HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was relaxed Wednesday as reporters peppered him with questions, the opposite of his running style that has commonly been described as angry.

When asked how he would describe his style, Pacheco deferred to the experts, or in this case the media.

Kansas City coach Andy Reid had his own description, calling Pacheco “a violent runner.”

If any player could actually run through a wall, it would be Pacheco, who punishes linebackers and defensive backs trying to bring him down.

“That starts with practice at the beginning of the week when we prepare,” Pacheco said. “I go out there with a full head of steam knowing the down and distance, getting 4 yards or whatever it may be to win the down.”

The Chiefs will need Pacheco's ability to move the chains to balance Patrick Mahomes' passing attack when they play the San Francisco 49ers in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.

Pacheco, though, knows how to keep an event even as enormous as the Super Bowl in perspective.

He has suffered enormous loss away from the field, which likely fuels his play on it. Pacheco downplayed the effect of losing two siblings in his home state of New Jersey as a reason he runs so hard, saying he always had the fire inside him.

His brother, Travoise Cannon, was fatally stabbed in 2016. He was 29. Pacheco's sister, Celeste Cannon, died the following year after being shot in the head by a man who shared a child with her. She was 24.

Pacheco was in high school at the time, forcing him to grow up fast. He had the chance to leave New Jersey and play college ball elsewhere, but opted to remain in the state and play at Rutgers.

His best season was his sophomore year when Pacheco rushed for 729 yards and seven touchdowns. He failed to match those numbers his final two seasons, making Pacheco a borderline NFL prospect.

The Chiefs saw enough in him to take Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, but a selection that late is far from a sure thing to even make the roster.

Pacheco not only made the team, he started 11 games, played in all 17 and rushed for 830 yards on 4.9 yards per play. This season, Pacheco started 13 games and gained 935 yards on a 4.6 average. He has a combined 12 touchdown runs both seasons.

“Stay patient," Pacheco said. “No matter where you go, where you come from, when you get that opportunity, make the best of it, special teams or wherever. Be the difference.”

Reid put Pacheco in select company when comparing him to another back.

“I hate even mentioning this because he was a 49er, but Roger Craig was a violent runner,” Reid said. “He was coming at you with knees, elbows, everything coming at you at one time. They're built kind of the same way.”

Craig, who played from 1983-93, could make plays in the running and passing game. He twice gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, including in 1988 when he was The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.

He played on three Super Bowl champions with the 49ers.

Pacheco is off to a promising start with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">last year's title</a>&nbsp;with the Chiefs and the chance to beat San Francisco this weekend. He is the fourth back to start a Super Bowl in each of his first two seasons, joining Duane Thomas and Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys and Chuck Foreman of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Niners, however, could present quite a challenge for Pacheco. They were fifth in the NFL this season in rush defense, allowing just 97 yards per game.

But San Francisco took a step back in the playoffs, allowing 136 yards on the ground to Green Bay and 182 to Detroit. But the 49ers also shut down the Lions in the second half, allowing just 34 yards rushing.

“It's a great defense over there,” Pacheco said. “I'm looking forward to competing against them. All 11 guys fly to the ball.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707391533724.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco was relaxed Wednesday as reporters peppered him with questions, the opposite of his running style that has commonly been described as angry.When asked how he would describe his style, Pacheco deferred to the experts, or in this case the media.Kansas City coach Andy Reid had his own description, calling Pacheco “a violent runner.”If any player could actually run through a wall, it would be Pacheco, who punishes linebackers and defensive backs trying to bring him down.“That starts with practice at the beginning of the week when we prepare,” Pacheco said. “I go out there with a full head of steam knowing the down and distance, getting 4 yards or whatever it may be to win the down.”The Chiefs will need Pacheco's ability to move the chains to balance Patrick Mahomes' passing attack when they play the San Francisco 49ers in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/super-bowl">Super Bowl</a>&nbsp;on Sunday.Pacheco, though, knows how to keep an event even as enormous as the Super Bowl in perspective.He has suffered enormous loss away from the field, which likely fuels his play on it. Pacheco downplayed the effect of losing two siblings in his home state of New Jersey as a reason he runs so hard, saying he always had the fire inside him.His brother, Travoise Cannon, was fatally stabbed in 2016. He was 29. Pacheco's sister, Celeste Cannon, died the following year after being shot in the head by a man who shared a child with her. She was 24.Pacheco was in high school at the time, forcing him to grow up fast. He had the chance to leave New Jersey and play college ball elsewhere, but opted to remain in the state and play at Rutgers.His best season was his sophomore year when Pacheco rushed for 729 yards and seven touchdowns. He failed to match those numbers his final two seasons, making Pacheco a borderline NFL prospect.The Chiefs saw enough in him to take Pacheco in the seventh round of the 2022 draft, but a selection that late is far from a sure thing to even make the roster.Pacheco not only made the team, he started 11 games, played in all 17 and rushed for 830 yards on 4.9 yards per play. This season, Pacheco started 13 games and gained 935 yards on a 4.6 average. He has a combined 12 touchdown runs both seasons.“Stay patient," Pacheco said. “No matter where you go, where you come from, when you get that opportunity, make the best of it, special teams or wherever. Be the difference.”Reid put Pacheco in select company when comparing him to another back.“I hate even mentioning this because he was a 49er, but Roger Craig was a violent runner,” Reid said. “He was coming at you with knees, elbows, everything coming at you at one time. They're built kind of the same way.”Craig, who played from 1983-93, could make plays in the running and passing game. He twice gained more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage, including in 1988 when he was The Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year.He played on three Super Bowl champions with the 49ers.Pacheco is off to a promising start with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-2023-kansas-city-chiefs-philadelphia-eagles-43a1fb387f63438c1eea23b6a4244d95?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">last year's title</a>&nbsp;with the Chiefs and the chance to beat San Francisco this weekend. He is the fourth back to start a Super Bowl in each of his first two seasons, joining Duane Thomas and Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys and Chuck Foreman of the Minnesota Vikings.The Niners, however, could present quite a challenge for Pacheco. They were fifth in the NFL this season in rush defense, allowing just 97 yards per game.But San Francisco took a step back in the playoffs, allowing 136 yards on the ground to Green Bay and 182 to Detroit. But the 49ers also shut down the Lions in the second half, allowing just 34 yards rushing.“It's a great defense over there,” Pacheco said. “I'm looking forward to competing against them. All 11 guys fly to the ball.”

🏈 Isiah Pacheco's 'angry' running style could help lift Chiefs past 49ers 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Colby Rogers scored 18 points as Wichita State beat UTSA 84-64 on Wednesday night.

Rogers also had six rebounds for the Shockers (10-13, 2-8 American Athletic Conference). Harlond Beverly added 16 points while going 8 of 13 from the field, and he also had six rebounds and five assists. Quincy Ballard shot 4 of 5 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line to finish with 11 points.

The Roadrunners (8-15, 2-8) were led by Dre Fuller Jr., who recorded 13 points. UTSA also got 12 points and two steals from Adante' Holiman. In addition, Trey Edmonds had 10 points and six rebounds.

Wichita State's next game is Sunday against Florida Atlantic at home. UTSA hosts East Carolina on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707391198046.png" alt="Wichita State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Wichita State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Colby Rogers scored 18 points as Wichita State beat UTSA 84-64 on Wednesday night.Rogers also had six rebounds for the Shockers (10-13, 2-8 American Athletic Conference). Harlond Beverly added 16 points while going 8 of 13 from the field, and he also had six rebounds and five assists. Quincy Ballard shot 4 of 5 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line to finish with 11 points.The Roadrunners (8-15, 2-8) were led by Dre Fuller Jr., who recorded 13 points. UTSA also got 12 points and two steals from Adante' Holiman. In addition, Trey Edmonds had 10 points and six rebounds.Wichita State's next game is Sunday against Florida Atlantic at home. UTSA hosts East Carolina on Saturday.

🏀 MBB:Rogers' 18 lead Wichita State over UTSA

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could be without three key players when they play the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's Super Bowl.

