By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

Tuesday was a great night for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs of Bennington, who pulled off the clean sweep of Ell-Saline to defend their home floor and complete season sweeps of both teams.

Girls Game: Bennington 43, Ell-Saline 32

In a close back-and-forth affair, inside play and offensive rebounds would win the day for Bennington, who staved off a late comeback bid from Ell-Saline.

With this result, the Lady Bulldogs move to 11-6 overall while Ell-Saline falls to 7-9.

The Lady Cardinals struck first in this game, getting out on an early 4-0 run, but by the end of the first quarter, Bennington was in control with a 10-6 lead.

That advantage would hold into halftime, but out of the break, Ell-Saline ramped up the pressure, attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, where they were able to level the score at 31 all going into the fourth.

Bennington pulled ahead late thanks to some clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch, and survived a chaotic sequence late to pick up their second win over Ell-Saline on the year.

The Lady Bulldogs were led in scoring by Rori Miles (14), while Ell-Saline was anchored by Brin Hecker (13).

Boys Game: Bennington 48, Ell-Saline 41

On the boy’s side, this game had the makings of a shootout early but as both teams tightened the screws the Bulldogs were able to pull away and hold off the Cardinals late.

With this win, their second of the year over the now 8th-ranked Cardinals, Bennington moves to 14-3 while Ell-Saline falls to 13-3.

The Cardinals did a commendable job on all-state center Eli Lawson, denying him early touches and forcing Bennington to settle for jumpers and attack the basket without utilizing their big down low.

Despite getting just four first-half points from Lawson, the Bulldogs proved up to the task, with five different players scoring by halftime where they led 25-20.

The second half saw more of the same, but Ell-Saline found a spark offensively in the fourth quarter when Brogan Rowley knocked down back-to-back threes to trim the Bennington advantage down to three.

From there however, the Bulldogs were able to melt the clock and pull away at the free throw line, holding on for a 48-41 victory.

Bennington was led in scoring by Talan Pickering (16) and Eli Lawson (11) who did most of his damage in the second half.&nbsp;

Despite the loss Ell-Saline got excellent performances out of Brogan Rowley (18) and Kas Kramer (12).

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Tuesday was a great night for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs of Bennington, who pulled off the clean sweep of Ell-Saline to defend their home floor and complete season sweeps of both teams.Girls Game: Bennington 43, Ell-Saline 32In a close back-and-forth affair, inside play and offensive rebounds would win the day for Bennington, who staved off a late comeback bid from Ell-Saline.With this result, the Lady Bulldogs move to 11-6 overall while Ell-Saline falls to 7-9.The Lady Cardinals struck first in this game, getting out on an early 4-0 run, but by the end of the first quarter, Bennington was in control with a 10-6 lead.That advantage would hold into halftime, but out of the break, Ell-Saline ramped up the pressure, attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line, where they were able to level the score at 31 all going into the fourth.Bennington pulled ahead late thanks to some clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch, and survived a chaotic sequence late to pick up their second win over Ell-Saline on the year.The Lady Bulldogs were led in scoring by Rori Miles (14), while Ell-Saline was anchored by Brin Hecker (13).Boys Game: Bennington 48, Ell-Saline 41On the boy’s side, this game had the makings of a shootout early but as both teams tightened the screws the Bulldogs were able to pull away and hold off the Cardinals late.With this win, their second of the year over the now 8th-ranked Cardinals, Bennington moves to 14-3 while Ell-Saline falls to 13-3.The Cardinals did a commendable job on all-state center Eli Lawson, denying him early touches and forcing Bennington to settle for jumpers and attack the basket without utilizing their big down low.Despite getting just four first-half points from Lawson, the Bulldogs proved up to the task, with five different players scoring by halftime where they led 25-20.The second half saw more of the same, but Ell-Saline found a spark offensively in the fourth quarter when Brogan Rowley knocked down back-to-back threes to trim the Bennington advantage down to three.From there however, the Bulldogs were able to melt the clock and pull away at the free throw line, holding on for a 48-41 victory.Bennington was led in scoring by Talan Pickering (16) and Eli Lawson (11) who did most of his damage in the second half.&nbsp;Despite the loss Ell-Saline got excellent performances out of Brogan Rowley (18) and Kas Kramer (12).

Bulldogs Defend Home Court in Sweep of Ell-Saline

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams split their two-game set with Ellsworth on Tuesday night, setting up one final game to close out their regular seasons.

Girls Game: SE of Saline 49, Ellsworth 36

The Lady Trojan defense came to play from the jump, holding Ellsworth to just four first-quarter points and using that early lead to pull away in a comfortable double-digit win.

This is the fourth-straight victory for Southeast, who moves to 14-5 overall and 7-2 in league play while Ellsworth falls to 8-10 and 2-7 respectively.

“We wanted to get the pedal to the metal early and I thought we did a good job of that,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We came out like we needed to and we survived some early lapses.”

Three different Lady Trojans would finish the night in double digits led by Lexi Jacobson (13) Maddie Harris (12) and Aba Pearson (10).

On the other side of things, Southeast held Ellsworth without a single double-digit scorer. The Lady Bearcats were led by Paityn Tenbrink who finished her night with nine points.

Boys Game: Ellsworth 44, SE of Saline 33

On the boy’s side, Southeast again held Ellsworth to under 50 points but couldn’t get the offensive output to match, sputtering until the fourth and final quarter.

It was another big night for Will Cravens, who scored 24 of the Bearcats 44 points, including 14 of their 21 first-half total.

With this result, Ellsworth moves to 16-2 overall and 7-2 in league play while the Trojans fall to 10-9 and 3-6.

“We were good enough again defensively that this should have been a one-possession game against a team like this. Will is a darn good basketball player but I thought we would be a little better offensively and we just weren’t.”

The Trojans had just four players score, led once again by Connor Caselman (11) and Gannon Jacobson (10), with just 12 points from the rest of the team.

Both Southeast squads will close out their regular seasons next Thursday when they travel to Republic County.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline basketball teams split their two-game set with Ellsworth on Tuesday night, setting up one final game to close out their regular seasons.Girls Game: SE of Saline 49, Ellsworth 36The Lady Trojan defense came to play from the jump, holding Ellsworth to just four first-quarter points and using that early lead to pull away in a comfortable double-digit win.This is the fourth-straight victory for Southeast, who moves to 14-5 overall and 7-2 in league play while Ellsworth falls to 8-10 and 2-7 respectively.“We wanted to get the pedal to the metal early and I thought we did a good job of that,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We came out like we needed to and we survived some early lapses.”Three different Lady Trojans would finish the night in double digits led by Lexi Jacobson (13) Maddie Harris (12) and Aba Pearson (10).On the other side of things, Southeast held Ellsworth without a single double-digit scorer. The Lady Bearcats were led by Paityn Tenbrink who finished her night with nine points.Boys Game: Ellsworth 44, SE of Saline 33On the boy’s side, Southeast again held Ellsworth to under 50 points but couldn’t get the offensive output to match, sputtering until the fourth and final quarter.It was another big night for Will Cravens, who scored 24 of the Bearcats 44 points, including 14 of their 21 first-half total.With this result, Ellsworth moves to 16-2 overall and 7-2 in league play while the Trojans fall to 10-9 and 3-6.“We were good enough again defensively that this should have been a one-possession game against a team like this. Will is a darn good basketball player but I thought we would be a little better offensively and we just weren’t.”The Trojans had just four players score, led once again by Connor Caselman (11) and Gannon Jacobson (10), with just 12 points from the rest of the team.Both Southeast squads will close out their regular seasons next Thursday when they travel to Republic County.

