WEDNESDAY SPORTS, JANUARY 7, 2025
MITCHELL KERNELS
— Mitchell Kernels boys basketball ended regulation on a 14-2 run and defeated Harrisburg in overtime 69-68 on Tuesday night in their first ever game at the new Mitchell high school gym. The Kernels trailed by 12 points with 65 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter before Carter McCormick started the comeback with a four-point play after hitting a left corner three. After Harrisburg missed two free throws, Mitchell’s Owen Raml finished a three-point play to make it 56-51 with 52 seconds remaining to cap a 7-0 Kernels run in just nine seconds. An Owen Schelske layup with two seconds left tied the game at 58. In overtime, Raml would win it with a buzzer beater just inside the arc at the top of the key for the 69-68 victory. Raml had a game-high 25 points and 13 rebounds, Colton Smith finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore Owen Schelske had career-highs with 13 points and 12 rebounds. Mitchell dominated the glass, out rebounding Harrisburg 46-29, including 17 offensive rebounds. The Kernels were 9 of 17 from the free-throw line, while Harrisburg struggled at the stripe, going just 10 of 24. Both teams are now 3-2 on the season. The Kernels hosts Yankton on Friday as part of a doubleheader with the girls game at 6 pm and the boys at 7:30 pm at Mitchell high school.
— Mitchell Kernels girls basketball will host Yankton on Friday at 6 pm.
— Mitchell Kernels wrestling competes in Harrisburg in a triangular on Thursday against the Tigers and Yankton at 5 pm
— Mitchell Kernels gymnastics competes at the Brookings Invitational on Saturday.
DAKOTA WESLEYAN
— No. 10 Dakota Wesleyan women’s basketball, 11-4 overall and 7-2 in conference play, hosts Doane on Wednesday at 6 pm at the Corn Palace. The Tigers are currently tied with Concordia for second place in the GPAC, just one game behind first place Dordt.
— Dakota Wesleyan men’s basketball, 8-8 on the season, host Doane on Wednesday at 7:45 pm at the Corn Palace. The Tigers are tied with Doane for eighth in the GPAC with a 3-5 conference record.
— Dakota Wesleyan swept the GPAC defensive player of the week honors. Junior guard Randy Rosenquist Jr. was named the men’s defensive player of the week after having nine steals, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists in two Tiger wins. Rosenquist leads the conference in steals per game. On the women’s side, Shalayne Nagel earned defensive player of the week honors after recording a season-high three blocks against Northwestern.
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
— South Dakota State men’s basketball returns home Thursday to host Denver at 7 pm
— South Dakota State women’s basketball, 12–4 overall and 2–0 in Summit League play, hosts Oral Roberts on Saturday at 1 p.m.
— No. 8 South Dakota State wrestling heads to the NWCA National Duals this weekend.
SOUTH DAKOTA
— USD men’s basketball, 8-8 on the season, will be at St. Thomas on Wednesday at 8 pm.
— USD women’s basketball, 11–4 on the season, hosts Oral Roberts on Thursday at 7 pm.
GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – TUESDAY
No. 7A Wagner 59, No. 5B Ethan 50 – Ashlyn Koupal with 31 points and 18 rebounds.
No. 3 Parkston 60, Hanson 29 – Berkley Ziebart with 19 points.
No. 8 Sanborn Central-Woonsocket 55, Bridgewater-Emery 40
No. 10 Corsica/Stickney 35, Mt. Vernon/Plankinton 15
Freeman 81, Irene-Wakonda 57 – Rylee Peters with a game-high 26 points.
McCook Central-Montrose 59, Dell Rapids 55
Wessington Springs 41, Faulkton 37
Tripp-Delmont/Armour 47, Kimball/White Lake 24 – Kinley Spaans with 14 points and nine rebounds.
Platte-Geddes 53, Canistota 43
Avon 57, Alcester-Hudson 19
BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL – TUESDAY
No. 2 West Central 64, No. 1 Sioux Falls Christian 55
No. 6 Wessington Springs 46, Faulkton 40
No. 8 Parkston 46, Hanson 43 – Brycen Bruening with 28 points.
No. 9 Freeman 73, Irene-Wakonda 40
No. 5 Mahpiya Luta 100, Little Wound 92
Bridgewater-Emery 57, Sanborn Central/Woonsocket 45
Wagner 70, Ethan 59 – Jesse Zephier with 19 points.
Tripp-Delmont/Armour 57, Kimball/White Lake 42 – Ashton Koster had a game-high 24 points.
Alcester-Hudson 68, Avon 52
Colman-Egan 70, Mitchell Christian 42
CLASS AA – GIRLS
No. 1 Brandon Valley 74, Watertown 28
No. 2 O’Gorman 67, Brookings 20
Vermillion 56, Yankton 43
Rapid City Central 52, Sturgis 43
CLASS AA – BOYS
No. 1 Sioux Falls Lincoln 71, Pierre 37
Watertown 59, Brandon Valley 52
O’Gorman 55, Brookings 42
Vermillion 74, Yankton 60
Tea Area 57, Sioux City, North, Iowa 37
Sturgis 56, Rapid City Central 51
Rapid City Stevens 73, Douglas 68
NFL
— John Harbaugh has been fired after 18 seasons as the Baltimore Ravens’ head coach. Owner Steve Bisciotti said Tuesday that Harbaugh was relieved of his duties after the Ravens were one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season. They went 8-9 and missed the playoffs after entering Week 1 as one of the Super Bowl favorites. Baltimore’s season ended Sunday night when kicker Tyler Loop missed a last-second field goal attempt, allowing Pittsburgh to hold on for a 26-24 victory in the game that decided the AFC North title.
