NFL – Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn agrees to terms with Jets to be head coach
The New York Jets and Aaron Glenn have agreed to terms on making the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator their head coach. Glenn oversaw the Lions’ defense the past four years and beat out 15 other candidates for the job as the Jets went through an extensive search. And they ended up choosing one of their former players. Glenn was a first-round draft pick in 1994 who was mentored by Bill Parcells, became one of the Jets’ best playmakers and developed into a well-respected and highly sought coach.
NFL – Johnson couldn’t pass on chance to coach Bears and help Caleb Williams develop
Ben Johnson couldn’t pass on the opportunity he has with the Chicago Bears. His first head coaching job is a big one. Johnson sees a talented team with a potential franchise quarterback in Caleb Williams that is “close to going over the hump." The Bears finished last in the NFC North at 5-12. A team that had visions of making the playoffs instead lost 10 straight games and fired coach Matt Eberflus along the way before closing the season with a win at Green Bay. Johnson spent the past three seasons coordinating one of the NFL’s best offenses with the Detroit Lions.
NFL – Al Golden returning to Bengals as defensive coordinator, AP source says
Al Golden agreed to return to Cincinnati on Wednesday after three seasons as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced. Golden was the Bengals linebackers coach during the 2020 and ’21 seasons. He interviewed on Tuesday, the day after Notre Dame’s 34-23 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff national title game. Golden informed Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman of his decision on Wednesday and is expected to be in Cincinnati on Thursday. Golden replaces Lou Anarumo, who led Cincinnati’s defense for six seasons. Anarumo was hired as the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator on Monday.
NCAAFB – Viewership of Ohio State’s second title in the CFP era down 12% from last year
Ohio State’s 34-23 victory over Notre Dame in Monday night’s College Football Playoff national championship game, was the most-watched game of the season. However, it was a double-digit drop in viewers from last year. ESPN announced Wednesday that the Buckeyes’ second national championship in the CFP era averaged 22.1 million viewers. It was the most-watched, non-NFL sporting event over the past year, but a 12% drop from the 25 million who tuned in last year. It was the third-lowest audience of the 11 CFP title games. The audience peaked at 26.1 million viewers during the second quarter when the game was tied at 7-7.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 114, Atlanta Hawks 104
Pistons 114, Hawks 104 – Cade Cunningham scores 29 points to lead Pistons past cold-shooting Hawks
Cade Cunningham had 29 points and 11 assists and the Detroit Pistons won for the seventh time it their last eight road games, 114-104 over the Atlanta Hawks. Malik Beasley had 19 points off the bench and Ausar Thompson had 16 points for Detroit. Dyson Daniels led the Hawks with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Trae Young had 13 points and nine assists. Jalen Johnson had 17 points and nine rebounds. The Hawks shot a season-low 16% from 3-point range, hitting only 6 of 38 attempts. The Pistons led 69-51 at the half, their biggest halftime lead of the season.
Today
San Antonio Spurts vs. Indiana Pacers, 2:00 p.m. (Accor Arena, Paris France)
Chicago Bulls at Golden State Warriors, 10:00 p.m.
NBA – Mike Tirico will be lead announcer when NBC begins its NBA coverage next season
Mike Tirico has been selected as NBC’s lead play-by-play announcer when it begins its coverage of the NBA next season. The move is not a surprise, since many expected that to happen when NBC agreed to an 11-year contract with the NBA last summer. Tirico was part of ESPN and ABC’s coverage of the league until moving to NBC in July 2016. He also called six NBA Finals on ESPN Radio. According to research from the 506 Sports Archive, Tirico called 313 regular-season and playoff games on ESPN and ABC. Tirico also calls the “Sunday Night Football” package, which will include next year’s Super Bowl.
NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
(21) Michigan State 82, Penn State 61
(24) Michigan 70, (23) Minnesota 65
Kent State 77, Central Michigan 56
Northern Illinois 78, Eastern Michigan 70
Western Michigan 63, Bowling Green 60
MSU 82, PSU 61 – No. 21 Michigan State women beat Penn State 82-61 for 4th straight victory
Theryn Hallock scored 17 points, Julia Ayrault added 16 and No. 21 Michigan State beat Penn State 82-61 for its fourth straight victory. Michigan State (16-3, 6-2 Big Ten Conference) has also won four straight in the series and eight of the last nine. Jocelyn Tate scored 12 of Michigan State’s opening 27 points in building a 12-point lead. The Spartans extended their lead to 41-24 at the break after scoring 18 points off 18 Penn State turnovers. Michigan State’s lead reached 31 points midway through the third quarter following a 19-3 run, with eight points from Ayrault. Hallock, Ayrault and Tate each made three of Michigan State’s 13 3-pointers to counter Moriah Murray’s career-high-tying eight 3-pointers for Penn State.