Wide receiver Kadarius Toney appeared to get into a dispute with Chiefs management about a hip injury that sidelined him for six games,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-kadarius-toney-injury-c54698984638431a30f774c9c8f87a7f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">going on Instagram</a>&nbsp;to say he didn't receive the proper injury designation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-ii-san-francisco-49ers-kansas-city-chiefs-ba490c08f34b0929aeaa08f1106841df?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">AFC championship game</a>&nbsp;at Baltimore on Jan. 28.

But he told NFL Network on Monday that his expletive-filled rant was aimed at a New York Giants fan and not the Chiefs and called his outburst a mistake.

Chiefs coach Andy Reid didn't commit Tuesday to playing Toney, opening the way for a potential healthy scratch.

“We'll see how that goes,” Reid said. “He's been practicing, and we'll see whether he's up or not.”

Also, Reid wasn't optimistic running back Jerick McKinnon or guard Joe Thuney would play.

McKinnon has been on injured reserve since Dec. 24 with a groin injury and hasn't practiced.

“It's slim for him to be out there,” Reid said.

Thuney didn't play against the Ravens because of a pectoral injury.

“It's strength and making sure that he's in a position that he doesn't get hurt worse than what he's got,” Reid said. “We'll see (whether Thuney practices). I think it's a long shot.”

49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks called out his unit last week for not playing hard on every play of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/49ers-lions-score-nfc-championship-bed96677697deb0dfb1fa757288ab4bb?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions</a>&nbsp;in the NFC championship game.

“That's something that never needs to be coached,” Gipson said. "That's something that never needs to be addressed. This is the National Football League. You're here on the biggest stage. Those plays are unacceptable. Led to two touchdowns.

“That film (session) was hard. Obviously, you had to see that. You had to hear some choice words. But that's not our brand of football. We're a lot better football team than that, so it's not something I'm worried about moving forward.”

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said lack of effort was an issue, but there were other problems the Niners had in trying to stop Detroit's running attack in the first half. The Lions rushed for 148 yards in the first 30 minutes, but only 34 after that.

“When you play an eight-man front, it just takes one guy to out of the gap for there to be only one (defender) left,” Shanahan said. “That's stuff we've got to do a lot better at.”

Chiefs owner Clark Hunt was at a function about a week ago when a woman in her mid-20s approached him. She explained that she was never a football fan, even though everyone else in her family was a Dallas Cowboys diehard, but that as a devoted Swiftie, she keenly followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-taylor-swift-super-bowl-d0fe0d21f00b68a5d99d8d6a29d3cded">pop superstar Taylor Swift's every move</a>.

Naturally, that means she now keenly follows the Chiefs.

Ever since the 14-time Grammy-winning songstress began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce last year, the franchise has seen a noticeable growth among fans in what Hunt called “that young female demographic.” They are driving up TV ratings for games, buying merchandise and apparel by the truckload, and throwing their lot into a team some of them knew nothing about.

“There's no doubt that her being a fan has put more intense focus on the team than we would have had otherwise, and has opened up the fanbase to a whole new demographic that we really didn't have,” Hunt told a small group of reporters on Tuesday.

“Having Taylor as a Chiefs fan is very unique,” Hunt added. “I don't ever do an interview without someone asking me about it. I frequently have dads come up to me and say, ‘My 10-to-12-year-old daughters never used to watch football, but now they tell me any time the Chiefs are playing to tell them, so they can come and watch.'”

All those Swifties will no doubt be watching the Super Bowl. Swift is expected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-grammys-tokyo-super-bowl-kelce-d46418de25e985f77ab7a7ada337d2a0">to make a mad dash from Tokyo</a>, where she will be performing on her Eras Tour the previous night, across the Pacific so that she can arrive in Las Vegas in time for kickoff.

Iowa's Caitlin Clark, the reigning women's college basketball player of the year, continues to sell out arenas at home and on the road as she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clark-iowa-17ec06df5686924441b7b3b9ed731cca?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chases the NCAA Division I scoring record</a>.

Her brother was the backup quarterback at rival Iowa State to 49ers second-year starter Brock Purdy. Blake Clark will be the best man in Purdy's upcoming wedding.

“Caitlin, I wasn’t around as much, but obviously just through Blake, we’d always watch her,” Purdy said. “What a baller she was from day one. Obviously, even high school. We knew that she was going to be a game changer. To see her now, just absolutely killing it, couldn’t be happier for her.”

Clark is 66 points from breaking the NCAA record of 3,527 held by former Washington star and current Las Vegas Aces All-Star Kelsey Plum.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707336003255.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could be without three key players when they play the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's Super Bowl.Wide receiver Kadarius Toney appeared to get into a dispute with Chiefs management about a hip injury that sidelined him for six games,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-kadarius-toney-injury-c54698984638431a30f774c9c8f87a7f?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">going on Instagram</a>&nbsp;to say he didn't receive the proper injury designation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/sports/patrick-mahomes-ii-san-francisco-49ers-kansas-city-chiefs-ba490c08f34b0929aeaa08f1106841df?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">AFC championship game</a>&nbsp;at Baltimore on Jan. 28.But he told NFL Network on Monday that his expletive-filled rant was aimed at a New York Giants fan and not the Chiefs and called his outburst a mistake.Chiefs coach Andy Reid didn't commit Tuesday to playing Toney, opening the way for a potential healthy scratch.“We'll see how that goes,” Reid said. “He's been practicing, and we'll see whether he's up or not.”Also, Reid wasn't optimistic running back Jerick McKinnon or guard Joe Thuney would play.McKinnon has been on injured reserve since Dec. 24 with a groin injury and hasn't practiced.“It's slim for him to be out there,” Reid said.Thuney didn't play against the Ravens because of a pectoral injury.“It's strength and making sure that he's in a position that he doesn't get hurt worse than what he's got,” Reid said. “We'll see (whether Thuney practices). I think it's a long shot.”GOING ALL OUT49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks called out his unit last week for not playing hard on every play of their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/49ers-lions-score-nfc-championship-bed96677697deb0dfb1fa757288ab4bb?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">34-31 victory over the Detroit Lions</a>&nbsp;in the NFC championship game.Safety Tashaun Gipson agreed.“That's something that never needs to be coached,” Gipson said. "That's something that never needs to be addressed. This is the National Football League. You're here on the biggest stage. Those plays are unacceptable. Led to two touchdowns.“That film (session) was hard. Obviously, you had to see that. You had to hear some choice words. But that's not our brand of football. We're a lot better football team than that, so it's not something I'm worried about moving forward.”San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said lack of effort was an issue, but there were other problems the Niners had in trying to stop Detroit's running attack in the first half. The Lions rushed for 148 yards in the first 30 minutes, but only 34 after that.“When you play an eight-man front, it just takes one guy to out of the gap for there to be only one (defender) left,” Shanahan said. “That's stuff we've got to do a lot better at.”EXPANDING CHIEFS FAN BASEChiefs owner Clark Hunt was at a function about a week ago when a woman in her mid-20s approached him. She explained that she was never a football fan, even though everyone else in her family was a Dallas Cowboys diehard, but that as a devoted Swiftie, she keenly followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/travis-kelce-taylor-swift-super-bowl-d0fe0d21f00b68a5d99d8d6a29d3cded">pop superstar Taylor Swift's every move</a>.Naturally, that means she now keenly follows the Chiefs.Ever since the 14-time Grammy-winning songstress began dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce last year, the franchise has seen a noticeable growth among fans in what Hunt called “that young female demographic.” They are driving up TV ratings for games, buying merchandise and apparel by the truckload, and throwing their lot into a team some of them knew nothing about.“There's no doubt that her being a fan has put more intense focus on the team than we would have had otherwise, and has opened up the fanbase to a whole new demographic that we really didn't have,” Hunt told a small group of reporters on Tuesday.“Having Taylor as a Chiefs fan is very unique,” Hunt added. “I don't ever do an interview without someone asking me about it. I frequently have dads come up to me and say, ‘My 10-to-12-year-old daughters never used to watch football, but now they tell me any time the Chiefs are playing to tell them, so they can come and watch.'”All those Swifties will no doubt be watching the Super Bowl. Swift is expected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-grammys-tokyo-super-bowl-kelce-d46418de25e985f77ab7a7ada337d2a0">to make a mad dash from Tokyo</a>, where she will be performing on her Eras Tour the previous night, across the Pacific so that she can arrive in Las Vegas in time for kickoff.MORE FEMALE STAR POWERIowa's Caitlin Clark, the reigning women's college basketball player of the year, continues to sell out arenas at home and on the road as she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clark-iowa-17ec06df5686924441b7b3b9ed731cca?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chases the NCAA Division I scoring record</a>.Her brother was the backup quarterback at rival Iowa State to 49ers second-year starter Brock Purdy. Blake Clark will be the best man in Purdy's upcoming wedding.“Caitlin, I wasn’t around as much, but obviously just through Blake, we’d always watch her,” Purdy said. “What a baller she was from day one. Obviously, even high school. We knew that she was going to be a game changer. To see her now, just absolutely killing it, couldn’t be happier for her.”Clark is 66 points from breaking the NCAA record of 3,527 held by former Washington star and current Las Vegas Aces All-Star Kelsey Plum.

