehrlich</a> was second in 3:05.35 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/18b390db-f834-44ea-8042-9376b8f2c38c?elinkdata=17903">Joni Schroeder</a> was fourth in 3:10.14.

In the 3000m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0dc22b86-bf5e-411d-a807-d0bab56e26fc?elinkdata=17903">Micah Dickens</a> was second in 10:58.95 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c8d4e4a6-edbc-4342-b5a7-8f03c66a800f?elinkdata=17903">Makayla Little</a> was 18th in 11:57.20.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7209d01d-9861-4cbc-ac88-14f375742822?elinkdata=17903">Hailey Nordhus</a> finished fifth in the 400m with a time of 61.95, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/25f98aae-0d7e-4528-b09d-c521ab10b918?elinkdata=17903">Brionna Floyd</a> was 11th in 64.52 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0a26ee0f-307e-47a8-8edb-1087ab6cdef9?elinkdata=17903">Mayce Russell</a> was 17th in 66.15.

Kirstin Hackey was sixth in the 600m with a time of 1:41.40.

Chloe Grusing was seventh in the shot put with a mark of 11.48m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33a2b13d-6658-4ffa-ac4f-844297469bb7?elinkdata=17903">Elizabeth Stout</a> was 13th in a mark of 11.08m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0787d7b8-effe-4ff4-9d05-aa4845a7c181?elinkdata=17903">Aunisty McNeal</a> was 21st with a mark of 10.00m.

In the 800m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/86381c4c-0225-40f6-9ddb-986fb31247f1?elinkdata=17903">Ava Kenyon</a> finished eighth with a time of 2:35.94, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f3596d0b-c67d-4193-b3da-cb99d11ce7ef?elinkdata=17903">Mya Schweitzer</a> was 10th in 2:38.19, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2dee8cc3-c664-46a5-87f4-984cb13af82f?elinkdata=17903">Emma McAlister</a> was 12th in 2:39.09 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e6ebec57-652b-4125-8970-e3f8cd95b80e?elinkdata=17903">Allyson Taylor</a> was 16th in 2:50.89.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5abb84b4-0cfd-4d8a-a0da-9c33563eeda4?elinkdata=17903">Brionna Floyd</a> finished 11th in the 200m with a time of 27.62 seconds and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00dd7818-3a1e-4f0f-ac2b-984cf4c43a4a?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> was 17th in 28.11.

In the mile, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bca344b6-f767-419b-869c-f476780ff311?elinkdata=17903">Mya Schweitzer</a> was 17th in 5:37.49 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c9fffe5c-f67d-46a9-937a-cdd53fd35373?elinkdata=17903">Allyson Taylor</a> was 34th in 6:08.21.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/334298ca-6da4-4393-8385-517ad263f710?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> finished 19th in the 60m preliminaries.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23a34065-442b-4116-b693-db5484ce74e3?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> was 24th in the long jump with a mark of 4.60m.

In the weight throw, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bde308bd-c8da-41d4-b1a0-458ef5d2cffb?elinkdata=17903">Elizabeth Stout</a> was 25th with a mark of 12.15m, Chloe Crusing was 29th with a mark of 10.98m, Roselyn Torres was 30th with a mark of 10.93m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b12492a9-c3b5-46fc-878f-d2790c85a763?elinkdata=17903">Aunisty McNeal</a> was 36th with a mark of 10.17m.

Kansas Wesleyan's women's 4x800m relay team again broke the school record and hit the NAIA Automatic qualifying time to lead a solid group of finishers at the Concordia Classic on Saturday.The relay team that consisted of <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f6dc2704-5d92-41f9-b95d-777e03023ac4?elinkdata=17903">Madisyn Ehrlich</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/42b7782b-18ae-4550-9644-0e6008be7cdc?elinkdata=17903">Hailey Nordhus</a>, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b454c289-88a8-47d3-a4f9-f7774f6761eb?elinkdata=17903">Joni Schroeder</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/55f55bdd-8669-4c5f-9d1d-cd4c0ee28df5?elinkdata=17903">Kirstin Hackney</a> also won the event with a time of 9:31.22 which set the new school mark and qualified for the NAIA National Championships.In the 1000m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7636533-eb25-4a21-b84d-339554ba95cf?elinkdata=17903">Madisyn Ehrlich</a> was second in 3:05.35 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/18b390db-f834-44ea-8042-9376b8f2c38c?elinkdata=17903">Joni Schroeder</a> was fourth in 3:10.14.In the 3000m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0dc22b86-bf5e-411d-a807-d0bab56e26fc?elinkdata=17903">Micah Dickens</a> was second in 10:58.95 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c8d4e4a6-edbc-4342-b5a7-8f03c66a800f?elinkdata=17903">Makayla Little</a> was 18th in 11:57.20.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7209d01d-9861-4cbc-ac88-14f375742822?elinkdata=17903">Hailey Nordhus</a> finished fifth in the 400m with a time of 61.95, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/25f98aae-0d7e-4528-b09d-c521ab10b918?elinkdata=17903">Brionna Floyd</a> was 11th in 64.52 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0a26ee0f-307e-47a8-8edb-1087ab6cdef9?elinkdata=17903">Mayce Russell</a> was 17th in 66.15.Kirstin Hackey was sixth in the 600m with a time of 1:41.40.Chloe Grusing was seventh in the shot put with a mark of 11.48m, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/33a2b13d-6658-4ffa-ac4f-844297469bb7?elinkdata=17903">Elizabeth Stout</a> was 13th in a mark of 11.08m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0787d7b8-effe-4ff4-9d05-aa4845a7c181?elinkdata=17903">Aunisty McNeal</a> was 21st with a mark of 10.00m.In the 800m <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/86381c4c-0225-40f6-9ddb-986fb31247f1?elinkdata=17903">Ava Kenyon</a> finished eighth with a time of 2:35.94, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/f3596d0b-c67d-4193-b3da-cb99d11ce7ef?elinkdata=17903">Mya Schweitzer</a> was 10th in 2:38.19, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2dee8cc3-c664-46a5-87f4-984cb13af82f?elinkdata=17903">Emma McAlister</a> was 12th in 2:39.09 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e6ebec57-652b-4125-8970-e3f8cd95b80e?elinkdata=17903">Allyson Taylor</a> was 16th in 2:50.89.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5abb84b4-0cfd-4d8a-a0da-9c33563eeda4?elinkdata=17903">Brionna Floyd</a> finished 11th in the 200m with a time of 27.62 seconds and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/00dd7818-3a1e-4f0f-ac2b-984cf4c43a4a?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> was 17th in 28.11.In the mile, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bca344b6-f767-419b-869c-f476780ff311?elinkdata=17903">Mya Schweitzer</a> was 17th in 5:37.49 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c9fffe5c-f67d-46a9-937a-cdd53fd35373?elinkdata=17903">Allyson Taylor</a> was 34th in 6:08.21.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/334298ca-6da4-4393-8385-517ad263f710?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> finished 19th in the 60m preliminaries.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23a34065-442b-4116-b693-db5484ce74e3?elinkdata=17903">Julie Rottinghaus</a> was 24th in the long jump with a mark of 4.60m.In the weight throw, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bde308bd-c8da-41d4-b1a0-458ef5d2cffb?elinkdata=17903">Elizabeth Stout</a> was 25th with a mark of 12.15m, Chloe Crusing was 29th with a mark of 10.98m, Roselyn Torres was 30th with a mark of 10.93m and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/b12492a9-c3b5-46fc-878f-d2790c85a763?elinkdata=17903">Aunisty McNeal</a> was 36th with a mark of 10.17m.

