NFL – National Football League – Divisional Playoffs
Saturday
Washington Commanders 45, Detroit Lions 31
Kansas City Chiefs 23, Houston Texans 14
Commanders 45, Lions 31 – Jayden Daniels and the Commanders stun top-seeded Lions 45-31 to reach NFC title game
Jayden Daniels threw for two touchdowns in a flawless performance by Washington’s dazzling rookie, and the Commanders stunned the Detroit Lions 45-31 to reach the NFC championship game for the first time since winning the Super Bowl 33 years ago. The sixth-seeded Commanders were nearly double-digit underdogs against the Super Bowl favorite Lions and overcame doubts as they did all season with a rookie quarterback, new coach and general manager. Detroit, the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time, doomed its chances by turning it over five times. Washington rookie Mike Sainristil had two interceptions.
Chiefs 23, Texans 14 – Mahomes and Kelce help Chiefs to a 23-14 win over Texans and another AFC title game trip
Patrick Mahomes threw for 177 yards and a touchdown, Travis Kelce caught seven passes for 117 yards and the score and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 to advance to the AFC championship game for the seventh straight season. The Chiefs will face Buffalo or Baltimore next weekend at Arrowhead Stadium as they try to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. Mahomes improved to 7-0 in the divisional round while Andy Reid became the fourth NFL coach with 300 career wins. The Texans still have never won in six trips to the divisional round.
Yesterday
Philadelphia Eagles 28, Los Angeles Rams 22
Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25
Eagles 28, Rams 22 – Barkley runs for 78- and 62-yard TDs and Eagles top Rams 28-22 to head to NFC title game
Saquon Barkley dashed through the snow for touchdown runs of 78 and 62 yards and finished with 205 yards rushing, Jalen Hurts had a 44-yard scoring run and the Philadelphia Eagles held on against the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 to advance to the NFC championship game for the second time in three seasons. Barkley ran for a 62-yard score in the first half and stretched the lead in the fourth when he blew through a hole and ran about untouched 78 yards for the touchdown. The Eagles will host the NFC championship game Sunday against Washington.
Bills 27, Ravens 25 – Josh Allen scores 2 TDs, Bills force 3 turnovers to beat Ravens 27-25 reach AFC title game
Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns, Buffalo’s defense forced three turnovers and the Bills advanced to the AFC championship game with a 27-25 win over the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round. The Bills hung on when a wide-open Mark Andrews dropped a 2-point conversion pass from Lamar Jackson, allowing the ball to bounce off his chest with 1:33 left. Jackson connected with a sliding Isaiah Likely for a 24-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a chance to tie it. The Bills advanced to the AFC championship game next Sunday against the conference’s top seed, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Sunday
Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles, 3:00 p.m.
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs, 6:30 p.m.
NCAAFB – College Football Playoffs – National Championship
Tonight
(7) Notre Dame vs. (8) Ohio State, 7:30 p.m. Sports Radio 96.1 WSBT/Sunny 101.5 6:30
NCAAFB – Ohio State and Notre Dame meet for the national championship
Ohio State and Notre Dame will square off at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Monday night in the College Football Playoff championship game. The winner claims the national title in the first year of the expanded 12-team playoff and longest college football season. Ohio State is trying for its sixth title and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title and first since 1988. The key matchup pits Ohio State quarterback Will Howard against Notre Dame’s defense. Howard has been on a roll but will face an aggressive and creative defense. Both coaches said Sunday they have nothing special planned for their final words in the locker room before kickoff of the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night. The message to their players will be to keep doing what they’ve been doing, because that’s what got them here.
NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Yesterday
(12) Michigan State 80, (19) Illinois 78
(20) Michigan 80, Northwestern 76 – OT
MSU 80, Illinois 78 – Michigan State rallies and holds on to beat Illinois 80-78 for 11th straight win
Tre Holloman had 17 points, Coen Carr and Frankie Fidler scored 11 each and No. 12 Michigan State held on to beat No. 19 Illinois 80-78. The Spartans extended their winning streak to 11 games, their longest run since the 2018-19 season that ended with Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo’s eighth trip to the Final Four. The Fighting Illini took a 10-point lead in the first half and were trailing by one and had possession when Kylan Boswell turned over the ball with 5.9 seconds left. Holloman made two free throws on the ensuing possession.
Michigan 80, Northwestern 76 – OT – Goldin scores 31 points in Michigan’s 80-76 OT win over Northwestern
Valdislav Goldin scored 31 points, Nimari Burnett added 13 and No. 20 Michigan rallied to beat Northwestern 80-76 in overtime Sunday. Roddy Gayle Jr. and Tre Donaldson each had 10 points to help the Wolverines (14-4, 6-1 Big Ten) rebounds from an 84-81 overtime loss at Minnesota on Thursday night. Michigan made 9 of 10 free throws in the final 1:20 to finish off the Wildcats (11-7, 2-5). Brooks Barnhizer led Northwestern with 21 points. Nick Martinelli added 20, and Jalen Leach had 19 before he was ejected. After Gayle gave the Wolverines a 65-63 lead with 34 seconds left in regulation, Matthew Nicholson made two free throws with 4.8 seconds remaining to send it to overtime.
NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Yesterday
(3) Notre Dame 88, SMU 64
(22) Michigan State 86, Illinois 68
ND 88, SMU 64 – Hannah Hidalgo returns to lead Notre Dame women past SMU, 88-64
Hannah Hidalgo had 23 points and 10 rebounds in her return from an ankle injury that sidelined her two games to help No. 3 Notre Dame rout SMU 88-64 on Sunday night. Hidalgo also had five steals and three assists for Notre Dame (16-2, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference). Olivia Miles had 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Zanai Jones led SMU (10-9, 2-4) with 20 points. Notre Dame missed nine of its first 11 shots and trailed 12-9. After that, the Fighting Irish hit 10 of their next 14 and led 32-15 lead midway through the second quarter.
MSU 86, Illinois 68 – Hallock’s career-best 26 help Michigan State women beat Illinois 86-68
Theryn Hallock scored 15 of her career-best 26 points in the fourth quarter as the No. 22 Michigan State women rolled to an 86-68 win over Illinois. The junior from Grand Rapids topped her previous best of 24 set New Year’s Day against Purdue by knocking down a career-high 12 of 19 from the field. She converted six layups and knocked down a 3-pointer in the final quarter as the Spartans closed the game on a 24-15 run.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Yesterday
Portland Trailblazers 113, Chicago Bulls 102
Blazers 113, Bulls 102 – Scoot Henderson scores 25 points, Trail Blazers beat Bulls 113-102 to end 5-game skid
Scoot Henderson had 25 points and the Portland Trail Blazers snapped five-game losing streak with a 113-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night. Zach LaVine had 27 points for the Bulls. They have lost five straight. Portland stretched its lead to 97-82 on Shaedon Sharpe’s 3-pointer with 7:36 left. Patrick Williams’ dunk got the Bulls within single digits at 110-102 with 1:26 left. Deni Avdija answered with a layup for Portland to end the threat. Sharpe came off the bench for the Blazers after coach Chauncey Billups told him his defense needed to improve to return to a starting role. Sharpe finished with 23 points.
Today
Detroit Pistons at Houston Rockets, 2:00 p.m.
Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Dallas Stars 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Stars 4, Red Wings 1 – Robertson has goal and assist, Oettinger makes 33 saves as Stars beat Red Wings 4-1
Jason Robertson had one of three first-period goals plus a third-period assist and Jake Oettinger made 33 saves as the Dallas Stars beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Sunday night. Wyatt Johnston and rookies Matej Blumel and Mavrik Bourque also scored for the Stars, who are 10-3-1 in their last 14 games. Simon Edvinsson pulled Detroit within 3-1 with 7:59 to play, but Johnston answered 2:08 later on Robertson’s assist. Alex Lyon stopped 21 shots for the Red Wings, who have lost three of their last four games after winning seven straight under new coach Todd McLellan.
Tonight
Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
MLB –Skubal says he loves Detroit but keeps long-term talks with Tigers private
American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal recently agreed to a one-year contract with the Detroit Tigers and is keeping negotiations about a long-term deal to himself. Skubal said Sunday that he’ll keep those talks to himself. Skubal and the Tigers avoided salary arbitration earlier this month with a $10.15 million, one-year contract. Tigers pitchers and catchers are due to report to spring training on Feb. 12 in Lakeland, Florida. Detroit opens the season March 27 on the road against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The 28-year-old Skubal had an AL-high 18 wins last season.
Tennis – Coco Gauff drops a set but reaches the Australian Open quarterfinals
Coco Gauff dropped a set but came back to beat Belinda Bencic and reach the Australian Open quarterfinals. Gauff struggled with her shots in the opening set before dominating down the stretch for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory on a hot Sunday afternoon in Rod Laver Arena. Gauff will face Paula Badosa for a berth in the semifinals. Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak at Melbourne Park to 18 matches and will meet Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova next. Sabalenka is trying to become the first woman since Martina Hingis in 1997 to 1999 with three titles in a row at the year’s first Grand Slam tournament. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Tommy Paul reached the men’s quarterfinals.
MCCAA – Michigan Community College Athletic Association
Saturday
Women’s Basketball
Glen Oaks Community College 59, Lake Michigan College 54
Southwestern Michigan College 74, Grand Rapids Community College 69 – OT
Men’s Basketball
Glen Oaks Community College 77, Lake Michigan College 58
Grand Rapids Community College 74, Southwestern Michigan College 62
MHSAA – Michigan High School Athletic Association
Tonight
Boys Basketball
Mattawan at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.
Buchanan at Constantine, 7:00 p.m.
Fennville at Lawrence, 7:30 p.m.
Marcellus at Martin, 7:00 p.m.
Battle Creek Harper Creek at Vicksburg, 7:15 p.m.
Vermontville Maple Valley at Delton-Kellogg, 7:00 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Michigan Lutheran at Buchanan, 7:00 p.m.
Paw Paw at Berrien Springs, 7:00 p.m.
Fennville at Lawrence, 6:00 p.m.
Marcellus at Bangor, 7:30 p.m.
Centreville at Comstock, 7:30 p.m.
Burr Oak at Decatur, 6:30 p.m
Vicksburg at Battle Creek Harper Creek, 7:00 p.m.