Southeast Splits Senior Night Set With Ellsworth

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor

Sacred Heart hosted Beloit on Tuesday night and, although both the boys and girls were in close games, the Knights were swept by the Trojans for the second time this season.

In the opener of the doubleheader, the Lady Knights fell behind 5-0 and 7-2 in the first quarter, but came back to tie the game at 7-7. Aside&nbsp;from that deadlocked score, Beloit led the entire game.

The Lady Trojans led 9-7 heading into the second quarter. Beloit runs of 7-0 and 6-0 sandwiched the lone two points for the Lady Knights in the period to make the Sacred Heart deficit 20-9 at halftime.&nbsp;

The Lady Knights were within eight points to start the final quarter. A 9-4 run closed the gap to 31-28, but that was as close as Sacred Heart would get as Beloit held on for a 34-29 win.&nbsp;&nbsp;Adelyn Lee led Sacred Heart with 10 points.

Sacred Heart is now 11-7 overall and 3-5 in the NCAA league.

In a fast-paced opening quarter Sacred Heart and Beloit traded baskets and were knotted at 15-15 after the opening eight minutes of the game.&nbsp;

Neither team led by more than two possessions as the Trojans led by four at halftime and by a single point heading into the final period. Trailing 57-54 in the final seconds, Sacred Heart missed a potential game-tying three-pointer and came away with another heartbreaker of a loss to Beloit.

Max Ehrlich led the Knights&nbsp;with 12 points. Michael Matteucci added 11.Sacred Heart falls to 15-3 overall and are now 5-3 in the NCAA league.

The Knights will now head back on the road to Belleville for a boys and girls twinbill at Republic County on Friday night.&nbsp;

Pregame is scheduled for 5:50 pm with the girls tipoff at 6 pm and the boys to follow. The games can be seen and heard on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Sacred Heart hosted Beloit on Tuesday night and, although both the boys and girls were in close games, the Knights were swept by the Trojans for the second time this season.Beloit Girls 34, Sacred Heart 29In the opener of the doubleheader, the Lady Knights fell behind 5-0 and 7-2 in the first quarter, but came back to tie the game at 7-7. Aside&nbsp;from that deadlocked score, Beloit led the entire game.The Lady Trojans led 9-7 heading into the second quarter. Beloit runs of 7-0 and 6-0 sandwiched the lone two points for the Lady Knights in the period to make the Sacred Heart deficit 20-9 at halftime.&nbsp;The Lady Knights were within eight points to start the final quarter. A 9-4 run closed the gap to 31-28, but that was as close as Sacred Heart would get as Beloit held on for a 34-29 win.&nbsp;&nbsp;Adelyn Lee led Sacred Heart with 10 points.Sacred Heart is now 11-7 overall and 3-5 in the NCAA league.Beloit Boys 57, Sacred Heart 54In a fast-paced opening quarter Sacred Heart and Beloit traded baskets and were knotted at 15-15 after the opening eight minutes of the game.&nbsp;Neither team led by more than two possessions as the Trojans led by four at halftime and by a single point heading into the final period. Trailing 57-54 in the final seconds, Sacred Heart missed a potential game-tying three-pointer and came away with another heartbreaker of a loss to Beloit.Max Ehrlich led the Knights&nbsp;with 12 points. Michael Matteucci added 11.Sacred Heart falls to 15-3 overall and are now 5-3 in the NCAA league.The Knights will now head back on the road to Belleville for a boys and girls twinbill at Republic County on Friday night.&nbsp;Pregame is scheduled for 5:50 pm with the girls tipoff at 6 pm and the boys to follow. The games can be seen and heard on&nbsp;<a href="http://salinapost.com/" target="_blank">salinapost.com</a>.

Sacred Heart Falls in Two Thrillers Against Beloit

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t have injuries or any of that for you, we’re at the end here. Whatever you want, go ahead and fire at me, time’s yours.”

Q: Is it going to motivate the team next season knowing history can be made becoming the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row?

REID:&nbsp;“I think they probably know all that. I don’t have to say much in that area – or didn’t have to say much, we just met. You know that that’s a great challenge and most of all you’re going to be challenged by other teams. If we thought we were challenged this year, we’re definitely going to challenged double that next year.”

Q: Is there something that this season taught you more than any of the others?

REID:&nbsp;“I think what you’re seeing in the game today is these defensive coordinators – and I’ll tell you ours included – are very flexible with the coverages. So, it’s not just one or two coverages that they’re going to throw at you. They’re being able to teach multiple coverages, and they’re not afraid to use them at any time during the game. That’s where I’ll tell you the game has changed a little bit. As far as myself, obviously patience was one thing that we had to do on the offensive side as guys learned, the young guys learned and the new guys learned. Very grateful for the job that (Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spags did with the defensive side. I thought that they were a great example to everybody of taking young guys, teaching, them and watching them grow, like they had to do last year, and we were able to really come to a strength last year on defense for the playoffs and it kind of worked that way this year with the offense.”

Q: When you talk to the team about the parade, how much of your message is telling them to have fun but don’t get too crazy?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, that was mentioned a couple times. It’s great to have fun but be smart.”

Q: What gives you the confidence that Patrick Mahomes will ramp up his game next season and not get complacent?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) has a love for the game, and so when you have that type of love, especially as young as he is, I don’t think that’s going anywhere. He doesn’t let all the outside events effect his play. I mean, he’s one of those guys that is known worldwide really, and that really doesn’t faze him.”

Q: On the doggy pile with Chris Jones after the game.

REID:&nbsp;“I was so happy for him (Chris Jones), I kind of had been riding him a little bit. We needed him in there and he was spent, He was tired, but he sucked it up and he got out there and he pushed himself probably further than he thought he could push himself. He took himself to that state, that wrestling state where you got to really reach down in there and kind of get through that evil thing that is kicking your butt internally. He did that and I was so proud of him for that.”

Q: Was it the end of regulation or during OT when you really needed Chris Jones?

REID:&nbsp;“It was both, I mean it was both.”

Q: How much would it mean to get Chris Jones back for next season?

REID:&nbsp;“I think (General Manager Brett) Veach has said it before, we’d love to have him (Chris Jones) back. They just have to work all that out, but I think that the effort will be there probably on both parts to try to get something done.”

Q:&nbsp;How much fun was it to have your son Assistant Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach Spencer Reid on staff with you this season and be able to celebrate with him?