4x800m relay breaks school record again, qualifies for NAIA Nationals as Women's Track runs at Concordia Classic

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 245 yards and a touchdown, ran through the Buffalo defense for two more scores, and relied on his defense at key moments to help the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Bills 32-29 on Sunday night and reach the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season.

Now, the AFC champions will try to do something no other NFL team has done: Win all three.

The Chiefs will get a familiar foe in the Eagles, whom they beat two years ago for the first title in this run. Philadelphia romped to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/commanders-eagles-score-b4f7c398625075b73f74bfe3531662e4">a 55-23 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Washington Commanders earlier Sunday to earn a shot at the champs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.

It's the fourth time since January 2021 that the Chiefs have ended the Bills' season in the playoffs. And like all the rest, it came after a heavyweight fight between two of the top teams in the AFC, one that was tied 29-all after Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1883703300098511105">found Curtis Samuel</a>&nbsp;in the back of the end zone to set up a little more drama at Arrowhead Stadium.

Mahomes was simply unflappable, though. He completed four consecutive passes on the ensuing possession, setting up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1883705691783016624">Harrison Butker's go-ahead field goal</a>&nbsp;with 3:33 left and putting the Bills in another do-or-die situation in Kansas City.

Allen got their drive going by running for a first down, but his next two throws were batted at the line of scrimmage and fell incomplete. He hit Amari Cooper for a short gain on third down, and the Bills chose to go for it — they were 4 of 5 on fourth down at that point — and the Kansas City blitz forced Allen to loft up a prayer that Dalton Kincaid could not catch.

The Chiefs took over, picked up a couple of first downs and began to celebrate once again.

Kareem Hunt had a touchdown run and Xavier Worthy had six catches for 85 yards and a score for Kansas City, which became the fourth franchise to reach three consecutive Super Bowls with its ninth consecutive playoff victory.

Allen threw for 237 yards and two scores for Buffalo. James Cook ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns of his own.

The Bills still have not been to the Super Bowl since a run of four straight during the 1990-93 seasons.

The Bills and Chiefs have become well acquainted over the years, meeting seven times since Kansas City beat Buffalo under the exact same circumstances — the AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium — to reach the Super Bowl in January 2021.

Buffalo had won all four games in the regular season. Kansas City had won the three that mattered in the postseason.

And that familiarity, along with the fact that Bills coach Sean McDermott once worked for Chiefs counterpart Andy Reid, was evident as the game transpired. The Bills simply refused to let Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce beat them, like he did against the Texans in the divisional round, while Kansas City was prepared for Allen's propensity to take off and run.

It was the Chiefs who took a 21-16 lead into the locker room after a topsy-turvy first half.

Mahomes and Hunt ran for scores and Worthy had a touchdown reception as the teams traded the lead. Cook reached the end zone for Buffalo, and a spectacular touchdown catch by Mack Hollins just before halftime kept the Bills in the game.

It remained a game of inches in the second half: Cook barely reached across the goal line for a touchdown, the Chiefs stopped Allen inches shy of the marker on fourth down, Mahomes bulldozed into the end zone for a score, and the Bills answered with a 70-yard drive in which their MVP-candidate quarterback hit Samuel on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 29-all.

Fifty-three minutes and 45 seconds had been rendered moot. Everything came down to the last 6:45 of the game.

Bills cornerback Christian Benford was carted off in the first quarter and declared out with a concussion. He had spent the week in the concussion protocol before getting cleared to play Sunday.

