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No. 6 Houston takes on Xavier following Cryer’s 24-point game

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Houston Cougars (7-0) at Xavier Musketeers (4-3)Cincinnati; Friday, 6:30 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: No. 6 Houston faces the Xavier Musketeers after LJ Cryer scored 24 points in Houston’s 79-44 win over the Montana Grizzlies.The Musketeers are 3-1 in home games. Xavier has a 0-2 record in games decided by less than 4 points.The Cougars play their first true road game after going 7-0 to begin the season. Houston is 6-0 when it wins the turnover battle and averages 7.7 turnovers per game.Xavier’s average of 6.3 made 3-pointers per game this season is only 0.9 more made shots on average than the 5.4 per game Houston allows. Houston averages 8.0 more points per game (76.3) than Xavier gives up (68.3).TOP PERFORMERS: Quincy Olivari is shooting 37.5% from beyond the arc with 2.1 made 3-pointers per game for the Musketeers, while averaging 13.4 points and 5.1 rebounds. Desmond Claude is shooting 48.9% and averaging 16.7 points for Xavier.Cryer averages 3.1 made 3-pointers per game for...

Kenney and Bryant host Brown

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Bryant Bulldogs (4-4) at Brown Bears (2-6)Providence, Rhode Island; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Bryant visits the Brown Bears after Sherif Kenney scored 25 points in Bryant’s 108-74 victory against the Springfield (MA) Pride.The Bears have gone 1-1 at home. Brown is second in the Ivy League in rebounding with 36.5 rebounds. Nana Owusu-Anane leads the Bears with 8.6 boards.The Bulldogs are 1-3 in road games. Bryant ranks eighth in the America East with 7.1 offensive rebounds per game led by Earl Timberlake averaging 1.6.Brown makes 42.8% of its shots from the field this season, which is 4.8 percentage points higher than Bryant has allowed to its opponents (38.0%). Bryant averages 10.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.2 more made shots on average than the 8.4 per game Brown allows.TOP PERFORMERS: Kino Lilly Jr. is scoring 20.3 points per game and averaging 2.0 rebounds for the Bears. Felix Kloman is averaging 1.3 made 3-pointers for Brown.Kenney is averaging 18.9 point...

Brooks and Butler host Texas Tech

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Texas Tech Red Raiders (5-1) at Butler Bulldogs (5-2)Indianapolis; Thursday, 6:30 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Bulldogs -1.5; over/under is 138.5BOTTOM LINE: Butler hosts the Texas Tech Red Raiders after Pierre Brooks scored 25 points in Butler’s 70-56 win over the Boise State Broncos.The Bulldogs have gone 3-0 in home games. Butler is 5-1 in games decided by 10 or more points.The Red Raiders play their first true road game after going 5-1 with a 2-1 record in neutral-site games to start the season. Texas Tech is fifth in the Big 12 giving up 60.7 points while holding opponents to 38.9% shooting.Butler averages 7.9 made 3-pointers per game, 1.2 more made shots than the 6.7 per game Texas Tech gives up. Texas Tech has shot at a 41.4% clip from the field this season, 3.1 percentage points higher than the 38.3% shooting opponents of Butler have averaged.TOP PERFORMERS: Brooks is scoring 16.7 points per game and averaging 3.7 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Jahmyl Telfort is avera...

Buie and Northwestern host No. 1 Purdue

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Purdue Boilermakers (7-0) at Northwestern Wildcats (5-1)Evanston, Illinois; Friday, 9 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Northwestern plays the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers after Boo Buie scored 23 points in Northwestern’s 89-67 win over the Northern Illinois Huskies.The Wildcats are 4-0 on their home court. Northwestern averages 8.2 turnovers per game and is 5-1 when it has fewer turnovers than its opponents.The Boilermakers play their first true road game after going 7-0 to begin the season. Purdue ranks fifth in the Big Ten scoring 35.1 points per game in the paint led by Zach Edey averaging 13.7.Northwestern makes 45.9% of its shots from the field this season, which is 8.4 percentage points higher than Purdue has allowed to its opponents (37.5%). Purdue has shot at a 49.5% clip from the field this season, 4.8 percentage points greater than the 44.7% shooting opponents of Northwestern have averaged.The Wildcats and Boilermakers match up Friday for the first time in conference play this seas...

UAPB visits No. 25 Oklahoma after Milton’s 25-point game

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions (4-4) at Oklahoma Sooners (6-0)Norman, Oklahoma; Thursday, 8 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sooners -29; over/under is 154.5BOTTOM LINE: UAPB visits the No. 25 Oklahoma Sooners after Kylen Milton scored 25 points in UAPB’s 85-60 win against the Arkansas Baptist Buffaloes.The Sooners are 4-0 in home games. Oklahoma has a 1-0 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.The Golden Lions have gone 1-3 away from home. UAPB leads the SWAC with 17.1 assists. Rashad Williams leads the Golden Lions with 4.1.Oklahoma makes 50.4% of its shots from the field this season, which is 3.6 percentage points higher than UAPB has allowed to its opponents (46.8%). UAPB scores 27.6 more points per game (87.4) than Oklahoma gives up (59.8).TOP PERFORMERS: Otega Oweh is shooting 66.1% and averaging 15.0 points for the Sooners. Le’Tre Darthard is averaging 1.7 made 3-pointers for Oklahoma.Milton is shooting 60.7% and averaging 20.9 points for the Golden Lions...