REID:&nbsp;“It was great. It was great to have him on board. I thought he (Assistant Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach Spencer Reid) did a nice job along with the strength coaching staff – they kept us in a good position throughout the year injury wise, they worked with the trainers (to) make sure guys got back quick. It’s great, there’s no feeling like that to have one of your kids there in a situation like that.”

Q:&nbsp;What did it mean to have two west coast offenses make it to the Super Bowl and see PFHOF Head Coach Bill Walsh’s offense still being used today?

REID:&nbsp;“You could even take it further to (PFHOF Head Coach) Paul Brown who taught (PHOF Head Coach) Bill Walsh. That’s something – to say that its time tested is probably an understatement. We’ve stretched ours in a certain direction and (49ers Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan) has done the same thing. Like I said, it’s time tested and really a good deal. Kyle did a heck of a job this year, and I don’t want to let that slide on this. He really is a heck of a football coach. That game could have gone either way, that was one of those kinds of games. Fortunate to say we came out on the positive side, but it could have easily gone that other way.”

Q:&nbsp;What do the next couple of weeks look like after the parade for you?

REID:&nbsp;“The coaches will take right around a week off, but then we have the Combine coming up, so we’ve got to get ourselves ready for that. Then it just goes from there, we’re in the swing of things after that once you get to the combine.”

Q:&nbsp;On the sideline interaction with Travis Kelce.

REID:&nbsp;“He (Travis Kelce) and I have talked and that’s not a big deal. I wouldn’t anticipate other players doing that.”

Q:&nbsp;How do you manage playing so many extra games with long playoff runs every season?

REID:&nbsp;“We try to manage that the best we can with the offseason so the guys can refresh and get themselves back and ready to go. The way training now, it’s year around, so guys know how to manage that. It’s all worked out okay. I’m not too worried about that.”

Q:&nbsp;In what ways have you been able to appreciate the moment and keep everything you’ve accomplished in perspective?

REID:&nbsp;“To win one is tough, to win two back-to-back is really tough. That’s not an easy thing to do. To know the effort the guys put into it, the way they stuck together through the highs and lows. You see offensive guys wearing t-shirts around that say, ‘In Spags we trust’, it’s a joint effort. There wasn’t an offense versus defensive thing. It was us playing as one group – (and) special teams likewise. The guys jump in and just do a phenomenal job on special teams when needed. Everybody had a little piece of the pie, and that’s gratifying as a head coach to be around something like that.”

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t have injuries or any of that for you, we’re at the end here. Whatever you want, go ahead and fire at me, time’s yours.”Q: Is it going to motivate the team next season knowing history can be made becoming the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row?REID:&nbsp;“I think they probably know all that. I don’t have to say much in that area – or didn’t have to say much, we just met. You know that that’s a great challenge and most of all you’re going to be challenged by other teams. If we thought we were challenged this year, we’re definitely going to challenged double that next year.”Q: Is there something that this season taught you more than any of the others?REID:&nbsp;“I think what you’re seeing in the game today is these defensive coordinators – and I’ll tell you ours included – are very flexible with the coverages. So, it’s not just one or two coverages that they’re going to throw at you. They’re being able to teach multiple coverages, and they’re not afraid to use them at any time during the game. That’s where I’ll tell you the game has changed a little bit. As far as myself, obviously patience was one thing that we had to do on the offensive side as guys learned, the young guys learned and the new guys learned. Very grateful for the job that (Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spags did with the defensive side. I thought that they were a great example to everybody of taking young guys, teaching, them and watching them grow, like they had to do last year, and we were able to really come to a strength last year on defense for the playoffs and it kind of worked that way this year with the offense.”Q: When you talk to the team about the parade, how much of your message is telling them to have fun but don’t get too crazy?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, that was mentioned a couple times. It’s great to have fun but be smart.”Q: What gives you the confidence that Patrick Mahomes will ramp up his game next season and not get complacent?REID:&nbsp;“He (Patrick Mahomes) has a love for the game, and so when you have that type of love, especially as young as he is, I don’t think that’s going anywhere. He doesn’t let all the outside events effect his play. I mean, he’s one of those guys that is known worldwide really, and that really doesn’t faze him.”Q: On the doggy pile with Chris Jones after the game.REID:&nbsp;“I was so happy for him (Chris Jones), I kind of had been riding him a little bit. We needed him in there and he was spent, He was tired, but he sucked it up and he got out there and he pushed himself probably further than he thought he could push himself. He took himself to that state, that wrestling state where you got to really reach down in there and kind of get through that evil thing that is kicking your butt internally. He did that and I was so proud of him for that.”Q: Was it the end of regulation or during OT when you really needed Chris Jones?REID:&nbsp;“It was both, I mean it was both.”Q: How much would it mean to get Chris Jones back for next season?REID:&nbsp;“I think (General Manager Brett) Veach has said it before, we’d love to have him (Chris Jones) back. They just have to work all that out, but I think that the effort will be there probably on both parts to try to get something done.”Q:&nbsp;How much fun was it to have your son Assistant Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach Spencer Reid on staff with you this season and be able to celebrate with him?REID:&nbsp;“It was great. It was great to have him on board. I thought he (Assistant Strength &amp; Conditioning Coach Spencer Reid) did a nice job along with the strength coaching staff – they kept us in a good position throughout the year injury wise, they worked with the trainers (to) make sure guys got back quick. It’s great, there’s no feeling like that to have one of your kids there in a situation like that.”Q:&nbsp;What did it mean to have two west coast offenses make it to the Super Bowl and see PFHOF Head Coach Bill Walsh’s offense still being used today?REID:&nbsp;“You could even take it further to (PFHOF Head Coach) Paul Brown who taught (PHOF Head Coach) Bill Walsh. That’s something – to say that its time tested is probably an understatement. We’ve stretched ours in a certain direction and (49ers Head Coach) Kyle (Shanahan) has done the same thing. Like I said, it’s time tested and really a good deal. Kyle did a heck of a job this year, and I don’t want to let that slide on this. He really is a heck of a football coach. That game could have gone either way, that was one of those kinds of games. Fortunate to say we came out on the positive side, but it could have easily gone that other way.”Q:&nbsp;What do the next couple of weeks look like after the parade for you?REID:&nbsp;“The coaches will take right around a week off, but then we have the Combine coming up, so we’ve got to get ourselves ready for that. Then it just goes from there, we’re in the swing of things after that once you get to the combine.”Q:&nbsp;On the sideline interaction with Travis Kelce.REID:&nbsp;“He (Travis Kelce) and I have talked and that’s not a big deal. I wouldn’t anticipate other players doing that.”Q:&nbsp;How do you manage playing so many extra games with long playoff runs every season?REID:&nbsp;“We try to manage that the best we can with the offseason so the guys can refresh and get themselves back and ready to go. The way training now, it’s year around, so guys know how to manage that. It’s all worked out okay. I’m not too worried about that.”Q:&nbsp;In what ways have you been able to appreciate the moment and keep everything you’ve accomplished in perspective?REID:&nbsp;“To win one is tough, to win two back-to-back is really tough. That’s not an easy thing to do. To know the effort the guys put into it, the way they stuck together through the highs and lows. You see offensive guys wearing t-shirts around that say, ‘In Spags we trust’, it’s a joint effort. There wasn’t an offense versus defensive thing. It was us playing as one group – (and) special teams likewise. The guys jump in and just do a phenomenal job on special teams when needed. Everybody had a little piece of the pie, and that’s gratifying as a head coach to be around something like that.”

