The Rock Chalkboard

KU basketball vs. Iowa State: Who stood out and who didn't...
Thompson wasn't the best player in the game, but he stood out about 20 different ways. His highlight block came as a function of good rotation defense, and he had another play where he tagged a roll man to prevent an easy pass inside. KU's guards struggled with that concept just one day earlier.

Three takeaways: Reviewing KU basketball's win vs. Iowa State
With the win, the Jayhawks moved to 14-7 on the year and 8-5 in Big 12 play. The Cyclones (2-13, 0-10 Big 12) shot only 36.4 percent from the field and 20 percent from 3 while the Jayhawks hovered right around 53 percent from the field and 46 percent from 3.

Jalen Wilson notches third-straight double-double in win over ISU
“I feel like we’ve been all really focused on playing for each other lately,” said Wilson. “I think when we play like that, not worrying about individual things, these types of games happen where everybody does well and everybody’s focused on winning. When you do that, everything turns out well.”

Photo gallery: KU basketball blows out Iowa State at Allen Fieldhouse
Kansas basketball cruised to a win over Iowa State in Allen Fieldhouse on Thursday. The Cyclones struggled with the Jayhawks on both ends of the court, as Kansas shot 52.8 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from 3 while committing only seven turnovers for the game.

Reaction: Kansas blows out Iowa State, 97-64
The Kansas Jayhawks cruised to their second-straight win in Big 12 play on Thursday night with a blowout over Iowa State. After beating No. 23 Oklahoma State by double digits earlier in the week, the Jayhawks returned to Allen Fieldhouse and downed the Cyclones by 33 points.

2022 QB Khalib Johnson talks finalists ahead of commitment
Johnson plans to announce on Instagram Live — @khal1b_ — and he previously announced a list of four finalists: Kansas, Louisville, South Florida and Virginia Tech. However, there may be an interesting wrinkle to add to that group — more on that in a second.

Bits o Chalk

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry on MVP talk -- 'Game speaks for itself'
Curry, 32, is in the midst of one of the best stretches of his career, averaging 35.3 points per game and shooting 53-for-101 from beyond the arc over his past eight contests.

Jacksonville Jaguars' Urban Meyer defends hiring controversial Chris Doyle
Meyer's decision to hire Doyle as the team's director of sports performance came to light Thursday when the Jaguars announced his 28-member coaching staff. Meyer also confirmed the hiring of offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, defensive coordinator Joe Cullen, and former Louisville, Texas and South Florida head coach Charlie Strong as assistant head coach/inside linebackers coach.

Tokyo Olympics president Yoshiro Mori announces he is resigning
Yoshiro Mori resigned as the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee on Friday after sexist comments made last week in which he said women "talk too much."

Source -- Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady to have minor knee surgery during offseason
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will undergo a minor surgical procedure on his knee this offseason, a source confirmed to ESPN.

Eraser Dust

Biden Team Unveils New Asylum System To Start Dealing With Migrant Backlog : NPR
The Biden administration said it will begin phasing in a new asylum process on Feb. 19 to deal with a backlog of migrants seeking asylum on the southern U.S. border, many of whom have been waiting in squalid camps in a state of limbo for court dates because of the Migrant Protection Protocols program.

Nikki Haley says Trump won't run again: "He's fallen so far" - Axios
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said that she does not believe former President Trump will run for federal office again in the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, telling Politico in an extensive profile: "I don’t think he can. He’s fallen so far."

Trump Was Sicker Than Acknowledged With Covid-19 - The New York Times
President Donald J. Trump was sicker with Covid-19 in October than publicly acknowledged at the time, with extremely depressed blood oxygen levels at one point and a lung problem associated with pneumonia caused by the coronavirus, according to four people familiar with his condition.

Biden administration purchased 200 million more Pfizer, Moderna doses
Days after taking office, President Joe Biden said his administration planned to buy another 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses — 100 million from Pfizer and 100 million from Moderna. That purchase went through on Thursday, the president said, marking a 50% increase in the nation's total vaccine supply.

New Owner, Same Relationship-Focused Philosophy at Brix - Flathead Beacon
Dickinson, 50, has spent most of his adult life in the food and beverage industry, working various jobs in college before getting serious about wine in his mid-20s while at a restaurant in Eugene, Oregon. He went on to work at Worden’s Market and Deli in Missoula, authoring a weekly food and wine newsletter and gaining further experience in the wine world.

Whitefish to enact emergency ordinance to keep mask mandate in place
The City Whitefish is planning to enact an emergency ordinance following Gov. Greg Gianforte’s Wednesday announcement that the statewide mask mandate will be lifted.

Biden Team Unveils New Asylum System To Start Dealing With Migrant Backlog : NPR
The Biden administration said it will begin phasing in a new asylum process on Feb. 19 to deal with a backlog of migrants seeking asylum on the southern U.S. border, many of whom have been waiting in squalid camps in a state of limbo for court dates because of the Migrant Protection Protocols program.

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