🏈 Chiefs will likely be short-handed when they play 49ers in the Super Bowl

Fresh off a home sweep of McPherson the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will make the short trip to Bethany College on Wednesday, looking for two season sweeps of the Swedes.

Women's Game: KWU (12-10, 10-6) at Bethany (12-10, 10-5)

The Coyotes ended a three-game losing streak against Bethany with a 71-66 victory on December 2 inside Mabee Arena. The schools are 5-5 in the last 10 games, but KWU has a 27-13 advantage since December 2005. The Coyotes were 9-8 during that time.

The Swedes have lost two of their last three but had won five in a row before the skid. Bethany fell to Friends 75-66 Saturday in Wichita but defeated Bethel 89-50 last Wednesday in Lindsborg.

Senior guard R'Manie Pulling is the team's top scorer (12.9) with junior guard Jaden Newfarmer next is (9.1). Lauren Gleason and is the leading rebounder (6.3) followed by Newcomer (6.1). 

The Swedes average 68 points and are shooting 39 percent overall, 29 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and are committing 17.6 turnovers per game. Opponents average 65 points and shoot 39.4 percent.

Men's Game: KWU (16-6, 13-3) at Bethany (3-18, 2-14)

The Coyotes have won three of the last four and nine of last 12 against Bethany. KWU defeated the Swedes 73-59 December 2 in Mabee Arena in the first game this season. The Coyotes are 21-18 against Bethany since December, 2005 and are 9-9 in Lindsborg during that time.

The Swedes have lost five in a row and 15 of 16. Their last victory was over York 72-70 on January 17 in York, Nebraska. They were beaten by Friends 79-72 Wednesday in Wichita and are just 1-8 at home this season.

Junior guard Maurice Cujo II leads the team in scoring (13.4) and is followed by junior swingman Jamal Frenchwood (10.7) who leads the team in rebounding (6.2). Frenchwood scored 20 against the Coyotes in December. 

The Swedes are getting outrebounded by eight per game and average 16 turnovers. They're scoring 63.5 points per game, allowing 77.3 and are shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 30 percent from beyond the arc.

Both games can be heard locally on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) or online at 910KINA.COM. Tyler Henry will be on the call for both games with pregame beginning at 5:30 on Wednesday

Fresh off a home sweep of McPherson the Kansas Wesleyan basketball teams will make the short trip to Bethany College on Wednesday, looking for two season sweeps of the Swedes.Women's Game: KWU (12-10, 10-6) at Bethany (12-10, 10-5)The Coyotes ended a three-game losing streak against Bethany with a 71-66 victory on December 2 inside Mabee Arena. The schools are 5-5 in the last 10 games, but KWU has a 27-13 advantage since December 2005. The Coyotes were 9-8 during that time.The Swedes have lost two of their last three but had won five in a row before the skid. Bethany fell to Friends 75-66 Saturday in Wichita but defeated Bethel 89-50 last Wednesday in Lindsborg.Senior guard R'Manie Pulling is the team's top scorer (12.9) with junior guard Jaden Newfarmer next is (9.1). Lauren Gleason and is the leading rebounder (6.3) followed by Newcomer (6.1). The Swedes average 68 points and are shooting 39 percent overall, 29 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, and are committing 17.6 turnovers per game. Opponents average 65 points and shoot 39.4 percent.Men's Game: KWU (16-6, 13-3) at Bethany (3-18, 2-14)The Coyotes have won three of the last four and nine of last 12 against Bethany. KWU defeated the Swedes 73-59 December 2 in Mabee Arena in the first game this season. The Coyotes are 21-18 against Bethany since December, 2005 and are 9-9 in Lindsborg during that time.The Swedes have lost five in a row and 15 of 16. Their last victory was over York 72-70 on January 17 in York, Nebraska. They were beaten by Friends 79-72 Wednesday in Wichita and are just 1-8 at home this season.Junior guard Maurice Cujo II leads the team in scoring (13.4) and is followed by junior swingman Jamal Frenchwood (10.7) who leads the team in rebounding (6.2). Frenchwood scored 20 against the Coyotes in December. The Swedes are getting outrebounded by eight per game and average 16 turnovers. They're scoring 63.5 points per game, allowing 77.3 and are shooting 40.6 percent from the field, 30 percent from beyond the arc.Broadcast InformationBoth games can be heard locally on KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) or online at 910KINA.COM. Tyler Henry will be on the call for both games with pregame beginning at 5:30 on Wednesday

Coyotes Travel to Lindsborg to Battle Bethany

Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cc409c4d-aace-403f-9454-fba6419a3fa8?elinkdata=4742" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;has been selected as the KCAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts in games for the Coyotes last week. Her selection comes from a pool of nominees by conference athletics communications professionals and is presented at the conference level by Equity Bank.

Ricks was a key part of the KWU defense that helped the Coyotes to two wins this week. She was huge in helping KWU hold off Evangel, as she defended the guard positions and limited the Valor guards to 3 of 18 shooting from 3-point range. 

She also had four steals in the game. Against McPherson, she was again huge, helping the team hold McPherson to 24 percent shooting in the first three quarters. Ricks did not play in the fourth quarter of the McPherson game.

Last week's victories pushed the Coyotes to a 12-10 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the KCAC. The Coyotes play a pivotal game in Lindsborg on Wednesday, then hosts Ottawa on Saturday inside Mabee Arena.

Kansas Wesleyan's&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/cc409c4d-aace-403f-9454-fba6419a3fa8?elinkdata=4742" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;has been selected as the KCAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week for her efforts in games for the Coyotes last week. Her selection comes from a pool of nominees by conference athletics communications professionals and is presented at the conference level by Equity Bank.Ricks was a key part of the KWU defense that helped the Coyotes to two wins this week. She was huge in helping KWU hold off Evangel, as she defended the guard positions and limited the Valor guards to 3 of 18 shooting from 3-point range. She also had four steals in the game. Against McPherson, she was again huge, helping the team hold McPherson to 24 percent shooting in the first three quarters. Ricks did not play in the fourth quarter of the McPherson game.Last week's victories pushed the Coyotes to a 12-10 overall record and a 10-6 mark in the KCAC. The Coyotes play a pivotal game in Lindsborg on Wednesday, then hosts Ottawa on Saturday inside Mabee Arena.

Ricks earns KCAC Women's Basketball defensive honor

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post

On Tuesday night, Minneapolis and Ellsworth played to a league split on our Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Game of the Week.

Girls Game: Minneapolis 54, Ellsworth 31

The Lady Lions patented pressure was on full display in this game, as Minneapolis forced the issue the length of the court for the better part of 32 minutes, turning Ellsworth over 22 times.

Those turnovers led to big buckets in transition and allowed Minneapolis to slowly but surely pull away, leading by five after the first, eight at the half, and 11 going into the fourth.

The Lady Lions also flexed their range in this game, as Josi Schrader and Braedee Weatherman rained down triples to help extend the lead in the first half.

Free throws would be another big boost for Minneapolis, with the Lady Lions knocking down 17 of their 24 attempts while sending Ellsworth to the line just eight times.