— The Dallas Cowboys have fired first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus after they allowed the most points and intercepted the fewest passes in franchise history. It’s the second consecutive season in which Eberflus has been fired. He was let go midseason in 2024, his third year as head coach of the Chicago Bears.
— The Detroit Lions have fired offensive coordinator John Morton. The move Tuesday was expected after the Lions missed the playoffs and coach Dan Campbell took over Morton’s play-calling duties midway through the season. Campbell is now looking for his third offensive coordinator in three seasons. Former OC Ben Johnson left the Lions a little more than a year ago to lead the Chicago Bears and helped them win the NFC North.
— Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. are both gone from head coach Dan Quinn’s staff with the Washington Commanders after a 5-12 season. Kingsbury, the offensive coordinator, and Whitt, who had been in charge of the defense until being stripped of play-calling duties during the season, arrived in Washington with Quinn before the 2024 season. Quinn and Kingsbury mutually agreed to part ways, while Whitt was fired.
NASCAR
— NASCAR Commissioner Steve Phelps has announced his resignation after over 20 years with the organization. His departure follows a federal trial where inflammatory texts he sent during revenue-sharing negotiations were revealed. Phelps will leave at the end of the month, ahead of the season’s start. His texts, including a derogatory comment about Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress, led to backlash from supporters. NASCAR has not announced plans to replace him immediately.
NFL WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
Carolina Panthers vs. Los Angeles Rams – 3:30 pm on Saturday, FOX
Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers – 7 pm on Saturday, Amazon
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Buffalo Bills – Noon on Sunday, CBS
Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco 49ers – 3:30 pm on Sunday, FOX
New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers – 7 pm on Sunday, NBC
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Houston Texans – 7:15 pm on Monday, ABC/ESPN
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS – SEMIFINALS
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 10 Miami – Fiesta Bowl, 6:30 pm, Thursday, on ESPN
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon – Peach Bowl, 6:30 pm, Friday, on ESPN
NBA
— Anthony Edwards scored 26 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat for the second time in four days, 122-94. Edwards had a team-high five 3-pointers. Minnesota has now won three in a row, including a 125-115 win over Miami on Saturday. Jaden McDaniels added 19 points for the Wolves, while Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 17 rebounds, and Julius Randle had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Minnesota has back-to-back games vs. Cleveland this week, starting on Thursday at home at 7 pm.
— Darius Garland scored 14 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, fueling a late 13-point run that sent the Cleveland Cavaliers past the Indiana Pacers 120-116 for their fourth win in five games. Indiana lost its 13th straight game to set a franchise record. The Pacers are now a league-worst 6-31 and are one loss away from matching the Washington Wizards’ 14-game losing streak for the league’s longest this season.
— LeBron James scored 30 points and Luca Doncic capped his 30-point, 10-assist performance with a pair of off-balance, bail-out 3s as the shot clock wound down, as the Los Angeles Lakers held off the New Orleans Pelicans 111-103. Deandre Ayton had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, who won for the fourth time in their past five games while sending the Pelicans to their eighth straight loss. Trey Murphy scored a career-high 41 points for New Orleans.
— Cam Spencer scored 21 points, including five in the final 1:26, as the Memphis Grizzlies beat San Antonio 106-105, offsetting 30 points by the Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama in his return after a two-game absence.
— CJ McCollum scored 27 points and steadied the Wizards after they nearly blew a 26-point lead as Washington held on for a 120-112 victory over the Orlando Magic.
— Cooper Flagg scored 20 points and Brandon Williams hit the winning 3-pointer with 33 seconds to play as the Dallas Mavericks held on for a 100-98 win over the Sacramento Kings to snap a seven-game road losing streak. Anthony Davis had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Mavericks.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL – WEDNESDAY
Providence vs. No. 4 UConn, 6 pm on Peacock/NBC Sports Network
Baylor vs. No. 3. Iowa State, 7 pm on Peacock
No. 5 Purdue vs. Washington, 7:30 pm on Big Ten Network
No. 1 Arizona vs. Kansas State, 8 pm on FS1
No. 9 BYU vs. Arizona State, 8 pm on Peacock/NBC Sports Network
No. 11 Vanderbilt (14-0) vs. No. 13 Alabama, 8 pm on ESPN2
COLLEGE BASKETBALL – TUESDAY
No. 2 Michigan 74, Penn State 72
No. 6 Duke 84, No. 20 Louisville 73
No. 7 Houston 69, No. 14 Texas Tech
Minnesota 70, No. 19 Iowa 67 – The Gophers improve to 10-5 on the season and have won five straight.
Minnesota hosts USC on Friday night at 7:30 pm on the Big Ten Network.
No. 22 Kansas 104, TCU 100 OT – Kansas with a 16 point comeback