The Chiefs are headed to the Big Easy to face the Eagles in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. In the first game, they rallied from a 24-14 halftime deficit with Butker hitting a 27-yard field goal for the 38-35 win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737946017425.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 245 yards and a touchdown, ran through the Buffalo defense for two more scores, and relied on his defense at key moments to help the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Bills 32-29 on Sunday night and reach the Super Bowl for the third consecutive season.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasCityChiefs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02DsqpzPNdWkD2jBiiom8nnLQZ8R2oz2cFin7hPFZyhQZWEjEdQcHCVDPKKTfDUQUdl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="194" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Now, the AFC champions will try to do something no other NFL team has done: Win all three.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansasCityChiefs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02CkXz5C3QM8xFUL6NtCo1KM5qra7XcoAkHGkKdQbgTpuGuzNThydDaZDmeWfuEdNAl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="590" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The Chiefs will get a familiar foe in the Eagles, whom they beat two years ago for the first title in this run. Philadelphia romped to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/commanders-eagles-score-b4f7c398625075b73f74bfe3531662e4">a 55-23 victory</a>&nbsp;over the Washington Commanders earlier Sunday to earn a shot at the champs on Feb. 9 in New Orleans.It's the fourth time since January 2021 that the Chiefs have ended the Bills' season in the playoffs. And like all the rest, it came after a heavyweight fight between two of the top teams in the AFC, one that was tied 29-all after Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1883703300098511105">found Curtis Samuel</a>&nbsp;in the back of the end zone to set up a little more drama at Arrowhead Stadium.Mahomes was simply unflappable, though. He completed four consecutive passes on the ensuing possession, setting up&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/NFL/status/1883705691783016624">Harrison Butker's go-ahead field goal</a>&nbsp;with 3:33 left and putting the Bills in another do-or-die situation in Kansas City.Allen got their drive going by running for a first down, but his next two throws were batted at the line of scrimmage and fell incomplete. He hit Amari Cooper for a short gain on third down, and the Bills chose to go for it — they were 4 of 5 on fourth down at that point — and the Kansas City blitz forced Allen to loft up a prayer that Dalton Kincaid could not catch.The Chiefs took over, picked up a couple of first downs and began to celebrate once again.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737947456770.jpeg" alt="Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (3) during the first half of the AFC Championship NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)</figcaption>
 </figure>Kareem Hunt had a touchdown run and Xavier Worthy had six catches for 85 yards and a score for Kansas City, which became the fourth franchise to reach three consecutive Super Bowls with its ninth consecutive playoff victory.Allen threw for 237 yards and two scores for Buffalo. James Cook ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns of his own.The Bills still have not been to the Super Bowl since a run of four straight during the 1990-93 seasons.The Bills and Chiefs have become well acquainted over the years, meeting seven times since Kansas City beat Buffalo under the exact same circumstances — the AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium — to reach the Super Bowl in January 2021.Buffalo had won all four games in the regular season. Kansas City had won the three that mattered in the postseason.And that familiarity, along with the fact that Bills coach Sean McDermott once worked for Chiefs counterpart Andy Reid, was evident as the game transpired. The Bills simply refused to let Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce beat them, like he did against the Texans in the divisional round, while Kansas City was prepared for Allen's propensity to take off and run.It was the Chiefs who took a 21-16 lead into the locker room after a topsy-turvy first half.Mahomes and Hunt ran for scores and Worthy had a touchdown reception as the teams traded the lead. Cook reached the end zone for Buffalo, and a spectacular touchdown catch by Mack Hollins just before halftime kept the Bills in the game.It remained a game of inches in the second half: Cook barely reached across the goal line for a touchdown, the Chiefs stopped Allen inches shy of the marker on fourth down, Mahomes bulldozed into the end zone for a score, and the Bills answered with a 70-yard drive in which their MVP-candidate quarterback hit Samuel on fourth-and-goal to tie the game at 29-all.Fifty-three minutes and 45 seconds had been rendered moot. Everything came down to the last 6:45 of the game.<h2>Injuries</h2>Bills cornerback Christian Benford was carted off in the first quarter and declared out with a concussion. He had spent the week in the concussion protocol before getting cleared to play Sunday.<h2>Up next</h2>The Chiefs are headed to the Big Easy to face the Eagles in the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. In the first game, they rallied from a 24-14 halftime deficit with Butker hitting a 27-yard field goal for the 38-35 win.

🏈 Chiefs get more Mahomes magic, advance to 3rd straight Super Bowl

Ilia Malinin laid in the middle of the ice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Sunday as everyone else stood in ovation.

In another stunning display of athleticism, the reigning world champion landed six of his seven planned quad jumps — including the quad axel, the jump that only Malinin has ever landed in competition — and finished with 333.31 points after his free skate to win his third consecutive national championship at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.

Andrew Torgashev landed a pair of quads during his free skate and finished second with 286.49 points, while Camden Pulkinen took advantage of a sloppy free skate from Jimmy Ma to secure the bronze medal with 252.92 points.

Malinin was trying to become the first skater ever to land seven clean quads in competition, and he came close. He opened with the quad flip, easily landed his quad axel and hit his quad lutz — the second-hardest of the quads. But then came his only miscue, when Malinin fell on his quad loop, and he punched the air in mid-routine as if he was miffed at himself.

He landed three more quads, all of them leading into other jumps, and finished it all off with a crowd-pleasing backflip.

“It wasn't the perfect program that I exactly wanted, but I think I gave a good, solid start for what is working in this program,” said Malinin, who was using nationals as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming world championships in Boston.

If it had been international competition, Malinin's score would have nearly matched Nathan Chen's record of 335.30 points.

“I'm still not at my full potential yet and there's a lot bigger limit, I guess, that I can go for,” Malinin said.

Malinin went into the free skate with a record margin for nationals — 19.14 points over anyone else in the field — after a sublime short program Saturday that was even a bit tame by his standards. The self-proclaimed “Quad God” landed a quad flip and a quad lutz-triple toe loop combination but chose to skip over his quad axel for a triple axel instead.

Malinin was philosophical about it afterward, saying, “There's the pressure of trying to do (the quad axel) at every competition. People might want to see something bigger and better, but I want to make sure I am consistent.”

The 20-year-old from Fairfax, Virginia, has won eight consecutive competitions since a second-place finish at the Grand Prix de France last year. That stretch of podium perfection included his second national title, two victories at the prestigious Grand Prix Final, and a world championship that Malinin will attempt to defend on home soil in March.

It's a run that prompted Ma to vault Malinin into the same category of greatness as Chen, the retired Olympic champion.

“I don’t even think of Ilia as competition anymore because it’s not something I think I can achieve,” Ma said. “It’s just an honor to be friends and compete with two people who can be considered GOATs in their own way.”