When all was said and done, Minneapolis had three different players in double figures, led by Weatherman (16), Maci McClure (13), and Maggie Shupe, who got six of her ten points from the line.

With this result, Minneapolis takes over second place in the NCAA at 5-2 while Ellsworth falls to 1-6

Boys Game: #5 Ellsworth 39, Minneapolis 30

On the boy’s side, this game was more of a dogfight than anyone could have anticipated, as the 3-12 Lions gave the 5th-ranked Bearcats everything they could handle.

Minneapolis packed the inside, forcing Ellsworth to settle for outside jumpers and taking away their ability to drive to the rim.

More impressively, the Lions held Will Cravens to just two first-half buckets, both on putbacks and lead Ellsworth 22-15 at the intermission.

Unfortunately for Minneapolis, their offense went ice cold after the break, scoring just eight second-half points as the Bearcats slowly but surely came back to claim the 39-30 victory.

Cravens would lead all scorers with 13 points, aided in the effort by Layton Leiker (12), and Riley Stone (8), and spoiling a strong performance from Minneapolis’ Owen Just (13).

With this result, Ellsworth pulls even with Sacred Heart in the league standings at 5-2 while the Lions fall to 1-6.

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>On Tuesday night, Minneapolis and Ellsworth played to a league split on our Salina Regional Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Game of the Week.Girls Game: Minneapolis 54, Ellsworth 31The Lady Lions patented pressure was on full display in this game, as Minneapolis forced the issue the length of the court for the better part of 32 minutes, turning Ellsworth over 22 times.Those turnovers led to big buckets in transition and allowed Minneapolis to slowly but surely pull away, leading by five after the first, eight at the half, and 11 going into the fourth.The Lady Lions also flexed their range in this game, as Josi Schrader and Braedee Weatherman rained down triples to help extend the lead in the first half.Free throws would be another big boost for Minneapolis, with the Lady Lions knocking down 17 of their 24 attempts while sending Ellsworth to the line just eight times.When all was said and done, Minneapolis had three different players in double figures, led by Weatherman (16), Maci McClure (13), and Maggie Shupe, who got six of her ten points from the line.With this result, Minneapolis takes over second place in the NCAA at 5-2 while Ellsworth falls to 1-6Boys Game: #5 Ellsworth 39, Minneapolis 30On the boy’s side, this game was more of a dogfight than anyone could have anticipated, as the 3-12 Lions gave the 5th-ranked Bearcats everything they could handle.Minneapolis packed the inside, forcing Ellsworth to settle for outside jumpers and taking away their ability to drive to the rim.More impressively, the Lions held Will Cravens to just two first-half buckets, both on putbacks and lead Ellsworth 22-15 at the intermission.Unfortunately for Minneapolis, their offense went ice cold after the break, scoring just eight second-half points as the Bearcats slowly but surely came back to claim the 39-30 victory.Cravens would lead all scorers with 13 points, aided in the effort by Layton Leiker (12), and Riley Stone (8), and spoiling a strong performance from Minneapolis’ Owen Just (13).With this result, Ellsworth pulls even with Sacred Heart in the league standings at 5-2 while the Lions fall to 1-6.

Minneapolis Splits Home Set With Ellsworth

The Southeast of Saline basketball teams each dropped a road contest with Beloit on Tuesday as the rival Trojans increase their foothold on the league standings.

Girls Game: Beloit 45, SE of Saline 37

On the girl’s side, Southeast put together a valiant comeback bid, holding Beloit to just two made field goals in the fourth quarter, but put themselves behind the eight ball after falling behind 15-2 at the end of the first.

“Second chance points were something we talked about,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We knew we needed to box out and rebound and that put us in a hole we couldn’t get out of.”

Beloit had three different players in double figures led by Peyton Remus (16), Addison Budke (12), and Cassandra Thompson (10).

On the other side of the matchup, Southeast forced more turnovers (14), than they surrendered (8), but struggled to match pace, with an 11-point performance from Lexi Jacobson and nine apiece from Maddie Harris and Aba Pearson contributing all but eight of the team’s points.

With this result, Beloit tightens its grip on first place in the NCAA (7-1), while SES slides to third (4-2).

Boys Game: #1 Beloit 45, SE of Saline 28

Similar to the girl’s game, a slow start for the boys doomed the Trojans, who found themselves trailing by double digits at the end of the first quarter.

“I thought we did what we needed to do defensively,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We weren’t perfect but when you hold them to 45 you expect to have a chance. It felt like we got blown out because of our inability to score the basketball, we weren’t able to deliver passes to guys in positions to score and we have to be tougher in that aspect.”

Southeast got their offense rolling in the second half but by then the damage had been done as Beloit pulled away to complete the sweep.

Bryce Beisner led the way for Beloit with 19 points while SES was led in scoring by Gannnon Jacobson (12).

With this result, Beloit moves to 8-0 in league play with just two league games remaining while Southeast slides to 1-5.

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 each dropped a road contest with Beloit on Tuesday as the rival Trojans increase their foothold on the league standings.Girls Game: Beloit 45, SE of Saline 37On the girl’s side, Southeast put together a valiant comeback bid, holding Beloit to just two made field goals in the fourth quarter, but put themselves behind the eight ball after falling behind 15-2 at the end of the first.“Second chance points were something we talked about,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “We knew we needed to box out and rebound and that put us in a hole we couldn’t get out of.”Beloit had three different players in double figures led by Peyton Remus (16), Addison Budke (12), and Cassandra Thompson (10).On the other side of the matchup, Southeast forced more turnovers (14), than they surrendered (8), but struggled to match pace, with an 11-point performance from Lexi Jacobson and nine apiece from Maddie Harris and Aba Pearson contributing all but eight of the team’s points.With this result, Beloit tightens its grip on first place in the NCAA (7-1), while SES slides to third (4-2).Boys Game: #1 Beloit 45, SE of Saline 28Similar to the girl’s game, a slow start for the boys doomed the Trojans, who found themselves trailing by double digits at the end of the first quarter.“I thought we did what we needed to do defensively,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We weren’t perfect but when you hold them to 45 you expect to have a chance. It felt like we got blown out because of our inability to score the basketball, we weren’t able to deliver passes to guys in positions to score and we have to be tougher in that aspect.”Southeast got their offense rolling in the second half but by then the damage had been done as Beloit pulled away to complete the sweep.Bryce Beisner led the way for Beloit with 19 points while SES was led in scoring by Gannnon Jacobson (12).With this result, Beloit moves to 8-0 in league play with just two league games remaining while Southeast slides to 1-5.

Southeast Swept by Beloit on the Road

Following a sweep of Chapman on Friday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will open a jam-packed week on Tuesday, when they travel to Beloit for round two of this year’s Trojan War.

Girls Game: SE of Saline (10-4, 4-1) at Beloit (12-4, 6-1)

Southeast will enter this contest looking to make up some ground on Beloit in the league, and to avenge a 46-36 loss at home back in December.

“We’ve gotten better about moving the ball around and using the clock to our advantage to get good shots,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “When you watch the film they’ve improved a lot as well.”

To split this year’s Trojan War on the girl’s side, Southeast will have to rise to the challenge presented by Beloit on the inside, where the Trojans in orange have given opponents fits this season.

“Beloit has a lot of size,” Smith said. “They start three kids who are 5-10 or bigger and they play over the top of you so we have to limit second-chance points and control what we can control.”

Tip-off for the first game of this doubleheader is scheduled for 6:00 at Beloit High School.

Boys Game: SE of Saline (7-7, 1-4) at #1 Beloit (15-1, 7-0)

The boy’s team will have their hands full as well, as the Trojans travel to take on the top-ranked team in Class 3A without so much as a league loss on their resume.

Southeast played well the first time these two met back in December, falling in a 44-40 battle and giving Beloit all they could handle.

“That was probably one of the better games we’ve played this year on the defensive end,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We were tough, we were physical, but we really struggled to score. Since then we’ve shown flashes of that defensive effort and we’ve shown the ability to score at a better rate but we haven’t done it consistently. We’re trying to find that consistency and over the last two games we’ve been as close as we have all year.”