Chiefs Quotes: 2-13-24

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams will enter senior night riding a pair of three-game winning streaks when they welcome in Ellsworth on Tuesday night.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (13-5, 6-2) vs. Ellsworth (8-9, 2-6)

With a sweep of Minneapolis already in hand, tonight, the Lady Trojans can secure second place in the NCAA and continue building momentum ahead of what’s sure to be a gauntlet of a sub-state field.

Tonight will also give Southeast an opportunity to honor three seniors who have helped elevate their program to new heights during their time in the purple and white.

“Brielle, Maddie, and Lexi have always been willing to do whatever it takes to win and their work ethic has set a precedent in our program,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “They play their hearts out every night and they’re great leaders on and off the court.”

The first time these two linked up, the Lady Trojans escaped Ellsworth with a 38-35 victory, and will need to be on their toes again tonight.

“In that first game, we struggled in a lot of little areas but we got through it,” Smith said. We have to slow down and handle the ball a little bit better and Ellsworth is deep with a lot of size on the inside. We’ll have to make some shots tonight and we can’t miss easy buckets.”

Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.

Boys Game: SE of Saline (10-8, 3-5) vs. Ellsworth (15-2, 6-2)

On the boy’s side, Southeast still has a shot at the 3-seed in this year’s sub-state bracket, and can still spoil Ellsworth’s league hopes with a win on their home floor tonight.

In the first meeting between the two, Ellsworth rode a big performance from Will Cravens at the free throw line to a 44-31 win on a rough night for the Trojan offense.

“We just couldn’t score in that first game,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They did a good job defensively and got extra opportunities but when you hold a team to 44 points you expect to be in the game and we just weren’t.”

To exact their revenge, Southeast will need to slow the best player in the league even further tonight, while ensuring that their own offense does not stagnate.

“We did an okay job of not letting Will get to the spots that he likes and we’ll have to do that again but we let Riley Stone get some easy touches around the rim,” Flax said. “We need to limit big opportunities from some of their other guys and make things more difficult for them.”

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline basketball teams will enter senior night riding a pair of three-game winning streaks when they welcome in Ellsworth on Tuesday night.Girls Game: SE of Saline (13-5, 6-2) vs. Ellsworth (8-9, 2-6)With a sweep of Minneapolis already in hand, tonight, the Lady Trojans can secure second place in the NCAA and continue building momentum ahead of what’s sure to be a gauntlet of a sub-state field.Tonight will also give Southeast an opportunity to honor three seniors who have helped elevate their program to new heights during their time in the purple and white.“Brielle, Maddie, and Lexi have always been willing to do whatever it takes to win and their work ethic has set a precedent in our program,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “They play their hearts out every night and they’re great leaders on and off the court.”The first time these two linked up, the Lady Trojans escaped Ellsworth with a 38-35 victory, and will need to be on their toes again tonight.“In that first game, we struggled in a lot of little areas but we got through it,” Smith said. We have to slow down and handle the ball a little bit better and Ellsworth is deep with a lot of size on the inside. We’ll have to make some shots tonight and we can’t miss easy buckets.”Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 at Southeast of Saline High School.Boys Game: SE of Saline (10-8, 3-5) vs. Ellsworth (15-2, 6-2)On the boy’s side, Southeast still has a shot at the 3-seed in this year’s sub-state bracket, and can still spoil Ellsworth’s league hopes with a win on their home floor tonight.In the first meeting between the two, Ellsworth rode a big performance from Will Cravens at the free throw line to a 44-31 win on a rough night for the Trojan offense.“We just couldn’t score in that first game,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “They did a good job defensively and got extra opportunities but when you hold a team to 44 points you expect to be in the game and we just weren’t.”To exact their revenge, Southeast will need to slow the best player in the league even further tonight, while ensuring that their own offense does not stagnate.“We did an okay job of not letting Will get to the spots that he likes and we’ll have to do that again but we let Riley Stone get some easy touches around the rim,” Flax said. “We need to limit big opportunities from some of their other guys and make things more difficult for them.”

Trojans Welcome in Bearcats for Senior Night

MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;K-State senior center Ayoka Lee continues to add to her trophy case, as she has been named to the 2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s National Player of the Year Midseason Team. This is the second time in Lee’s career that she has been named to the midseason team (2022).

The two-time USBWA/Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week recipient this season, Lee has had a strong 2023-24 as she is averaging 19.8 points on a career-best .677 field goal percentage, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. She ranks second in the nation and leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage. Lee is third in the Big 12 in scoring average and leads the league and is 10th in the nation for blocks per game.

Lee, a Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 finalist, has recorded nine games this season with 20 or more points including her second career 20-20 double-double with 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots against Oral Roberts.

This season, Lee has led the Big 12’s top defense with 14 games with two or more blocked shots including a season-high seven at UCF on Jan. 6. She has also collected two or more steals in four games.

In her career, Lee ranks fourth in school history for points scored with 2,017, second for rebounds with 1,034, the school record holder for career blocks with 284 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 55.

(7/7) K-State will make a quick Valentine’s Day road trip, as the Wildcats visit Iowa State on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network including the flagship stations Sunny 102.5 FM and 1350 KMAN, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/" target="_blank">kstatesports.com</a>, or on the K-State Sports app. The game can also be heard on SiriusXM channels 132 or 199 and on the SiriusXM app.

MANHATTAN, Kansas –&nbsp;K-State senior center Ayoka Lee continues to add to her trophy case, as she has been named to the 2024 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s National Player of the Year Midseason Team. This is the second time in Lee’s career that she has been named to the midseason team (2022).The two-time USBWA/Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week recipient this season, Lee has had a strong 2023-24 as she is averaging 19.8 points on a career-best .677 field goal percentage, 8.2 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots. She ranks second in the nation and leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage. Lee is third in the Big 12 in scoring average and leads the league and is 10th in the nation for blocks per game.Lee, a Lisa Leslie Award Top 10 finalist, has recorded nine games this season with 20 or more points including her second career 20-20 double-double with 24 points, 21 rebounds and five blocked shots against Oral Roberts.This season, Lee has led the Big 12’s top defense with 14 games with two or more blocked shots including a season-high seven at UCF on Jan. 6. She has also collected two or more steals in four games.In her career, Lee ranks fourth in school history for points scored with 2,017, second for rebounds with 1,034, the school record holder for career blocks with 284 and owns the school record for career double-doubles with 55.(7/7) K-State will make a quick Valentine’s Day road trip, as the Wildcats visit Iowa State on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.Wednesday’s game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and can be heard on the K-State Sports Network including the flagship stations Sunny 102.5 FM and 1350 KMAN, online at&nbsp;<a href="http://kstatesports.com/" target="_blank">kstatesports.com</a>, or on the K-State Sports app. The game can also be heard on SiriusXM channels 132 or 199 and on the SiriusXM app.