The 23-year-old Torgashev, who was third at the Grand Prix de France, was so pumped about his performance to the symphonic suite “Scheherazade” that earned him a silver medal that he said stepping off the ice Sunday, “I ... crushed it.”

Pulkinen rounded out the podium with a second consecutive bronze medal at nationals.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterIlia Malinin laid in the middle of the ice at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Sunday as everyone else stood in ovation.He has that effect on people.In another stunning display of athleticism, the reigning world champion landed six of his seven planned quad jumps — including the quad axel, the jump that only Malinin has ever landed in competition — and finished with 333.31 points after his free skate to win his third consecutive national championship at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas.Andrew Torgashev landed a pair of quads during his free skate and finished second with 286.49 points, while Camden Pulkinen took advantage of a sloppy free skate from Jimmy Ma to secure the bronze medal with 252.92 points.Malinin was trying to become the first skater ever to land seven clean quads in competition, and he came close. He opened with the quad flip, easily landed his quad axel and hit his quad lutz — the second-hardest of the quads. But then came his only miscue, when Malinin fell on his quad loop, and he punched the air in mid-routine as if he was miffed at himself.He landed three more quads, all of them leading into other jumps, and finished it all off with a crowd-pleasing backflip.“It wasn't the perfect program that I exactly wanted, but I think I gave a good, solid start for what is working in this program,” said Malinin, who was using nationals as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming world championships in Boston.If it had been international competition, Malinin's score would have nearly matched Nathan Chen's record of 335.30 points.“I'm still not at my full potential yet and there's a lot bigger limit, I guess, that I can go for,” Malinin said.Malinin went into the free skate with a record margin for nationals — 19.14 points over anyone else in the field — after a sublime short program Saturday that was even a bit tame by his standards. The self-proclaimed “Quad God” landed a quad flip and a quad lutz-triple toe loop combination but chose to skip over his quad axel for a triple axel instead.Malinin was philosophical about it afterward, saying, “There's the pressure of trying to do (the quad axel) at every competition. People might want to see something bigger and better, but I want to make sure I am consistent.”That hasn't been a problem.The 20-year-old from Fairfax, Virginia, has won eight consecutive competitions since a second-place finish at the Grand Prix de France last year. That stretch of podium perfection included his second national title, two victories at the prestigious Grand Prix Final, and a world championship that Malinin will attempt to defend on home soil in March.It's a run that prompted Ma to vault Malinin into the same category of greatness as Chen, the retired Olympic champion.“I don’t even think of Ilia as competition anymore because it’s not something I think I can achieve,” Ma said. “It’s just an honor to be friends and compete with two people who can be considered GOATs in their own way.”The 23-year-old Torgashev, who was third at the Grand Prix de France, was so pumped about his performance to the symphonic suite “Scheherazade” that earned him a silver medal that he said stepping off the ice Sunday, “I ... crushed it.”Pulkinen rounded out the podium with a second consecutive bronze medal at nationals.

World champ lands 6 quad jumps, cruises to US Figure Skating title in Wichita

Just moments after the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Basketball team had tied things up with 10.3 seconds left on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2a66dcfa-88ad-4879-84f2-53a9a25e4141?elinkdata=17810">Izaiah Hale's</a> bucket, Friends' KJ Spiller hit an 18-foot jumper with 2.2 seconds left to give the Falcons an 82-80 win over the Coyotes on Saturday night at Mabee Arena.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d4c68835-c895-4710-999c-d86d6186b4ac?elinkdata=17810">Alex Littlejohn</a> also became the all-time rebounding leader in school history on Saturday night, breaking a 75-year-old record previously held by Charles Fiffe. Littlejohn's rebound with 14:01 left in the game was the record breaking moment.

Wesleyan had to battle back from a 46-39 deficit to start the second half as Littlejohn's bucket with 16:21 left drew the Coyotes within a point at 48-47. Friends pushed the lead back out to five before <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23b0229f-ad5f-4f4d-a5ba-8b49551439d2?elinkdata=17810">Carson Jones</a> hit a 3-pointer with 13:34 left to draw the Coyotes back within two again.

Another triple by Jones put Wesleyan up for the first time since leading 2-1 to start the game at 58-57 with 12:31 left.

Friends led by three at 66-63 when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7cf56e8-2ee1-4c81-b357-915f03820ecd?elinkdata=17810">Easton Hunter</a> buried a 3-pointer to tie things up. Friends responded with a 7-0 run over four and a half minutes to take a 73-66 lead with 5:25 to go.

Wesleyan had a response for that, using its own 7-0 run to tie things at 73 with 3:24 left.

The Falcons took an 80-75 lead with 1:15 to go, but five straight points all by Hale knotted things up at 80 before the final shot.

Friends jumped out to an early 14-4 lead in the game but the Coyotes got back into it, cutting the lead to 21-16 with 10:56 left on a 3-pointer by Durrell Hudspeth.

The Falcons pushed the lead out to as many as 14 with 5:57 left in the first half at 37-23 before the Coyotes cut the difference to eight at the half 46-38.

Both teams shot the ball very well as Friends was 33 of 53 for 62.3 percent from the field and KWU was 28 of 53 for 52.8 percent. Friends also shot 13 of 22 from 3 -point range for 59.1 percent.

Littlejohn led the Coyotes with 22 points, while Hunter had 15 and Jones and Hudspeth had 14 each.