Just like in their first meeting, Southeast will need to have an answer for the dynamic duo of Bryce Beisner and Quinn Eilert, who have torched opposing defenses all season long.

The boys’ game will follow the girl’s at approximately 7:30 tonight.

Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Video: Salina Post (link below) - Pregame: 5:45 pm

By TYLER HENRY Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697215856555.jpeg" alt="Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here." />
 <figcaption>Salina Regional Orthopedic &amp; Sports Medicine- Your home-field advantage starts here.</figcaption>
 </figure>Following a sweep of Chapman on Friday, the Southeast of Saline basketball teams will open a jam-packed week on Tuesday, when they travel to Beloit for round two of this year’s Trojan War.Girls Game: SE of Saline (10-4, 4-1) at Beloit (12-4, 6-1)Southeast will enter this contest looking to make up some ground on Beloit in the league, and to avenge a 46-36 loss at home back in December.“We’ve gotten better about moving the ball around and using the clock to our advantage to get good shots,” SES head coach Shauna Smith said. “When you watch the film they’ve improved a lot as well.”To split this year’s Trojan War on the girl’s side, Southeast will have to rise to the challenge presented by Beloit on the inside, where the Trojans in orange have given opponents fits this season.“Beloit has a lot of size,” Smith said. “They start three kids who are 5-10 or bigger and they play over the top of you so we have to limit second-chance points and control what we can control.”Tip-off for the first game of this doubleheader is scheduled for 6:00 at Beloit High School.Boys Game: SE of Saline (7-7, 1-4) at #1 Beloit (15-1, 7-0)The boy’s team will have their hands full as well, as the Trojans travel to take on the top-ranked team in Class 3A without so much as a league loss on their resume.Southeast played well the first time these two met back in December, falling in a 44-40 battle and giving Beloit all they could handle.“That was probably one of the better games we’ve played this year on the defensive end,” SES head coach Bryson Flax said. “We were tough, we were physical, but we really struggled to score. Since then we’ve shown flashes of that defensive effort and we’ve shown the ability to score at a better rate but we haven’t done it consistently. We’re trying to find that consistency and over the last two games we’ve been as close as we have all year.”Just like in their first meeting, Southeast will need to have an answer for the dynamic duo of Bryce Beisner and Quinn Eilert, who have torched opposing defenses all season long.The boys’ game will follow the girl’s at approximately 7:30 tonight.Broadcast Information - Radio: KINA (910 AM/107.5 FM) - Video: Salina Post (link below) - Pregame: 5:45 pm<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/htHxDhFJwLc"></iframe>
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Trojans Travel to Beloit for Round Two of Trojan War

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored eight of his 26 points in overtime and Kansas State beat No. 4 Kansas 75-70 on Monday night in the 300th matchup of their heated rivalry.

“It was a fun environment to be in,” Perry said. “Our fans did a very good job of packing it in and setting the mood for the game. Kansas is obviously a very good basketball team. Everybody was excited to play. I feel that we went out there, we did what we had to do in order to get the win.”

Perry’s 3-pointer with 1:54 left gave the Wildcats a 70-66 lead. Hunter Dickinson's basket trimmed it to 70-68, but Perry’s two free throws extended the margin back to four.

Dajuan Harris Jr. cut it to 72-70 with two free throws before Kevin McCullar Jr. missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for Kansas with 22 seconds remaining. Arthur Kaluma sank a pair of foul shots and Perry added another one to seal it, ending Kansas State's four-game losing streak.

“I thought that they were the more athletic and explosive team,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I thought we showed stretches where we were as well. But the bottom line is, it comes down to making free throws.”

Kansas State is 6-0 in overtime this season, and 11-0 in coach Jerome Tang's two seasons in Manhattan.

“In overtime, it’s about players making plays,” Tang said. “They don’t feel the pressure. We work on it every day in practice, but I don’t know that that’s necessarily the reason. I think guys just make plays and their confidence level grows.”

Cam Carter had 19 points and 11 rebounds for K-State (15-8, 5-5 Big 12). Kaluma added 13 points and eight boards.

Dickinson had 21 points and 12 rebounds to pace Kansas (18-5, 6-4). Harris and McCullar each added 15 points, and KJ Adams Jr. scored 13.

Kansas scored the first nine points of the second half to open its largest lead at 41-30. But the Wildcats scored the next 11, capped by a three-point play from Carter.

“I thought our guys did a great job,” Tang said of his team's response. “TP (Perry) had an 8-0 run on his own. But the guys locked back in. The fact that we were able to make it a ballgame again and put some score pressure on them helped us.”

Perry hit three free throws with 4:49 left in regulation to give K-State a three-point lead. Dickinson scored inside, but Carter answered from long range to give the Wildcats a 58-54 lead.

Harris hit a layup to tie it with 2:14 left, and McCullar's layup gave Kansas a 62-60 lead with 1:47 to go. Perry tied it again with a layup.

Kaluma’s putback with 23 seconds remaining was answered by Adams' bucket with 14.2 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

“I thought we had it,” Harris said. “I remember two years ago when we came back in overtime. I’ve been there, Coach has been there before. I just thought we had the game, but they can compete, too, you know.”

Kansas State hit five 3-pointers in the first half but went into the locker room trailing 32-30.

Kansas: It’s the sixth-most played rivalry in men’s college basketball, and the Jayhawks know they’re going to get K-State’s best effort in these games.

Kansas State: The Wildcats need to keep up the sort of intensity they showed Monday night if they’re going to revitalize their fading NCAA Tournament hopes.

Kansas: Returns home to face No. 13 Baylor on Saturday.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Tylor Perry scored eight of his 26 points in overtime and Kansas State beat No. 4 Kansas 75-70 on Monday night in the 300th matchup of their heated rivalry.“It was a fun environment to be in,” Perry said. “Our fans did a very good job of packing it in and setting the mood for the game. Kansas is obviously a very good basketball team. Everybody was excited to play. I feel that we went out there, we did what we had to do in order to get the win.”Perry’s 3-pointer with 1:54 left gave the Wildcats a 70-66 lead. Hunter Dickinson's basket trimmed it to 70-68, but Perry’s two free throws extended the margin back to four.Dajuan Harris Jr. cut it to 72-70 with two free throws before Kevin McCullar Jr. missed the front end of a 1-and-1 for Kansas with 22 seconds remaining. Arthur Kaluma sank a pair of foul shots and Perry added another one to seal it, ending Kansas State's four-game losing streak.“I thought that they were the more athletic and explosive team,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I thought we showed stretches where we were as well. But the bottom line is, it comes down to making free throws.”Kansas State is 6-0 in overtime this season, and 11-0 in coach Jerome Tang's two seasons in Manhattan.“In overtime, it’s about players making plays,” Tang said. “They don’t feel the pressure. We work on it every day in practice, but I don’t know that that’s necessarily the reason. I think guys just make plays and their confidence level grows.”Cam Carter had 19 points and 11 rebounds for K-State (15-8, 5-5 Big 12). Kaluma added 13 points and eight boards.Dickinson had 21 points and 12 rebounds to pace Kansas (18-5, 6-4). Harris and McCullar each added 15 points, and KJ Adams Jr. scored 13.Kansas scored the first nine points of the second half to open its largest lead at 41-30. But the Wildcats scored the next 11, capped by a three-point play from Carter.“I thought our guys did a great job,” Tang said of his team's response. “TP (Perry) had an 8-0 run on his own. But the guys locked back in. The fact that we were able to make it a ballgame again and put some score pressure on them helped us.”Perry hit three free throws with 4:49 left in regulation to give K-State a three-point lead. Dickinson scored inside, but Carter answered from long range to give the Wildcats a 58-54 lead.Harris hit a layup to tie it with 2:14 left, and McCullar's layup gave Kansas a 62-60 lead with 1:47 to go. Perry tied it again with a layup.Kaluma’s putback with 23 seconds remaining was answered by Adams' bucket with 14.2 seconds left to send the game to overtime.“I thought we had it,” Harris said. “I remember two years ago when we came back in overtime. I’ve been there, Coach has been there before. I just thought we had the game, but they can compete, too, you know.”Kansas State hit five 3-pointers in the first half but went into the locker room trailing 32-30.BIG PICTUREKansas: It’s the sixth-most played rivalry in men’s college basketball, and the Jayhawks know they’re going to get K-State’s best effort in these games.Kansas State: The Wildcats need to keep up the sort of intensity they showed Monday night if they’re going to revitalize their fading NCAA Tournament hopes.UP NEXTKansas: Returns home to face No. 13 Baylor on Saturday.

