Kansas News

Dick Vitale makes Final Four, National Championship picks
“The 2018-19 Kentucky men’s basketball team team brings a feeling of the 2011-12 National Title team led by the fab Anthony Davis,” Vitale wrote on Twitter. “(They) have vets with Diaper Dandies. Tonight vs Duke, the difference could be depth plus vets vs the super duo of Zion (Williamson) and RJ Barrett.”

Pick Kansas football's next head coach from a 32-candidate bracket | Smithology | KUsports.com
By scouring lists of potential coaches from various publications, our staff compiled a list of 32 nominees for your consideration. Plus, to add to the fun, we’ve seeded them and placed them all in a giant 2018 KU Football Coaching Search Bracket. (Ed note - did they clear this with the UDK?)

Les Miles to KU rumors heating up | Smithology | KUsports.com
Just two days after University of Kansas athletic director Jeff Long informed David Beaty he wouldn’t be around for another season, the idea of Les Miles becoming Beaty’s replacement is beginning to seem more feasible.

KU football players 'professional' while dealing with news of coaching change | KUsports.com
It wasn’t the first time this season, though, that KU football players dealt with uncertainty regarding the coaching situation on a Saturday night or Sunday morning, in the wake of a defeat.

Notebook: Joel Embiid speaks to KU; Bill Self impressed by MSU
Joel Embiid, a former five-star KU basketball freshman who starred in limited action before getting injured and hopping to the NBA, was seen courtside at the game, with his 76ers taking on the Pacers at the same venue one day later.

Freshman backcourt steps up huge in win over Michigan State
When most contenders get into March, the words “freshman backcourt” are enough to send bracketologists scrambling to find the closest upset.

'He's a gamer': Grimes erupts for 21 to start freshman campaign
Leading up to the Champions Classic and No. 1 KU basketball's 92-87 win over No. 10-ranked Michigan State, there had been plenty of praise for KU basketball's top-rated freshman. KU coach Bill Self called Grimes the most complete freshman he'd brought to KU, and that was after he coached Grimes to MVP honors at the 2018 FIBA Americas over the summer.

'Studs': David Beaty gets emotional while speaking on KU players
Beaty started the weekly conference by talking about all the accomplishments he and his staff had earned in his tenure as head coach. He started with awards his players have received, transitioning into graduation rate and concluding with specific people who have helped him along the way.

KU basketball vs. Michigan St.: Quick recap and instant analysis
The Jayhawks repeatedly went to Azubuike in the post late to get good looks. In the final five and a half minutes, Azubuike scored seven key KU points, which included an and-one on Nick Ward, which gave the big man four fouls. Devon Dotson, hit a late free throw to give KU a four-point cushion, and riding the backs of Dedric Lawson and Quentin Grimes the Jayhawks were able to survive, 92-87.

Former KU star Ben Heeney chimes in on David Beaty’s firing
New KU athletic director Jeff Long announced the news on Sunday following KU’s 27-3 loss to Iowa state. Long will allow Beaty to finish out the year as coach, he said. The Jayhawks are currently 3-6 with games against K-State, Oklahoma and Texas remaining.

Other Sports News

Look out college hoops: Duke is just getting started
But minutes after Zion Williamson cuffed Nick Richards' shot in midair and threw a dime to RJ Barrett for a bucket in transition during the worst -- and most embarrassing -- loss of Kentucky coach John Calipari's career, Big Blue Nation left the building.

Andrew Jones, Texas Longhorns guard, returns after leukemia treatments
Andrew Jones got a standing ovation when he hit a free throw in the second half of Texas' opener Tuesday night, his first point as a Longhorn since being diagnosed with leukemia last January.

Kyrie Irving of Boston Celtics fined $25K for throwing ball into stands
Almost 24 hours after Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving fired the ball into the stands following a 115-107 loss to Denver on Monday night, the source of Irving's frustration -- a last-second 3-point attempt by Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who was trying to reach 50 points -- still had him steaming.

CFP Week 2 -- Alabama Crimson Tide, Clemson Tigers, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan Wolverines
The top three -- No.1 Alabama, No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Notre Dame -- continue to sit comfortably in the top four, though the Fighting Irish moved up one spot in this week's rankings, which were released Tuesday night.

John Calipari says Kentucky 'outcoached, outplayed' by Duke
"They were just better than us," Calipari said. "I told [my team], 'I got outcoached, you guys got outplayed. We'll watch the tape and move on.'"

Other News

Live U.S. House Election Results - The New York Times
One-party rule in Washington is over, at least for the next two years. Democrats won the seats needed to take the House after capturing districts where President Trump is unpopular.

Colorado man pleads guilty to wife and daughter's murders - BBC News
The district attorney agreed to drop the death penalty in exchange for Mr Watts accepting all nine charges against him as part of a plea bargain.

Florida Amendment 4 results: ex-felon voting rights restored via ballot initiative - Vox
Florida voters during Tuesday’s midterm elections approved Amendment 4, automatically restoring voting rights in the state for people previously convicted of felonies.

Breaking Bad Movie in the Works; Will Bryan Cranston Return? | Collider
A Breaking Bad movie is in the works, a source has told Collider. At this point, we’re not sure if the original stars, including Bryan Cranston, will return, or whether the Breaking Bad movie would debut on AMC or in theaters, but we haven’t seen the last of Blue Sky. That much I can tell you.