Michigan 70, Minnesota 65 – Swords scores 23, Olson adds 19 as freshmen lead Michigan women past Minnesota
Freshman Syla Swords scored 23 points, eight in the fourth quarter, and No. 24 Michigan edged No. 23 Minnesota 70-65. Olivia Olson, a freshman from New Hope, Minnesota, added 19 points for the Wolverines, including a jumper to open the fourth quarter that gave them a 55-53 lead. Swords followed that with a 3-pointer and the defense held the Golden Gophers to 4-of-15 shooting. Amaya Battle scored 25 points for the Golden Gophers, who were 11-0 at home. Stewart had 13 points on 4-of-4 shooting and Battle 12 on 5-of-6 shooting as the Golden Gophers scored the last nine points of the second quarter to lead 37-33 at the half. Early in the third quarter, Mila Holloway had consecutive 3s, Olson hit a jumper and Swords had a 3 and Michigan surged ahead 46-39.
Tonight
(3) Notre Dame at Boston College, 7:00 p.m. Sports Radio 96.1 WSBT 6:45
Weather – Winter storm causes rescheduling of NBA and college games across the South
The NBA and multiple college basketball conferences postponed games in response to winter weather that broke snowfall records in some southern states and coated others with a mix of snow and ice. Wednesday night’s NBA contest between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Pelicans was called off a day after the storm dumped about a foot of snow in New Orleans. LSU’s fifth-ranked women’s basketball team was unable to fly on Wednesday to South Carolina. So the Southeastern Conference chose to postpone the Tigers’ game at the No. 2 Gamecocks from Thursday until Friday evening. The Sun Belt conference also changed tip-off times for four men’s basketball games.
MLB – Ohtani informed the Dodgers they had landed prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki
The Dodgers have introduced prized Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, who agreed to a minor league contract with a $6.5 million signing bonus. The 23-year-old right-hander whose fastball tops 100 mph was introduced Wednesday. He joins fellow Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the Dodgers in a signing many baseball executives long expected. Sasaki had until Thursday to finalize a contract. He donned a No. 11 jersey over his shirt and blue tie during a news conference outside the stadium.
MCCAA – Michigan Community College Athletic Association
Last Night
Women’s Basketball
Lake Michigan College at Lansing Community College, PPD
Southwestern Michigan College at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, PPD
Men’s Basketball
Lake Michigan College at Lansing Community College, PPD
Southwestern Michigan College at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, PPD
MHSAA – Former Lakeshore Coach back to lead soccer program
A former Lakeshore soccer coach resumes his old position as boys soccer coach. Paul Carteaux has been appointed as Lakeshore’s new boys soccer coach following the retirement of Brian Samuel at the end of last season. Carteaux was previously the boys head soccer coach at Lakeshore from 1988-1995, during his 8 year tenure, Lakeshore was ranked in the top 10 each year, winning 7 district titles, 5 regional titles, and made three appearances in the state finals, winning one in 1990. He also helped begin Lakeshore’s girls soccer team, helping the Lancers to a district championship in their inaugural season in 1995. Carteaux has been serving as an assistant since 2016 for the boys team until 2023. And JV head coach in 2021.
MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Last Night
Boys Basketball
Schoolcraft 52, Edwardsburg 37
Watervliet 68, Saugatuck 26
Paw Paw 72, Kalamazoo Hackett 55
Centreville at Berrien Springs, PPD
Three Rivers at Plainwell, PPD
Bloomingdale at Gobles, PPD
Holland Black River at Lawrence, PPD.
Bangor at Decatur, PPD
Girls Basketball
South Haven 50, Dowagiac 44
Edwardsburg 54, Schoolcraft 32
Otsego 56, Buchanan 18
Vicksburg 76, Harper Creek 62
Lawton 41, Martin 30
Eau Claire at Bloomingdale, PPD
Comstock at Marcellus, PPD
Tonight
Boys Basketball
SMAC
Lakeshore at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM
Portage Central at Portage Northern, 7:00 p.m.
Mattawan at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Central at Battle Creek Central, 7:00 p.m.
BC Lakeview at Gull Lake, 7:00 p.m.
Lakeland
Dowagiac at Benton Harbor, 7:00 p.m.
BCS
Countryside Academy at Covert, 5:00 p.m.
SAC
Bridgman at Allegan, 7:00 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Southwest 10
Bangor at Cassopolis, 7:30 p.m.
White Pigeon at Centreville, 7:30 p.m.
Comstock at Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
Bloomingdale at Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.
Decatur at Marcellus, 7:30 p.m.
Non-Conference
Howardsville Christian at Berrien Springs, 6:30 p.m.
Boys Swimming and Diving
St. Joseph, Portage Northern, Coldwater at Portage Central, 6:00 p.m.
Bridgman/Lakeshore at Battle Creek Lakeview, 6:00 p.m.