Kansas State knocks off No. 4 Kansas in overtime

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have agreed to the biggest contract in franchise history with shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr., a 14-year agreement that includes 11 years guaranteed.

To celebrate Kansas City’s commitment with Witt Jr., the Royals will host a press conference tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. CT in the Kauffman Stadium Hall of Fame Suites. Please contact&nbsp;Logan Jones&nbsp;(<a href="mailto:logan.jones@royals.com" target="_blank">logan.jones@royals.com</a>) if you wish to attend. Approved media may enter the ballpark via Gate A.

“From the moment I was drafted in 2019, the entire Royals organization and fans have treated me and my family like their own,” Witt Jr said. “This city and this team have felt like home since day one, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to continue to represent all of KC. I am incredibly grateful to the Sherman family and the Royals front office for believing in me, and I promise to do everything in my power to help bring championship baseball back to Kansas City!”

“We are extraordinarily proud to announce an historic deal with a very special player,’” said&nbsp;John Sherman, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals. “Like our fans, I’m thrilled that this ensures Bobby will compete in a Royals uniform for many years to come. Bobby makes us better, and I’m grateful for his commitment to our fans, our city, and our team.”

“From the day we drafted him we felt confident Bobby would become one of our game’s brightest stars and biggest talents,” said&nbsp;J.J. Picollo, Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager. “These last two seasons have been confirmation of that talent, and proof that he’s an even better teammate. We know he wants to win here for our fans as much as we do.”

Witt Jr., 23, recorded 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases as a rookie in 2022. Last year, he recorded 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases, becoming the first player in Royals history with a 30/30 season. In doing so, he became the seventh player in Major League history to go 30/30 in his age-23 season or younger, and was the second American League shortstop—regardless of age—to post a 30/30 season, following&nbsp;Álex Rodríguez, who went 40/40 in 1998. Witt Jr.’s sophomore season earned him 7th place in the American League Most Valuable Player voting.

Witt Jr.’s combination of home runs (30) and steals (49) last season has been matched only four times in Major League history, by&nbsp;Eric Davis&nbsp;(1987),&nbsp;Barry Bonds&nbsp;(1990),&nbsp;Mike Trout&nbsp;(2012) and&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(2023).

No player in Major League history has matched Witt Jr.’s combination of HR (50) and steals (79) through his first two seasons.

Witt Jr. last season led the Royals in games played (158), hits (177), triples (11), home runs (30), RBI (96), stolen bases (49), OPS (.813, min. 150 AB) and runs (97). Among American League leaders, he ranked 2nd in stolen bases, 3rd in hits, tied for 3rd in total bases (317), tied for 7th in runs, 8th in extra-base hits (69) and tied for 9th in batting average (.276). He also tied&nbsp;Corbin Carroll&nbsp;for the Major League lead with 11 triples, which were the most by any Royal since&nbsp;Carlos Beltrán&nbsp;had 12 triples in 2001.

Witt Jr. in 2023 became the sixth American League player in the last 75 years with at least 30 home runs and 10 triples in a season, following&nbsp;Joe DiMaggio&nbsp;(1950),&nbsp;Mickey Mantle&nbsp;(1955),&nbsp;Jim Rice&nbsp;(1977 and 1978),&nbsp;Nomar Garciaparra&nbsp;(1997) and&nbsp;Curtis Granderson&nbsp;(2011).

On defense, Witt Jr. in 2023 recorded 14 Outs Above Average, a range-based metric of fielding skill presented by&nbsp;Statcast, which ranked him 1st among American League shortstops and 3rd among all positions in the American League, trailing only Cleveland’s second baseman&nbsp;Andrés Giménez&nbsp;(18) and teammate&nbsp;Maikel Garcia&nbsp;(15).

KANSAS CITY, Mo.—The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have agreed to the biggest contract in franchise history with shortstop&nbsp;Bobby Witt Jr., a 14-year agreement that includes 11 years guaranteed.To celebrate Kansas City’s commitment with Witt Jr., the Royals will host a press conference tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. CT in the Kauffman Stadium Hall of Fame Suites. Please contact&nbsp;Logan Jones&nbsp;(<a href="mailto:logan.jones@royals.com" target="_blank">logan.jones@royals.com</a>) if you wish to attend. Approved media may enter the ballpark via Gate A.“From the moment I was drafted in 2019, the entire Royals organization and fans have treated me and my family like their own,” Witt Jr said. “This city and this team have felt like home since day one, and it’s an honor to have the opportunity to continue to represent all of KC. I am incredibly grateful to the Sherman family and the Royals front office for believing in me, and I promise to do everything in my power to help bring championship baseball back to Kansas City!”“We are extraordinarily proud to announce an historic deal with a very special player,’” said&nbsp;John Sherman, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Royals. “Like our fans, I’m thrilled that this ensures Bobby will compete in a Royals uniform for many years to come. Bobby makes us better, and I’m grateful for his commitment to our fans, our city, and our team.”“From the day we drafted him we felt confident Bobby would become one of our game’s brightest stars and biggest talents,” said&nbsp;J.J. Picollo, Royals Executive Vice President and General Manager. “These last two seasons have been confirmation of that talent, and proof that he’s an even better teammate. We know he wants to win here for our fans as much as we do.”Witt Jr., 23, recorded 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases as a rookie in 2022. Last year, he recorded 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases, becoming the first player in Royals history with a 30/30 season. In doing so, he became the seventh player in Major League history to go 30/30 in his age-23 season or younger, and was the second American League shortstop—regardless of age—to post a 30/30 season, following&nbsp;Álex Rodríguez, who went 40/40 in 1998. Witt Jr.’s sophomore season earned him 7th place in the American League Most Valuable Player voting.Witt Jr.’s combination of home runs (30) and steals (49) last season has been matched only four times in Major League history, by&nbsp;Eric Davis&nbsp;(1987),&nbsp;Barry Bonds&nbsp;(1990),&nbsp;Mike Trout&nbsp;(2012) and&nbsp;Ronald Acuña Jr.&nbsp;(2023).No player in Major League history has matched Witt Jr.’s combination of HR (50) and steals (79) through his first two seasons.Witt Jr. last season led the Royals in games played (158), hits (177), triples (11), home runs (30), RBI (96), stolen bases (49), OPS (.813, min. 150 AB) and runs (97). Among American League leaders, he ranked 2nd in stolen bases, 3rd in hits, tied for 3rd in total bases (317), tied for 7th in runs, 8th in extra-base hits (69) and tied for 9th in batting average (.276). He also tied&nbsp;Corbin Carroll&nbsp;for the Major League lead with 11 triples, which were the most by any Royal since&nbsp;Carlos Beltrán&nbsp;had 12 triples in 2001.Witt Jr. in 2023 became the sixth American League player in the last 75 years with at least 30 home runs and 10 triples in a season, following&nbsp;Joe DiMaggio&nbsp;(1950),&nbsp;Mickey Mantle&nbsp;(1955),&nbsp;Jim Rice&nbsp;(1977 and 1978),&nbsp;Nomar Garciaparra&nbsp;(1997) and&nbsp;Curtis Granderson&nbsp;(2011).On defense, Witt Jr. in 2023 recorded 14 Outs Above Average, a range-based metric of fielding skill presented by&nbsp;Statcast, which ranked him 1st among American League shortstops and 3rd among all positions in the American League, trailing only Cleveland’s second baseman&nbsp;Andrés Giménez&nbsp;(18) and teammate&nbsp;Maikel Garcia&nbsp;(15).

Royals Sign Witt to Record-Setting 14-Year Contract

Kansas Wesleyan had a lot of things to celebrate in Saturday's men's basketball game with McPherson College.