K-State’s Lee Named to Naismith Women’s Player of the Year Midseason Team

Only once this season has Sacred Heart been swept in a boys and girls doubleheader. 

It happened at Beloit on January 23rd. On Tuesday night the Knights will have the opportunity to avenge those losses as the Trojans travel to Salina.

Girl's game: Sacred Heart (11-6, 3-4) vs. Beloit (13-4, 7-1)

In the first meeting between the Knights and Trojans, both teams were well below their scoring averages as the teams combined for just 31 first half points. 

Despite being on the road against a tough Beloit team, Sacred Heart led by a single possession after the first quarter and at halftime.

The tempo picked up in the third quarter as Beloit opened with a 10-0 run that Sacred Heart answered with a 7-0 of its own. 

A second 10-0 run by Beloit turned out to be the difference in the game as the Trojans outscored the Knights 16-7 in the final eight minutes to claim a 42-31 victory.

The&nbsp;Knights will need to keep their eyes on Addison Budke and Cassandra Thompson who scored 16 and 10 points respectively in the first meeting between the&nbsp;teams. 

Adelyn Lee scored 14 for the Knights who should have more offense this time around.&nbsp; Katie Weiss, Skylar Douglas, and Avery Eshleman have each improved on their scoring averages since the road game at Beloit.

Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 pm from Salina.

Boy's game: 2A #10 Sacred Heart (15-2, 5-2) vs. 3A #1 Beloit (16-1, 8-0)

Sacred Heart will have to contain Beloit's Bryce Beisner to put themselves in a good place for a win Tuesday night. 

After a close game throughout, Sacred Heart pulled away and held a&nbsp;51-39 with only 2:22 left in regulation in&nbsp;the contest at Beloit. Beisner willed Beloit back with his career-high 34 points to force overtime. 

Beisner was 15-16 from the free throw line with all but two of&nbsp;those 15 points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.

In the 88-77 double-overtime loss, Sacred Heart had four double-figure scorers as Max Ehrlich scored 18, Michael Matteucci added 15, Will Tuttle had 14, and Evan Bogart chipped in 11 points.

Tip-off for the boy’s game is set for 7:30 pm from Salina.

Broadcast Information - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 5:45 PM

BY ADAM COULTER Salina Post Contributor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Only once this season has Sacred Heart been swept in a boys and girls doubleheader. It happened at Beloit on January 23rd. On Tuesday night the Knights will have the opportunity to avenge those losses as the Trojans travel to Salina.Girl's game: Sacred Heart (11-6, 3-4) vs. Beloit (13-4, 7-1)In the first meeting between the Knights and Trojans, both teams were well below their scoring averages as the teams combined for just 31 first half points. Despite being on the road against a tough Beloit team, Sacred Heart led by a single possession after the first quarter and at halftime.The tempo picked up in the third quarter as Beloit opened with a 10-0 run that Sacred Heart answered with a 7-0 of its own. A second 10-0 run by Beloit turned out to be the difference in the game as the Trojans outscored the Knights 16-7 in the final eight minutes to claim a 42-31 victory.The&nbsp;Knights will need to keep their eyes on Addison Budke and Cassandra Thompson who scored 16 and 10 points respectively in the first meeting between the&nbsp;teams. Adelyn Lee scored 14 for the Knights who should have more offense this time around.&nbsp; Katie Weiss, Skylar Douglas, and Avery Eshleman have each improved on their scoring averages since the road game at Beloit.Tip-off for the girl’s game is set for 6:00 pm from Salina.Boy's game: 2A #10 Sacred Heart (15-2, 5-2) vs. 3A #1 Beloit (16-1, 8-0)Sacred Heart will have to contain Beloit's Bryce Beisner to put themselves in a good place for a win Tuesday night. After a close game throughout, Sacred Heart pulled away and held a&nbsp;51-39 with only 2:22 left in regulation in&nbsp;the contest at Beloit. Beisner willed Beloit back with his career-high 34 points to force overtime. Beisner was 15-16 from the free throw line with all but two of&nbsp;those 15 points coming in the fourth quarter and overtime.In the 88-77 double-overtime loss, Sacred Heart had four double-figure scorers as Max Ehrlich scored 18, Michael Matteucci added 15, Will Tuttle had 14, and Evan Bogart chipped in 11 points.Tip-off for the boy’s game is set for 7:30 pm from Salina.Broadcast Information - Live Stream: Salina Post - Pregame: 5:45 PM<figure>
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Sacred Heart Looks Ahead to Home Rematches Against Beloit

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams continue heating up down the stretch, with each squad collecting its third straight win in Ellinwood last night.

Girls Game: SE of Saline 62, Ellinwood 31

The Lady Trojans dominated their tilt with Ellinwood, jumping out to a sizable early lead and never letting the foot off the gas.

Southeast led by nine at the end of the first quarter, then outscored the Lady Eagles 21-9 in the second to hold a 20-point lead at halftime.

Once again, the Lady Trojan defense was in full effect, holding Ellinwood to just eight second-half points, and forcing 19 turnovers as the purple and white cruised to victory.

SES was led in scoring by Lexi Jacobson (16), and Brielle Ptacek (14), but seven different Lady Trojans got in on the fun with at least one bucket.

On the other side of the matchup, just one Lady Eagle notched double digits as Julia Schlessiger finished her night with ten points.

With this win, the Lady Trojans move to 13-5 overall while Ellinwood falls to 4-14.

Boys Game: SE of Saline 52, Ellinwood 31

The boy’s game wasn’t much closer when all was said and done, but it took a little more time for Southeast to pull away as Ellinwood trailed by just four at the intermission.

From there however, the Trojans tightened the screws on both sides of the ball, holding the Eagles to just 13 second-half points and cruising to the 52-31 victory.

Ellinwood’s Landon Simpson led all scorers with 18 points, but got just 17 points of assistance from the rest of the roster in the loss.

Meanwhile, Southeast spread their scoring out evenly among seven different Trojans, led by Connor Caselman who posted 13 in the win.

With this result, both teams move to 10-8 overall on the year.

Both SES squads will be back in action tonight when the teams return to Gypsum to battle the Bearcats.

