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North Dakota State visits Eastern Washington after Erikstrup’s 32-point game

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

North Dakota State Bison (7-8, 0-1 Summit League) at Eastern Washington Eagles (7-7, 2-0 Big Sky)Cheney, Washington; Saturday, 5 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Eagles -9; over/under is 149.5BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Washington faces the North Dakota State Bison after Dane Erikstrup scored 32 points in Eastern Washington’s 93-79 win against the South Dakota Coyotes.The Eagles have gone 4-0 in home games. Eastern Washington ranks sixth in the Big Sky at limiting opponent scoring, allowing 72.5 points while holding opponents to 43.1% shooting.The Bison have gone 2-5 away from home. North Dakota State is third in the Summit League with 24.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Boden Skunberg averaging 4.1.Eastern Washington makes 48.0% of its shots from the field this season, which is 2.4 percentage points higher than North Dakota State has allowed to its opponents (45.6%). North Dakota State has shot at a 47.3% rate from the field this season, 4.2 percentage points greater than the 4...

Alabama State faces Mississippi Valley State for conference showdown

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

Alabama State Hornets (5-8) at Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (0-13)Itta Bena, Mississippi; Saturday, 7 p.m. ESTBOTTOM LINE: Rayquan Brown and the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils host Antonio Madlock and the Alabama State Hornets.The Delta Devils play their first home game after going 0-13 to start the season. Mississippi Valley State is 0-12 in games decided by at least 10 points.The Hornets are 0-7 on the road. Alabama State is the SWAC leader with 40.9 rebounds per game led by Ubong Okon averaging 6.6.Mississippi Valley State is shooting 36.7% from the field this season, 5.3 percentage points lower than the 42.0% Alabama State allows to opponents. Alabama State averages 7.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer made shots on average than the 9.0 per game Mississippi Valley State allows.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Donovan Sanders is averaging 9.8 points and 1.8 steals for th...

Lathon and Morehead State host Tennessee State

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

Tennessee State Tigers (8-8, 1-2 OVC) at Morehead State Eagles (11-4, 2-0 OVC)Morehead, Kentucky; Saturday, 3 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Eagles -9; over/under is 144BOTTOM LINE: Morehead State hosts the Tennessee State Tigers after Jordan Lathon scored 21 points in Morehead State’s 82-57 win against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.The Eagles are 7-0 in home games. Morehead State has a 0-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.The Tigers have gone 1-2 against OVC opponents. Tennessee State ranks fourth in the OVC shooting 32.5% from 3-point range.Morehead State averages 9.7 made 3-pointers per game, 2.6 more made shots than the 7.1 per game Tennessee State gives up. Tennessee State has shot at a 44.1% rate from the field this season, 6.7 percentage points higher than the 37.4% shooting opponents of Morehead State have averaged.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Riley Minix is averaging...

NJIT hosts Albany (NY) after Thomas’ 24-point game

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

Albany (NY) Great Danes (8-7) at NJIT Highlanders (4-8)Newark, New Jersey; Saturday, 2 p.m. ESTFANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Great Danes -3.5; over/under is 150.5BOTTOM LINE: Albany (NY) faces the NJIT Highlanders after Sebastian Thomas scored 24 points in Albany (NY)’s 76-71 loss to the Harvard Crimson.The Highlanders have gone 3-2 at home. NJIT is ninth in the America East with 22.3 defensive rebounds per game led by Elijah Buchanan averaging 5.3.The Great Danes are 2-6 on the road. Albany (NY) has a 2-1 record in games decided by less than 4 points.NJIT is shooting 41.2% from the field this season, 2.4 percentage points lower than the 43.6% Albany (NY) allows to opponents. Albany (NY) averages 77.0 points per game, 1.2 more than the 75.8 NJIT allows to opponents.The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season for the two teams in conference play.TOP PERFORMERS: Adam Hess is shooting 42.6% and averaging 12.7 points for the Highlanders.Thomas is shooting 43.1% and averaging...