Just moments after the Kansas Wesleyan Men's Basketball team had tied things up with 10.3 seconds left on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2a66dcfa-88ad-4879-84f2-53a9a25e4141?elinkdata=17810">Izaiah Hale's</a> bucket, Friends' KJ Spiller hit an 18-foot jumper with 2.2 seconds left to give the Falcons an 82-80 win over the Coyotes on Saturday night at Mabee Arena.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d4c68835-c895-4710-999c-d86d6186b4ac?elinkdata=17810">Alex Littlejohn</a> also became the all-time rebounding leader in school history on Saturday night, breaking a 75-year-old record previously held by Charles Fiffe. Littlejohn's rebound with 14:01 left in the game was the record breaking moment.Wesleyan had to battle back from a 46-39 deficit to start the second half as Littlejohn's bucket with 16:21 left drew the Coyotes within a point at 48-47. Friends pushed the lead back out to five before <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/23b0229f-ad5f-4f4d-a5ba-8b49551439d2?elinkdata=17810">Carson Jones</a> hit a 3-pointer with 13:34 left to draw the Coyotes back within two again.Another triple by Jones put Wesleyan up for the first time since leading 2-1 to start the game at 58-57 with 12:31 left.Friends led by three at 66-63 when <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7cf56e8-2ee1-4c81-b357-915f03820ecd?elinkdata=17810">Easton Hunter</a> buried a 3-pointer to tie things up. Friends responded with a 7-0 run over four and a half minutes to take a 73-66 lead with 5:25 to go.Wesleyan had a response for that, using its own 7-0 run to tie things at 73 with 3:24 left.The Falcons took an 80-75 lead with 1:15 to go, but five straight points all by Hale knotted things up at 80 before the final shot.Friends jumped out to an early 14-4 lead in the game but the Coyotes got back into it, cutting the lead to 21-16 with 10:56 left on a 3-pointer by Durrell Hudspeth.The Falcons pushed the lead out to as many as 14 with 5:57 left in the first half at 37-23 before the Coyotes cut the difference to eight at the half 46-38.Both teams shot the ball very well as Friends was 33 of 53 for 62.3 percent from the field and KWU was 28 of 53 for 52.8 percent. Friends also shot 13 of 22 from 3 -point range for 59.1 percent.Littlejohn led the Coyotes with 22 points, while Hunter had 15 and Jones and Hudspeth had 14 each.

KWU MBB falls in heartbreaker to Friends 82-80, Littlejohn sets rebounding record

Saturday night's KCAC women's basketball match-up between the top two teams in the conference in Kansas Wesleyan and Friends did not disappoint.

The Coyotes rallied in the second half, and would hold off any sort of attempt at a rally by Friends down the stretch for a 73-69 victory inside Mabee Arena.

The win completed the season sweep of the Falcons by the Coyotes and increased KWU's lead in the Kansas Conference standings to two games over the rest of the field.

Friends led 5-0 to start the game, but the Coyotes hung tough keeping things close, getting within a point several times, the last at 11-10 with 3:45 to go in the first on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/033893fc-ca9b-4f3f-86bc-588e15283668?elinkdata=17872">Odessa Ozuna's</a> free throws, but Friends would take a 14-10 lead after the first quarter.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7bc5992-1ce8-4358-8e28-45701f12bff5?elinkdata=17872">Hampton Williams</a> opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer getting the Coyotes within a point, but Friends pushed its lead out to seven at 20-13 and then took a 24-15 lead with 6:51 left in the half.

Friends led 26-17 with 6:16 left when the Coyotes started to chip away. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e876230d-d8ac-4f20-a8a8-1c4fe7a9504c?elinkdata=17872">Jill Stephens</a> hit a 3-pointer, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/44a60cad-bce9-43e8-aa31-eef5b331b605?elinkdata=17872">Angel Lee</a> converted a pair of free throws and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e98a7458-4f95-41c4-b489-43adc52facf6?elinkdata=17872">Paige Chauncey</a> scored to get the Coyotes within three at 27-22.

The Falcons took a 33-26 lead with 2:09 left, but the Coyotes cut the difference to 34-31 at the halftime buzzer.

Wesleyan continued to work its way back into it, tying things up at 40 with 6:25 left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d1c0423-8ada-4820-b06a-3dec0c1f80a4?elinkdata=17872">LaMyah Ricks</a>. The teams went back and forth trading baskets until Ozuna hit a 3 with 2:15 to go giving Wesleyan a 52-50 lead.

Friends got five straight points to take a 55-52 lead, but the Coyotes finished the quarter on a flurry getting four points in nine seconds to take a 56-55 lead at the end of the quarter as Ricks stole the inbounds pass and scored as time expired.

KWU opened the fourth on a 6-2 run to take a 62-57 lead on a bucket by Lee, who would not be deterred in the post.

The Falcons got within a point at 67-66 with 3:45 left but Williams and Lee scored for the Coyotes to make it 71-66 with 2:42 left and Ozuna's bucket with 41 seconds left would seal the win for the Coyotes.

Lee had 22 points to lead the Coyotes while Ozuna had 11 and Ricks and Chauncey 10 each. Chauncey pulled down 10 rebounds as well helping KWU outrebound Friends 41-40.

Saturday night's KCAC women's basketball match-up between the top two teams in the conference in Kansas Wesleyan and Friends did not disappoint.The Coyotes rallied in the second half, and would hold off any sort of attempt at a rally by Friends down the stretch for a 73-69 victory inside Mabee Arena.The win completed the season sweep of the Falcons by the Coyotes and increased KWU's lead in the Kansas Conference standings to two games over the rest of the field.Friends led 5-0 to start the game, but the Coyotes hung tough keeping things close, getting within a point several times, the last at 11-10 with 3:45 to go in the first on <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/033893fc-ca9b-4f3f-86bc-588e15283668?elinkdata=17872">Odessa Ozuna's</a> free throws, but Friends would take a 14-10 lead after the first quarter.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c7bc5992-1ce8-4358-8e28-45701f12bff5?elinkdata=17872">Hampton Williams</a> opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer getting the Coyotes within a point, but Friends pushed its lead out to seven at 20-13 and then took a 24-15 lead with 6:51 left in the half.Friends led 26-17 with 6:16 left when the Coyotes started to chip away. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e876230d-d8ac-4f20-a8a8-1c4fe7a9504c?elinkdata=17872">Jill Stephens</a> hit a 3-pointer, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/44a60cad-bce9-43e8-aa31-eef5b331b605?elinkdata=17872">Angel Lee</a> converted a pair of free throws and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e98a7458-4f95-41c4-b489-43adc52facf6?elinkdata=17872">Paige Chauncey</a> scored to get the Coyotes within three at 27-22.The Falcons took a 33-26 lead with 2:09 left, but the Coyotes cut the difference to 34-31 at the halftime buzzer.Wesleyan continued to work its way back into it, tying things up at 40 with 6:25 left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d1c0423-8ada-4820-b06a-3dec0c1f80a4?elinkdata=17872">LaMyah Ricks</a>. The teams went back and forth trading baskets until Ozuna hit a 3 with 2:15 to go giving Wesleyan a 52-50 lead.Friends got five straight points to take a 55-52 lead, but the Coyotes finished the quarter on a flurry getting four points in nine seconds to take a 56-55 lead at the end of the quarter as Ricks stole the inbounds pass and scored as time expired.KWU opened the fourth on a 6-2 run to take a 62-57 lead on a bucket by Lee, who would not be deterred in the post.The Falcons got within a point at 67-66 with 3:45 left but Williams and Lee scored for the Coyotes to make it 71-66 with 2:42 left and Ozuna's bucket with 41 seconds left would seal the win for the Coyotes.Lee had 22 points to lead the Coyotes while Ozuna had 11 and Ricks and Chauncey 10 each. Chauncey pulled down 10 rebounds as well helping KWU outrebound Friends 41-40.