Records broken, birthdays, and most importantly a victory.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d09e919b-068d-4a01-a818-8d493730be48?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Easton Hunter</a>&nbsp;set a new career 3-point field goals record,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/08b7d839-4f9f-4afe-8652-76c64cbe7e14?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Jun Murdock</a>&nbsp;scored 19 points and had six assists and five rebounds on his birthday and most importantly, the Coyotes picked up a 75-65 win over McPherson at Mabee Arena.

"He's been a warrior for us for four years and has another year left, so he has a chance to extend the record a little bit," Wesleyan head coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2800e2a8-2b7d-4ecf-abd6-c7f5b2294806?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Anthony Monson</a>&nbsp;said about Hunter getting the record. "That's the cool thing about four-year kids, especially here, you have a chance to do some really special things."

Wesleyan struggled out of the gates falling behind 12-2 but the Coyotes battled back.

Murdock scored with 14:05 left in the half ending a nearly five minute long stretch without a point.

The Coyotes kept the comeback going. Hunter hit his record-breaking 3 with 13:11 left in the first half that seemed to spark the team. The Coyotes trailed by nine with 12:23 left when Monson put in several subs, a move that also seemed to ignite the team.

"We got off to a slow start tonight, but hats off to our bench, they were fantastic," he said "They got us the lead and when I put the starters back in I told them 'hey don't give up the lead don't give it back', and they gave it right back, so you have to give the bench a lot of credit."

Murdock's 3-point play with 10 minutes left in the first gave the Coyotes their first lead of the night at 17-16, but it was buckets by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/97d74399-9658-4760-8532-7a443ffe0c98?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Caden Hale</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bd53f604-7613-4dc5-93c7-e14a60f82387?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Grant Dye</a>&nbsp;that moved the Coyotes out to the lead.

The Coyotes had to battle back to tie the game at the half 32-all on a free throw by Murdock."It just wasn't a good first half, just kind of sluggish, and it was tied at the half," Monson said. "Then we had that big run in the second half, and they had a run back, but we were able to hang in there and make some plays down the stretch and got the stops we needed."A three by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eecfef5a-f414-43fc-8ad8-66879fe2a736?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Izaiah Hale</a>&nbsp;and another by Hunter gave the Coyotes a 38-35 lead in the second half and the Coyotes quickly pushed the difference out to 43-35 with 16:20 left.

Wesleyan pushed the lead out to as much as 16 with 11:05 left in the game on a bucket by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d907ab00-2285-4408-97e1-dcdcb146a33c?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Alex Littlejohn</a>.

"Alex finally decided to turn it around in the second half and be the All-American that he is and we needed that out of him tonight," Monson said.

The Bulldogs cut it the four with 6:23 left at 62-58 but another Littlejohn score ended McPherson's spurt.

Murdock's free throw with 2:18 left pushed the lead back out to 10.

Littlejohn led the way with 19, while Murdock added 18 to lead KWU who shot 27 of 56 from the field for 48.2 percent for the game.

Monson was complimentary of the dynamic duo of Littlejohn and Murdock.

"That's what good players do, they find a way to get it done. We challenged our guys at half-time to find a way or find an excuse, pick one. In the first half I felt like our guys were trying to find an excuse and in the second half we found a way to get it done," he said.

The Coyotes are back on the road on Wednesday, heading to Lindsborg for a 7 p.m. tip in Hahn Gym.

Kansas Wesleyan had a lot of things to celebrate in Saturday's men's basketball game with McPherson College.Records broken, birthdays, and most importantly a victory.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d09e919b-068d-4a01-a818-8d493730be48?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Easton Hunter</a>&nbsp;set a new career 3-point field goals record,&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/08b7d839-4f9f-4afe-8652-76c64cbe7e14?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Jun Murdock</a>&nbsp;scored 19 points and had six assists and five rebounds on his birthday and most importantly, the Coyotes picked up a 75-65 win over McPherson at Mabee Arena."He's been a warrior for us for four years and has another year left, so he has a chance to extend the record a little bit," Wesleyan head coach&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/2800e2a8-2b7d-4ecf-abd6-c7f5b2294806?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Anthony Monson</a>&nbsp;said about Hunter getting the record. "That's the cool thing about four-year kids, especially here, you have a chance to do some really special things."Wesleyan struggled out of the gates falling behind 12-2 but the Coyotes battled back.Murdock scored with 14:05 left in the half ending a nearly five minute long stretch without a point.The Coyotes kept the comeback going. Hunter hit his record-breaking 3 with 13:11 left in the first half that seemed to spark the team. The Coyotes trailed by nine with 12:23 left when Monson put in several subs, a move that also seemed to ignite the team."We got off to a slow start tonight, but hats off to our bench, they were fantastic," he said "They got us the lead and when I put the starters back in I told them 'hey don't give up the lead don't give it back', and they gave it right back, so you have to give the bench a lot of credit."Murdock's 3-point play with 10 minutes left in the first gave the Coyotes their first lead of the night at 17-16, but it was buckets by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/97d74399-9658-4760-8532-7a443ffe0c98?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Caden Hale</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/bd53f604-7613-4dc5-93c7-e14a60f82387?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Grant Dye</a>&nbsp;that moved the Coyotes out to the lead.The Coyotes had to battle back to tie the game at the half 32-all on a free throw by Murdock."It just wasn't a good first half, just kind of sluggish, and it was tied at the half," Monson said. "Then we had that big run in the second half, and they had a run back, but we were able to hang in there and make some plays down the stretch and got the stops we needed."A three by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/eecfef5a-f414-43fc-8ad8-66879fe2a736?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Izaiah Hale</a>&nbsp;and another by Hunter gave the Coyotes a 38-35 lead in the second half and the Coyotes quickly pushed the difference out to 43-35 with 16:20 left.Wesleyan pushed the lead out to as much as 16 with 11:05 left in the game on a bucket by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d907ab00-2285-4408-97e1-dcdcb146a33c?elinkdata=4665" target="_blank">Alex Littlejohn</a>."Alex finally decided to turn it around in the second half and be the All-American that he is and we needed that out of him tonight," Monson said.The Bulldogs cut it the four with 6:23 left at 62-58 but another Littlejohn score ended McPherson's spurt.Murdock's free throw with 2:18 left pushed the lead back out to 10.Littlejohn led the way with 19, while Murdock added 18 to lead KWU who shot 27 of 56 from the field for 48.2 percent for the game.Monson was complimentary of the dynamic duo of Littlejohn and Murdock."That's what good players do, they find a way to get it done. We challenged our guys at half-time to find a way or find an excuse, pick one. In the first half I felt like our guys were trying to find an excuse and in the second half we found a way to get it done," he said.The Coyotes are back on the road on Wednesday, heading to Lindsborg for a 7 p.m. tip in Hahn Gym.

Hunter sets 3-point record, Murdock gets birthday present as Coyotes stop Bulldogs 75-65

It was the kind of performance&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8fa06e39-a27a-446b-bc5f-9973c9511f9a?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Ryan Showman</a>&nbsp;had been looking for from his Kansas Wesleyan women's team.

The Coyotes took control early on, led by as many as 32 points twice in the third quarter and cruised to a 67-55 Kansas Conference victory Saturday night inside Mabee Arena.

KWU improved to 12-10, 10-6 in the KCAC while McPherson fell to 6-16 and 2-14.

In Showman the Coyotes played as well as they have all season during the first 28 minutes of the game.

"When we're defending like we did and sharing the ball like we were we're a really tough team to beat," he said. "I think tonight we played that way. We want to build some momentum in February and this is a great start."

KWU was 23 of 54 shooting (42.6 percent) and McPherson 11 of 45 (24.4 percent) through the first three quarters of the game.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/968c4b0a-c32c-424e-b7b5-64832d40137b?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>, who didn't score in the Coyotes' loss to Evangel on Wednesday, led the offense with 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting that included 4 of 7 from beyond the 3-point arc. She also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds.