White House unaware of timeline for Israel’s shift to less-intense Gaza operations

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

The White House doesn’t know when Israel plans to shift to a less-intense phase of its retaliation against Hamas, a senior administration official told analysts Thursday evening, adding that the war could last deep into 2024.Brett McGurk, the National Security Council’s top Middle East official, held a Zoom briefing with a handful of experts on Thursday, during which he discussed the Biden administration’s thinking on the roiling conflict. Three people familiar with the 45-minute conversation, granted anonymity to speak freely about the private chat, said McGurk was candid about what the U.S. knows and doesn’t.“We don’t know when the downshift is going to happen,” McGurk said, per one of the people, though the senior aide noted they’ve seen encouraging signs Israel is moving toward lower-intensity operations, namely the announced withdrawal of five brigades from Gaza.The administration in recent days has breathed a small sigh of relief that Israel will no longer conduct la...

Blinken opens latest urgent Mideast tour in Turkey as fears grow that Gaza war may engulf region

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

ISTANBUL (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has kicked off his latest urgent Middle East diplomatic mission in Turkey, as fears mount that Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza may explode into a broader conflict. Blinken’s fourth visit in three months comes amid worrying developments outside of Gaza, including in Lebanon, northern Israel, the Red Sea and Iraq, that have put intense strains on what had been a modestly successful U.S. push to prevent a regional conflagration in the weeks after the war began, and growing international criticism of Israel’s military operation.Blinken was meeting Saturday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan to discuss what Turkey and others can do to exert influence, particularly on Iran and its proxies, to ease soaring tensions, speed up humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza and begin in earnest to plan for reconstruction and governance of postwar Gaza, much of which has been reduced to rubble by three mon...

Word Game: Jan. 6, 2024

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — HARROWED (HARROWED: HAR-oed: Tormented; distressed.)Average mark 40 wordsTime limit 50 minutesCan you find 54 or more words in HARROWED? The list will be published Monday.YESTERDAY’S WORD — REGALLY rage rale rally real really regal relay rely earl early gale gall gallery galley gayer gear glare glary gley gray grey gyral gyre aery ager allergy alley ally argyle lager large largely layer legal lyre year yellTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Ka...

Bridge: Jan. 6, 2024

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

“If you never hit a bad shot … you’ll be the first person who didn’t.” — a noted golf instructor.We all make errors. Many are avoidable — just lapses born of a loss of focus. When West led a heart against today’s slam, South discarded a diamond on the ace, thereby (he thought) avoiding a guess for the queen. He drew trumps and took the A-K of clubs, expecting a normal 3-2 break.When West discarded, South tried for a 12th trick by leading a diamond to his jack(!). But West won, and East got a club trick.LAST DIAMONDSouth could have succeeded after he took the top clubs. He could take the A-K of diamonds, ruff a diamond, lead a trump to dummy and pitch a club — a loser on a loser — on the last diamond. When West won, he would have to concede a ruff-sluff.But South’s big mistake came earlier: He had a blind spot at Trick One. South should discard a club on the ace of hearts. He is sure of three diamond tricks — 12 ...

Ask Amy: I can’t abide the family dinners anymore. Should I tell them why?

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

Dear Amy: I have three sisters. Our parents are elderly.Related ArticlesAdvice | Ask Amy: I’m the bride, and I don’t want any baby to change my wedding plan Advice | Ask Amy: I couldn’t bring myself to do my boyfriend’s ‘favorite thing’ Advice | Ask Amy: My boyfriend says it’s over because of the surprise visitor Advice | Ask Amy: This is when I realized I had waited too long to leave my girlfriend Advice | Ask Amy: I worry about affording vacations if I move out of my parents’ house We have been getting together for a potluck dinner at my parents’ house to celebrate birthdays and other occasions, usually once a month.This makes it easier for our folks so they do not have to leave their home.The issue is that my parents and three sisters are very negative people.The conversation is always about how inadequate our current politicians are. They constantly spr...

Harriette Cole: I’m 21 and a barista. Did I make a mistake?

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 18:41:55 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m a 21-year-old woman who made the decision not to go to college.Related ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: How should I address this awkward situation with my friends? Advice | Harriette Cole: I tried to avert this friend drama, and it had the opposite effect Advice | Harriette Cole: My boyfriend lied about work to get time to himself. How do I deal with that? Advice | Harriette Cole: I was shocked to learn what my son does at school Advice | Harriette Cole: Find the right life story to make your new year better I have found myself working as a Starbucks barista, stuck in the same town I grew up in. My friends from high school are about to graduate and secure positions at Fortune 500 companies.I find myself overwhelmed with regret after hearing of their success. I’m questioning my choices and wondering if I made a mistake by not pursuing a traditional education.I am consideri...