Coyote WBB grounds Friends 73-69 to remain atop KCAC

PINEVILLE, La. - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball picked up its first win of the season as the Coyotes split a doubleheader with Louisiana Christian on Saturday winning the first game 2-0 but dropping the second 4-3.

In the opener, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/424c58f6-a454-4e04-b07c-7e6637c682bf?elinkdata=17841">Nathan Galusha</a> tossed a gem for the Coyotes, scattering five hits while striking out 11 in the 2-0 shutout win.

Both runs for the Coyotes came in the sixth inning as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5a3cd9a6-e4fc-4c5c-877a-3153b8d1792a?elinkdata=17841">Tyler Favretto</a> doubled to lead off the inning, then pinch runner <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/35d6f3c2-c817-4276-98db-4245ddad52f2?elinkdata=17841">Michael Rago</a> later scored on a wild pitch. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/774dbc38-1142-4ee2-bba4-6acab9af0b9b?elinkdata=17841">Fernando Ruvalcaba</a> doubled home the second run of the inning.

Ruvalcaba and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3286ac32-199c-418c-aeff-7a8f2664ab2e?elinkdata=17841">Carter Allen</a> combined for four of KWU's six hits in the game.

The second game saw LCU score three runs in the bottom of the third inning to break a 1-1 tie, but the Coyotes tried desperately to rally, but came up short in the 4-3 loss.

The Coyotes scored a run in the first inning as Favretto singled then pinch runner Rago later scored on a throwing error by the LCU catcher. LCU tied things up in the bottom of the inning.

LCU took advantage of an error and a balk in the third inning to help the Wildcats plate three runs to take a 4-1 lead.

The score would hold until the fifth when the Coyotes put together a 2-out rally. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a1b11901-71ab-4a31-88b3-70e30f514f16?elinkdata=17841">Alex Garcia</a> walked, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/de2a2a19-4a43-433b-aa4b-fd7b7ef3dc42?elinkdata=17841">Jacob Williamson</a> singled and two walks to Favretto and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/005479bb-9160-4a64-b6a3-58eeb70e85bd?elinkdata=17841">Carter Allen</a>, the Coyotes had a run on the board. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d2e213e1-9300-4f32-b4da-f3c51dab22f2?elinkdata=17841">Drew Wardell</a> then walked to bring in the second run of the inning, but the Coyotes could not get another run across.

KWU only had three hits in the game by three different players. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8e4143f3-c93b-4fd0-8e3b-710cd26f143b?elinkdata=17841">Wil Yamka</a> took the loss in relief allowing three runs on two hits. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cafc8d76-ec5c-49f1-a807-53b5a476b664?elinkdata=17841">Ritter Steinmann</a> pitched phenomenally in relief as well allowing three hits and striking out seven in three and two-thirds. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f617f9b-87e5-433b-b0ea-a42445deb871?elinkdata=17841">Shaw Lee</a> started the game and when two innings.

PINEVILLE, La. - Kansas Wesleyan Baseball picked up its first win of the season as the Coyotes split a doubleheader with Louisiana Christian on Saturday winning the first game 2-0 but dropping the second 4-3.In the opener, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/424c58f6-a454-4e04-b07c-7e6637c682bf?elinkdata=17841">Nathan Galusha</a> tossed a gem for the Coyotes, scattering five hits while striking out 11 in the 2-0 shutout win.Both runs for the Coyotes came in the sixth inning as <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5a3cd9a6-e4fc-4c5c-877a-3153b8d1792a?elinkdata=17841">Tyler Favretto</a> doubled to lead off the inning, then pinch runner <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/35d6f3c2-c817-4276-98db-4245ddad52f2?elinkdata=17841">Michael Rago</a> later scored on a wild pitch. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/774dbc38-1142-4ee2-bba4-6acab9af0b9b?elinkdata=17841">Fernando Ruvalcaba</a> doubled home the second run of the inning.Ruvalcaba and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3286ac32-199c-418c-aeff-7a8f2664ab2e?elinkdata=17841">Carter Allen</a> combined for four of KWU's six hits in the game.The second game saw LCU score three runs in the bottom of the third inning to break a 1-1 tie, but the Coyotes tried desperately to rally, but came up short in the 4-3 loss.The Coyotes scored a run in the first inning as Favretto singled then pinch runner Rago later scored on a throwing error by the LCU catcher. LCU tied things up in the bottom of the inning.LCU took advantage of an error and a balk in the third inning to help the Wildcats plate three runs to take a 4-1 lead.The score would hold until the fifth when the Coyotes put together a 2-out rally. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a1b11901-71ab-4a31-88b3-70e30f514f16?elinkdata=17841">Alex Garcia</a> walked, <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/de2a2a19-4a43-433b-aa4b-fd7b7ef3dc42?elinkdata=17841">Jacob Williamson</a> singled and two walks to Favretto and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/005479bb-9160-4a64-b6a3-58eeb70e85bd?elinkdata=17841">Carter Allen</a>, the Coyotes had a run on the board. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d2e213e1-9300-4f32-b4da-f3c51dab22f2?elinkdata=17841">Drew Wardell</a> then walked to bring in the second run of the inning, but the Coyotes could not get another run across.KWU only had three hits in the game by three different players. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8e4143f3-c93b-4fd0-8e3b-710cd26f143b?elinkdata=17841">Wil Yamka</a> took the loss in relief allowing three runs on two hits. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cafc8d76-ec5c-49f1-a807-53b5a476b664?elinkdata=17841">Ritter Steinmann</a> pitched phenomenally in relief as well allowing three hits and striking out seven in three and two-thirds. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3f617f9b-87e5-433b-b0ea-a42445deb871?elinkdata=17841">Shaw Lee</a> started the game and when two innings.