"It makes it easier when your coaches and teammates have your back and have confidence in you," Adams said.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aa3da55e-393a-4bae-aa7a-a9ec46f04e6a?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;added 12 points and three assists while&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0abd869e-9252-445e-ada9-6a7da1cb7d7c?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Alexis Dixon</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac73ecbc-8609-47ad-b9f8-2363f0c50d75?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Odessa Ozuna</a>&nbsp;scored nine apiece and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/046fbad3-0df6-4989-89cd-4590b0bd11fb?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Hampton Williams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/284d16dd-543c-4f25-a28c-a611f7c6ec17?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Angel Lee</a>&nbsp;each had eight. KWU shot 38.2 percent for the game (26 of 68) and won the rebounding battle 43-40.

Madelyn Hankins had 11 points and Mikaela Boyd 10 for McPherson which shot 37.3 percent (22 of 59).

The Coyotes seized control late in the first quarter. Tied at 7 they scored the last nine points and led 16-7. After McPherson opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer Wesleyan outscored the Bulldogs 20-5 the rest of the way and took a 36-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The onslaught continued in the third quarter as KWU led 51-19 at the 4:33 mark and 56-24 with 2:04 left.

Showman said his team is progressing in a positive direction.

"We've had injuries, people out, people in and trying to find something," he said. "It took a little while and I think you're starting to see some of that cohesiveness playing off each other. It's a team that wants to win and do whatever it takes."

"We're very close to the end of the season and we don't have that many (games) left," she said. "I think we're finally learning to play together and play as a team and that's helped us for a full 40 minutes."

While pleased Showman says there is room of improvement.

"I don't think we're playing our best basketball; I think we're close," he said. "That's exciting and that gets me fired up because I think our best is yet to come and now is when you want to be peaking."

KWU plays rival Bethany (12-10, 10-6 KCAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lindsborg. The Swedes lost to Friends 75-66 Saturday in Wichita. The Coyotes close out the week with a game against Ottawa at 5 p.m. Saturday in Mabee Arena.

It was the kind of performance&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8fa06e39-a27a-446b-bc5f-9973c9511f9a?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Ryan Showman</a>&nbsp;had been looking for from his Kansas Wesleyan women's team.The Coyotes took control early on, led by as many as 32 points twice in the third quarter and cruised to a 67-55 Kansas Conference victory Saturday night inside Mabee Arena.KWU improved to 12-10, 10-6 in the KCAC while McPherson fell to 6-16 and 2-14.In Showman the Coyotes played as well as they have all season during the first 28 minutes of the game."When we're defending like we did and sharing the ball like we were we're a really tough team to beat," he said. "I think tonight we played that way. We want to build some momentum in February and this is a great start."KWU was 23 of 54 shooting (42.6 percent) and McPherson 11 of 45 (24.4 percent) through the first three quarters of the game.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/968c4b0a-c32c-424e-b7b5-64832d40137b?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Daijane Adams</a>, who didn't score in the Coyotes' loss to Evangel on Wednesday, led the offense with 14 points on 5 of 8 shooting that included 4 of 7 from beyond the 3-point arc. She also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds."It makes it easier when your coaches and teammates have your back and have confidence in you," Adams said.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/aa3da55e-393a-4bae-aa7a-a9ec46f04e6a?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">LaMyah Ricks</a>&nbsp;added 12 points and three assists while&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0abd869e-9252-445e-ada9-6a7da1cb7d7c?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Alexis Dixon</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/ac73ecbc-8609-47ad-b9f8-2363f0c50d75?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Odessa Ozuna</a>&nbsp;scored nine apiece and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/046fbad3-0df6-4989-89cd-4590b0bd11fb?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Hampton Williams</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/284d16dd-543c-4f25-a28c-a611f7c6ec17?elinkdata=4640" target="_blank">Angel Lee</a>&nbsp;each had eight. KWU shot 38.2 percent for the game (26 of 68) and won the rebounding battle 43-40.Madelyn Hankins had 11 points and Mikaela Boyd 10 for McPherson which shot 37.3 percent (22 of 59).The Coyotes seized control late in the first quarter. Tied at 7 they scored the last nine points and led 16-7. After McPherson opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer Wesleyan outscored the Bulldogs 20-5 the rest of the way and took a 36-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.The onslaught continued in the third quarter as KWU led 51-19 at the 4:33 mark and 56-24 with 2:04 left.Showman said his team is progressing in a positive direction."We've had injuries, people out, people in and trying to find something," he said. "It took a little while and I think you're starting to see some of that cohesiveness playing off each other. It's a team that wants to win and do whatever it takes."Adams agrees."We're very close to the end of the season and we don't have that many (games) left," she said. "I think we're finally learning to play together and play as a team and that's helped us for a full 40 minutes."While pleased Showman says there is room of improvement."I don't think we're playing our best basketball; I think we're close," he said. "That's exciting and that gets me fired up because I think our best is yet to come and now is when you want to be peaking."KWU plays rival Bethany (12-10, 10-6 KCAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Lindsborg. The Swedes lost to Friends 75-66 Saturday in Wichita. The Coyotes close out the week with a game against Ottawa at 5 p.m. Saturday in Mabee Arena.

Coyotes roll on to victory over McPherson behind solid effort from Adams

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 20 points to lead four Jayhawks in double figures as No. 8 Kansas beat No. 4 Houston 78-65 in front of a frenzied crowd on Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707008126068.png" alt="Photo Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Hunter Dickinson had 20 points to lead four Jayhawks in double figures as No. 8 Kansas beat No. 4 Houston 78-65 in front of a frenzied crowd on Saturday.“That was our best crowd of the season,” Kansas coach Bill Self said, “and we’ve had some good ones.”Kansas (18-4, 6-3 Big 12) got 17 points each from Kevin McCullar and Johnny Furphy, and 10 from KJ Adams.The Jayhawks hit nine of their first 10 shots, helping them to a 23-11 lead at the second media timeout. The Cougars, who lead the nation in field goal defense (35.5%) allowed Kansas to shoot 68% (17 of 25) in the first half.“I didn’t anticipate getting off to that good to start,” Self said. “We thought the best way to attack them was to use all 50 feet wide and 47 feet long, and then hopefully be able to play behind their aggressiveness to start the game. We did that perfectly.”Houston (19-3, 6-3) was led by L.J. Cryer with 24 points while J’Wan Roberts and Emanuel Sharp scored 11 points each.Houston came into the game with the nation’s best scoring defense at 52.9 points per game allowed and had not allowed more than 72 points in a game all season. The Jayhawks hit 53 points with 14:17 left in the second half on a layup by Dickinson.The Jayhawks led 43-28 at halftime. The Cougars had not allowed more than 30 points in a first half all season.“A blindfolded person would do better than we did,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “The day was all about the Kansas program, the tradition and Bill getting his team ready to play in this gym. I mean, the way they shot the ball you’d thought we lost by 30. We lost by 13.”Kansas extended its 15-point halftime lead to 20 in the second half. Houston cut the lead to 10 at 68-58 with about five minutes to play but could not get closer.“We knew it was going to be a battle from the beginning,” Furphy said. “I think we did a really good job of setting the tone early. They’re definitely a really good side. They’re a really tough physical team.”Dickinson said he’d never been part of an offensive output like Saturday.“We showed a lot of execution on the offensive side,” he said. “When we’re able to hit shots, it’s pretty, pretty hard to defend. We had 43 points in the first half against the No. 1 ranked defense in the country. I don’t think (I’ve seen that) in my career.”While it was a big win, especially in the conference race, Self was quick to point out that the conference season is only halfway done.“I think it’s a little premature to talk about this as one of the biggest wins,” he said. “If this was playing for some kind of stakes, you could certainly make a bigger case. But it’s still just February 3.“I don’t mean to minimize it. It was a great win. But we’ve had a lot of really good wins in this building.”THE TAKEAWAYHouston: The Cougars weren’t about to go away easily. They trimmed a 58-38 deficit to 10 points with the help of a 10-2 run.Kansas: The Jayhawks were intent on showing conference newcomers Houston that the road to the Big 12 Championship goes through Lawrence.UP NEXTHouston: The Cougars return home for a Tuesday night game against Oklahoma State.Kansas: The Jayhawks visit Kansas State on Monday.___