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Southeast of Saline basketball teams continue heating up down the stretch, with each squad collecting its third straight win in Ellinwood last night.Girls Game: SE of Saline 62, Ellinwood 31The Lady Trojans dominated their tilt with Ellinwood, jumping out to a sizable early lead and never letting the foot off the gas.Southeast led by nine at the end of the first quarter, then outscored the Lady Eagles 21-9 in the second to hold a 20-point lead at halftime.Once again, the Lady Trojan defense was in full effect, holding Ellinwood to just eight second-half points, and forcing 19 turnovers as the purple and white cruised to victory.SES was led in scoring by Lexi Jacobson (16), and Brielle Ptacek (14), but seven different Lady Trojans got in on the fun with at least one bucket.On the other side of the matchup, just one Lady Eagle notched double digits as Julia Schlessiger finished her night with ten points.With this win, the Lady Trojans move to 13-5 overall while Ellinwood falls to 4-14.Boys Game: SE of Saline 52, Ellinwood 31The boy’s game wasn’t much closer when all was said and done, but it took a little more time for Southeast to pull away as Ellinwood trailed by just four at the intermission.From there however, the Trojans tightened the screws on both sides of the ball, holding the Eagles to just 13 second-half points and cruising to the 52-31 victory.Ellinwood’s Landon Simpson led all scorers with 18 points, but got just 17 points of assistance from the rest of the roster in the loss.Meanwhile, Southeast spread their scoring out evenly among seven different Trojans, led by Connor Caselman who posted 13 in the win.With this result, both teams move to 10-8 overall on the year.Both SES squads will be back in action tonight when the teams return to Gypsum to battle the Bearcats.

Southeast Sweeps Ellinwood to Open New Back-to-Back

Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6253017f-9910-4d9c-b4b3-756e13375729?elinkdata=4976" target="_blank">Trenity Miller</a>&nbsp;has been named as the KCAC Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in a pair of games last week for the Coyotes.

Her selection comes from a pool of nominees by conference athletic communications professionals and is presented at the conference level by Equity Bank.

Miller had a great week for the Coyotes, who played two games on the road after the LSU-Alexandria weekend tournament was washed out. 

She hit .750 for the week, going 3 for 4 in both games and had a 1.250 slugging average for the week. In the Central Baptist game, she drove in all four runs for the Coyotes.

Kansas Wesleyan is 3-3 heading into Tuesday's home opener against Cottey College starting at 1 p.m. at the Salina South High School fields.

Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6253017f-9910-4d9c-b4b3-756e13375729?elinkdata=4976" target="_blank">Trenity Miller</a>&nbsp;has been named as the KCAC Softball Player of the Week for her efforts in a pair of games last week for the Coyotes. Her selection comes from a pool of nominees by conference athletic communications professionals and is presented at the conference level by Equity Bank.Miller had a great week for the Coyotes, who played two games on the road after the LSU-Alexandria weekend tournament was washed out. She hit .750 for the week, going 3 for 4 in both games and had a 1.250 slugging average for the week. In the Central Baptist game, she drove in all four runs for the Coyotes.Kansas Wesleyan is 3-3 heading into Tuesday's home opener against Cottey College starting at 1 p.m. at the Salina South High School fields.

KWUs Miller earns KCAC Softball weekly honor

The Chapman Fighting Irish officially announced Jason Grider as their next head football coach in the following release, issued to the school website on Monday...

Chapman High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Head Coach, Jason Grider. Coach Grider will lead the Irish Football program and teach High School Strength and Conditioning classes, as well as run the entire summer program for 7-12 athletes.

Coach Grider spent the last two seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Bethel College.&nbsp; Prior to his stop at Bethel, he was the head coach at Halstead High School. Grider spent eight seasons leading the program for the Dragons. He brings 23 years of high school coaching experience with him, 21 of those years coming as a head coach.

During his time in Halstead, Grider led the Dragons to two district wins over the Irish in 2018 and 2019.&nbsp; He took two teams to the 3A sub-state finals, won two league titles, six district titles in a row and made seven straight KSHSAA playoff appearances.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While at Halstead, Grider coached Powerlifting and Track in addition to his football coaching duties. He led the Dragons to a 2021 3A State Championship in Men’s Powerlifting, a State Runner-up in 3A Men’s Powerlifting in 2019 and State Runner-ups in 3A Women’s Powerlifting in 2016 and 2017.

Grider graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene in 1999 where he played defensive end.&nbsp; He also made stops at Basehor-Linwood (ass’t), Leoti-Wichita County (HC), and Royal Valley (HC). He is married to his wife, Tonya, and they have three adult children."

The Chapman Fighting Irish officially announced Jason Grider as their next head football coach in the following release, issued to the school website on Monday...<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Chapman High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Head Coach, Jason Grider. Coach Grider will lead the Irish Football program and teach High School Strength and Conditioning classes, as well as run the entire summer program for 7-12 athletes.Coach Grider spent the last two seasons as the Associate Head Coach at Bethel College.&nbsp; Prior to his stop at Bethel, he was the head coach at Halstead High School. Grider spent eight seasons leading the program for the Dragons. He brings 23 years of high school coaching experience with him, 21 of those years coming as a head coach.During his time in Halstead, Grider led the Dragons to two district wins over the Irish in 2018 and 2019.&nbsp; He took two teams to the 3A sub-state finals, won two league titles, six district titles in a row and made seven straight KSHSAA playoff appearances.&nbsp;&nbsp;While at Halstead, Grider coached Powerlifting and Track in addition to his football coaching duties. He led the Dragons to a 2021 3A State Championship in Men’s Powerlifting, a State Runner-up in 3A Men’s Powerlifting in 2019 and State Runner-ups in 3A Women’s Powerlifting in 2016 and 2017.Grider graduated from MidAmerica Nazarene in 1999 where he played defensive end.&nbsp; He also made stops at Basehor-Linwood (ass’t), Leoti-Wichita County (HC), and Royal Valley (HC). He is married to his wife, Tonya, and they have three adult children."

Chapman Hires Jason Grider as Next Head Football Coach

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self said he didn’t curse or yell, and wasn’t really trying to get thrown out of the game. Still, he had seen enough in a lopsided road loss for his sixth-ranked Jayhawks.

Self was ejected for the first time in his 21 seasons at Kansas after getting two technical fouls in quick succession with just under six minutes remaining in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-texas-tech-basketball-score-44de925dfc8f30e91372e7d06feb93e5" target="_blank">79-50 loss at Texas Tech</a>&nbsp;on Monday night. He became the third Big 12 coach this month with a first-time ejection at his school.

“I did say a magic word, I guess, multiple times that got me a couple of techicals,” Self said.

Those technical fouls came right after Kansas center Hunter Dickinson was called for an offensive foul under the basket, though that wasn’t all that bothered the coach.

“I honestly feel the game’s not being called the way it needs to be called,” Self said. “Regardless of it’s our favor or their favor, it makes no difference to me.”

Pop Isaacs made all four free throws after Self left the court for a 63-43 lead.

“That was frustration, but I felt that all year,” Self said. “So, good officials ... good officials, I just don’t see it the same way that it’s being called.”

Self said there has been a lot of physicality, “more this year than there has been in years past.”

It was the 722nd game at Kansas for Self, whose only other ejection in 31 seasons overall as a college head coach came in 1999 while with Tulsa at Wyoming.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson got two technical fouls and was ejected with 15:08 remaining in a home win February 6.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-oklahoma-state-basketball-score-shead-09f5cb4b675e83182250b12abda87d6e" target="_blank">Sampson stormed to the other end of the court</a>&nbsp;and started yelling at the officials for not calling fouls against Oklahoma State.