KWU Baseball earns split with Louisiana Christian

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Madison Chock and Evan Bates have been the best American ice dancers for years.

They only served to underscore that fact on Saturday, when they won their fourth consecutive title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and their sixth overall, matching the record held by longtime standard-bearers Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

Chock and Bates followed up their sublime rhythm dance with a winning free dance, totaling 223.52 points to easily outdistance second-place Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons finished third.

“It means honestly the world,” Bates said. “The U.S. championships is always an event that we hold near and dear to our hearts. I think it's because it's the competition that we grew up coming to every January, watching every year on TV as kids. It's what made us fall in love with the sport. There's something incredibly magical about this event.”

Earlier in the day, two-time defending U.S. champion and reigning world champion Ilia Malinin scored 114.08 points for his short program to take a big lead into Sunday's free skate. Andrew Torgashev was 20 points back in second and Jimmy Ma in third.

In the pairs competition, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov managed to hold their free skate together while their biggest rivals collapsed, allowing them to do one better than their silver medal from a year ago and stand atop the podium Saturday night.

Efimova and Mitrofanov scored 211.90 points for their program, set to “Je Suis Malade” by Serge Lama. Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman also took advantage of mistakes by defending champs Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea and 2023 runner-ups Emily Chan and Spencer Howe to capture the silver medal after a marathon day at INTRUST Bank Arena.

O'Shea and Kam erred on nearly every big element — their triple toe loops, throw triple lutz and throw triple toe loop. Their triple salchow into an axel was deemed invalid, and they got no points at all for a final lift on which both skaters fell.

Kam and O'Shea wound up third with 189.57 points. Chan and Howe were fourth with 183.95.

Chock, who was dealing with a food-related stomach bug all week, nevertheless joined Bates in a rollicking rhythm dance set to music from the 1950s, ‘60s and '70s with her longtime partner on Friday night. Chock and Bates had 92.16 points, putting them nearly 10 points clear of second-place Carreira and Ponomarenko heading into the free dance.

With Chock still dealing with her illness Saturday, they still managed to pad their lead, and confirm their status as favorites not just for the upcoming world championship in Boston but also the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

“Maddie has had a tough couple of days. Wasn’t really able to fuel much,” Bates said. “She’s so tough. She’s never not going to go out there and not give it her best. It took all the little energy that she had. I just tried to give the love and support to her.”

Carreira and Ponomarenko finished with 210.79 points for their second consecutive silver medal, while Green and Parsons took bronze after they had been tied on 82.13 points with Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik after the rhythm dance.

“This dance field is so strong,” Carreira said, “that we're really proud to be on the podium.”

In the men's short program, the 20-year-old Malinin did exactly what he's become known for: nailing quads. He opened with a quad flip, breezed through a triple axel, then hit a quad lutz in combination with a triple toe loop.

“I felt really good with my skate today,” he said, before adding: "I still have work to do on the quality of my skating.”

Imagine that: Malinin thinks he could be even better.

“I don't even think of Ilia as competition anymore because it's not something I think I can achieve,” said Ma, who likened the jumping dynamo to retired Olympic champion Nathan Chen. “It's just an honor to be friends and compete with two people who can be considered GOATs in their own way.”

U.S. Figure Skating also began confirming its lineups for the world championships in March.

Amber Glenn, who won her second straight national title on Friday night, will be joined in the women's competition in Boston by U.S. silver medalist Alysa Liu and reigning world silver medalist Isabeau Levito, provided she is healthy enough to compete. She did not compete at nationals due to a lingering foot injury.