Bethune-Cookman Wildcats face the Incarnate Word Cardinals on 3-game skid

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Incarnate Word Cardinals (3-4) at Bethune-Cookman Wildcats (3-4)Daytona Beach, Florida; Friday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Bethune-Cookman comes into the matchup with Incarnate Word after losing three games in a row.The Wildcats have gone 3-0 at home. Bethune-Cookman is the leader in the SWAC with 21.3 fast break points.The Cardinals have gone 1-3 away from home. Incarnate Word is 1-1 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.Bethune-Cookman averages 76.1 points per game, 1.0 fewer point than the 77.1 Incarnate Word allows. Incarnate Word averages 8.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.0 more made shot on average than the 7.3 per game Bethune-Cookman allows.TOP PERFORMERS: Zion Harmon is shooting 38.9% and averaging 14.6 points for the Wildcats. Jakobi Heady is averaging 2.0 made 3-pointers for Bethune-Cookman.Josiah Hammons is shooting 36.5% from beyond the arc with 3.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Cardinals, while averaging 14 points. Sky Wicks is averaging 20.1 points and 7.3 re...

Western Michigan hosts St. Thomas after Lobsinger’s 25-point showing

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Saint Thomas Tommies (3-4) at Western Michigan Broncos (2-4)Kalamazoo, Michigan; Friday, 5 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Western Michigan faces the Saint Thomas Tommies after Owen Lobsinger scored 25 points in Western Michigan’s 72-66 win against the Mercer Bears.The Broncos have gone 0-2 in home games. Western Michigan is 0-3 against opponents over .500.The Tommies are 0-3 on the road. St. Thomas leads the Summit League giving up just 62.7 points per game while holding opponents to 43.6% shooting.Western Michigan averages 9.0 made 3-pointers per game, 3.1 more made shots than the 5.9 per game St. Thomas gives up. St. Thomas has shot at a 45.1% rate from the field this season, 1.8 percentage points higher than the 43.3% shooting opponents of Western Michigan have averaged.TOP PERFORMERS: Seth Hubbard is scoring 17.2 points per game with 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists for the Broncos. Lobsinger is averaging 10.3 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 45.7% for Western Michigan.Parker Bjor...

Electrical cable falls on Eurostar train

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

ON THE EUROSTAR OUTSIDE THE CHANNEL TUNNEL, England — An overhead electrical cable snapped and fell onto a Eurostar train headed from London to Amsterdam, via Brussels on Thursday morning.In an incident that’s expected to have knock-on effects on the busy route from London to Brussels, the cable fell on a Eurostar train just before 9 a.m. local time amid a flurry of sparks and loud bangs. The train was just about to enter the Channel Tunnel in Kent, but was forced to grind to a halt.POLITICO’s reporter on the train observed the black cable dangling down the side of the carriage as staff inspected the damage. “The news is not good,” the train manager told passengers, adding that the Eurostar would be stuck there for some time. A rescue train would need to be sent from London, the manager said.Without external electricity, the train manager said the emergency lights and air conditioning would soon turn off. A POLITICO reporter on a later Eurostar train from London was informed t...

‘Go fuck yourself!’ Elon Musk tells fleeing advertisers

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

Elon Musk has a message for advertisers who have left X en masse amid accusations of unchecked antisemitism on the social media platform: “Go fuck yourself.”“If somebody has been trying to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go fuck yourself,” Musk said during an animated interview at the New York Times DealBook Summit on Wednesday.Musk has faced criticism over the spread of disinformation and hate content on X since he bought the company formerly known as Twitter. That culminated in an advertiser exodus in recent weeks, as posts about the Israel-Hamas war spread.Earlier this month, progressive watchdog group Media Matters published a report alleging that X had run ads for major companies next to neo-Nazi posts. In response, Musk filed a federal lawsuit accusing the group and one of its reporters of doctoring the images.Tensions escalated when the SpaceX and Tesla owner publicly agreed with an antisemitic tweet claiming that Jewish...

Benny Gantz eyes his moment to topple Israel’s Netanyahu

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 18:25:46 GMT

TEL AVIV — All eyes are on when retired general Benny Gantz is going to make his move against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since Hamas’ murderous attacks on October 7, Israelis have largely put partisan politics aside, but the strain for such a highly rambunctious nation is starting to show. With the first phase of action in Gaza coming to a close, the weeks ahead now look set to roll into a potential endgame for Netanyahu, as many Israelis blame him for last month’s catastrophic security blunder. Gantz is the most likely challenger to step up and call time on Netanyahu’s long political career. Before the attacks, the former defense minister expressed concern over the dangerously “extremist” direction Netanyahu and his allies were taking the country but after October 7 he was still ready to join Netanyahu’s war cabinet for the sake of national unity. As he noted: “There is a time for peace and a time for war. Now is a time for w...