Sampson had to be restrained by his players and assistant coaches and ushered off the floor. It was his first ejection in 10 years of coaching at Houston.

Baylor’s Scott Drew, who also in his 21st season is tied with Self as the Big 12’s longest-tenured coaches,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-ejected-rhoades-big-12-officials-a88f8bf6bac105a0402accad03be16f1" target="_blank">got his first career ejection February 2</a>&nbsp;after two technical fouls in a home win over Iowa State. Both fouls, one midway through the first half and the other with 11 1/2 minutes left, apparently were because he was outside the coaching box.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baylor-rhoades-fined-drew-ejection-f0fa248782a2dfee47089dc052fd02c4" target="_blank">The Big 12 fined Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades</a>&nbsp;$25,000 and issued a public reprimand because of his criticism of officials after Drew’s ejection. Rhoades called the officiating in that game “an embarrassment” for the league.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707833592901.jpeg" alt="Kansas head coach Bill Self leaves the court after his second technical foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas head coach Bill Self leaves the court after his second technical foul during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Tech, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024, in Lubbock, Texas. (AP Photo/Justin Rex)</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self said he didn’t curse or yell, and wasn’t really trying to get thrown out of the game. Still, he had seen enough in a lopsided road loss for his sixth-ranked Jayhawks.Self was ejected for the first time in his 21 seasons at Kansas after getting two technical fouls in quick succession with just under six minutes remaining in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-texas-tech-basketball-score-44de925dfc8f30e91372e7d06feb93e5" target="_blank">79-50 loss at Texas Tech</a>&nbsp;on Monday night. He became the third Big 12 coach this month with a first-time ejection at his school.“I did say a magic word, I guess, multiple times that got me a couple of techicals,” Self said.Those technical fouls came right after Kansas center Hunter Dickinson was called for an offensive foul under the basket, though that wasn’t all that bothered the coach.“I honestly feel the game’s not being called the way it needs to be called,” Self said. “Regardless of it’s our favor or their favor, it makes no difference to me.”Pop Isaacs made all four free throws after Self left the court for a 63-43 lead.“That was frustration, but I felt that all year,” Self said. “So, good officials ... good officials, I just don’t see it the same way that it’s being called.”Self said there has been a lot of physicality, “more this year than there has been in years past.”It was the 722nd game at Kansas for Self, whose only other ejection in 31 seasons overall as a college head coach came in 1999 while with Tulsa at Wyoming.Houston coach Kelvin Sampson got two technical fouls and was ejected with 15:08 remaining in a home win February 6.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/houston-oklahoma-state-basketball-score-shead-09f5cb4b675e83182250b12abda87d6e" target="_blank">Sampson stormed to the other end of the court</a>&nbsp;and started yelling at the officials for not calling fouls against Oklahoma State.Sampson had to be restrained by his players and assistant coaches and ushered off the floor. It was his first ejection in 10 years of coaching at Houston.Baylor’s Scott Drew, who also in his 21st season is tied with Self as the Big 12’s longest-tenured coaches,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drew-ejected-rhoades-big-12-officials-a88f8bf6bac105a0402accad03be16f1" target="_blank">got his first career ejection February 2</a>&nbsp;after two technical fouls in a home win over Iowa State. Both fouls, one midway through the first half and the other with 11 1/2 minutes left, apparently were because he was outside the coaching box.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baylor-rhoades-fined-drew-ejection-f0fa248782a2dfee47089dc052fd02c4" target="_blank">The Big 12 fined Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades</a>&nbsp;$25,000 and issued a public reprimand because of his criticism of officials after Drew’s ejection. Rhoades called the officiating in that game “an embarrassment” for the league.

🏀 MBB: Bill Self gets first ejection at KU while becoming third Big 12 coach tossed this month

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Darrion Williams had a perfect night for Texas Tech, and the Red Raiders never trailed in a lopsided victory over sixth-ranked Kansas.

Williams scored a career-high 30 points on 12-of-12 shooting, including four 3-pointers. He also made both of his free throws and had 11 rebounds in Texas Tech's 79-50 win Monday night.

“Give him credit because (of) his work habits and his belief in this team. ... I do believe the game rewards those people that play it to win,” Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland said. “What an awesome combination he was tonight of scoring and facilitating and rebounding and just winning.”

The 12 field goals without a miss were the most ever for a Texas Tech player. Williams, a sophomore transfer from Nevada, was also the first NCAA player in the last 25 seasons with 30 points, 10 rebounds and a perfect shooting percentage against a ranked opponent, according to ESPN Stats.

Williams hit a 3 on the first shot of the game for the Red Raiders (18-6, 7-4 Big 12). They made 8 of 12 from long range over the first 13 minutes to jump ahead 27-14.

It was a frustrating night for Kansas (19-6, 7-5), which played its second game in a row without Big 12 leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr., and with guard Dajuan Harris not at full strength after rolling his left ankle late in a 64-61 home win over 12th-ranked Baylor two days earlier.

“We're beat up and tired right now,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.

Self got his first ejection in 21 seasons at Kansas with 5:49 remaining after getting two technical fouls following an offensive foul call against Hunter Dickinson, though that wasn't the only thing that bothered the coach.

“I didn’t curse him, I didn't yell. But I did say a magic word, I guess, multiple times that got me a couple of technicals. I really wasn’t trying to get thrown out," Self said. “But, you know, the way things (were) with the game, I honestly feel the game's not being called the way it needs to be called, regardless of its our favor or their favor, it makes no difference to me.”

Warren Washington had 11 points for Tech in only 20 minutes. He was limping when he came out of the game with just over 16 minutes left, but returned about eight minutes later and had a dunk before departing for good.

Nicolas Timberlake and Johnny Furphy each had 13 points for Kansas. Harris finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, while Dickinson was limited to five points while missing 10 of his 12 shots.

McCullar, who averages 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, is in his second season with the Jayhawks. He was part of two NCAA Tournament teams while playing 79 games in three seasons at Texas Tech from 2019-22.

Texas Tech made its first three 3s, and was up 12-4 on Joe Toussaint's shot four minutes into the game. Kansas got even with eight consecutive points after a timeout, but that was the game's only tie. The Red Raiders went ahead to stay on back-to-back 3s by Kerwin Walton and Isaacs.

The 29-point margin matched Texas Tech's largest over the Jayhawks. The other was 91-62 five years ago, also at home. It also matched Kansas' most lopsided loss when ranked and playing an unranked team, the other being against Kentucky in 1950. ... Unranked Big 12 teams are 9-3 at home against Top 10 teams this season.

Kansas: Without McCullar and with Harris not completely healthy, the Jayhawks shot a season-low 32.7% (17 of 52) from the field and their 50 points were also the fewest this season. Their big guys, Dickinson and KJ Adams, were a combined 3 of 23 from the field.