If Levito is unable to perform in Boston, she would be replaced by newly minted U.S. bronze medalist Sarah Everhardt.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Madison Chock and Evan Bates have been the best American ice dancers for years.Best in the world, too.They only served to underscore that fact on Saturday, when they won their fourth consecutive title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and their sixth overall, matching the record held by longtime standard-bearers Meryl Davis and Charlie White.Chock and Bates followed up their sublime rhythm dance with a winning free dance, totaling 223.52 points to easily outdistance second-place Christina Carreira and Anthony Ponomarenko. Caroline Green and Michael Parsons finished third.“It means honestly the world,” Bates said. “The U.S. championships is always an event that we hold near and dear to our hearts. I think it's because it's the competition that we grew up coming to every January, watching every year on TV as kids. It's what made us fall in love with the sport. There's something incredibly magical about this event.”Earlier in the day, two-time defending U.S. champion and reigning world champion Ilia Malinin scored 114.08 points for his short program to take a big lead into Sunday's free skate. Andrew Torgashev was 20 points back in second and Jimmy Ma in third.In the pairs competition, Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov managed to hold their free skate together while their biggest rivals collapsed, allowing them to do one better than their silver medal from a year ago and stand atop the podium Saturday night.Efimova and Mitrofanov scored 211.90 points for their program, set to “Je Suis Malade” by Serge Lama. Katie McBeath and Daniil Parkman also took advantage of mistakes by defending champs Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea and 2023 runner-ups Emily Chan and Spencer Howe to capture the silver medal after a marathon day at INTRUST Bank Arena.O'Shea and Kam erred on nearly every big element — their triple toe loops, throw triple lutz and throw triple toe loop. Their triple salchow into an axel was deemed invalid, and they got no points at all for a final lift on which both skaters fell.Kam and O'Shea wound up third with 189.57 points. Chan and Howe were fourth with 183.95.Chock, who was dealing with a food-related stomach bug all week, nevertheless joined Bates in a rollicking rhythm dance set to music from the 1950s, ‘60s and '70s with her longtime partner on Friday night. Chock and Bates had 92.16 points, putting them nearly 10 points clear of second-place Carreira and Ponomarenko heading into the free dance.With Chock still dealing with her illness Saturday, they still managed to pad their lead, and confirm their status as favorites not just for the upcoming world championship in Boston but also the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.“Maddie has had a tough couple of days. Wasn’t really able to fuel much,” Bates said. “She’s so tough. She’s never not going to go out there and not give it her best. It took all the little energy that she had. I just tried to give the love and support to her.”Carreira and Ponomarenko finished with 210.79 points for their second consecutive silver medal, while Green and Parsons took bronze after they had been tied on 82.13 points with Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik after the rhythm dance.“This dance field is so strong,” Carreira said, “that we're really proud to be on the podium.”In the men's short program, the 20-year-old Malinin did exactly what he's become known for: nailing quads. He opened with a quad flip, breezed through a triple axel, then hit a quad lutz in combination with a triple toe loop.“I felt really good with my skate today,” he said, before adding: "I still have work to do on the quality of my skating.”Imagine that: Malinin thinks he could be even better.“I don't even think of Ilia as competition anymore because it's not something I think I can achieve,” said Ma, who likened the jumping dynamo to retired Olympic champion Nathan Chen. “It's just an honor to be friends and compete with two people who can be considered GOATs in their own way.”U.S. Figure Skating also began confirming its lineups for the world championships in March.Amber Glenn, who won her second straight national title on Friday night, will be joined in the women's competition in Boston by U.S. silver medalist Alysa Liu and reigning world silver medalist Isabeau Levito, provided she is healthy enough to compete. She did not compete at nationals due to a lingering foot injury.If Levito is unable to perform in Boston, she would be replaced by newly minted U.S. bronze medalist Sarah Everhardt.

Chock and Bates win their sixth ice dance national title in Wichita

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — J’Wan Roberts scored 24 points, including six in two overtime periods, and No. 7 Houston beat No. 12 Kansas 92-86. Roberts hit two free throws with 13.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. At the end of the first overtime, Houston (16-3, 8-0 Big 12) got back-to-back 3-pointers from Emanuel Sharp and Mylik Wilson to send it to the second overtime. The Cougars got 18 from Mylik Wilson and 17 from Milos Uzan. Kansas (14-5, 5-3) was led by Flory Bidunga with 19 points and Hunter Dickinson with 17.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — J’Wan Roberts scored 24 points, including six in two overtime periods, and No. 7 Houston beat No. 12 Kansas 92-86 on Saturday night.

Roberts hit two free throws with 13.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. At the end of the first overtime, Houston (16-3, 8-0 Big 12) got back-to-back 3-pointers from Emanuel Sharp and Mylik Wilson to send it to the second overtime.

The Cougars got 18 from Mylik Wilson and 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Milos Uzan.

Kansas (14-5, 5-3) was led by Flory Bidunga with 19 points and Hunter Dickinson with 17.

Houston: Injuries hampered the Cougars. Emanuel Sharp, who missed Houston's last game against Utah with an injury, played 25 minutes but scored just eight points. Ja'Vier Francis rolled his ankle early in the first half and played only 3:45. He finished with four points.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737860423031.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — J’Wan Roberts scored 24 points, including six in two overtime periods, and No. 7 Houston beat No. 12 Kansas 92-86. Roberts hit two free throws with 13.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. At the end of the first overtime, Houston (16-3, 8-0 Big 12) got back-to-back 3-pointers from Emanuel Sharp and Mylik Wilson to send it to the second overtime. The Cougars got 18 from Mylik Wilson and 17 from Milos Uzan. Kansas (14-5, 5-3) was led by Flory Bidunga with 19 points and Hunter Dickinson with 17.<h2>Story Body</h2>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — J’Wan Roberts scored 24 points, including six in two overtime periods, and No. 7 Houston beat No. 12 Kansas 92-86 on Saturday night.Roberts hit two free throws with 13.9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. At the end of the first overtime, Houston (16-3, 8-0 Big 12) got back-to-back 3-pointers from Emanuel Sharp and Mylik Wilson to send it to the second overtime.The Cougars got 18 from Mylik Wilson and 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists from Milos Uzan.Kansas (14-5, 5-3) was led by Flory Bidunga with 19 points and Hunter Dickinson with 17.<h2>Takeaway</h2>Houston: Injuries hampered the Cougars. Emanuel Sharp, who missed Houston's last game against Utah with an injury, played 25 minutes but scored just eight points. Ja'Vier Francis rolled his ankle early in the first half and played only 3:45. He finished with four points.Kansas: Bidunga, after scoring just two points on a last-second tipin in the first half, scored 17 in the second half and overtime for a career-high 19. With K.J. Adams out with a separated shoulder, Bidunga's contributions helped Kansas against a strong Houston front line.<h2>Key moment</h2>Houston used a 13-0 run early in the second half to turn a 40-31 deficit into a lead. Kansas went 6:21 without a point, and missed eight straight shots during the run, including a missed breakaway dunk attempt by Shakeel Moore.<h2>Key stat</h2>Both teams missed plenty of opportunities. The teams combined to shoot 56% from the free-throw line. Houston missed its first eight free throws of the second half and finished the half just 4 of 13 from the line, and was 14 of 25 for the game.The Jayhawks were 17 of 30 from the line.<h2>Up next</h2>Houston travels to West Virginia on Wednesday night and Kansas hosts UCF on Tuesday night.