Texas Tech: The Red Raiders improved to 13-1 at home. None of the current players was on the roster two years ago when Tech also won at home against Kansas. ... Texas Tech had lost three in a row before its win at home Saturday over UCF, and fell out of the new AP poll earlier Monday.

Kansas, already with six wins against Top 25 opponents, plays Saturday at No. 25 Oklahoma. Those ranked wins include 78-66 over the then-No. 9 Sooners at home on Jan. 13.

Texas Tech plays Saturday at No. 10 Iowa State.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707795754653.png" alt="Kansas Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Darrion Williams had a perfect night for Texas Tech, and the Red Raiders never trailed in a lopsided victory over sixth-ranked Kansas.Williams scored a career-high 30 points on 12-of-12 shooting, including four 3-pointers. He also made both of his free throws and had 11 rebounds in Texas Tech's 79-50 win Monday night.“Give him credit because (of) his work habits and his belief in this team. ... I do believe the game rewards those people that play it to win,” Red Raiders coach Grant McCasland said. “What an awesome combination he was tonight of scoring and facilitating and rebounding and just winning.”The 12 field goals without a miss were the most ever for a Texas Tech player. Williams, a sophomore transfer from Nevada, was also the first NCAA player in the last 25 seasons with 30 points, 10 rebounds and a perfect shooting percentage against a ranked opponent, according to ESPN Stats.Williams hit a 3 on the first shot of the game for the Red Raiders (18-6, 7-4 Big 12). They made 8 of 12 from long range over the first 13 minutes to jump ahead 27-14.It was a frustrating night for Kansas (19-6, 7-5), which played its second game in a row without Big 12 leading scorer Kevin McCullar Jr., and with guard Dajuan Harris not at full strength after rolling his left ankle late in a 64-61 home win over 12th-ranked Baylor two days earlier.“We're beat up and tired right now,” Jayhawks coach Bill Self said.Self got his first ejection in 21 seasons at Kansas with 5:49 remaining after getting two technical fouls following an offensive foul call against Hunter Dickinson, though that wasn't the only thing that bothered the coach.“I didn’t curse him, I didn't yell. But I did say a magic word, I guess, multiple times that got me a couple of technicals. I really wasn’t trying to get thrown out," Self said. “But, you know, the way things (were) with the game, I honestly feel the game's not being called the way it needs to be called, regardless of its our favor or their favor, it makes no difference to me.”Pop Isaacs made all four free throws after Self left the court for a 63-43 lead.Warren Washington had 11 points for Tech in only 20 minutes. He was limping when he came out of the game with just over 16 minutes left, but returned about eight minutes later and had a dunk before departing for good.Nicolas Timberlake and Johnny Furphy each had 13 points for Kansas. Harris finished with seven points on 2-of-8 shooting, while Dickinson was limited to five points while missing 10 of his 12 shots.McCullar, who averages 19.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, is in his second season with the Jayhawks. He was part of two NCAA Tournament teams while playing 79 games in three seasons at Texas Tech from 2019-22.Texas Tech made its first three 3s, and was up 12-4 on Joe Toussaint's shot four minutes into the game. Kansas got even with eight consecutive points after a timeout, but that was the game's only tie. The Red Raiders went ahead to stay on back-to-back 3s by Kerwin Walton and Isaacs.BIG WINSThe 29-point margin matched Texas Tech's largest over the Jayhawks. The other was 91-62 five years ago, also at home. It also matched Kansas' most lopsided loss when ranked and playing an unranked team, the other being against Kentucky in 1950. ... Unranked Big 12 teams are 9-3 at home against Top 10 teams this season.BIG PICTUREKansas: Without McCullar and with Harris not completely healthy, the Jayhawks shot a season-low 32.7% (17 of 52) from the field and their 50 points were also the fewest this season. Their big guys, Dickinson and KJ Adams, were a combined 3 of 23 from the field.Texas Tech: The Red Raiders improved to 13-1 at home. None of the current players was on the roster two years ago when Tech also won at home against Kansas. ... Texas Tech had lost three in a row before its win at home Saturday over UCF, and fell out of the new AP poll earlier Monday.UP NEXTKansas, already with six wins against Top 25 opponents, plays Saturday at No. 25 Oklahoma. Those ranked wins include 78-66 over the then-No. 9 Sooners at home on Jan. 13.Texas Tech plays Saturday at No. 10 Iowa State.

🏀 Darrion Williams scores 30 points as Texas Tech beats Kansas

After sweeping Republic County and Minneapolis to close out the week, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will open another back-to-back tonight when they travel to Ellinwood.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (12-5) at Ellinwood (4-13)

On the girl’s side, Southeast will face a Lady Eagle squad still looking to put the pieces together after graduating a great deal of talent this offseason.

The Lady Trojans won this game convincingly a season ago, handing Ellinwood a 66-30 loss in Gypsum.

“Not knowing their personnel is a challenge,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “But they are young and fearless. They’re still learning a new system with a new coach.”

Meanwhile, Southeast of Saline is 8-3 in the new year and will look to maintain its impressive form going into sub-state less than two weeks from now.

“We have to keep composed and continue scoring without droughts for four full quarters,” Smith said.

Boys Game: SE of Saline (9-8) at Ellinwood (10-7)

The boy’s game will also see a pair of teams rebuilding from the departure of impressive senior classes as the Trojans travel west to battle the Eagles.

“They’re patient offensively and comfortable playing in lower-scoring games,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We can’t fall asleep guarding the same actions over and over.”

As Southeast locks in for what could be a grind-it-out type affair, the Trojans will also need to assert their will on the pacing tonight to speed Ellinwood out of their comfort zone.

“We need to control the tempo some and see if we can get opportunities in transition,” Flax said. “I’d also like to see us continuing to assist on made buckets.”

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>After sweeping Republic County and Minneapolis to close out the week, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will open another back-to-back tonight when they travel to Ellinwood.Girls Game: SE of Saline (12-5) at Ellinwood (4-13)On the girl’s side, Southeast will face a Lady Eagle squad still looking to put the pieces together after graduating a great deal of talent this offseason.The Lady Trojans won this game convincingly a season ago, handing Ellinwood a 66-30 loss in Gypsum.“Not knowing their personnel is a challenge,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “But they are young and fearless. They’re still learning a new system with a new coach.”Meanwhile, Southeast of Saline is 8-3 in the new year and will look to maintain its impressive form going into sub-state less than two weeks from now.“We have to keep composed and continue scoring without droughts for four full quarters,” Smith said.Boys Game: SE of Saline (9-8) at Ellinwood (10-7)The boy’s game will also see a pair of teams rebuilding from the departure of impressive senior classes as the Trojans travel west to battle the Eagles.“They’re patient offensively and comfortable playing in lower-scoring games,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We can’t fall asleep guarding the same actions over and over.”As Southeast locks in for what could be a grind-it-out type affair, the Trojans will also need to assert their will on the pacing tonight to speed Ellinwood out of their comfort zone.“We need to control the tempo some and see if we can get opportunities in transition,” Flax said. “I’d also like to see us continuing to assist on made buckets.”Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Live Stream: A<figure>
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